Need help with control

**c2k5** · 05-25-2010 05:35 AM

So today I had my first vivid lucid. Anyways I was in my room and I turned on my lightswitch which ended up turning on my computer monitor. I read on here one time about a dude being able to close his eyes and say "Lights on" and they would turn on. I tried that about 5 times to no avail. I kept reassuring myself that it was possible too. Is there another way or something I am doing wrong to be able to turn on lights?

Also I kept falling down and getting extremely dizzy like I was drunk. I noticed the world start fading so I rubbed my hands together and ran in circles. Is that the right way to prolong dreams? Also is the drunk dizziness a sign you are losing control?

**hgld1234** · 05-25-2010 07:09 PM

Lights are very difficult to control in dreams, I've read. Also, I find it helps to take a step back once becoming lucid, you can spin if you want, but it is important not to jump into control, I find.

Ontopic, did you positivly 110% believe that would happen? A 99% belief indicates doubt, doubt is the enemy to dream control. Another way is to teleport to a light place, I do so by closing my eyes and imagining my new place. Be warned, this can make an unstable dream fade or lead to an FA.

Having said that, my first vivid lucid was extremely difficult to control. Any teleportation attempts lead to an FA. But my SECOND vivid LD was much better. Mabye a person must get accustomed to life in a vivid LD before obtaining control.

Congrats for getting a vivid LD though!

**Amethyst Star** · 05-25-2010 08:15 PM

Just keep practicing. If you want to turn the lights on, you can try flipping a switch or you can clap the lights on or snap your fingers or blink or any number of other things. If you don't get it right away, try something else, and don't be afraid to use a method that is strange or unusual. Often if you think "Well, I could try this..." it'll work. Just try and see what happens. Then, don't get frustrated if things don't happen all at once. Enjoy your lucidity and keep practicing and the ability to manipulate your dream will come with time. Just have fun!

Also, make sure you decide what you'd like to do in your dreams before you go to sleep. Having that intention and plan will help you not only decide what to do, but if you think through it, it can help you to try something new or work through a challenge without wasting a lot of dream-time

As far as rubbing your hands together, I've found that helps to keep me in the dream when I feel like I'm going to wake up. It causes me to focus on my dream body rather than my physical body. Things still often turn black, or once everything turned dizzy, but I made it through and the dream continued as normal (sometimes having kept or lost lucidity). Blackness or dizziness isn't really a sign of a lack of control, but that you're closer to waking up.

In response to hgld1234, doubt can kill dream control, but I find that stress can kill it even more. Again, try to not feel disappointed or upset if things don't work right away. Just keep trying and you will achieve your goals in time.

**no_limits** · 07-06-2010 01:25 AM

NEVER doubt yourself. When you say something is going to happen, think to yourself, "IT WILL HAPPEN!!!" Trust me, this is crucial. A lot of times I felt so sure something was going to happen and it didn't. In fact the opposite usually happens.

**simm** · 07-07-2010 07:59 AM

How about start off by saying to yourself that the lights have been setup so that they can be turned on when you ... clapping and saying 'lights on' are obvious ones cause the technology is actually there in real life. This is how I would control things in the beginning. I remember running away from vampires and then saying 'they wont get me if I pretend I am dead' then the vampires ignored me and the dream turned from a potential nightmare into a pretty cool dream. Later when you are more confident you wont have to say it, you'll be able to just expect it.