Thread: Trying WILD. What could I be doing wrong?

Greetings, mpedro. Let's see if I could help out here:

-As a beginner, it's strongly recommended that you start with DILD. Compared to other techniques, successful WILDs quite often are predicated on prior experience with LDs and LD techniques (as you'll note below).

-Multiple interruptions throughout the night is quite an ambitious start. It should be noted that the purpose of these alarms + idle moments (dubbed WBTB, or "Wake Back to Bed) is to feel out the optimal time to sleep for LDs. You should maybe cut back to one alarm about 4 hours in with a 45 min WBTB time, and adjust from there in the coming weeks.

-If you're feeling strained, you might be concentrating too hard during meditation. It could also be that some relaxation techniques are required (pending if you're preferred type of meditation doesn't already incorporate such).

-Try not to worry about hypnagogia and "sleep paralysis"/REM Atonia. WILD transitions aren't reliant on such, and indeed, there are many WILDers that never experience those states during their practices. Anecdotally, these are unreliable signs towards attaining WILD transitions.

-Intense non-visual imagination, including buzzing and strange sensations, could be signs that you've already transitioned. They might also just be hypnagogic "static". To figure this out, use Reality Checks. Try, for example, poking a finger through your hand or wall. And/or, experiment with anything mundane, even opening your eyes. If there's any unusual resistance to doing that, it's possible that you're already in an LD (or very close to it).

- Don't be discouraged if your efforts aren't immediately paying off. For most people, WILD, just as any skills, requires time, effort, experimentation, and dedication before it bears fruit. It's worth reiterating that experimenting with a less demanding induction technique (as DILDs) first would definitely ease the process of learning WILD substantially. I say this as someone who also first (earnestly) tried LDs with understanding of meditation, also tried starting out with WILDs, and also faced similar hurdles.