Thread: How can I have a nightmare?

Originally Posted by Xilivai

My question is, how can I make myself have a nightmare? I know wierd, but the only thing I fear I happen to find the most interesting thing. So I like this fear. Even more weird. But whatever, there's my question.

That's easier than having an LD. I accidentally induced nightmares instead of LDs..... One way is to feel someone/something evil standing right next or opposite to your bed in the darkness until you get the vibes or project yourself standing opposite your bed while you sleep and stand in it's place to see your bed and imagine yourself sleeping there until you get the realness of yourself standing there watching you sleep. If it's successfull you'll wake up yelling... It worked almost everytime I try not that I did it on purpose to have nightmares.... Another way is also to see ghost videos on youtube before sleep and WBTB.

IMJ

Hmm...most interesting. Dexter is a horror fan and never even considered that a nightmare was inducible as he seems to fear nothing (or a lack of anything in his dreams causing him a horrific reaction in any case...). However this concept is interesting. If one may ask, what about this situation caused you to ahve a horrific reaction? This teqnique has been described for inducing astral projection by many new age, psychic, etc. books Dexter has read. Yet you experience a nightmare from such an excercise. Perhaps you could elaborate this?

This is truly an interesting concept to be discussed but it really doesn't belong in introduction/newbies. Probably more of a general dreaming topic.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for inducing nightmares? This would interest Dexter very much. He's not had any real nightmores per se and generally seeks out horror...

Originally Posted by Euthanatos

Hmm...most interesting. Dexter is a horror fan and never even considered that a nightmare was inducible as he seems to fear nothing (or a lack of anything in his dreams causing him a horrific reaction in any case...)

I'm the same, but who is Dexter (*chuckles*, sorry couldn't resist).

As a kid, I was a natural LDer because of nightmares, I learned to react to them by kicking ass (passively or actively)
As a result, I also never get nightmares anymore. I'd also love to have more of them.

In order to induce them, my best guess would be to freak yourself out before bed. Put up freaky pictures on your ceiling that really bug you.
And dwell on them, thinking about them, as you fall asleep.

If you ever watch Derren Brown, he has an episode where he takes a guy who doesn't get freaked out easily, and talks to him a bit, sends him through a boring horror ride at a fair.... and he comes out in shock and terror.

So, that means it's possible through some sort of technique involving mental suggestions. But I'm no Derren Brown

Be sure to post what you find and what works, please, for both me and Dexter (Euthanatos) and whoever sees this in future

PS: Moved to General Dreaming forum - as I agree with Dexter on this
(Err, and I screwed up the redirect ... sorry)

Hmm...Dexter has seen that clip and didn't even think of it at the time. Give him some time to review it and see if he can decrypt Derren's NLP for a practical suggestion. Too tired to do it now...have a little work to do before hitting the sack.

How do I freak myself out? A guy in my house with an axe dosen't scare me. I enjoy hights and I'm not scared of small places. Pretty much nothing scares me.

And thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate it.

First, the term nightmare is relative. Things that frighten the living daylights out of one person may not impress another. So think of something that would match the term nightmare for you.

Second, get about 5 to 6 hrs of sleep. Use an alarm if needed. Then get back to sleep visualizing the situation posing your nightmare. You can further confirm your target by repeating a mantra like "Next time I'll dream, I'll ... (shortly describe your nightmare situation)."

This method makes use of MILD and WILD techniques as well as WBTB. Either you directly slip into the nightmare (with a chance of being lucid) or it happens a bit later. Of course there is also a chance nothing happens or you can not recall it after waking, so proper recall training is a precondition, as with most dream related topics.

Yeah, but I think his problem is that nothing scares him, so describing his nightmare situation isn't so easy.. hehe
Good response though, otherwise

Originally Posted by Euthanatos

Hmm...most interesting. Dexter is a horror fan and never even considered that a nightmare was inducible as he seems to fear nothing (or a lack of anything in his dreams causing him a horrific reaction in any case...). However this concept is interesting. If one may ask, what about this situation caused you to ahve a horrific reaction? This teqnique has been described for inducing astral projection by many new age, psychic, etc. books Dexter has read. Yet you experience a nightmare from such an excercise. Perhaps you could elaborate this?

