I wonder if this is a common problem! I'm new, so I hope this hasn't been a recent discussion (it doesn't seem to be?). Anyway...it seems that all my attempts to achieve lucidity are thwarted by my own subconscious! On the occasions that I do remember what I've learned in waking life, when I try to apply them in my dreams they simply don't work. I've had many dreams where I wonder whether I am dreaming, and then recall having read about checking the time/reading something/other reality checks. So, I try to read and re-read times and writing in my dreams -- and can read them all just fine! I know what they say and can read them clearly, so it gives me no indication of whether or not I am dreaming. Or, for example, today I made a first attempt at the WILD method, and while I was lying there trying to do it correctly, I fell asleep and dreamed about lying there trying to do it correctly!! It wasn't until I actually woke up that I realize that I had been dreaming about most of my efforts to dream.

Anyone else have experiences with an obnoxious subconscious that thwarts your every attempt to achieve dream lucidity?