Strits thread on 2012

[Strit]

Hi everybody I really hope I'm not spamming with this thread. Also, I was in doubt about which forum to post in so feel free to move it if you think it's in the wrong place and you have the magic computer that can do it. OK, so I'm making this thread as kind of a new year resolution. I don't normally make these, but I thought that Lucid Dreaming was a good opportunity to do so I've tried to get serious about Lucid dreaming a great many times and so this time I'm thinking to go about it much more slowly than I usually do. So instead of trying to do everything at once I'll simply ad one (and only one) thing to my practice every month. So I'll start out in January with getting serious about writing in my dream journal. I have a child who needs my attention in the morning so I guess thats why I keep on loosing my rhythm with writing. So this time I'll try to keep my mind on the dream and write it a bit later in the day - that's probably a good exercise in itself. Also I'll write in my journal when he wakes me up during the night. Then in February I'll ad something new while still writing in my journal. I'm thinking that it could maybe be to start teaching my body to wake up after sleep cycles (I've had a bit of success with that before), or maybe ad some kind of mantra or relaxation technique before going to sleep, but I don't know yet. I'll work out what to ad for each month along the way when I know how I progress. Part of the idea of this thread is to get good ideas on what to ad from all you Lucid Dreamers out there. And any other thoughts and recommendations you feel are relevant. The other part is to keep myself to it and to have somewhere to write down how it works out. I'll try to write here every time I start something new and also tell you how my Lucid dreaming is coming through. If you want a little information om my LD background you can find my introduction thread here: http://www.dreamviews.com/f20/strits-here-124576/ So this thread is made mostly for my own sake really, but I hope that some of you will give me ideas along the way and help me in my quest. So all that's left is to wish you all a happy new year and lots of lovely dreams in 2012. See you there -Strit

[Zelzahim]

Hmm... this sounds interesting! Subscribing!

[Duncan]

Nice Idea, I will have a think about my resolutions and then post. One suggestion I have for you is maybe look into awareness training, have you seen http://www.dreamviews.com/f49/all-da...gyoshi-113253/ this thread? It is probably the most important aspect of LDing (in my opinion) and might be a good place to start in january! The great thing is you can do it any time you please

[Strit]

Yes, I have been looking at All Day Awareness, but thanks a lot for reminding me. I too believe that it's one of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to get Lucid. I've been trying before to do some random awareness when it popped up in my mind, but it's so hard to remember. And when I try to do it I simply don't really know what to do. I mean, I can stop for a moment and be aware but to make it into an all day thing seems almost impossible. So I was thinking that maybe my February task could be to start meditating 'cause I guess that it could be a bridge to ADA. And it could be more easily put into a schedule which suits my little mathematical brain Oh, and I should tell you that this first night of the new year actually gave me a Lucid so at least the beginning is good -Strit

[MissLucy]

Sounds like a really good idea, this way you won't lose focus! I may have to go about it slower too. I'm already consistent in writing in my DJ (I only upload the superinteresting ones and LDs to here, though), so for my January LD resolution, I'm just going to: Have 1 LD per week, by means of either DEILD or WILD. Things like this are also easier if you do them with others, so let's motivate each other and keep at our personal goals for that month? If that's ok with you? Funfact: I already had my first Lucid of the year too Just last night ^^

[Strit]

Things like this are also easier if you do them with others, so let's motivate each other and keep at our personal goals for that month? If that's ok with you? That's more than OK, that's a really good idea!

