WHY Dont I recognise that I'm Dreaming!!!!

[coreysnyder]

Im beginning to get frustrated. Every night I tell albert (my subconcious) to recognise I'm dreaming whenever anything weird happens. Yet last night I had a dream where I was at work but guess what... I forgot my shoes + socks!! So I was walking around barefoot at work and didnt think anything of it. GRR!! Why cant I recognise these stuipd dream signs!!

[Tornado Joe]

Hey Corey, Heh, well, if we knew the answer to that there would be no website here! There are many theories out there, but I belive that the mind needs to believe in what happens in our dreams - dreams help us cope and fullfill those things we are struggling with or missing in our waking life. Therefore, if we knew we were dreaming, then the whole experience would lose some of it's validity. We may just ignore everything in our dreams because we would know it wasn't real. Another reason has to do with the physiological fact that our brainwiaves function at the same frequency in dreamstate as well as when we are awake - which I suppose would make it harder for the brain to distinguish the two. Anyhow, welcome to the frustrated dreamers club. You'll break that barrier if you just keep tryin! PS -- How about them BROWNS! I stopped watching after the 4th quarter interception - I didn't realize we scored again untill I saw the final score later on at a bar! Tribe put a hurtin on as well! Hefner is smokin!

[Leo Volont]

Originally posted by coreysnyder Im beginning to get frustrated. Every night I tell albert (my subconcious) to recognise I'm dreaming whenever anything weird happens. Yet last night I had a dream where I was at work but guess what... I forgot my shoes + socks!! So I was walking around barefoot at work and didnt think anything of it. GRR!! Why cant I recognise these stuipd dream signs!! There are two selves -- the Waking Self and the Dream Self. What may seem strange, inconsistent, or paradoxical to the waking self is simply business as usual to the Dreaming Self. Your perplexity now is simply a result of your believing the logic of what has been taught to you as a 'technique'. The logic of your technique is flawless, until it is applied to the real world of dreaming which does not take account for the difference in consciousness between the Waking and the Dreaming Self. Lucid Dreaming happens when for whatever reason the Higher Mind, which governs the interaction of Conscious and Subconscious Minds, allows the Waking Mind a momentary glimpse into the Dream Realm directly, and not just through carryover of Dream Memory. Oh, and regarding the walking around in bare feet. That is good. Within the Realm of dreams, one walks in one's bare feet when one is upon Holy Ground... consecrated ground. This means that you are a spiritual person, whether you know it or not.

[Matchbook]

I sense a hint of frustration. One thing to remember is we aren't quite the same thinkers in dreams as we are when we are awake. We are sort of along for the ride more than we are active participants. But that is what we intend to change to become lucid. One thing I believe helps a great deal is to notice the strange occurances in daily life and do reality checks. You mention you can't understand why you aren't noticing these things in your dreams. Well, it would probably help if when you see something slightly strange or weird during the day to stop and question what just happened and do a reality check. Try to do this as often as possible. Then when weird things happen in your dreams, you will have taught your subconscious to question strange occurances. See how that works? But believe me, it ain't 100% surefire, but it's a good step.

[Universal Mind]

To be lucid in a dream, your aminergic neurons have to be awoken. The aminergic neurons are the ones responsible for recognizing absurdity. When things are completely absurd in a dream and you don't think anything of it, it is because your aminergic neurons are not functioning. Learning how to have lucid dreams is about training your aminergic neurons to wake up in association with certain stimuli or else remaining awake upon entry into the dream state.

[H Savvy]

I also have bare feet in my dreams. But I tend to think it's simply a reflection of the fact that I almost never wear shoes in the waking world. Barefoot is just so much more comfortable.

[Entity]

I had a weird dream where these helicopters were carrying MASSIVE Argos catalogues. I almost became lucid. I had a slight suspicion I was dreaming, so I tested it out by trying to jump far. I believe I jumped about 10 metres, which I knew would be a world record, but somehow, my mind thought this was nothing unusual. I wonder if there's a quick way of keeping your aminergic neurons awake, then we'd have lucid dreams every night.

