Thread: Want to help compile a dream-flying tutorial?

Granted I've only had one LD and didn't fly in it, I may not be the #1 expert but I've had lots of regular flying dreams in the past. Anyway, I notice so many ppl asking flying questions and I think it's be a good idea to compile a tutorial so we don't have to all give our suggestions every single time. If no one wants to or the mods deem it not fit for the tutorial forum, that's fine. Well, here's the ideas I have for ppl that are having trouble flying. Please add more if you have more ideas.

1. Start with floating
To float, it often helps to start with your eyes closed. Then either jump into the air or imagine yourself just going up. Open your eyes and if you're off of the ground, try to concentrate on staying there and getting yourself stable and centered. If you have trouble getting in the air, imagine yourself climbing an invisible staircase and go up them.

2. Moving
Once you get yourself stabilized, go slowly in simple directions: up, down, forward, and backwards. If you can do those, then you can start combining up or down with forward and then add in turns. If that doesn't work, you can try to use a landmark near yourself and visualize yourself being pulled towards it.

3. Jump off of a building
If you can't seem to get off the ground, maybe a little desperation will inspire you. I've done this before and it requires that you know you're in a dream. And once you're sure you're dreaming, you have to know that you will not be harmed. Get up to a high enough place and then simply jump off. Close your eyes if you must and spread your arms. Then as you descend, imagine yourself going up. Imagine you're in a movie or something where they pull up right before hitting the ground. That may work.

4. Modes of assistance
a. Spiderman - I've had several dreams where I'm Spiderman and I'm swinging among buildings. Try getting comfortable with swinging around and then try going around without the webs/ropes.
b. Hand-helds - Imagine an object of some sort that you are touching (ie. a ball in your hands, a belt around your waist, a platform beneath your feet, etc.). The, try to move that object around with yourself attatched to it. When you grow comfortable with that, then try using a smaller object, and then a smaller, until you no longer use one and are able to move yourself around.
c. Dream Guide - Try summoning your dream guide and have them fly you around or tell you how.
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Disclaimer: Please don't attempt to fly in real life! You will either end up hurting yourself or just looking stupid.

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Yah, so if you have more ideas, please post them!

-Amé

Here's a few more I can think of:

Zooming Method: (at least I think that's what it's called)
Focus on an object that's some distance away, like a tree or a house. Then, imagine it pulling you towards it, like a magnet. You should end up going pretty fast. You can then work your way up to things like the moon.

DC Throw you in the air:
Self-explanatory, really. Ask them politely, I guess.

Spring:
This is the one I usually do, although it doesn't work in all types of LDs (yes, there's different types). Crouch a little bit, and tense every muscle in your body. Then, jump up as high as possible, like a spring.

Nawww, if you do than people will think it takes skill to fly in a lucid dream. It doesn't take any skill. It makes it sound more complicated than it really is with all of that, the only rule is to will yourself to do it...

I have to disagree there, it's sometimes not as easy as just willing yourself. Anyway, a technique helps to set the intention, which is critical. Also, some people who are completely new at LDing don't easily comprehend the act of "willing." They need an action to go along with it.

The End.

Originally Posted by Scwigglie

I have to disagree there, it's sometimes not as easy as just willing yourself. Anyway, a technique helps to set the intention, which is critical. Also, some people who are completely new at LDing don't easily comprehend the act of "willing." They need an action to go along with it.
The End.
[/b]

In the first LD i had, i just jumped into the air and started to fly. That could just be me but...

im going to have to agree with you sqwiggy. even i find it somewhat difficult to fly.

I dunno, in some dreams it works and in others it barely works. of course i haven't really tried it in a lot of LD's. I'd rather do other things....

SUCK METHOD:

Hold a Vacuum Cleaner Nozzle Turned On and Point it away from you while in the air.

I'm with wasup on this one.. I'm kinda new to the concept of controlling my lucid dreams. I don't have a whole lot of control of things yet, but I can always fly just by knowing that I will be able to do it. Although, I think that it probably would help newbies to try different techniques, since this will help them gain confidence that they will succeed at doing it. I don't think the particular technique really matters, as long as it gives you the confidence.

Not everyone can fly, and that's been made really clear through the countless posts. Plus, hey, it's a tutorial designed to help people. No complaining! Or I'll.. give you really moldy cheese.

