Is this good or bad?

**freedomdreamer** · 05-19-2016 10:00 AM

Hello, I'm Viswanath and am new here, as well as to the habit. I've been trying to lucid dream for two days including today, using fild. I haven't had any lucid dreams yesterday, and neither have I had a lucid dream today. But again, I did have a dream which was non lucid after trying(maybe even before trying fild today, but I'm not sure of the one before trying).Is it a good thing that I had a dream after trying, even though it wasn't lucid or whether it's a bad thing that the dream wasn't lucid? Some suggestions/advice/opinions please?

**Uncastred** · 05-19-2016 10:10 AM

It's always a good thing to have a dream, but it seems like you are not used to remember your dreams. If you want to lucid dream you first need to increase your dream recall. Writing a dream journal, remember at least one dream per night for exemple

**freedomdreamer** · 05-19-2016 11:22 AM

No, I do remember my dream. It just wasn't lucid. Please re advise.

**Hitokage** · 05-19-2016 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by freedomdreamer

I've been trying to lucid dream for two days including today,

It's kinda early to ask if your results are good or bad. Ask again after at least month of trying.

**Rothgar** · 05-21-2016 03:37 AM

I suggest you read Robert LaBerge's book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, and start with the MILD approach. This DILD approach is the most effective starting out. You can combine that with DEILD too.

**Patience108** · 05-21-2016 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Rothgar

I suggest you read Robert LaBerge's book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, and start with the MILD approach. This DILD approach is the most effective starting out. You can combine that with DEILD too.

Ha ha

You have offered 2 exellent books for freedomdreamer - Steven Laberge and Robert Waggoner!

**BadAssLongCoat** · 05-22-2016 05:15 PM

Hi there Freedomdreamer!

What I think Uncastred was saying was that while your recall is good it is still important to keep records of your dreams physically. It acts as a reference later on and allows you to find things that your dreams have in common.

Keeping a dream journal is simple: Find yourself a nice, simple journal, one which is aesthetically pleasing like a leather bound journal is good because you will be excited to write in it. Record the date of your dream from the night you went to sleep (as opposed to the morning you recorded the dream), give it a concise and memorable title to make referencing it faster and other details such as the time you went to bed, the time you woke up, any awakenings and WBTBs and if you use suppliments or are trying a dietary approach to increasing your body's naturally produces seratonin and melatonin then recording these things can help you to find what works.

The best thing keeping a journal does is sets your mind's subconscious into knowing that you take remembering your dreams seriously and that it is important to you. Once the subconscious registers this it becomes second nature, then you can begin looking through your dreams to find common denominators called dream signs. It could be using an elevator or a fictional or real life character within your dream. From here you can make a practice of performing reality checks upon encountering these dreamsigns in real life and dream life which will drastically increase and enhance your chances of becoming lucid within a dream.

Once you have dream signs locked down you will find that your awareness while dreaming also picks up, making it easier to recognise that you are dreaming because your subconscious mind is always 'looking' for these signs, which also means that there is an increased chance that you will dream of it.

Dream journals are incredibly useful regardless of selected technique, un-aided dream recall and memory or other factors as it is like a weight's bench for the memory centre of the mind in dreaming.

**Rothgar** · 05-23-2016 02:26 AM

BadAssLongCoat... I agree 100%. I too buy nice leather journals and enjoy writing in them...not everyone does, but so true that it sets the subconscious intent to recall. Two days ago I dreamed about my dad, who passed away 7 years ago. I didn't become lucid but it was a nice dream so I journalled it. The very next night I saw him in my dream again and immediately became lucid (and gave him a big hug...Ok, it was just a DC I know, but very cathartic for me). I think the journalling triggered the awareness.

**cooleymd** · 05-23-2016 05:07 AM

I would never buy a leather journal, because my hand writing sucks

and would be an insult to it. So I journal in notepad and then back up on various flash disk

**Burke** · 05-23-2016 06:48 AM

In addition to echoing everyone's advice, I wanted to point out that not every dream you have is going to be lucid. Consistently successful lucid dreamers tend to have anywhere from 3-10+ lucid dreams each week. One every night is a goal for many (and highly achievable). There are some users who report having nearly every dream being a lucid dream, but they are few and far between and have been lucid dreaming for a very long time.

Also, the average time it take for someone to have their first lucid dream seems to be between 2-4 weeks. Some are successful within a week of learning what lucid dreaming is while others take multiple months to have their first. It all takes time. Be patient and don't get upset at failures. Lucid dreaming is very heavily influenced by your mindset and getting discouraged or upset will only make it harder. Stay positive and motivated and you'll be lucid in no time!