[Combine]

I know i havent been around here alot but i was just about to make a thread about how i cant seem to get lucid because well same reason as you! my mind doesnt recognize strange things and wake up.... your frustrated that your mind cant regognize that your barefeet! well i can't regognize that my grandma has this troll going around with her and me and her ( and her troll ) are driving around UNDERWATER where for some reason my best friend is drowning on a big metal pole while everyone around is swimming..... Ive been trying to do reality checks every hour ( made my watch make a beep every time the hour changes ) but i guess il stop that and only do reality checks when something weird in real life happens [/img]

[coreysnyder]

Ok I do this quite often. I dont want to plug my nose and breath, or try to put my finger through my hand b/c this looks odd to those standing around. I usually just blink my eyes for 1 second and while there closed I'll picture something different... for instance a persons shirt being a different color or just try to change something in the scene. Is this an ok reality check? U think its gonna help me just as good as some of the other ones? Well Im off to bed. Peace!

[KuRoSaKi]

I had that same problem last night really threw me off. I was playing a game and my uncle appeared next to me and I said oh hey what you doing and he said we can play these games all through out my office. And he clicked in front of himself using his finger to thin air. And the entire computer went into his breaf case that appeared next to him and I said ok then see you later and he left. And then the dream faded and I woke up I was quite upset that I did not notice that I was dreaming.

[coreysnyder]

Ok I do this quite often. I dont want to plug my nose and breath, or try to put my finger through my hand b/c this looks odd to those standing around. I usually just blink my eyes for 1 second and while there closed I'll picture something different... for instance a persons shirt being a different color or just try to change something in the scene. Is this an ok reality check? U think its gonna help me just as good as some of the other ones? Well Im off to bed. Peace!

[Leelu]

Hey, I was running thru the snow bare foot, and i didn't recognize that I was dreaming. There's this one peice of advice on this site for gaining awareness on this site, that says you should be more aware of things IRL as well. Like if you see something odd you do a reality check even though your awake. I find that makes me more aware in my dreams.

[joe5009]

Last night I was dreaming that I was living with my parents and I went into my brother's bedroom, and upon returning to the room I noticed that his bed had moved to the other side of the room. I realized I must be dreaming, so I looked at my hands (they looked normal) and I tried to stick my finger through my hand (that never seems to work) so I went out on to the deck to tried and fly but there was someone in the yard and I was in my boxers so I went back inside (I guess my Dream Self is modest) and just forgot about it. So close!!!

[nina]

It's quite simply a matter of training your brain to recognize absurdities in your dream...like Universal Mind said. That means becoming more aware and living "in the moment" rather than living in our minds. We tend to get lost thinking about things, zoning out. But if we lived at a state of constant awareness we would be able to lucid dream much easier. I have found that I will go through periods where I am more likely to recognize strange things in my dreams and become lucid while other times I can't. It's like a cycle and I am quite unsure of what causes it. It's like you get in a certain state of mind. Then you lose it...

[coreysnyder]

Will someone PLEASE answer my question on my reality checks...

[Tornado Joe]

Originally posted by corey Will someone PLEASE answer my question on my reality checks... * I usually just blink my eyes for 1 second and while there closed I'll picture something different... for instance a persons shirt being a different color or just try to change something in the scene. Is this an ok reality check? Corey, even though I've somewhat lost a bit of faith in reality checks, I'll try to answer your question. Your idea of changing objects in a scene sounds right - it is possible to do in dreams. Theoreticaly this should work. But when you're awake, you really don't expect anything to be different, therefore, you don't believe the person's shirt is really going to change. This same expectation can sometimes carry over into your dream giving you the same results in dream as in waking life. I recently performed two reality checks in a dream - one of which is the most reliable ever (flying) and they both failed. Why? Probably because I was still convinced (in my dream) that I was awake. Therefore, when I jumped up to fly I came right back down on my feet. *TIP: When you do reality check in waking life, really try to imagine the outcome of the change you are thinking of. Expect the change to take place (as if you were "willing" it to happen). If / when it doesn't - then you make the call on whether you're dreaming or not. Hope this helps.

[Roller]

Yeah don't worry I have this exact same problem... no matter how I try and reinforce my intentions... I've even been tryin wtih this hypnosis shit and it doesn't seem to be working. The best aid for getting more attentive in your dreams is your dream journal, i've found. The more I keep upmy journal entries, the more I get these little... dreamsigns and stuff, but the problem is that I end up getting frustrated and giving up before anything happens. I haven't been able to get my mind to register that I'm dreaming all year... it gets depressing after a while, but I guess the only way to get there is to keep slogging away at it... sooner or later something has to work.

