Spinning Revisited

[The Cusp]

I've long been opposed to the spinning technique used by some people in lucid dreaming, on the basis that it is unreliable. Half the time, it causes you to wake up, the other half it has unexpected or unintended results. I saw something on TV last weekend that made me reconsider my definition of spinning. I've only ever thought of spinning as throwing your arms out and spinning around until you make yourself dizzy. It's disorienting to say the least, which may be why this technique has been so unreliable for me. So anyways, I saw this show with Boston Rob (of Survivor fame) where he investigates various paranormal things. I can't stand Boston Rob, which is the only reason I was watching the show (Does that make sense?). THey were investigating life after death, and Rob wanted to ask a neurologist about the possibilities of life after death. The neurologist they got was a complete nut job. This neurologist started rambling about lucid dreaming, and was trying to explain it to them as a means to explore life after death. He took them on a literal walk through of a lucid dream, demonstrating various techniques. And then he got to spinning.... This neurologist was demonstrating spinning not by making himself dizzy as I had done, but as a small quick spin. He would either do a 180 and look behind, or do a complete 360. The way he moved was like a ninja, all in one swift, crisp move. It was funny to watch, especially the look on Boston Rob's face. In retrospect, it seems my spinning attempts were too intense, i got carried away and overwhelmed. Now I'm going to have to try smaller more controlled movements. For anyone who uses the spinning technique, what kind of spinning do you do? How do you do it?

[GestaltAlteration]

My spinning attempts were like yours-- too fast and unreliable. In addition it rarely got me the dream change I desired and only served to weaken the lucidity. Some of the time it worked moderately, but still... I'll have to try the version of this neurologist. Thanks for sharing.

[Clairity]

Spinning sadly only woke me up but, maybe as you said.. I wasn't doing it properly. At the moment, I'm so gunshy about spinning that I'm hesitant about even trying to spin again to try to change locations. But maybe I'll give it a try the next time I feel my dream starting to fade.. what have I got to lose then?

[Moonbeam]

Interesting. I always try to turn into a human whirlwind. It hasn't worked that well for me; sometimes I get the velocity and speed, but I don't end up anywhere good; other times I just feel like I'm flopping around and can't even really do it. I'll try it this way, next time I remember. Spinning has such mixed results, maybe half of us are doing it wrong.

[DuB]

While dream spinning has never caused me to wake up, I do consider it to be a rather unreliable technique. Among the results I've gotten are: I finish spinning and am in the exact location I wanted to go to. I get extremely dizzy, even more dizzy than I would get in real life from spinning in circles. Nothing happens at all (the most common result). The quick spin sounds like a good idea.

[Think0808]

I breifly attempted last night will trying to WILD to take an image in my head and spin it around and around. I was thinking of the bible, and spinning it in my imagination, and it helped me have better visuals before sleeping.