[Strit]

So, February's getting close, and I've been thinking about what my February-resolution should be. I'm down to one of these: - Start meditating. I will start out with only doing it on weekdays where I don't work (which are most of them) cause my weekends are too filled up with family things. I don't know if I should find a guided course on mp3 or start with some simple technique (maybe this one: http://www.dreamviews.com/f19/microc...tation-125785/). or - Do a relaxation technique right before bed. Maybe together with some kind of Lucid dreaming mantra. I don't really know how to do this. I'm very quick to fall asleep normally so whenever I try this I fail. Anyway, I'll give this some thought during the next few days. January went well. I've had a couple nights these last days with almost no recall, but apart from that my recall has been really good and I've been consistent in writhing it down. And January has given me three Lucids so far which is fairly good for me. -Strit

[Strit]

I've decided on doing meditation or relaxation (sometimes the one and sometimes the other). I'll try some different methods and eventually find one I like. I'll start out with the one I mentioned in my last post. Good ideas for others are very welcome. I had all in all three lucids in January, and so far one in February. I'll start updating my lucid count from now on. -Strit

[Strit]

March is here already! I've been doing really bad on the meditation part, but now it's a new and fresh month and I'll give it another go! I've been reading a lot, especially about awareness and meditation (read Sageous thread on fundamentals, it's long and amazing) and I'm getting convinced that it's the right path to follow. I'm trying to incorporate awareness into my daily life, but I want my monthly resolutions to be more easy to grasp (for now at least). So I'm going with the earlier mentioned learning my body to wake up after sleep cycles. I'm fairly good at waking up just by telling myself to. And my recall is getting really good, but I'm losing a lot of dreams because I don't write them down till the morning. So this month it will be: -Wake up after sleep cycles as much as possible. -Get going on the meditation practice (February's rasolution). -Keep incorporating awareness into my life. Phew, that was a lot. Nobody said it would be easy. Btw, February gave me only two lucids.

[hermine_hesse]

Strit, I think waking up after sleep cycles is a great thing to focus on. I have been doing this for about two months now and am working on doing it consistently every night. On nights when I do it, I remember 4-9 dreams and am more likely to have a lucid. I set my alarm clock for slightly after the end of my REM period, and put it on top of my open dream journal with my current goal written on it a little ways from my bed. Looking at this goal helps me be motivated to write down my dream and try to have a lucid if I haven't already had one that night. Are you still meditating? If so, what type of meditation are you doing?

[Strit]

Thanks for your post! I don't use an alarm clock. My light-sleeper-boyfriend would be very unhappy. But I wake up 2-4 times by just focusing on wanting to do it before going to bed. I works really well. To reach out and start writing in the journal is more difficult, but I manage at least one or two of these times. I've never understood how you could use the alarm clock to wake up after REM. It's something about every 90 min. right? I do find that there's often about 1½ hour between my wakenings, but are everybody's sleepcycles really that much alike? I am still meditating, but it's days between and I find it very hard. I've been trying the microcosmic orbit meditation that I posted a link to above, but I keep forgetting what I'm doing. My thoughts are everywhere. I'm thinking about doing a more simple focus-on-your-breath kind of meditation instead, as you mentioned in Sageous's thread. I've been setting an alarm for ten minutes so I don't have to constantly think about when to stop. The plan is to make the time span longer as I get better. Ten minutes is a long time for me. I can't even keep focus for one. Do you know of any good techniques for beginners?

[hermine_hesse]

From what I understand, most peoples sleep cycles are pretty similar, usually 60-90mins. Mine seem to be around 90mins, and, since my sleep schedule is pretty regular, I find my REM cycles end around the same time every night. I usually set my alarm at two hour intervals. This is the 90min plus time to wake up, write in my dream journal and fall back asleep. I also recently started using a sleep cycle app on my phone, but haven't noticed that much difference w/ it other than a more pleasant alarm. Even though I've been meditating for ten years, it's so off and on I still consider myself a beginner, too. I have a couple of techniques I use. Here's the simplest one I use: I sit in a comfortable position and set an alarm for anytime between ten minutes to an hour. I find this is important since I don't find myself wondering how much time has passed. If you are just starting out, I would start with a small amount of time so as not to get discouraged. Then, I simply focus on my breath and say in my head "in" "out" with every breath. I observe the rising and falling of my breath. If a thought arises, I don't fight it. I acknowledge it and think of it as a train stopping at a station that I choose not to board, then gently turn my attention back to the breath. I also use this throughout the day when I can. Walking somewhere, washing dishes, doing chores at work that don't require me interacting with people. Instead of letting my internal monologue run wild, I focus on meditation instead. Just experiment and find what works best for you. If you find your mind wandering during the meditation, try not to get frustrated, just gently refocus your attention. If you find ten minutes hard, cut it down to five or even three. You can always extend the meditation as you master the smaller amounts of time. You may also want to explore yoga, zazen, chanting, or visualization. If you are a kinesthetic learner, a technique that incorporates movement will work best for you. If you are an auditory learning, chanting or other vocalizations will help. If you are a visual learner, visualizations or images (like my train one) will work best.