This is truly an interesting concept to be discussed but it really doesn't belong in introduction/newbies. Probably more of a general dreaming topic.

Does anyone else have any suggestions for inducing nightmares? This would interest Dexter very much. He's not had any real nightmores per se and generally seeks out horror...

I myself don't really know why it happens but I get it almost everytime I use it. I get dreams that I'm in bed and it's dark and I can't move and I feel evil in the air and I just want to wake up. It last very short but the feeling is fear like being exposed to something evil. I think I was successfull in AP but just that I felt 'naked' I guess.

IMJ

Hm, if you were to practice lucids it would become easier, since I like nightmares so much, but rarely have them ever since learned how to control dreams, just did this: Enter DW, put all of my "fear" into a living being and let it be the switch for anything scary, just seeing her releases tons of fear, actually... she is the only thing I ever get scared of now lol But its worth as the feeling is extreme, yay! Thats of course, a last resort thing when I was unable to get scared in dreams, no matter what <.<

You can try eating chocolate!!! I know thats not the most reliable way, but whats the bad side? I heard that nicotene patches over night gives you nightmares, probably not to healthy though...

Originally Posted by Placebo

Yeah, but I think his problem is that nothing scares him, ...

I don't believe that. It's simply a matter of creativity. How about seeing a loved one being slowly dismembered and served in pieces on white dinner plates while the screaming and bleeding person hangs on a cross at the other side of the table knowing you are next when done eating or refusing to eat. Just an example. If that doesn't give you the creeps, you're not out of fear but out of social abilities.

Haha, fair point
Perhaps he just needs to get creative after all
Or get human, otherwise

lol but isn't it different to get scared, disgusted or shocked? They are generally related tough <.<

Originally Posted by Xilivai

My question is, how can I make myself have a nightmare? I know wierd, but the only thing I fear I happen to find the most interesting thing. So I like this fear. Even more weird. But whatever, there's my question.

Well if you are not lucid then I cannot really give you a suggestion on how to have a nightmare since you are not directly able to influence your dream at such a moment. However if you are lucid that's a whole other story and one I can help you with.

If you are already lucid there are many things you can do to cause a nightmare.

1) You can summon things which you are afraid of or find disturbing, in turn this may change your mindset to negative things inducing a nightmare.

2) Imagine that when you walk through a door you will be in a nightmare, usually works out quite well.

3) And my last suggestion I will give (though I do have more) all has to do with your current mindset. For instance if you saw someone who looks evil in your dream and got scared this can immediatly change your dream. Things may become more disturbing, you may find yourself in a position where you feel impending doom. You sort of have to practice with this.

Basically the gist of having a nightmare is creating an environment in which you are very uncomfortable and causes you to enter a state of fear or panic. This usually leads to a nightmare.

i have nightmares when i sleep on my left side, (facing away from the door)

Originally Posted by gigaschatten

I don't believe that. It's simply a matter of creativity. How about seeing a loved one being slowly dismembered and served in pieces on white dinner plates while the screaming and bleeding person hangs on a cross at the other side of the table knowing you are next when done eating or refusing to eat. Just an example. If that doesn't give you the creeps, you're not out of fear but out of social abilities.

I think he called me a sociopath....although admittedly I'd kinda figured that out already.

Originally Posted by Oneironaut_Benny

Basically the gist of having a nightmare is creating an environment in which you are very uncomfortable and causes you to enter a state of fear or panic. This usually leads to a nightmare.

And this is the reason I smoke salvia. And yet...I'm still not afraid...

My father swears blind that feng shui worked for him (and he's not generally the superstitious sort)
In his case, he had a full length mirror facing his bed and he slept very badly
He didn't have nightmares, but this came to mind when the door-facing nightmare thing was mentioned ... YMMV

So I had something close to a nightmare. Bugs creep me out. Spiders the most. I saw a giant scorpion (The size of a small dog) And several other creepy crawly things. Oddly enough...no spiders. I wasn't afraid per so but it was an extremely odd experience.

Watching traumatic images and let them burn in your memory shoud increase the chance to have an nightmare

I'm desensitized. Nothing is traumatic anymore. I've been there done that as part of alchemy.