Thread: What counts are natural and what doesn't?

I know it isn't a race, but can you think back to when you were just starting out? For me on here it's contributing, passing on advice and things, getting involved in tests, but gaining nothing, then I see newbies come on and get their first within a few days or a week of trying a method that I'm still trying weeks after.

You cannot blame me for getting really frustrated and annoyed. I feel like the only (I know I'm not the only, but I'm in the tiny minority) of people in an airport where everyone else has a ticket to go somewhere cool and I don't. I get up to the gate sometimes or even boarding, but then for no reason get trolled when the method just stops doing anything and I'm stuck.

Even taking a break doesn't help me. I took one, about 8 weeks into trying, for a week or so, my dreams just went to nothing. I kept up my dream journal, but my dreams just shrank.

So I can either give up entirely and hope that one magically comes along, or keep trying and get more frustrated.

Thanks for the help btw

yelling fuck over and over again wont help

I've only had 1 (all the other 8 were semi)

And i've been at it for so long

But you have still had a lucid and 8 semi lucids. Whats stopping me from having my first one?

And I will yell whatever I want thank you very much.

BUBBLEGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUm

Originally Posted by Origami

I'm not swearing at you, I'm swear at exasperation. How would you feel if you kept trying something, and the one place you could go for help was a place filled with people willing to help, but also crammed with people who are needing help but don't actually need it because they are already successful but don't realize it??

FU- udge. I don't think I need help. I just wished some of the people, the little newbies who joined this month and last month, who have had 7 LDs and think they are falling behind or need help, would just realize that some people here, me included, are the only ones who need help.

Insufferable little whiners.

Your way of venting your frustration is rather anoying, but will give you some space because I understand your frustration.

It obviously seems like you are highly motivated and exerting the effort to try and attain lucidity. As mentioned before don't compare yourself to other people, it is well documented that individual differences is a fact when it comes to lucid dreaming or anything else for that matter. If these compariosons you make between yourself and others actually matter to you, no wonder they stress yourself out mate.

As mentioned by SilverBullet a break can be a good idea. Quite litterally STOP TRYING (you may even have to force yourself doing this). Normally not an advice I would give, but it has worked for me before. Came out of a month-long dryspell by adopting a "couldn't-give-a-toss" attitude. Stopped meditating, reality checking, even discontinued my dream journal, which funily enough produced quite a few lucids to the point where I lost count of how many I have had so far, because I didn't bother writing them down.

As I said not normally an advice I would give, but due to your obvious frustration it might just do the trick.

On a side note, another thing not mentioned so far I believe is physical activity. Don't start running just before bed, but physical activity during the day have also been shown to increase the probability of lucidity.

And mate, even though you say you aren't swearing at other people, but just because you are frustrated please stop doing it. It comes across as rude, when people are just taking their time to describe what works for them, and you slam them with an attitude that you are just hearing shit you already know, and it clearly isn't working for you.

You bet I can be annoying when I'm frustrated. I am getting frustrated, and you telling me to not get frustrated because- no. I'm frustrated, disregard everything I say that's unrelated.

Fine. I'll take a break from it. A week of doing nothing. I won't even come on here for a week. But if nothing happens during that week, be prepared for a topic called "I'm back, FUUUUUUUU"

Starting now, see you later.

WHY AM I STRUGGLING?

I've been into this a couple of months. I've 'struggled' too. Actually I think a mood of frustration and struggling is the worst thing you can bring to LDing. I know because it hasn't helped me. I'm trying to relax and enjoy the learning process now...

Don Juan said:

Get as heavy as you want when we talk about dreaming," he said. "Explanations always call
for deep thought. But when you actually dream, be as light as a feather. Dreaming has to be
performed with integrity and seriousness, but in the midst of laughter and with the confidence of
someone who doesn't have a worry in the world. Only under these conditions can our dreams
actually be turned into dreaming."

Originally Posted by Origami

But you have still had a lucid and 8 semi lucids. Whats stopping me from having my first one?

And I will yell whatever I want thank you very much.

BUBBLEGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUm

ahem

6 months

It's taken some of the more experienced LD practioners months and years of trial and error before they get it...

Have you tried Calea Z and other related legal herbs?

I haven't had a lucid yet either but I dont mind I will keep trying

Calm down. WBTB + MILD is what I say. But seriously give up or keep on trying. There's no use in complaining about it. Also have you ever taken a break? Might work for you.

Finally.. the first bit of sense in this thread, that I nearly agree with:

Originally Posted by Dowzen

It's taken some of the more experienced LD practioners months and years of trial and error before they get it...

Very revealing thread, btw.

Originally Posted by Dowzen

I've been into this a couple of months. I've 'struggled' too. Actually I think a mood of frustration and struggling is the worst thing you can bring to LDing. I know because it hasn't helped me. I'm trying to relax and enjoy the learning process now...

Don Juan said:
"Get as heavy as you want when we talk about dreaming," he said. "Explanations always call
for deep thought. But when you actually dream, be as light as a feather. Dreaming has to be
performed with integrity and seriousness, but in the midst of laughter and with the confidence of
someone who doesn't have a worry in the world. Only under these conditions can our dreams
actually be turned into dreaming."

YES, that freakin quote is the best way I've seen my state of mind for lucid dreaming explained. I love those Castaneda books.

I class myself as a natural this is why: since i was a child i have always woke in the night and had SP ((only found out thats what was happening to me not so long ago)) this would throw me into a FA or a lucid dream..I had never heard of lucid dreaming or SP when this was happening to me, all i knew was that when i heard the noises and felt funny i would either have a nice dream where i knew i was in a dream or i would have a terryfying faulse awakewning or suffer the hallucinations of SP. I never once tried to do this, it is something that just happens to me and now i understand it more i work with it instead of fighting against it. So as you can see this is a NATURAL ability that once scared me and confused me but now i have controll and confidence and no longer fear the unknown i enjoy it

I hope this message isn't too late to reach you:
Doing nothing is absolutely different from relaxing..you won't get anything from doing nothing...
And I still think Visualization & Self questioning is the simplest/easiest/most convenient practice, compared to any other complicated techniques.

Free your mind, Neo.

Originally Posted by Dreamer4127

For goodness sake, stop swearing! Not everyone is your age and plus I think it's mean when we are trying to help you and you just swear! Listen to the advice if you want to lucid dream and calm down.

And you, settle down. Strong words are for strong emotions.

Visualization & Self questioning is the simplest/easiest/most convenient practice, compared to any other complicated techniques.

I've been trying this recently. Are there any threads on how to do it to induce a lucid dream? I'd love to read more on this technique because it seems to get you to the core of your being quickly.

Originally Posted by Shinice

I hope this message isn't too late to reach you:
Doing nothing is absolutely different from relaxing..you won't get anything from doing nothing...
And I still think Visualization & Self questioning is the simplest/easiest/most convenient practice, compared to any other complicated techniques.

He wont exactly be doing nothing, after all, he still does want to lucid dream badly.
If he sets that intent within himself then he can lucid dream.

Originally Posted by Origami

Fine. I'll take a break from it. A week of doing nothing. I won't even come on here for a week. But if nothing happens during that week, be prepared for a topic called "I'm back, FUUUUUUUU"

I'm just worried though..
And nope, no such treads yet as these are just small (but important,which most people didn't realize) practices, not techniques.
However (I believe) these practices are the ones which can really change your views and thinking of...well...Everything
which will eventually lead one to the path of LDing.

Here's another perhaps cynical thought you might consider: some of these newbies may be reporting tons of LD's, but they might not actually be having them. Sometimes people tweak their story, and indeed their own memory, in order to make it more interesting. Also, it is very easy, especially for people who think about it a lot, to have non-lucid dreams about lucid dreaming -- literally your dreaming mind giving you a situation where you say "hey, this is a dream!" but there is no actual awareness -- but to never have an actual LD at all. People new to LD'ing could fall easily and often into this trap.

So definitely don't base your success or failure on other people's reports; follow your own path, no matter how long and windy it might be. Also, read LaBerge's book, it might help.