Thread: Do you care if people see you do reality checks?

I'm not sure if I posted this in the wrong place. Are you guys cautious when doing reality checks out in public, or do you just do them without caring what people think? I've started not caring about doing the hands and nose plug ones infront of random people, but I think that's why I've had so many lucid dreams over winter break! I'll have to try not caring about other classmates. Has anyone ever seen someone else perform a RC, mostly the nose plug one!

I do them on Bus / Train
and at work
sometimes when walking down the street

When I rode up to the movies and the girl who sold me the tickets had Syndactaly, I was like time for a mega reality check he he I saw her again the other day

I can just imagine her doing a RC "nope still eight and a half fingers I must be awake"

Well, I certainly don't try to walk through walls or jump ten feet in the air among a lot of people, that would look pretty weird.

Anyway, I tend to perform fairly discrete reality checks, and in my opinion the simplest and safest reality check is to simply ask yourself if something seems out of place or strange about your surroundings.
However, this tends to make me look all curious about everything around me, and that alone might look "unusual", since most people are used to zoning out and not caring that much about their everyday environment.

On the contrary! I would love to explain to them why I am doing it if it arose someone's curiosity enough to ask me. I don't think I would do one mid conversation though lol.

I tend to be cautious in public, so I just do discrete ones—looking at a clock or watch a couple of times doesn't look too out of place.

Anytime when I find myself in a akward situation or moment, I try to solve it by screaming out at the top of my lungs, Lucidity NOOOOW!!! I mean it could just be a uncomfortable dream after all..

I don't RC much any more, only when I think it might be a dream. That's because after so much training, I mainly rely on MILD to get LDs when I try to. I still try to be critical, but I'm kinda blending it in with my mindfulness training. Doing mindfulness and state mindfulness with it cuz I'm lazy to doing it alone lol.

But, when I RC in public, I do the nose plug, thumb through hand, reading, and remembering what happened earlier. I try to do them subtly lol

I think it's really important to do RC infront of people because if you don't do it IRL you won't probably do it in the dream, but if you want to be discrete just ask yourself if something is out of the ordinary just what Yuusha said in an early post.

Originally Posted by PreppyBoy

I think it's really important to do RC infront of people because if you don't do it IRL you won't probably do it in the dream

I agree. Timid in waking life means timid in the dream and we do not want that. I do nose plug and hand check anywhere and everywhere. Just rubbing my nose, you know!

If you're outside in an urban setting, text / time check is generally easy just about everywhere you are. I even text check on car license plates even though I don't think I've ever seen a car in a dream!

In an urban setting having *no text* around you is a good sign it's a dream but that generally requires quite a bit of thought and if I'm lucid enough to think of that check, I'm already lucid anyway.

Originally Posted by LouaiB

I don't RC much any more, only when I think it might be a dream. That's because after so much training, I mainly rely on MILD to get LDs when I try to. I still try to be critical, but I'm kinda blending it in with my mindfulness training. Doing mindfulness and state mindfulness with it cuz I'm lazy to doing it alone lol.

I still RC occasionally, though I generally don't become lucid by happening to RC in a non-LD. Instead, I usually notice something out of place or just suspect I'm dreaming “out of the blue” and then RC to prove it and improve my confidence that I am indeed asleep and in a dream.

Originally Posted by LouaiB

I don't RC much any more, only when I think it might be a dream. That's because after so much training, I mainly rely on MILD to get LDs when I try to. I still try to be critical, but I'm kinda blending it in with my mindfulness training. Doing mindfulness and state mindfulness with it cuz I'm lazy to doing it alone lol.

But, when I RC in public, I do the nose plug, thumb through hand, reading, and remembering what happened earlier. I try to do them subtly lol

It's pretty important I think to maintain the attitude that *at any conscious moment, you could be in the dream state*. So many times, so many, right after getting lucid I think "man, I *so* thought I was awake just before this!" One good way to frame this notion is to ask yourself a number of times a day, "Why do I think I'm awake?" This precise thought occurred to me once in a dream and lead immediately to lucidity after a nose pinch.

