So I've gone lucid... but have I?

After multiple occasions of going lucid (using DILD) only to wake up instantly, I finally had my first full-blown, sustained lucid dream a few days ago. Last night I had my second big lucid dream.

Here's the thing that's I'm hung up on: Even after going lucid, I don't remember to do all the things I plan on doing while I'm awake. I even accept some abnormalities on the dream world as if they were normal (IE, buildings in the wrong place versus the real world). I just don't seem to act as I had planned. It's as if I'm not all there... not 100% conscious in my dream.

Yet at the same time, I'm fully aware that I'm in a dream. On the two major lucid dreams, I gained lucidity after doing the nose check (pinching my nose shut and trying to breath) and (upon gaining lucidity) checked my hands to see the "melting" effect. In both occasions, the first thing I do is get airborne, as that seems like the quickest (and funnest!) way to travel.

But I just don't seem to be as in control as I had expected.

The two possibilities I'm thinking are this:
A) I'm not really lucid, and only having a dream ABOUT being lucid.
B) I am lucid, but only some-what. With practice I will become more conscious during my lucid dreams in the future, thus having more control over myself

I'm hoping it's the latter and not the former.

Has anyone else had this type of experience? Is thus just normal for a beginning oneironaught (not sure if I spelled that right), or do most people have 100% control of themselves with full waking memory while in their dreams right off the bat? Does this even make sense to anyone? haha.

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Originally Posted by Kobudokai

After multiple occasions of going lucid (using DILD) only to wake up instantly, I finally had my first full-blown, sustained lucid dream a few days ago. Last night I had my second big lucid dream.

Here's the thing that's I'm hung up on: Even after going lucid, I don't remember to do all the things I plan on doing while I'm awake. I even accept some abnormalities on the dream world as if they were normal (IE, buildings in the wrong place versus the real world). I just don't seem to act as I had planned. It's as if I'm not all there... not 100% conscious in my dream.

Yet at the same time, I'm fully aware that I'm in a dream. On the two major lucid dreams, I gained lucidity after doing the nose check (pinching my nose shut and trying to breath) and (upon gaining lucidity) checked my hands to see the "melting" effect. In both occasions, the first thing I do is get airborne, as that seems like the quickest (and funnest!) way to travel.

But I just don't seem to be as in control as I had expected.

The two possibilities I'm thinking are this:
A) I'm not really lucid, and only having a dream ABOUT being lucid.
B) I am lucid, but only some-what. With practice I will become more conscious during my lucid dreams in the future, thus having more control over myself

I'm hoping it's the latter and not the former.

Has anyone else had this type of experience? Is thus just normal for a beginning oneironaught (not sure if I spelled that right), or do most people have 100% control of themselves with full waking memory while in their dreams right off the bat? Does this even make sense to anyone? haha.

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well i'm no expert oneironaut but I had my first lucid dream recently and felt the way you did, that i had probably just dreamt I had become lucid doing the nose RC and then flying. When i posted a topic like yours, people assured me it was a lucid dream because I had definitely realized i was dreaming. I was probably just unsure because my recall was a bit fuzzy. I would bet a lot that for you it is also the second and not the first possibility. And people do not go into a lucid with full waking memory for the most part. There are exercises you can do to enhance your waking memory, but your dreams won't usually recreate real life perfectly (all buildings being in the exact same place) which is probably why you took that as normal in your dream. your dreamscape can be anything you want.

Don't confuse Lucidity with Awareness.

You say you were fully aware that you were in a dream. Thats lucidity right there. Even if you have no control or awareness, you were lucid.

Its normal to have varying levels of awareness in lucid dreams. Sometimes your completely aware and nothing phases you and you act as if you were fully awake, and other times you still succumb to dream logic. For example, I had a nightmare last week with dinosaurs chasing me. I realized I was dreaming, but still crapped my pants when I realized some velociraptors where about to get in where I was hiding. I even thought to myself that if I stand my ground they will turn into something nice because they aren't real. But I couldn't do it, I still ran away. Eventually it caught me, forcing my hand and I somehow managed to kill it with my bare hands.
Other times it's the opposite. I realize its a nightmare and jump out in the open and taunt the thing chasing me, then zap it with some lightning from my hands or something, completely destroying it.

I think its something you have to work at to become fully aware every time. I'm still a long way from that goal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kobudokai

The two possibilities I'm thinking are this:
A) I'm not really lucid, and only having a dream ABOUT being lucid.

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My two lucid experiences were somewhat like yours, I knew I was dreaming but I wasn't quite "all there" from an awareness standpoint. My recall was better for the portion of the dreams that were lucid, but there was still a bit of recall difficulty, sort of like trying to remember what you said or did after having 4 or 5 too many drinks.

That being said, as people say over and over - a lucid dream is simply one in which you're aware you are dreaming. You don't need to have control, and there can be varying degrees of awareness. It seems to me from reading about other's experiences that high awareness lucid dreams are possible, even common. Maybe it comes with practice. As for recall, journaling is still a must.

I have had over 60 LDs of varying awareness. There are definitely levels to it. I have had several LDs that were not very vivid and I did not even complete my intention for that night because I wasn't "all there". I have had others where I felt totally in charge. I even had the ability to remember my real life (which, in my experience, low lucidity does not offer).

It is even possible to increase awareness in the dream. I once spent the beginning of my lucid dream testing each one of my senses. This not only helped me experience things more vividly, but also solidified my awareness where I actually felt like I was there, instead of feeling like it was just another dream with the exception of being aware of it.