Thread: I can't lucid dream! HELP!

I've been trying for a few days now (over a longer period of time).
I've found myself laying still, in my bed, for over 2 hours, without even getting to sleep paralysis. I have thought as little as I could, but still, the inner voice in my head and random thoughts pop up.. Also I swallow sometimes. How can I, you know, get past that stage! I really want to lucid dream. I've been trying for a year now.. I've listened to your mp3's, and followed many instructions. The only thing I haven't really tried, is laying still and looking in the emptiness of the eyelids.. but I am pretty sure that won't work :s.. any tips? What should I do? How can I stop my random thoughts?? Discipline? If so, how? I'm thirteen by the way

Originally Posted by Sevencounter

I've been trying for a few days now (over a longer period of time).
I've found myself laying still, in my bed, for over 2 hours, without even getting to sleep paralysis. I have thought as little as I could, but still, the inner voice in my head and random thoughts pop up.. Also I swallow sometimes. How can I, you know, get past that stage! I really want to lucid dream. I've been trying for a year now.. I've listened to your mp3's, and followed many instructions. The only thing I haven't really tried, is laying still and looking in the emptiness of the eyelids.. but I am pretty sure that won't work :s.. any tips? What should I do? How can I stop my random thoughts?? Discipline? If so, how? I'm thirteen by the way

first of all, i hope you are not trying to WILD when you go to bed,because it won't work that time,you have to try it after 4 and a half or 6 hours into sleep ,also,its a good idea to combine DILD with WILD,i think you also have a dream journal,if not ,its very nessessry to get one.
you should read this http://www.dreamviews.com/f20/beginn...eaming-124786/
i suggest that you read the tutorial section,it's very helpful,here is a link DV Tutorials - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Originally Posted by Sevencounter

The only thing I haven't really tried, is laying still and looking in the emptiness of the eyelids.. but I am pretty sure that won't work :s.. any tips?

Only one tip... STARE AT THE EMPTINESS OF YOUR EYELIDS!!! This is VERY effective.

I suggest you try inducing a MILD before attempting a WILD since entering a WILD is usually more difficult. As for your random thoughts, try imagining them vanishing in whatever way feels appropriate or works for you (e.g. visualising a text being erased, etc.). Focus on remembering to do a reality check in the dream, and do reality checks in waking state if you aren't already. As already stated, get a dream journal if you haven't already.

If you are trying to do this before bed at night, as stated above it most likely won't work. You will need to sleep normally for 4-6 hours. Then do something for 25-30 minutes. Then try your techniques again.

Let yourself go a bit more. You have to fall asleep in order to successfully WILD. Let yourself fall asleep. Try to include more of your normal sleep habits into your WILD. How do you normally fall asleep at night? Work that into your routine. Use the same position, same mindset, same thought process, ect. Two hours is way too long. You should be asleep in 15 or 20 minutes, tops.

What I do when I try to WILD to get rid of thoughts is I just count slow in my head 1...I am dreaming 2...I am dreaming ect.. This keeps random thoughts popping up in my head and at the same time lets my brain know what my goal is.

Originally Posted by JohnnyScene

What I do when I try to WILD to get rid of thoughts is I just count slow in my head 1...I am dreaming 2...I am dreaming ect.. This keeps random thoughts popping up in my head and at the same time lets my brain know what my goal is.

I suggest not counting and just letting the thoughts pop up. It's very normal for these thoughts to come. Simply don't pay attention to them. You can think about not thinking about them, no problem. Just don't recognize or pay attention to thinking that. It's important to realise that you are not your thoughts. It's perfectly possible to be aware of having thoughts without paying close attention to them or 'hearing' them. This is often referred to as the 'free-floating state of mind'. It might take some time to figure it out, but it is pretty much the key to WILD (and to meditation, I find those 2 to be very similiar). That being said, void meditation can be a great training for WILD, apart from having it's own benefits.

So, in short: don't try to stop all thoughts, this is close to impossible and not what you want to achieve. Let the thoughts flow, just don't pay attention to them.

Originally Posted by Spyguy

I suggest not counting and just letting the thoughts pop up. It's very normal for these thoughts to come. Simply don't pay attention to them. You can think about not thinking about them, no problem. Just don't recognize or pay attention to thinking that. It's important to realise that you are not your thoughts. It's perfectly possible to be aware of having thoughts without paying close attention to them or 'hearing' them. This is often referred to as the 'free-floating state of mind'. It might take some time to figure it out, but it is pretty much the key to WILD (and to meditation, I find those 2 to be very similiar). That being said, void meditation can be a great training for WILD, apart from having it's own benefits.

So, in short: don't try to stop all thoughts, this is close to impossible and not what you want to achieve. Let the thoughts flow, just don't pay attention to them.

One should be aware of the random thoughts popping up, but not really pay any attention to them. One should focus on entering the Dreamworld and becoming lucid but still not neglect the random thoughts. Did I get it right?

Also, I've read about counting oneself to sleep as a WILD technique. The counting is supposed to help you realise you're dreaming when you've entered the Dreamworld since you keep saying "I'm dreaming" whilst counting.

Originally Posted by RemoteVicinity

One should be aware of the random thoughts popping up, but not really pay any attention to them. One should focus on entering the Dreamworld and becoming lucid but still not neglect the random thoughts. Did I get it right?

Also, I've read about counting oneself to sleep as a WILD technique. The counting is supposed to help you realise you're dreaming when you've entered the Dreamworld since you keep saying "I'm dreaming" whilst counting.

Well, you know the thoughts are there even when not focussing on them, so I guess you are right. And I do think you should focus on entering the dreamworld, but you mustn't focus on the THOUGHT of entering the dreamworld. I could be wrong ofcourse, I'm not that much of a WILD expert

And now that you mention it, I do think I've heard of that counting technique as well. I don't understand how it could work as you keep actively thinking, while you should be in the free-floating state of mind. Again, I'm not an expert of this, so I could be wrong

i would also say, ditch the WILD attempts, and do the mnemonic device (MILD) instead, it is much more effective. also, have you gotten your dream recall up? can you remember all your dreams? you need to get the basics down first.
what you are doing before bed is a good idea though. try circular breathing and just "trying" to clear your mind.. breathe for a while and repeat to yourself that you will lucid dream. after a while.. maybe 10 minutes maybe half an hour.. allow yourself to roll over and get comfortable and fall asleep like normal.

so...
1.) use the MILD technique
2.) meditate before falling asleep

i hope this helps.