I have started writing a book called 'How to Fly in Your Dreams'. The book would be a short jokey thing about LDing in general not just flying. But I do love flying so I will be covering this in some detail! I have written to the administrators about this and they think its OK to do research on DV, so long as I credit the site, and anyone who I quote. Bearing this in mind - I have just been going through the 1000+ references to flying on this site! I havent finished this yet, but will post when I have, unless this thread ends up doing that job for me!
It would be very interesting to hear of any unusual flying dreams, either in this thread, or you can pm/email me. I will of course ask permission before quoting anyone.


EDIT: Three years later I still haven't got further than a contents list!

Originally posted by Scwigglie
I have to disagree there, it's sometimes not as easy as just willing yourself. Anyway, a technique helps to set the intention, which is critical. Also, some people who are completely new at LDing don't easily comprehend the act of \"willing.\" They need an action to go along with it.

The End.

I think your right that setting an intention DOES help, but, yes, the thing is, it IS as easy as willing yourself! If you have great imagination or something than it will probably be easier for you to do it than someone who tries to prove why flying is impossible...

Originally posted by Scwigglie
Not everyone can fly, and that's been made really clear through the countless posts. Plus, hey, it's a tutorial designed to help people. No complaining! Or I'll.. give you really moldy cheese.

The reason they can't fly is because they are just starting lucid dreaming (or their confidence fell as they failed and failed). Think of it this way: You are with some friends at the local pool. Your friends dared you to go off the high, high dive and you are really scared to do it. Well you start climbing up. You start jumping on the board and then as you hit the water, the water is soft, painless, and actually feels really good. At this point it would be really easy for you to do it the next time. The same applys with lucid dreaming.
Not only that, but spending time at the forum may be bad for you dreaming confidence (at least for newbies) because you read all those posts about people who can't fly. This makes newbies think that its hard to do, which it isn't!

Not only that, but spending time at the forum may be bad for you dreaming confidence (at least for newbies) because you read all those posts about people who can't fly.[/b]

Hey, I agree!

I also agree that people can't fly because their confidence might be failing. Soooo, this tutorial may help to break through those barriers. And it doesn't imply that flying is hard. It actually does the opposite.. it steers newbies away from all the negative crap and basically says, "Hey, look at these easy techniques, pick the one you like and off you go!"

It-is-hard-for-some-people. That's very very apparent. I know that you, in particular, have no trouble. But not everyone is like you. These techniques are designed to give newbies something to go on, rather than just saying, "Oh yeah, just will yourself to fly." I'm telling ya, they'll prolly be like, "Will? What do you mean, will? Explain."



Also.. using different methods can produce different results. Some methods can be used to fly at a leisurely pace, and some, like the zooming method, can be used to shoot through the air like a bullet. Even for people who can fly easily, it could be fun to explore all those different techniques and see what happens.

Originally posted by Scwigglie

Not only that, but spending time at the forum may be bad for you dreaming confidence (at least for newbies) because you read all those posts about people who can't fly.

Hey, I agree! [/b]

Good

I also agree that people can't fly because their confidence might be failing. Soooo, this tutorial may help to break through those barriers. And it doesn't imply that flying is hard. It actually does the opposite.. it steers newbies away from all the negative crap and basically says, \"Hey, look at these easy techniques, pick the one you like and off you go!\"[/b]

I say that if we did have a flying tutorial, it should say some stuff like, \"flying isn't hard in a dream, but some people have trouble comprehending the idea and being able to do it because they have never done it or anything like it before\". I think you should make it clear that the methods are there to help you understand what it would feel like more so you could do it more easily (I hope you understand what I mean...). People are used to physical things moving you around. Flying isn't a regular body function so if you imagined your feet blowing at fire it would probably be easier to imagine the feeling of making yourself fly... get it?

It-is-hard-for-some-people. That's very very apparent. I know that you, in particular, have no trouble. But not everyone is like you. These techniques are designed to give newbies something to go on, rather than just saying, \"Oh yeah, just will yourself to fly.\" I'm telling ya, they'll prolly be like, \"Will? What do you mean, will? Explain.\" [/b]

No, it isn't easy for me, I've actually never flown well before (except when taking melatonin but that doesn't count), but I'm trying to teach myself it isn't hard to do, I WOULD like a flying tutorial, but I think it could subconciously make me think that flying is a hard thing to do.

