Why am I having such trouble?

[Wolfheart]

So I love talking about lucid dreaming with my friends and sharing my knowledge about it with them and getting them interested in it. Well I found out that most of them have had multiple lucid dreams and I haven't even had one yet. I know I shouldn't feel bad about not being able to have one yet but it just bothers me sometimes. After some time thinking I've figured that I know you need to realize you're dreaming in your dream but I guess my brain can't really grasp that concept fully. Maybe I'm over thinking about this too much and should just enjoy writing down dreams I remember in my dream journal. Ugh any thoughts on how I can successfully grasp the concept of realizing I'm dreaming in my dreams?

[GuitarShot100]

Realize that you're dreaming in a dream is really hard, what you can do is try WILD, cuz you are conscious when you're entering the dream. Happy Dreaming

[MadMonkey]

If you practice DILD properly you should get some without much effort eventualy. Just make sure you are reality checking often, don't get stressed out about it and be patient and you will get one eventualy. After you start getting some it should get easier as you go. If that doesn't work for some reason there is always WILD.

[nzshaman]

have you tried doing a WBTB wake back to bed method. i have trouble with lucid dreaming using reality checks and DILD, with my DILD dreams i general have a much shorter and less detailed experince than if i used wbtb. with wbtb i had my first full lucid dream. i find if i have a decent drink of water, a good glass full, il normally wake up just after a r.e.m cycle, the body naturally wakes up after r.e.m if your bladder has luquid in it. when i wake up i try and remember as much detail as possible from the dream ive just had and when im going back to sleep i just focus on every little detail from the dream and imagine myself in it again. the first time i tried this method after a clear dream i had my first full lucid experince.it might not happen first pop for you but it is deffinately reliable and with practice your get it

[gab]

Yup, that was my big question. How in the world am I suppose to realize, I'm dreaming? This is how it works: You have to teach your mind to ask the question: 'Am I dreaming?' when you are in a regular dream. And you teach it by doing the same during day, when you are awake. It's called daytime awareness. Couple times a day, no matter what you doing, ask yourself a startling question 'Am I dreaming'. This question has to give you a jolt, has to startle you and you really have to consider the answer. Not just automatically answer 'of course i'm not'. Look around and notice details. Pretend, you already had a bunch of lucids and they were so realistic, you had hard time telling them apart from waking reality. So, that moment could also be a dream. Look at your hands and count your fingers. Do you have the right amount? Do they look normal? Do a reality check. Tru to put your thumb through your palm. Is it going through? Pinch your nose and expect to be able to breathe. Can you? Can you levitate? If not, tell yourself, you are not dreaming. Next time I'm dreaming, I look at my hands and realize I'm dreaming. Pretty soon, this behavior will tranfer itself into your dreams and you'll be asking yourself if you dreaming, while in regular dream. That will make you lucid. You will do a couple of RCs to make sure. Thats it. Happy dreams

[HazexMtnDew]

Don't be stressed out everyone is diffrent especially when it comes to dreaming. My first time actually learning and reading about all the diffrent kinds of methods, I had one that very night. Just by letting my brain soak up all the information. Who knows your first lucid might be better and more spectacular then all of your friends dreams put together. Keep it up and you will have one in no time!

[opalwolf]

you are lucky. most people i try to talk about it with in real life's eyes glaze one and their like "oh god he's talking about that again" so.. at least you have people to discuss and explore the topic with. as far as realizing that you are dreaming. my advice would be similar to gab's. you should start practicing awareness during waking life. while you are awake several times throughout the day you should ask yourself if you are awake and "realize that you are awake, and in fact not asleep" also.. before you fall asleep run through your day briefly through your mind. while you are in a dream. if you ask yourself how you got to where you are. you will realize that there is no logical route. there are numerous techniques and ways to help yourself achieve awareness, but what you need to do is find one that works for you. i hope this helps and good luck!