Thread: The PERFECT Reality Check?

For me is the nose-pinch one. You pinch your nose, and try to breath. If you can... then you are draming, lol.

I think the easiest thing to do and the RC that u have to think about the least is a simple "turn the light switch on/off" cause they don't work in dreams (as much as i know)
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The most reliable RC is to pinch your nose IMO. You have it all explained in the tutorial section, but just to let you know the importancy of this, don't just mindlessly pinch your nose and know in advance that you can't breathe through it. First check your surroundings, how did you get here, what have you been doing before this, is anything unusual around you etc... Everytime something weird happens, pinch your nose and test if you are dreaming. Only that does you any good.

Good luck

Like everyone else has said, the best one's gotta be the nose-pinch.

Plug your nose, close your mouth, and try breathing through your nose. If you're breathing normally as if nothing's pinching it, then you're dreaming.

nose pinch is da best!

Originally Posted by Navtyr

I think the easiest thing to do and the RC that u have to think about the least is a simple "turn the light switch on/off" cause they don't work in dreams (as much as i know)

Actually, it IS possible for lights to work in dreams. Lights not working shouldn't be an RC, it should be a REASON to RC.

Another good one besides the nose-pinch RC is to try to push your finger through your palm.

I always use the nose pinch, but sometimes I get confused and think that if I can breathe, then I am not dreaming...? O.o
And sometimes my nose is blocked and I can't tell if I can still breathe or not.

So, I don't really think that there is a perfect reality check, because there will always be that moment where it doesn't work, or you're too non-lucid to realize that it is working.

Well, what I'm really trying to get at is:
HOW should I perform the nose RC correctly so that there will be a high chance for me to get lucid on this?
Like what I do is: I ask myself, "Am I dreaming?" look around, and perform the nose RC. Is that all there is to it? Or do I need to ask myself questions?

Originally Posted by xFaithfully

Well, what I'm really trying to get at is:
HOW should I perform the nose RC correctly so that there will be a high chance for me to get lucid on this?
Like what I do is: I ask myself, "Am I dreaming?" look around, and perform the nose RC. Is that all there is to it? Or do I need to ask myself questions?

Force your mind to think that air will go through your pinched-off nose... just think about how that improves the chances.

Actually the nose-pinch RC has always been reliable for me, even when I was just doing it as a force of habit. I don't think that it's ever failed anybody here, so I would recommend it. The only problem is that you might look a bit strange out in public.

Nose pinch is the way to go as far standard RCs are concerned. I'm glad everyone else on this thread realizes that. XD

It's only failed me a handful of times, but I still managed lucidity on most of them since I was actually paying attention to my surroundings instead of just mindlessly RCing.

I agree with pretty much everybody else who's posted here, the nose-pinch is ALMOST a sure fire way to become lucid; though your asking for a reality that works EVERY time. Frankly, there is no such test, because different environments, states of mind, perceptions, health, and various other variables will certainly effect the outcome. A perfect reality does not exist, but the nose-pinch is definitely one of the best ones there is.

Hope that helps you in your studies for becoming an onieronaut

I'd say that the nose pinch is the best, but it's slightly awkward to do that in public where annoying people will be asking, "Why were you pinching your nose? Is there a bad smell? Blah blah blah?" and such. Usually I look at my watch, look away, and look again to see if the numbers are consistent or I try to push a hole through my hand and see if the skin stretches extra far.

Originally Posted by kookyinc

I'd say that the nose pinch is the best, but it's slightly awkward to do that in public where annoying people will be asking, "Why were you pinching your nose? Is there a bad smell? Blah blah blah?" and such. Usually I look at my watch, look away, and look again to see if the numbers are consistent or I try to push a hole through my hand and see if the skin stretches extra far.

Hahaha I was doing the nose pinch in public and somebody asked me that today xD
But I think it's best to do a series of RCs, personally I do the nose-pinch, self-examination, environmental-examination, finger-through-palm, followed by a memory recall; all of which takes a whopping six or seven seconds haha

Originally Posted by LucidSleeperCel

Hahaha I was doing the nose pinch in public and somebody asked me that today xD
But I think it's best to do a series of RCs, personally I do the nose-pinch, self-examination, environmental-examination, finger-through-palm, followed by a memory recall; all of which takes a whopping six or seven seconds haha

Honestly, what do you say when people ask about the nose pinch thing? "I'm checking if I'm dreaming!" I've said that before and every time I get the reply, "You can't tell if you're dreaming or not? That's not healthy! You should see a doctor!" (ok, not exactly, but close to that).

Also, I completely forgot, memory recall is a huge one. Thanks, LSC.

There's no such thing as a perfect reality check; anything can be written off by dream-logic if you're determined enough. That said, counting fingers has always worked for me.

for me it's looking at my hands. that's nvr failed me before. my hands are ALWAYS distorted.

Even if you pinch your nose 100 times a day you have to remember to make the RC count. Realy question your reality. Do a little stabalization and think of dream goals. Yes even while awake.

Btw I use a different finger through the hand method when i'm in public because it's more discrete. I use the middle finger on my left hand. I immagine it getting longer. I physicaly curl it and poke the center of my left palm. In dreams it feels like a really long finger going through jello.

Originally Posted by Samael

There's no such thing as a perfect reality check; anything can be written off by dream-logic if you're determined enough.

Samael speaks da truth.

Yes, it's already been stated that there's no such thing as a perfect reality check.
And when you do your reality check you can't just be doing it because you know you're supposed to, you have to REALLY question your state of reality; otherwise you won't question your state of reality in your dream either.
Oh, and when people ask me why I'm pinching my nose I normally just say: "To build a habit." And if they ask further, I explain further.
"What habit are you building?"
"If I pinch my nose and question my state of reality consistently in my waking life, then I will bring that habit into my dreams; from this I'll then, out of habit, test my state of reality in my dreams; causing me to have lucid dreams."
And if they don't know what lucid dreams are, I'll probably explain THAT too haha
The nose-pinch trick is actually a pretty good conversation starter, if you know how to approach it that is. Because from it you might be able to talk to somebody else who's interested in lucidity, or you might be able to teach somebody about lucidity; either way it's a positive

No had has said Telekinesis? Take a couple seconds to see if you can levitate something with your mind. If you can, your dreaming.

Or you've suddenly developed TK, which in case you should probably hide it lest the government come knocking on you door step, or kicking it down.

Originally Posted by ragincajun2288

No had has said Telekinesis? Take a couple seconds to see if you can levitate something with your mind. If you can, your dreaming.

Or you've suddenly developed TK, which in case you should probably hide it lest the government come knocking on you door step, or kicking it down.

The problem with telekinesis is that if you don't think you're dreaming, you won't believe in telekinesis, so the object won't levitate.

Sometimes I'll try some simple dream control, like to change the color of an object or something. But if you don't think you're dreaming in the first place, then you're not doing a reality check properly. You REALLY have to question your state of reality, or else you won't REALLY question your state of reality in your dreams either.

Thank you for all the replies everyone! These are all very helpful.

The problem with telekinesis is that if you don't think you're dreaming, you won't believe in telekinesis, so the object won't levitate.

That's why you question reality as you do it, as you would with any reality check. You could say the same for any reality check with that answer. IE: The problem with poking your finger into your palm is that if you don't think you're dreaming, you won't believe your finger can go through your hand, and it won't.