[oilfieldpilot]

Corey, As someone who had a dry spell for...um about 5 months...ugh! DON'T GIVE UP! I continued the reality checks, but I learned at Laberge's Dream Camp (10 days woohoo!) that after you do a RC or Reality Test, you must take the time After doing the test and (once you realize, duh, I am awake) What this test WOULD have felt like, or appeared IF you were dreaming. THIS was the missing link for me. Yeah I did hundreds of RTs daily...literally, and made it habit. To the point where I did them in my damn dreams and Still didn't become Lucid! Once you take the time (and just a few seconds) to imagine what it would have appeared IF your RT/RC was done in a dream, then perhaps things may change for you. It did for me. -Look at your watch twice, three times...reallly Loooook at it. -Read some text two and three times...Was it Identical Each time? -Look at your hands, intertwine your fingers...what does it Feel like? -Just stop out of the blue and NOTICE your surroundings (SItuational awareness -pilot jargon) WHAT is weird? There is Always something there, if not, Find something! Just taking the TIME to do this is key....maybe this is what it takes to awaken those funky neurons... Also, another good RT is to look behind you, then go about your biz, then look behind you once again a few seconds later...did anything change? If Not, then ok, you are awake...or are you...Look again. Now, if you are convinced you are indeed awake, then Imagine with all your senses what you think this would feel like if you had been dreaming! Good luck! Remember that getting frustrated only works against you. Keep the faith, make RT/RC's as important as breathing... then one night just go to bed and DON'T think about it...put it aside and you may be surprised! Actually taking a break and getting good night's sleep is integral in LD success! It WILL Happen and you'll have the time of your life Hang Lucid amigo, "DREAM is just a REM AD" ofp

[TygrHawk]

Corey, I highly suggest you start using the "breath through pinched nose" method. Unless people are just staring at you constantly, it's pretty easy to do without drawing attention to yourself, and I've never had it fail yet. Another method that I like to use is simply to try to levitate off the ground. You don't have to do anything that will look odd -- just believe that you are going to begin to float. Perhaps imagine a force coming out of your feet or hands that will push you upward. Or, you can use any method you want, and just make up your mind that you don't care what others think. I would be suspect of any method that involved closing your eyes, as that can easily result in waking up.

[oilfieldpilot]

TygrHawk, SO FUNNY you mentioned this one...Levitating! Yeah, I forgot to add the one "Jump, and see of you fly!" technique but of course, people look at you funny....but then again they do that too in LD sometimes! (Try asking them to have sex!...er...in the name of science!) -LaBerge research Just last night, I launched into a great LD from an FA. well into it I decided, OK, I'll go fly...not one of my first priorities since I fly all friggin day! So, I found myself atop a steeeeep staircase going to a basement. I stood on the top step and said "FLY!" as I jumped off the first step.... Nothing... I landed on the next step... OK, try again. "FLY!!!!" as I launched further, but fell about five steps down...ugh! Now I Hate the feeling of falling...uncontrolled particularly...so I decided OK, more than one way to skin a cat. I sat on my butt on a step and the levitated! Then my husband (pilot also) swooshed by me and told me to get my slow butt moving. So I rolled over off my levitating ass and swooped down the rest of the stairs and right thru a huge solid glass window with ease! SO, yes, levitating is a good one...and no one looks at you funny ofp

[dreamtamer007]

Originally posted by coreysnyder Will someone PLEASE answer my question on my reality checks... . Your original question was (Why Don’t I Recognize I’m Dreaming) As far as reality Checks are involved I believe they are only a part of helping us to be aware of the state were in. Learning dream signs is in my opinion a good time to practice RCs. Also paying attention to detail in life. For instance as you are reading this are you really paying attention to what your state is at the present time. It is not that easy and we do lose tract of that thought. Its like, as I’m typing this am I paying attention to whether this is a dream or not? Well yes I am, but I’m also explaining about paying attention at the same time. What about 30 minutes from now when I’m doing something else, will I remember to pay attention to the state I’m in? This is where the dream signs will come in handy. I believe that will be a good time also to do a RC. I don’t think RCs out of habit are the most useful method without Dream signs and paying more attention to the state you’re currently in. I am also struggling with methods to use but feel I’m getting close to what I want and need to LD. After reading all this did you forget to think about whether your dreaming or not. I mean really awake or dreaming. It takes some practice I’m sure. I think I almost got more interested in typing then in what state I’m in. Shame on me. Don’t let it happen to often self. P.S. Just as I finished entering this post a really strange commercial came on TV and I almost instantly did a RC. That is really not a dream sign for me but another method of doing RCs when something Dream Like occurs.