would like to ask a few questions if someone has time to answer them. thanks

Basically Im new to LDing. I haven't had one yet. I have been trying the WILD technique, basically getting to the point of seeing what i think is Hypnagogic Imagery. Ive for the most part been seeing blue & kinda orange swirls, i think because i was trying to get it stuck in my head that i was going to have an LD about the beach & and the sun going down. and 2/5 times Ive tried i have seen some white. I can ussually get my body almost all the way completely asleep,the only problem i seem to have is my throat wanting to swallow, i try not to think about it doing so, and it seems to be getting better. any tips to prevent this? and how far in the process have a gotten to?

basically this is what happens:
I lay down, i use noise cancellation headphones, and a eye cover for my eyes
i relax, and count my breaths, farthest Ive gotten is about 30 minutes, and as i described earlier in my post that I think I'm seeing hypnagogic imagery, i either fall asleep, or lose concentration

any tips on a better technique?

thanks for reading

I'd keep doing what you're doing now, and as for the whole swollowing thing just swallow and try not to give it too much thought.

I'm not an expert but... isn't WILD pretty advanced technique? I'm into lucid dreaming for few years now and never even tried it yet because I've found it the most difficult. Just try standard WBTB. I found it best when getting up after 5 hours not 6 (because after 6 I've literally started to sleep for like 10 hours everyday which I think is kinda waste of my daytime). Don't forget to do random reality checks during day and start your dream journal. Yes, it's pretty annoying but it will help a lot with dream recall.

thanks[: i started my journal already, and ill try the wtbt method. WILD doesnt seem to be hard, like i said, ive only had a few problems. and i have been doing the RT's, my favorites being looking at my hands, because i have tatoos on them, i assume they would be diffrent in a LD, as well as the covering my nose and trying to breathe

Man I gotta tell you something. I just had one of my best lucid dreams ever (I'm not going to bore you with story).

I answered you with my message during my WBTB (went to sleep after midnight and wrote that message few minutes after 5:00). For the first time I tried to stay up for only 15-20 minutes, not 30-45 as recommented in many tutorials. Sometime I had hard time to fall back asleep, that's why.

Looking at hands is great method and also my favorite. But this time, for the first time, I realized I'm dreaming because of my other sign I have often in my dreams - I was escaping one guy but I coldn't run as fast as I wanted/would in real life. I had fake awakening also. I rememebr also I woke up (really) and the "buzz" in my ears and everything, not moving becasue I wanted to go back. And I did. Then I also failed one reality check. But the one lucid dream I had was amazing. long for about 30 seconds! I was losing it all the time, that's why I remembered the "hands touching" method. I tried it and it worked! It was unbelievably real. Then I also clapped my hands because I think I've heard that too. Helped for a while, but I guess simple touching was better. It was so real I thought to myself I must clapping my hands in my bed to and was kinda afrait to wake everybody up.

So definately - keep trying. It's worth! For now, I would recommend you this:

Do a ritual. Go to bed at around the same time and had your first alarm at the same time set. So for example go to sleep at midnight and set your alarm to 5 am. Stay up for 20 minutes, to some reality checks and read this forum! Then go back to sleep. Do this as many nights as possible. Start tonight but don't give up in few days. Doesn't matter if you have a party some day, everybody has. If you miss one or two nights don't worry. Just stick to your plan as much as possible.

lol sweet.nd thanks for the add'd info. I will start the ritual idea tonight. usually dont have a set time i go to sleep though, ill have to work on that.