Also.. using different methods can produce different results. Some methods can be used to fly at a leisurely pace, and some, like the zooming method, can be used to shoot through the air like a bullet. Even for people who can fly easily, it could be fun to explore all those different techniques and see what happens.[/b]

Yeah that makes sense, if you make a tutorial you should add that the different methods can be more fun, not necessarily only help you fly easier.

Okay. Agreed then.

Ame, are you still there? Anyway, since you're in charge of this particular tutorial, I think it'd be great if you added some of those things that wasup said in the above post. It really would clear up some things.

few comments:

-attraction method seems to work best towards big and massive objects (not sure, but trying to attract to a car yeilded low speed)

-there may be a difference between zooming and attraction methods. Zooming takes power from your will, while Attraction is more about expectations.

-best way to get in the air is by willing to fly. (at least for me)

[quote]few comments:

-attraction method seems to work best towards big and massive objects (not sure, but trying to attract to a car yeilded low speed)
quote]

It probably wasn't true for some people before, but it will be now...

Originally posted by wasup+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wasup)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Ev

few comments:

-attraction method seems to work best towards big and massive objects (not sure, but trying to attract to a car yeilded low speed)

It probably wasn't true for some people before, but it will be now...[/b]

heh, try it

It's been a long time since I first learned to fly. There are a few things I remember about my earlier experiences and have learned along the way.

1. Do NOT try to focus your Chi into an energy ball while flying! A crash usually results.

2. Flying too high removes points of reference and usually ends up in a loss of lucidity.

3. Sometimes running with a long, loping stride can help you become airborne. Also running down steps, you can often float down a whole flight of them.

4. Using the attraction method on moving objects like airplanes can be interesting. It is kind of like being attached by a rubberband!

5. Frustration will kill your ability to fly quicker than anything. I can remember getting a few feet off the ground and then getting frustrated because I could not go higher. That grounded me quickly.

6. Spinning while flying usually does not help increase lucidity.

7. Flapping your arms doesn't help (for me anyway), but swimming does (breast stroke seems to work best)

8. It is difficult, but you can share your energy with someone(dream construct) in a dream and help them to fly.

9. When in doubt about what to do next, just kind of hover DragonBall Z style and look around.

10. Do not automatically assume that you will be able to fly through things like walls of ceilings. Sometimes you bounce and it can be quite embarassing

11. Desire and belief are the key ingrediants. You must believe that you can fly and you must desire it enough to work at it.

12. Some people pick up flying easily, for others they have to work at it.

Thats a great tutorial Seeker, pretty much everything i would've wanted to say.

I was actually going to make a flying tutorial myself, but i just never had the time around to do it.

But in a few words, i would say that you should start off by floating, focusing your mind and energy until you lift. Another great method IMO is jumping off of something. If a building looks to scary, then try your house roof.

Once your in the air, take things little at a time before you sore off higher into the sky. With enough practise you'll be able to fly DBZ style.

I also just remembered something. My very first flying dream (as cheesy as it sounds) I was flying around to the song "I believe I can fly." In the dream I had dived into a pool to retrieve a girl's goggles and when I came out I found I had the ability to fly. Even just doing something as simple as swimming in a magic pool might help you become confident enough to fly.

Just thought I'd mention that.

-Amé

Another technique. You can blame Douglas Adams for this stupid idea but it might be worth a shot. "Aim to throw yourself on the ground and miss." There's supposed to be a point where you're supposed to be suddenly distracted and then suddenly realize that you didn't hit the ground. I don't know how the distracting thing would go, but you can try to throw yourself at the ground....kind of like in the Animatrix mini-film at that haunted house.

-Amé

i remember when my friendz show up in my ld, he was flyin then i said (how do you fly?) he said just make ur legs weak, i tried and i was flyin.
he said that he can teach me anything. after he said that i woke up
maybe he was my dream guide? who know? -_-

Originally posted by Ja_
i remember when my friendz show up in my ld, he was flyin then i said (how do you fly?) he said just make ur legs weak, i tried and i was flyin.
he said that he can teach me anything. after he said that i woke up
maybe he was my dream guide? who know? -_-

sounds like one to me...i wish i were that lucky....

I have done a great deal of experimentation over the years with flying at different speeds. I also enjoy creating a breeze and just floating with the current. I discovered during my experimentation that when flying at super high velocity I did not have the sensation of moving. Instead I realized that I was remaining motionless and everything else was moving around me. Anyone else experience this phenomenon?

ooh i found out why i cant fly, i just needed to jump, then tuck in the legs! man... wish i had remembered that earlier