I think for lucidity it's much better to have the default state assumed to be the dream state, and to have to work really hard to prove the waking state (although RCs should *never* be rushed in any case). Even if a RC indicates "awake," I still pretend that it showed dreaming and start my "just got lucid ritual". Yes I do sometimes pat myself down in public quickly and do a little gravity test jump, haha!

Originally Posted by FryingMan

It's pretty important I think to maintain the attitude that *at any conscious moment, you could be in the dream state*. So many times, so many, right after getting lucid I think "man, I *so* thought I was awake just before this!" One good way to frame this notion is to ask yourself a number of times a day, "Why do I think I'm awake?" This precise thought occurred to me once in a dream and lead immediately to lucidity after a nose pinch.

I think for lucidity it's much better to have the default state assumed to be the dream state, and to have to work really hard to prove the waking state (although RCs should *never* be rushed in any case). Even if a RC indicates "awake," I still pretend that it showed dreaming and start my "just got lucid ritual". Yes I do sometimes pat myself down in public quickly and do a little gravity test jump, haha!

Yeah I've had lots of dreams where when I become lucid, I would be so surprised that I was so fooled and convinced it was WL. But really, for me, I don't feel the need for the intensive RC program. RCs are supposed to make you more critical and prime LDs, but I don't need much to maintain my year worth of criticality training. I still do train my criticality, but not to the extent of 10RCs a day. Maybe 2 or 3. Yeah I also do RI sometimes, especially when I'm training to remember a certain goal and do it right.

'Always in a dream' state of mind? I'm not sure if you mean realizing that I might be dreaming at any given moment no matter how much I think the opposite(which helps bcz then just a little doubt would make me lucid), or a more councious "be ninja like at examining your state" kind of thing(like a sort of ADA(lack of a better expression..I know how much you think I hate ADA lol) state doubting).

I RC occasionally and don't care if someone sees it. Most often nobody knows or cares what's going on. Those who do notice know what's going on and we end up striking up good conversation. Some of the common ones I do with no regards to public view are double checking a clock especially if digital, observing the light level of a room before and after adjusting a window blind or curtain, and reading a sign on a wall then look away and back again to see if it reads the same.

Not "always in a dream," we're not always in a dream, but at any particular moment, we *could* be in a dream, as seen by so many "man I really thought I was awake!" moments. Never simply blindly assume you're awake, don't take your current state as "waking" without reflection.

But it sounds like you keep up the criticality and RI, so that's good. Awareness and memory always precede the RC so they're more important in my book, but don't shortchange the RC. 2 or 3 a day may be a bit low IMO, but you should of course follow your own path and do what works for you.

Happy New Year!

Yep, that happens to me too, where I'm frequently surprised that I'm dreaming, but I always trust the results of the RC when they indicate a dream. That's the right attitude to take. If you don't thoughtfully consider the result of the RC, and you get in the habit of easily disregarding it, or you think something like, “I'll do an RC like I'm supposed to even though I know I'm awake for sure”, that's where people run into problems when they end up doing the same thing in a dream and don't become lucid.

Originally Posted by FryingMan

Not "always in a dream," we're not always in a dream, but at any particular moment, we *could* be in a dream, as seen by so many "man I really thought I was awake!" moments. Never simply blindly assume you're awake, don't take your current state as "waking" without reflection.

But it sounds like you keep up the criticality and RI, so that's good. Awareness and memory always precede the RC so they're more important in my book, but don't shortchange the RC. 2 or 3 a day may be a bit low IMO, but you should of course follow your own path and do what works for you.

Happy New Year!

Yeah I need to do more. Now that I'm doing mindfulness training, I'm also doing another PM training. I just need more motivation. I'm still very down from that frustration meltdown I had the past summer. I'm not recovering well. LDing is still blant to me right now. I try to regard it as a platform, and what I do in it is the thing that matters, but still the wonderful plans I have aren't motivating me. It's like I don't care about LDing anymore. Of course I still do care, but it's like all that hope and faith I had when I started just went away. I know that with training I'll wake up someday from a LD I just had that was so real and wonderful and felt like I was actually there and teleported back, but at the same time I can't get my head straight about this. It's all jumbling in there. I'm still in the state where I'm like still having an automatic mental defense against getting my hopes up. So I want t get better so I can reach a level where I can trust I won't get frustrated, but this problem is slowing me down, and I can't stop it unless I get results so I can trust again. Paradox thingy!
I'm sure a great LD would solve this because it seems I won't trust how great my LDs can get except if I experience it myself (I have a big fear that I naturally can't get highly vivid aware and crisp senses LDs even with extensive training and years of practice).

