DILD Theory Ideas

**Centroid** · 08-24-2016 04:57 AM

Hey all!

So, I was thinking something that made sense to me, about the induction of DILDs. It’s more about the theory of it all than actual induction, but it can provide insight over your own practices. I'm probably not the first person thinking this, but bear with me.

First of all, let me start with a few statements:
-The most reliable ways known today to have DILDs are through day work (awareness, RCs) and work just before the dream (MILD, visualizations, incubation).
- Your real life is (often) reflected in your dreams. That is the reason why ^above works.

My hypothesis is that DILD induction success is based on two things:
-Consistent day work (practicing frequently, spending more time on it, for an extended period of time).
-How close it is to your dream. In other words, a day of RCs/awareness yesterday is more effective than a day of RCs/awareness a year ago. But most importantly, how close it is from the dream (10 hours before dreaming vs 5 minutes before, during WBTB). This is why MILD works, because it’s close to your dream, therefore more chances of influencing it.

I believe in this way that we can approach DILD induction with studying for a test. They are two general ways to study:
-‘Cramming’ for a test, where you study just before the test, or only the night before. (Here, MILD.)
-Studying during short sessions for a longer period of time (say, a week/month before the test). (Here, day work.)

Cramming is only effective for that test the next day, and is useless for any other tests, thus must be repeated for every test. Same thing can be said about MILD. So you can get away with doing only MILD for LDs, but if you stop, you’re in a bad position. Now with regular studying through a longer period of time, it’s much more effective in the long run, and can work even if you stop doing it, same with day work (Awareness/RCs). However, day work takes some time to pay off, like regular studying.

Therefore, following what I said above, trying to have a DILD is quite similar to studying for a test, with two general paths to take. However, these paths are not mutually exclusive, as you can take both at the same time, which is what I (and everyone else) recommend. In this way, you start off with lucid dreams, while building up all that day work, which will (potentially) give you more lucid dreams with MILD, in the long run.

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your thoughts about this! Criticisms are also welcome!

**Valis1** · 08-24-2016 06:42 AM

I agree that DILD methods become more effective over time, because at first those periods of intense self-awareness and mindfulness associated with state testing are forced, the result of conscious intention. Over time, if it is done often enough, that transition into reflection on your situation, internal and external, becomes a automatic program, a ingrained habit. This is why Lucid dreaming seems to get easier with time and constant practice, the brain changes, it just takes a while.

**dolphin** · 08-24-2016 07:11 AM

When it comes to studying for lucid dreaming, the test you're studying for is the dream, and the test is on what a dream is. You're being tested on identifying the test. During the dream, you'll likely have less access to memory, so it will be more difficult to know you're being tested in the first place because it will be more difficult to remember what the test is. If during the dream you recall you're being test, you still have to remember what you learned about what a dream is.

Also, it's more difficult to learn what a dream is because it can take on so many forms. Sort of like an octopus! Say you were diving and were told "avoid the octopus, you'll get inked! You know what an octopus looks like, right? Well identify the octopus in the picture below.

Spoiler for solution:

Other than those couple of quibbles, I like the analogy of studying for the test of the dream by learning about and intending to remember what dreams are like.