Tips for controlling

Hi there, this is my first post here but I guess I'm not really a newbie in controlling dreams. I've done it for several years now, ever since I was 12 if I'm not mistaken, so as my debut post I figured I could share some of the stuff I've learned so far.

First I would like to start by saying that controlling is different for everybody, so don't kill me if you do it differently than me lol.

I guess the most essential thing to start controlling is realizing you're in a dream, but this way the odds of waking up right after that are very big unless you already have experience. At first you'll probably wake up tons of times right after doing something (like trying to fly, or sending a fireball) but eventually you'll get the hang of it and probably not even need to realize your inside a dream anymore, it will be something natural, you'll just be in your little personal world.

To maintain yourself in a dream requires control, you want to have consciousness but not too much (or you'll wake up), don't control all the time, force some stuff and then go back into letting yourself go with the flow.

Now the moves I've learned so far by order:

Forcing to wake up

Yup this was the first thing I ever controlled, seems pretty basic but it's not all that easy. Try imagining dreams like most RGP games, normally characters have a "Mana" bar, in dreams it's kinda like that, when you force something you gain a little consciousness (lose a little "mana" lol), if you force too much you'll drain that bar and wake up. The best way to force yourself to wake up from a nightmare or a bad dream is to try to gain full consciousness in one strike, like thinking very hard "this IS a dream, I'm in my bed, WAKE UP NOW!". Honestly for me this a painful move, it's like getting slapped in the face, but it's very useful.

Elemental Control

Kinda like what you see in "Avatar, the last airbender": Water/Fire/Air/Earth bending, it's probably one of the coolest things to do in a dream. In my case Water Bending was my first attack/defense type of control, probably because water is my element, in your case it could be a different one.
The key to waterbend is to feel the water as an extension of yourself, calm and fluid. To turn it into ice shift your feelings quickly into becoming serious, harsh and with the intension to strike or protect (either you want an attack or a defensive move). To breath under water all you have to do is remember you're in your bed breathing normally, you won’t suffocate.
The other 3 elements aren't really my thing, I've done some fire bending but no matter how big of a fireball I create it never does any damage, I guess I know how create the "image" of fire but I can't make it burn.

Shape Shifting

This one is very fun, especially if you turn into animals. The best way to do this depends on the way you view dreams, in my case I see them just like in real life, through my eyes, so I rarely see my face or body. Without seeing the body shifting it's easier because you only need to feel it changing, if you saw it doing it you would probably gain a lot more consciousness and wake up quicker.

Summoning Weapons

Just like in Shape Shifting, don't look at it, staring at your hands while you summon something makes you force more than just feeling it happen. My suggestion would be to summon weapons behind your back, this way by the time you bring it to the front you already have a full idea of the image of the weapon. Make simple weapons, it will make the dream last longer.

Changing Surroundings

This will make you very conscious and you'll probably wake up unless you have a lot of practice. Try changing little things like transforming dream characters into washing machines or sofas like I did :twisted:. Changing the background is fun but you'll probably wake up right after that. Go with the dream, it's much more fun.

Flying

Yup good old flying, I bet this is everyone's favorite. To me it was one of the moves that took longer to control properly but now it's the one I use more often. The key for me was fear, being scared of falling or needing to escape, but now it's something so basic I can't even explain, almost like walking but into the sky.

Healing

It's a mix of changing surroundings and "love". Basically change the thing you need to heal with good intensions and strong feelings. Kinda lame I know.

Teleporting

This one is hard, but it's very very useful. Like I said before, if you don't look at it you get to dream longer, using your vision during the entire control of things it's a huge waste because you have to imagine every little detail changing, instead of just "the essential". Basically close you eyes and imagine yourself in a different place, there are two ways of doing this: teleporting into a different spot in the same scenery, or a to a completely different one. Honestly none is easier than the other, practice makes perfect =P

Fighting

I discovered this tip yesterday actually, when you fight you gain too much consciousness easily because it requires lots of moves. Try "letting yourself go", for example: I forced the dream into summoning weapons but then I let it go back into "auto mode", that way not only fighting was easier but it also lasted hours instead of minutes.

I hope this helps, I'm not a pro and I still have a lot to learn, but I wish someone could have given me this tips a long time ago instead of having to figure it out all by myself lol. Also if you have tips for me they will be more than welcome :D

This is a cool little guide, and certainly interesting to read through, but there isn't really any trick to doing anything. Like the "Water Bending" for example. There is no real trick for it, it's just knowing your dreaming and that you can do anything. "Flowing" your thoughts won't make a difference. For the healing as well, projecting "Love" won't make any difference then from projecting "hate" or any other emotion. Dream control isn't like in an anime or RPG. That said, it can and does make the dream more entertaning, like living out your favorite anime or game.

You probably knew this, but just in case you didn't, and for any newbies reading this guide.:P

SoulWolf, what an informative first posting.. it's much appreciated.

Welcome to Dream Views! :D