About Mantras

**Tradl3s** · 08-21-2013 07:02 AM

So, back when i first got into lucid dreaming, a few people in chat had told me to try mantras. (Because i had asked what i should try
as a beginner.) I was told that a mantra is something you repeat to yourself inside your head. They never really worked for me, and
i was wondering why. I still am not sure if it was because it isn't what works for me, or if i were just doing it wrong. Are you supposed to use a mantra
in your head? or out loud? and when do you use them? Although this doesnt even seem like this would work for me, i still would like a better idea
of what they are and how to use them. Thank you

-Tradl3s

**gab** · 08-21-2013 07:38 AM

Hi Tradl3s,

mantras are words or phrases you repeat to yourself to set your intent. To let your mind know, what you want.

You can say them out loud, whisper, in your mind, write them, draw them... But most often you just say them out loud or silently, in your mind. You can use them to wake yourself up at certain time (for WBTB), to remember your dreams, or pretty much anything. And of course, to have a lucid dream.

Mantras are a huge part of MILD induction. But if you ad awareness and RCs to it, you will have a better chance at having a LD. That would be DILD.

You can say them throughout the day, together with your awareness and RCs, and also when you ogoing to bed. Then, as you falling asleep, just repeat your mantra in your mind, until you fall asleep. Our mind is most susceptible to suggestions just before we fall asleep, so that's the best time for the mantra. But if it keeps you awake, just say it a few times and then go to sleep. Btw, it's ok to lose track of what you saying. Don't keep your mind too much on it. Allow your mind to drift and if you remember, come back to saying your mantra and drift away again, until you fall asleep.

Here is my short version of awareness question+RC+mantra.

During day, pause what you doing and ask yourself a question "Wow, am I dreaming?" that jolts your attention and makes you stop doing whatever you doing. For a moment, entertain the idea, that you are sure this is a dream or false awakening and feel the excitement in the pit of your stomach. Just pretend, that you have had a lucid dream before that was indistinguishable from waking reality, so this moment could also be a dream and you don't know for sure until you RC. Really believe, that you are in a dream.

Look around and notice details. Look at your hands and count your fingers. Do you have the right amount? Do they look normal? Do a reality check. Try to gently push your thumb through your palm and expect it to go through. Is it going through? Pinch your nose and expect to be able to breathe. Can you? Can you levitate? If not, tell yourself "Next time I'm dreaming, I look at my hands and realize I'm dreaming". Repeat this mantra a few times while looking at your hands.

Pretty soon, this behavior will start manifesting itself in 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.

You can of course pick different mantra and different RCs. What's important is that you believe you are in a dream and that RCs will work, because you are in a dream.

Good luck

**TheSilverWolf** · 08-21-2013 09:26 AM

Good question, Tradl. Here's another one for you Gab; with Mantra's, is it less effective to say a few different ones in your mind as you fall asleep? I tend to have trouble with dream recall *though I am improving, yay!* so when I'm trying to MILD, I tell myself: "every time I dream I will remember my dreams when I wake up" in addition to "The next time I'm dreaming, I will become aware I am in a dream."

Should I just stick with one mantra, or is two or even three that I repeat to myself okay? Basically I want to know if I am lessening the effect by having more than one at a time.

~SilverWolf~

**DreamHighlander** · 08-21-2013 02:15 PM

I believe you have to concentrate on 1 thing and not several things at the same time. I use only 1 mantra at a time. Sometimes i use the same mantra for days until i reach my goal. If so, then i start to use another mantra.

**gab** · 08-21-2013 10:37 PM

I agree with DreamHighlander.

It's better to have just one thing on your mind that you want to accomplish. I frequently start with one mantra, but I switch to another one, if it doesn't feel right. Make one that you feel comfortable with, that you "feel" is the right one. I don't worry about it being grammaticaly correct. For example, I have no problem saying "next time I'm dreaming, I realize I'm dreaming". I leave out the "will" and "that" part. It makes it shorter and it skips the "future" part. Because I don't want it to happen sometime in the future, I want it now. As long as your mind knows what yo talking about, it shouldn't really matter what you say.