Thread: How long did it take you to have your first LD?

Originally Posted by Spock

I had my first lucid when I was 6 or 8 years old and had several more as a child, but in my early teens I seemed to lose the ability...
I first started practicing to get LDs again when I was 15 or 16, and it took about 1 month to get some random DILDs, but learning how to get the WILDs right (like FILD) took me much longer (not sure how long, maybe 3-4 months?)... Plus, most of my first LDs were just to notice that I'm dreaming and immedietly wake up, and even these were infrequent at first

Apart from journaling, intention setting (like with mantras) as well as some awareness training are integral in my practice routine (in the periods of my life when I take LDing seriously) - so I think that maybe it will be better to add some more of the basics to your practice, since WILDs like FILD are more advanced and harder to master (at least to me).

Just joined DV and am pretty new to lucid dreams and everything. Can you explain what intention settings and mantras are? and can you explain what awareness training you use? I've been trying really hard to go lucid and i think this message board can really help me. thanks!

Originally Posted by jfriday11

Can you explain what intention settings and mantras are?

A mantra is something you say over and over, and is used in intention setting they are pretty much the same and differ from prospective memory which is remembering to do something in the future.

So suppose I realize that I dream about a certain dead relative a lot, I might have a mantra like "When I see so-and-so I'll know that I am dreaming" , or they could be more general like just before you fall asleep say "The next place I am will be a dream" or "I'll recognize when I'm dreaming" etc.

Suppose that you fall asleep very fast normally and so aren't sure you can say these things in your mind like 10-20 times at least because you will fall asleep to fast (maybe not at bed time put possibly through out the night on each awakening). In that case do something to make yourself a bit uncomfortable like cross your legs funny, then when you have done enough times uncross and fall back asleep.

Be careful how you choose your mantra, never choose things like "I will not have nightmares" as your subconscious could leave a word or two out and end up with an intention of "I will have nightmares" or "I have nightmares" or just "nightmares" so consider this when planning your mantra.

Prospective memory is different from intention setting. You throughout the day say to your self as you reality check "I will remember to stabilize" "I will remain clam" "I will attempt to do a jump test" "I will remember to check my pockets for stuff"


Having set the intention to become lucid especially on a wake back to bed (where you have plenty of sleep and will have longer sharper dreams, and that will begin sooner after you fall asleep) (and staying awake long enough to set it well) will increase your chances of becoming lucid. Associating the things you need (like stabilize and be calm) and want (like fly, or find candy or your super phone in your pocket) with your RC will help you remember to do these once you reality check in the dream on becoming lucid.