Discouraged, though hopefull...?

[faceless]

So, i found this site using a random internet search. I've always been fascinated with dreaming and especially lucid dreaming, though i don't remember ever having had a lucid dream. Anyways, i was looking at all the posts here and the information on this site and it was all very helpful. I decided to really try for lucid dreams every evening. I consider myself to have excellent dream recall, well, i did before i read this. Usually, i never wake up during the night. I sleep until the morning. I'm going to try to wake up after each rem cycle from now on, but even before i'll try that, i've easily recalled one or two dreams consistently every night. At any rate, i was having a discussion about this at school, and i found out that several other people have had lucid dreaming experiences, they all loved them, of course, but i couldn't really give any imput after this was brought up. I've not had a lucid experience which i remember other than one time when i was very young. I was trying to escape an unpleasant dream, so i told myself i would count to three and then wake up. I managed to do just that, and that was a little weird. But that's all i've ever had. So i guess my question is how many spontaneous lucid dreams had you guys had before finding this site... how successful have you been with lucid dreaming after finding this site, and how long did it take to attain these experiences? Any imput or encouragement you guys have is most welcome!

[Rare]

Well first and foremost, Welcome to DV!! This is a great good site full of many nifty people here to help out with the LD adventure. So lets see here.... How many Spontaneious LD before DV: 5-10 over 3-4 years. I've always had vivid dreams, but they got kicked into high gear almost 2 years ago for some reason. I used to just randomly stumble into LD's and stumble out of them. Didn't know there was a name for them until about a month or so ago. How Many LD's since finding DV (and other LD sites): 4-5 Some were WILD attempts that didn't work out so well, and others have been DILD's. I think I prefer the DILD because I am already situated in a dreamstate and then become lucid and then I can wake up and go back to ND, of try WILD. It is still very sporadic and random and I don't attempt this every night. Still working on maintaining the lucid state \ basic things, etc. how long did it take to attain these experiences: See answer #1.. just found out about this stuff a few months ago. Mid Dec. ish. Main thing to remember is that we are all unique and progress at our own rates. If you're mind is dedicated all things will unfold in time.

[Dizko]

There are plenty of people who dont have lucid dream by accident. That just makes it all the more worth it in the end. You will have to work for it, you will appreciate WHEN (not if) it happens. Have fun

[ninja9578]

Lucid dreams would probably suck if I hadn't found this site. I wouldn't have understood the ramifications of it. Anything is possible, and there are no consequences. You can have naughty time

[Rare]

You can have naughty time *giggle*

[faceless]

Okay. So i tried having a lucid dream and whatnot, and it was interesting. It seemed like it took me forever to get to sleep. I eventually did, of course, but normally after i wake up, it feels like i've been asleep for several hours. What i did last night was to set an alarm to wake me up during a rem cycle so i could remember it and then try for lucidity again should i fail the first time. I was disappointed on waking up in the middle of the night to discover i could remember no dreams so far. I went back to sleep. When i woke up in the morning, however, i could remember two seperate dreams. It also seemed like i remembered that i was dreaming a couple times in the night but then woke up. I can't be sure. It's all very peculiar. Is that normal, or has anyone had a similar experience? What are your thoughts?

[Rare]

Hrms, perhaps your timing was off? I can't really comment on the early alarm to wake up and remember dreams etc... I don't practice that. I think it would annoy the hell out of me lols. I prefer to just go to sleep and let what ever happens happen. I generally try to employ a "lets not over complicate the process" kind of view on things. Realistically we dream every night we sleep, depending on how long we sleep, so for like a seventy year life span that's like *counts on fingers* 25,500+ chances to become lucid \ remember our dreams \ etc. I think that having a positive outlook will help progress things, but otherwise my advise would be to not get caught up in what is, or is not normal, and simply let things occur naturally. hope this helps

[gthom]

My answers: How many Spontaneious LD before DV: 1. I'd first heard of lucid dreaming while in college and made some half-hearted attempts at it, but was never successful. I rarely remembered my dreams to begin with and never bothered to keep a journal. About 6 months ago I started looking into it again and began keeping a journal. About 4 months ago I had a DILD and found this site about 5 days later. How Many LD's since finding DV (and other LD sites): 1. I had another DILD about 1 month after the first. During that time I stayed fairly diligent with the dream journaling. how long did it take to attain these experiences See above. I haven't had any since late November '07, but I spent a good portion of that time visiting family over the holidays and wasn't journaling or focused on LDing at all. I've had quite a few near-misses, where I've done reality checks in dreams (and failed) or became lucid for a near instant but lost focus immediately.