bah can i really get good at this?

the concept of lucid dreaming is so amazing, but i must have tried then gave up on it countless times by now. I just lose interest because of how difficult it is for me to see progress, and then i stop doing it, and when i want to get started again, i'm back at square one.

So here I am, back at square one. i've lost all my dream recall skills, and i have to start over with recording my dreams just so i'll remember.

how do you get good at this? i remember last time, i had trouble 1)remembering my dreams 2) consistently getting into a lucid dream 3) maintaining control while not waking up once i'm in the dream

especially since i'm a light sleeper and i've always had trouble falling asleep. So if I ever try to use a method that involves things like repeating a manta while falling asleep or trying to maintain awareness to put myself into sleep paralysis, i would never be able to fall asleep so those techniques wouldn't work for me.

has anyone been in a rut like i am and was able to actually get good at this? i've read about people who are lucid dreaming masters and i want that .. but it seems like it's just not meant for me.

How do you get smart? By learning with trial and error and lots of practice. Just work on daytime awareness and you'll be getting lucids really soon depending on how much you do it, awareness is like a practice for something, but it's for LDs

no

I have been in what you experience now. For four years I've constantly been trying to learn and read and every night done everything in my power to find the perfect technique.
When you fail you get frustrated, you consider quitting and wonder what the point of continuing is since it's hard to recall,alot of work to do reality checks, attain lucidity and then what the f control the dream...
The solution and answer is annoying and hard to hear but it's the truth. You have to stop trying and let it be natural. I never reality check or try to stay aware during the day and still manage to get lucid, so that's comforting. Although in order to get lucid you have to learn the sensations of the dream. So a good way of doing that is the DEILD technique. That way you learn to feel YOUR sensations of the dreamy feeling and your awareness. And then it is also easier to get more aware in the dream and realize that you are dreaming, since you know your feeling of awareness (DILD).
I don't have a dream journal either, well I write down my best lucid dreams, but I don't write down my normal dreams, I just focus on what I remember. You don't have to remember what you dreamed only what you FELT. So just do what you prefer and recall the feeling of the dream.

When you know your sensations before entering a dream and while dreaming, you can start using the WILD technique. I use Robert Monroes "Gateway Experience" (Guided meditation), but you can try what ever you want. Read my Dream Journal to see my success with that.

But the most important thing of all is to NOT worry because that actually do more harm than good, believe me I used to look for the BEST method and technique and never really paid attention to my abilities only the techniques... See the methods and techniques as guidelines and give yourself the credit!

Approach lucid dreaming with the mindset of "I am going to sleep, practice some different methods (I might get lucid), but if nothing happens there is a new night tomorrow."

I am far from a master or a guru, but I have my experience :) I hope it have helped you.

Just ask if you have any other questions.

like noob said just keep at it and you will get results. i also find it hard to fall asleep because i cant stop thinking about random stuff, so whenever my mind wonders i just repeat a mantra a bunch of times. hope that helps.

If you are getting trouble sleeping, you can always try meditation before sleep to help you, it will clear your mind and will relax you enough to sleep faster. The problem is sometimes that your mind will start to think a lot before you sleep, so thats why clearing your mind before sleep will help. Hope this helps

Instead of repeating a mantra try visualizing yourself doing stuff just like you are already dreaming. Essentially daydreaming with your eyes closed. If you can stay focused you can cross the wall of sleep and end up on the other side. Sometimes I simply visualize driving down a windy road at high speed (like your playing a video game) and try to imagine everything as if I'm already there.

It takes practice and dedication. If you find it overwhelming, try one thing at a time. The most important thing is to improve your recall. The more you remember, the more familiar you will be with your dreams.

meditation actually prevents me from sleeping because it makes me conscious of my breath and my thoughts.

dream recall is something i've never mastered. i did get progression, but my recall was never that great. even in real life, my memory just sucks :/. i have bad visualization so i have a hard time picturing things in my mind consciously. i don't know, i mean i could daydream pretty vividly, but when it comes to forced recall that doesn't come naturally... not so much.

i'll keep at it though, i've decided this is a skill i'd really like to have.

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Originally Posted by woah

meditation actually prevents me from sleeping because it makes me conscious of my breath and my thoughts.

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Then your doing it wrong. Meditation should not be forced and there are many forms of meditation in which you dont focus on breathing.

what else is meditation? meditation is being aware of the present. awareness prevents me from sleeping, because the way i fall asleep is by daydreaming and drifting off without realizing it.. i can't drift off if i'm aware the whole time

Try meditating for awareness then and not for sleep.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by woah

what else is meditation? meditation is being aware of the present. awareness prevents me from sleeping, because the way i fall asleep is by daydreaming and drifting off without realizing it.. i can't drift off if i'm aware the whole time

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I went through this aswell and I can tell you that the only thing keeping you awake is yourself. Constantly your thinking "i can do this" but in the back of your mind your thinking "no i cant". The only way to surpass this is by letting it become so natural feeling almost as if its part of the process of falling asleep. Also as stated earlier your not being patient enough, it might take 2 weeks until you can meditate properly. Once you start consistently meditating you will no longer doubt yourself and will automatically fall asleep. It just takes practise.

Everyone can meditate it doesn't take practice only realization. Just observe your thinking. As long as you don't try to attain something with it, it sounds weird I know but don't try to become lucid with meditation, get enlightened or as I used to do - time the meditation to break my own record. Only realize that you are already are and already have.

If you think to yourself while meditating "Ah man now I can't sleep because I am too aware". Just continue to observe and think "Ok that was just a thought" and keep meditating. Do this for ever obstacle because they are ll just thoughts and emotions.