First lucid dream (nightmare-ish), not excited

**RemoteVicinity** · 12-30-2011 11:08 PM

First of all I just want to say hi to you all, I'm new to these forums.

I'm not entirely new to lucid dreaming though, I started reading about it at the internet for about half a year ago, and that's also when I started keeping a dream journal. Then I stopped both keeping a dream journal and thinking about LDing for a while, and the last two weeks or so I've been catching up on it again.

I've been attempting to become lucid in my dreams for quite a while, but I've been cautious about not proceeding too fast. I work on making RCs during daytime a routine, or at least I try to do them quite often and not forget them. When going to bed, I usually prepare my brain to become lucid in my dreams, but until now I've only thought of becoming lucid in my dreams as a bonus. And I've never had a lucid dream before a few days ago.. possibly. So without further ado, let me fill you in on the dream I had (which was sort of a nightmare, but not entirely.)..

After finishing some sort of bizarre competition (irrelevant for the rest), I'm standing on a grassy field in a open forest with two of my friends. In front of me is a tall, wooden wall, and a little to the left is a tiny, wooden hut.

One of my friends is investigating around some nearby trees when he suddenly says: "The elks have been here." Instantaneously three elks appear: one bull elk and two elk calves.

We're terrified of course, so I start running but notice that my two friends are still standing back there, probably trying to avoid agitating the elk. As for myself, I'm trapped between the elks and the wooden wall and can run no further.

One of the calves is getting aggressive. Short after noticing this, the calf leaps forward and smashes his head into the small wooden hut in a head butt. That's when I realise my friends had gone into the hut to hide after I looked away, and therefore they must now be dead. And now it's my turn, the elk bull is standing dangerously close me and I can see it's getting aggressive too. I start thinking out a futile plan to help myself survive when all of a sudden I realise how terrible this is and think to myself: "I can't be dying now. I can't believe this is the end. It has to be a dream."

So I guess I became lucid. I thought of the possibilities now that I was lucid, but the feeling I remember was not intense excitement, and this is what questions me the most because there's no secret that I have always since I heard of it REALLY wanted to become lucid in a dream sometime. Perhaps I was just still a bit terrified of what had happened just before I became lucid. Anyway, the next thing that happened was the environment and elks disappearing. So I became lucid but not excited, and yet the first thing that happens is the environment disappearing? It's worth mentioning that when I awoke shortly after, my alarm started ringing. I do not think that's what really woke me up though, I believe I was more or less awake before it rung.

Although I can only remember it vaguely, I'm quite certain I did a couple of RCs, but I was already certain it was a dream. I think I did the looking at hands RC, but I can't remember anything unusual about my hands, in fact I can't even remember seeing them. Honestly, I can't remember looking at my hands in any dream I've ever had even though looking at my hands is the RC I perform the most.

Well, this post seems to have gotten slightly longer than intended (looks like an article, lol!), so I'll sum up my main questions:

Why wasn't I excited after achieving lucidity?
Why did the dream disappear when I became lucid?
Was it really a LD? (doesn't hurt to ask!)
Why can't I remember any details about the RCs in the dream, but still remember the fact that I performed them?

Feel free to ask or comment on anything else. All answers are greatly appreciated!

**carwashguy** · 12-30-2011 11:46 PM

Why wasn't I excited after achieving lucidity?
I was pretty amazed the first time I became lucid, but I don't think it's that strange to not be excited even though it was your first time. In any case, staying calm is good thing once become lucid (becoming excited can make you wake up).

Why did the dream disappear when I [became lucid]?
This happens to me. The dreamscape will change. Usually after becoming lucid, I'll find myself in my room.

Was it really a LD? (doesn't hurt to ask!)
You said, "I was already certain it was a dream." Is it possible that you had a dream that you were lucid (but weren't actually so)? Next time, do a nose-check. Those usually will do the trick.

Why can't I remember any details about the RCs in the dream, but still remember the fact that I performed them?
It is kind of strange that you remembered the pre-lucid stuff but not the post-lucid stuff. Especially since you transitioned directly from the lucid dream directly into waking up.

**Oreo** · 12-31-2011 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

Why wasn't I excited after achieving lucidity?

My first lucid dream came from a nightmare, and I wasn't excited after becoming lucid. The second lucid dream I had wasn't a nightmare and I was excited. It's kind of hard to be excited about something when you've just been in a "dangerous" situation.

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

Why did the dream disappear when I

The dream might have dissapeared because you didn't pay much attention to it anymore. It's also very likely that it disappeared because you were about to wake up.

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

Was it really a LD? (doesn't hurt to ask!)

The definition of a lucid dream is a dream where you are aware that you're dreaming. So yes, this was a lucid dream.

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

Why can't I remember any details about the RCs in the dream, but still remember the fact that I performed them?

I get the feeling that your dream was already fading away after you became lucid. When the dream fades things can become less clear and more vague. It might also be worth noting that we simply don't remember everything. I had a dream once where I was swinging a crowbar, but I can't remember what or who I was hitting.

**RemoteVicinity** · 12-31-2011 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Oreoboy1996

The dream might have dissapeared because you didn't pay much attention to it anymore. It's also very likely that it disappeared because you were about to wake up.

Yes, I must have completely forgotten about the situation I was in. It was as if the elks just had to "wait" while I was thinking, if you know what I mean

I still think it's a bit odd that I awoke just before the alarm rung, though.. It's not the first time that has happened, but the other time it does happen, I'm not in the middle of a dream (or at least I can't remember it), and I awake around half an hour before it rings. This time it was only seconds before it rung. But who knows, maybe I was just too tired and confused and was actually awoken by the alarm itself..

Originally Posted by Oreoboy1996

I get the feeling that your dream was already fading away after you became lucid. When the dream fades things can become less clear and more vague. It might also be worth noting that we simply don't remember everything. I had a dream once where I was swinging a crowbar, but I can't remember what or who I was hitting.

Yes, I think it must have been fading away. I'll try my best to focus on the dream instead of thinking too much about being lucid next time it happens. I knew it was a common mistake was to get too carried away lingering about being lucid once you actually had become lucid.. yet I did the same mistake. I read on the forums that you should try touching anything around you in the dream once you become lucid, I'll give that a try.

Originally Posted by carwashguy

Was it really a LD? (doesn't hurt to ask!)
You said, "I was already certain it was a dream." Is it possible that you had a dream that you were lucid (but weren't actually so)? Next time, do a nose-check. Those usually will do the trick.

I've started doing the nose-check more frequently as I've understood it's probably the most reliable. And as I said, I can't remember ever seeing my hands in my dreams before, which is kind of strange.