Does Autosuggestion or MILD work in reverse?

[Elkfazer]

I've been pondering for a while over the last few weeks about the content of my dreams and whether the mind purposely gives you the very thing that you didn't want or expect to appear in your dreams. Take an example a few weeks back where I'm browsing through the DV website topics in general and come across some threads about what does or doesn't appear in people's dreams that often. Some people were saying that either doors or lightswitches don't appear in their dreams so what was the point of doing an RC in waking life when they come across them.I thought to myself "Yeah, me too! I never have doors or lightswitches in my dreams", and tho and behold, either that night or the next, what appears? yep, doors and lightswitches, lol. I find it quite amazing how that works though, that the mind can take a negative statement and turn it into a positive. So the next thing for me to try is to purposely say to myself before bed that I DON'T want something to appear in dreams. I might have to change some key words though maybe, such as changing "Don't" to say something less negative as " I never have *** etc appear in my dreams". Do you think any of this will work on the way to getting something you really want or will the subconscious twig what you're trying to do and throw you a double-negative?

[Chris182t]

Hmm i don't know whether it will work quite as effectively unless its subconcious. Always worth a try but yeh it will technically make it positive again as your subconcious will know that you are actually expecting it to happen!

[Elkfazer]

Yeah, you're quite right Chris, my subconscious is obviously monitoring my thoughts throughout the day and is ready to throw a double-six at me , but I will persevere in the battle of the wills lol. I will say this though, that when my subconscious does want me to become lucid it normally gives me two chances in quick succession so that I'm in no doubt that I'm in a dream. One LD I had is where I'm in a room and the guy I'm talking to suddenly disappears before my very eyes, like, just melts into the background and I'm like Hey!! weird stuff, that can't happen in real life, but then dismiss the thought entirely. Then I realise that the invisible guy is still in the room when a table in front of me that's on wheels suddenly gets pushed towards me and then i'm fully lucid due to that second chance.

[Baphometslayer]

I've never had any luck with autosuggestion, which kinda sucks because 70% of the time my dreams are influenced by activities that happen during the day. And unfortunatly for me, light switches work in my dreams most of the time.....so I can't do RCs with them =/

[mysterious dreamer]

I think the effect would be the same. If you think about a thing too much, it's probably gonna show up in your dreams, no matter if the thinking is positive or negative. That's how autosuggestion works.

[mrdeano]

Just like the guy said above, even though you are thinking of it in a negative manner. You are still focusing your attention on it. Either way works in my opinion.

[MrFantasy]

MILD is different than autosuggestion

[Elkfazer]

MILD is different than autosuggestion Yep, I think I know the difference. Auto being a one-off suggestion before sleep that you'll look forward to your next LD, or similar, but without the intent that you'll have one that very night. And MILD being a repetitive phrase that's used over and over until you fall asleep, preferably after you've woken up during the night.