Like I'd think about an amazing thing to do in a LD and get ready to sleep and tell myself "now I'll do this thing for real!" but this doesn't get me the least bit excited. I used to get ecstatic before when doing this before sleep!

Originally Posted by Travis E.

Yep, that happens to me too, where I'm frequently surprised that I'm dreaming, but I always trust the results of the RC when they indicate a dream. That's the right attitude to take. If you don't thoughtfully consider the result of the RC, and you get in the habit of easily disregarding it, or you think something like, “I'll do an RC like I'm supposed to even though I know I'm awake for sure”, that's where people run into problems when they end up doing the same thing in a dream and don't become lucid.

Yes that's a very important point. RCs should be done mindfully and seriously.

I do care about being caught doing a RC, most people don't understand what this is and you may appear crazy although normally you can check out your hands or plug your nose without looking nuts if you are discreet. You can also use "mental" RCs, such as asking yourself where you have just been or how you got there. Of course you want to avoid, for instance, testing gravity by jumping around

I must admit though, I'd be surprised in a good way if I ever caught someone else doing a RC.

Originally Posted by martakartus

I do care about being caught doing a RC ...

You should stop choosing the can I fly if I do the chicken dance RC
also avoid the walking thru walls in real life one:

Originally Posted by martakartus

I must admit though, I'd be surprised in a good way if I ever caught someone else doing a RC.

I'd love to see that too! Another LDer, and not......oh god...not.....a.....a.......a natural one.........*guhhhhhhh* lol

Originally Posted by cooleymd

You should stop choosing the can I fly if I do the chicken dance RC

I actually got caught once doing an RC by a classmate and it actually led to a good discussion about lucid dreaming so good things can come of it, also no shame!

I also have no shame. I mainly do the nose pinch, which looks just like rubbing it anyway. And as for classmates who might start to think I am rubbing my nose all the time, I just told them about LDing. I even gave a little presentation about it, haha. Everyone was really listening and asking questions about it. They seemed really interested and found it an awesome hobby I got many complements about it afterwards. Besides that, in the past I have often found myself ashamed about stuff. And I realized that it is not good to feel ashamed about things you love. So now I try to be myself as much as I can, and if I find myself ashamed of something I do, I make it a point to show it to others. You'd be surprised how positive people respond to things that you might think are weird.

Originally Posted by MrPriority

I also have no shame. I mainly do the nose pinch, which looks just like rubbing it anyway. And as for classmates who might start to think I am rubbing my nose all the time, I just told them about LDing. I even gave a little presentation about it, haha. Everyone was really listening and asking questions about it. They seemed really interested and found it an awesome hobby I got many complements about it afterwards. Besides that, in the past I have often found myself ashamed about stuff. And I realized that it is not good to feel ashamed about things you love. So now I try to be myself as much as I can, and if I find myself ashamed of something I do, I make it a point to show it to others. You'd be surprised how positive people respond to things that you might think are weird.

Definitely! I especially agree with not hiding your interests and being ashamed about them.
.............
For me.....
I'm an otaku! Phew, got that out of my chest :3
I must be the luckiest otaku ever! Being INSIDE anime in my LDs!
Envy me worldwide non-LDer otakus!!!!

This thread is making me want to start doing RCs just for the conversation.

I hope they see me do it.

I like it when they watch O___O

In all seriousness, people will usually ask me what I was doing, then I introduce them to the wonderful world of lucid dreaming.

It brings in new members to our cult culture!

Originally Posted by SinisterDezz

people will usually ask me what I was doing, then I introduce them to the wonderful world of lucid dreaming

People: "Sooo........yoga???? ó-ō"