Gave up on LD Induction

[satsujin]

I was trying to induce lucid dreams and gave up because I had what I thought was a spiritual experience about an year ago. In it, a voice told me to "Just Be" and I was so shaken by the experience I decided I would let an LD come to me if it would. I wouldnt work towards it. In retrospect, this was a fear attack by my ego that worked. I also vaguely remember the word "trick" or "trickery" during the experience. Not much more. One of my goals when I get solid on LDs is to learn more about my inner self. So I am trying again now. My current technique is is go about my day pretending my waking reality is a dream. I heard this was a Tibetan Drem Yoga method. I also will several times during the day look at my hands for 5 mins at least and repeat the words "When I see my hands in my dreams I will realize I am dreaming". I dont want to do reality checks during the day since then I will realize my waking reality is NOT a dream. I will also set alarms for WBTB. Does this seem like a sensible technique?

[gab]

Here is something similar http://www.dreamviews.com/dild/13212...ods-dilds.html

[MadMonkey]

I don't want to do reality checks during the day since then I will realize my waking reality is NOT a dream. How will you know you are only reality checking during dreams if you have not already done an RC to realize it's a dream? It can be useful to always assume it's a dream but you can still do reality checks. Reality checks do fail so you could assume it's a false positive. However, when you get a negative reality check you can guarantee it is a dream. Tibetan Dream Yoga isn't about pretending waking reality is a dream. They believe reality actually is dream like and are trying to escape it. They are practicing lucid dreaming as a way to make themselves lucid in waking life while what you need to do is practice lucidity in waking life to become lucid in dreams. If you just assume it's a dream without thinking about it you will have a hard time become fully lucid.

[satsujin]

Here is something similar http://www.dreamviews.com/dild/13212...ods-dilds.html Thanks Gab. Though that guide didnt discuss a waking dream reality(far as i could see) it was interesting. I will stick with the method I discussed in my previous post cos it seems like I covered my bases except for RCs. I'm hoping that seeing my hands will trigger the lucidness, as per Castaneda's method, instead of seeing something weird in a dream. I repeat "See my hands, I know I'm dreaming" for 2.5 mins while staring at back of my hands and noticing hair,vein and bone and another 2.5 mins for my palms noticing crease patterns. The words work well for my waking dream mentality as well. Re that, do you know any members on this forum for whom Castaneda's hand method worked? Also imagining my waking reality is a dream is having strange effects. I'm thinking sometimes I can manipulate my waking reality. A pigeon couple is roosting on my windowsill. It was about to take off when I "sent love" towards it and after a while it walked back to its nest. Prolly coincidence but who can say eh? Also I currently take 3 anticonvulsants, 1 antianxiety and and 1 antipsychotic so I suspect my drugs may affect my becoming lucid. Take em in morning and night. I have temporal lobe epilepsy.

[satsujin]

How will you know you are only reality checking during dreams if you have not already done an RC to realize it's a dream? It can be useful to always assume it's a dream but you can still do reality checks. Reality checks do fail so you could assume it's a false positive. However, when you get a negative reality check you can guarantee it is a dream. I thought I could do this because Castaneda method just involved seeing something that was a part of your body to trigger lucidity. There was no RC involved. But now I wonder how easy it would be to see my hands especially since some RC involve seeing weird hands not normal ones. Always with the doubts.... Tibetan Dream Yoga isn't about pretending waking reality is a dream. They believe reality actually is dream like and are trying to escape it. They are practicing lucid dreaming as a way to make themselves lucid in waking life while what you need to do is practice lucidity in waking life to become lucid in dreams. If you just assume it's a dream without thinking about it you will have a hard time become fully lucid. I thought this was an accepted technique since LaBerge mentions it as such in Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming as the Power of Resolution method. Anyway isnt the strongest part of my method simply using WBTB? Just wake to the alarm and go back to sleep while repeating "I am dreaming" or somesuch.

[Valis1]

WBTB is one of the best methods no doubt. As for WILD induction I would suggest something more active, like using your visual and tactile imagination. These imaginal exercises work by creating a 'mental body' which is lived through in a sense, identified with, and then placed outside ones physical body. Many people vividly imagine themselves floating out of their bodies, walking around outside, climbing up a rope or latter, etc. These types of imaginal practices tend to assure or at least make more likely that one will consciously transition into a lucid dream state. It is my assumption why these methods work so well is that these practices activate both the parts of the brain which generates intentionality-awareness-memory and GABAergic producing neurons. I still recommend autosuggestion, or hypnotic suggestion, but as one part of a larger procedure.