[Strit]

Thank you Hermine_hesse It sounds pretty similar to what I'm already doing. But I like the train image. I try, without success, not to think at all, but it's probably better to accept the thoughts and then leave them. I have heard about this before. Right now I jump every train that passes it seems.

[Strit]

April my April, you came too soon I've been away on holiday, but now I'm back and ready to make my Aprils resolution. And it is, oh my: quit eating sugar! It may not seem to have anything to do with LD'ing, but I do think is has, in a way. If nothing else I hope it'll help my meditation to become easier. Even if it doesn't help LD'ing in any way at all, it'll still be a part of this process I'm going through that's going to make me a more "whole" person and that involves LD'ing and mediation. I really have a terrible sugar addiction and it simply needs to stop. To sum up the year till now: January: Start dream journaling again - It goes fine, I write everyday except the odd day every once in a while where I can't remember anything. Often I remember as many as four or five dreams a night. February: Start a practice of meditation - This is not going very well. I keep "forgetting" to do it, and when I actually do it I feel like a failure. I think I'm going to have to find a good beginners manual. Ideas are welcome. March: Wake up after sleep cycles - This went very well until a couple of weeks ago, probably because I went on holiday and therefore relaxed a lot. I'm pretty good at waking up during the night simply by wanting it, and less good at picking up the journal and start writing. Aren't we all? April: Stop eating sugar - This is a though one. I've tried before and always started again after a while. It's so addictive both physically and socially. Wish me luck And here's the result so far Jan: 3 lucids Feb: 2 lucids Mar: 3 lucids Apr: 2 lucids so far All in all theres not much progress to be seen. Well, all in good time, I guess. May you all have pleasant dreams! -Strit

[Strit]

May. I haven't been able to write till now cause I can't get into my host file to change it back now that DV is home again. I still can't, but I borrowed another computer today and hopefully I'll find my way back on my own computer very soon. I'm not during very well. I'm failing in both the meditation and the sugar resolution. I've signed up for Sivasons class on dream yoga and hopefully that will help me on the meditation part. I've signed up for Sageous's class on WILD as well. I'm really looking forward to these two classes by two DV-members that are way ahead of me (and most everybody else) when it comes to Lucid Dreaming. But for now the May resolution is to tell myself right before going to sleep that I soon will be dreaming and that I will become lucid when I do, and what to do when that happens. Sounds pretty simple, but it's actually quite difficult for me because as soon as I lay down to go to sleep I can't seem to remember what to do or even put together one full sentence. If I can't even remember what to do when Lucid, when I'm still awake, how then am I going to remember it when dreaming? -Strit

[Strit]

June. Finally I got into my host file and am now properly back on DV. I've dicided not to have any new resolution for June. I'm following the courses of Sageous and Sivason, and it gives me a lot of exercises to do, so I'll just stick to doing that and of course keep up the work from my previous resolutions. May was quite good. I had six lucids and also a couple of dreams where I questioned the reality but came to the conclusion that I was dreaming. I guess the intention setting right before sleep is really paying of. In the start of June I had two days of work where I didn't get off till 4 and 2 in the morning respectively, and I was tired for a couple of days afterwards, and that totally messed up all my habits regarding dream-work. So if theres any resolution for June, It'll be "get back on that track". -Strit