Pain during WILD (and other questions)

[S]

When I read some articles on WILD, it turned out that I've been practicing it for some time, not knowing it's called WILD and used to enter lucid dreams (I just enjoyed the strange feelings). There are some strange experiences, however, and I hope someone explains me what they are and whether they are normal... 1. Usually I aborted the process after a stage where my heart started beating rapidly, driving blood to the head and making it feel like someone was pressing my eyelids. Nevertheless, the feeling was generally pleasant, and I even held my breath to stop it from fading away. 2. Although I relax in the beginning, I find my muscles spontaneously contracting during the later stages, so I have to pay attention and relax them (or just don't pay attention, but then my limbs start shaking after a while). 3. I don't feel paralyzed. It feels like something flows through my body and "electrifies" it (and it happens several times, each time with a different feeling), but I still can move (although if I do, I lose concentration). 4. Even when I felt my eyes going backwards and forwards ("drawing" something in the blackness before them), when finally visions started to appear (although very unstable and rapidly changing) and I even heard a corresponding sound (the sound of a spoon hitting a cup in my left ear, corresponding to what was seen in the left, although it quickly faded away) and I underwent one more "electrification", suddenly I felt a cramping pain in my right leg, so intense that I had to give up. What went wrong?

[Serkat]

1. Is your heart really beating rapidly or is it part of the hallucinations? Many people report altered heartbeat and breathing but actually when they wake everything is normal. 2. I think that's normal and shouldn't bother you. 3. As long as it works for you, why would it matter? 4. Maybe you need calcium/magnesium? Have you felt that pain before?

[andorf]

2. Although I relax in the beginning, I find my muscles spontaneously contracting during the later stages, so I have to pay attention and relax them (or just don't pay attention, but then my limbs start shaking after a while).[/b] your muscles are supposed to tighten up, its like sleep paralysis so that if your WILD works you wont move during he dream. can you successfully WILD all the way or do you just go up to the funny feelings?

[Gypsie]

I also didn't know what I was doing till I found a term for it... Years back I started it under the term "alpha mind controll", (which is described much different now then it was back then) and that was my trigger for WILD (a term I just recently learned). I explained in another post already that I don't LD while being in REM, only in the other stages... But anyway, that electric feeling you mention, I perceive it more as vibrations (light electric vibrations through my whole body) and I actually like the feeling, to me it feels cozy When I start feeling those I know I'm ready to LD. What I do is this: once I start feeling the vibes I breath in deep, it feels as if opening myself to it the vibes rush through my body much faster.... then I breath out as long as I can while allowing myself to "slip away" (with lack of a better term) but I keep focused on my breathing. It feels as If I'm sinking through my bed, everything around me dissapears and Im Lucid.. Try the breating. Focus on it...Breathing in deep and breath out as long as you can forces the body to release all muscle tension, plus it keeps you focused and avoids you from falling asleep. once your Lucid you body might be paralysed but you won't notice it anymore... my two cents

[S]

can you successfully WILD all the way or do you just go up to the funny feelings?[/b] I can't, although I hope someday. Nevertheless, I enjoy the awkward feelings.

[Deere]

I'm pretty much in the same situation as you. Your first two points are the earlier stages of wild, I believe. The twitching muscles always happen here too. The heartbeat is also common with me. After a while I feel it in my stomach and on a rare occasion it's the start of the somewhat more violent vibrations. I completely relate with your third point. Even though my body can feel completely numb, I'm still able to move. I don't think that's too much of a problem, because I've been pretty close to an LD without full SP. And finally your fourth point. I found that sometimes 'something' is trying to thwart my WILD. Quite often I feel an 'artificial' itch, somewhere on my face or I feel a really uncomfterable heat. It could, however, also be just a cramp

[S]

Today I had a strange experience... First of all, I noticed that the more I try WILDing, the easier it is to relax - my muscles no longer seem to bother me... However, there was something else. When images before my eyes were all underway and I felt like starting to fall into a dream, I suddenly felt like something tore my brain apart. Then my attention was spontaneously switched from the imagery to my eyes (which felt wery hard and heavy), my heart started beating faster, and my body electrified. I lied in the same position for a few minutes, but nothing happened - only the "electrification" and heartbeat passed by. What was that? Is it normal?