Thread: melanieb's workbook

I didn't go back to sleep today like I should have after taking my daughter to school. My stomach was cramping from the antibiotic and I couldn't relax.

I read over the induction techniques, and while I have read them before, reading them again made some of the information click in a new way. Funny things is that I do a lot of that stuff already, all the time.

WILD, DEILD, and WBTB are things I practice nearly every day and have for years long before I ever heard of Lucid Dreaming. When I wake I love drifting back into my dream or allowing a new one to form.

Currently I wake up at 6:30 A.M. (or 6:25 if I need to pee), and after my alarm goes off I allow myself to drift back to sleep and the dreams I left. Because of this I have a second alarm set at 6:55A.M. to make sure I get up in time and get my daughter ready for school. Probably two-thirds of the time I am able to drift either back into the same dream or have a completely new one, with varying degrees of lucidity and recall. Some dreams are epic, some are not even memorable, and I don't always fall back to sleep or drift deep enough for dreaming. Still, this is my normal routine, so DEILD is common.

Like Ophelia, I also WBTB some days, and this makes WILD very easy to achieve.

I notice I don't have any issues with Sleep Paralysis like some people do, and I don't know if my mind is just that calm or if the position I sleep in helps. While I sleep horizontally in my bed at night, when I come home to fall asleep I use a chair in the living room which allows me to lie in a reclined position. The wall air conditioner drowns out any outside noise and the cool air makes it comfy to have a thick horse blanket over me. This is usually when I have my most epic dreams.

Today I did not go back to sleep. I had a great dream during my first sleep period but I couldn't hold on to it. Even as I tried to stabilize the memory or reenter the dream by holding on to the images I could recall clearly I could feel the dream slipping away by the second, as though I wasn't meant to remember that one. I know I dreamed because I can remember...doing something...having a long and involved dream...but I simply can not remember it at all beyond the one scene which I posted in the Share Your Dream From Last Night In One Sentence.

The one image involved being at my old office, before the remodel, and being in the copy room. I got mad and threw a box of black binding combs against the table where the box burst open, scattering the binding combs everywhere. I have no idea what could possibly make me that mad. Still, being at my office is a recurring dream sign that I'm used to seeing.

More later.

I joined the Competition Thread tonight.

I don't know how I will do. I think it's mostly dependent on my recall, which I've realized can easily be interrupted by life.

I'm doing reality checks with occasional nose plugs and observation of my hands (which I noticed seem weird to just look at), as well as trying to pay attention to dream signs.

I once read that someone was using colors as a dream sign and RC, trying to spot a color in the world around them for ADA. I dismissed it at the time but after my work dream with all the equipment I gave it some thought again. I notice that many things in my dreams are prominently blue in color - the equipment in that warehouse, the streamers and risers in the daycare cat-vomit dream, and various small items that simply catch my eye or memory.

I'm not sure I could put this in to practice as so many things around me are blue, but I may give this a shot as well, something to aid with lucidity.

I read the chat logs. I also read a few workbooks. I saw mention of this in the chat logs and while I was already subscribed to a few I poked my head in a few more. I try to use the LIKE button as an indicator that I have read something, or am keeping up with certain threads.

Anyway, I think it's close to bed time. I need to try to get to sleep earlier as I have a doctor's appt (which I had to reschedule because I missed the original appt.) in the morning and won't be able to try a WBTB tomorrow.

More tomorrow.

Last night was an incredible night.

Lucidity thoughts, an effect I attribute to forum influence, filled my head ALL NIGHT LONG.

Since I didn't go back to sleep yesterday morning, despite being tired, I decided to go to bed early last night. I say early though it was around 11:30 P.M. Lately I have been staying up until 1A.M. or later, and not getting enough sleep.

I'm not used to having memorable dreams in the first sleep cycle at all, or at least not since my daughter started sleeping in my bed (because she doesn't want to be alone) and she kicks me sometimes in her sleep.

Last night I had FIVE dreams that I can recall any detail in and I suspect I had some others also that I can't recall at all, except the feeling that they occurred.

I managed to bring forth a wolf and a pack of wolves while lucid. I commanded the lone wolf and spoke with the others. Then I failed to achieve the advanced TOTM.

I failed to get Patrick Stewart to speak, but I was lucid at the time.

I had a mind-blowing false-awakening that caused me to do a nose-plug RC on the toilet when I did wake up. The dream seemed so real and was so normal, such a common activity, that I couldn't initially distinguish it as a dream from memories of similar mornings.

Hell of a night. It's all in my DJ. I'm still remembering details from the dreams.

I'm waiting on my question to be answered about TOTM in the current thread.

Awesome Melanie! I can't wait to read your journal, especially the part about the wolf pack, really cool.

Originally Posted by melanieb

I'm waiting on my question to be answered about TOTM in the current thread.

Oh I didn't notice it, will check it out.

I must admit, I'm not sure I got my question answered properly.

Going to go to bed shortly, trying to keep my sleep on a schedule before midnight. I think I have a better chance of success doing so.

I know I have lots of dreams...too many just fade before I can even recall them in that half-awake state while my eyes are still closed. Not sure why.

Oh, sorry. x) What did you want explained in further detail? If you take over a dream character's body without transforming your own dream body to match theirs, i'm sure it will be fine

Just go be Patrick Stewart, then make a teddy bear grow large.

Two with one stone

Hahaha that's cool! I often get DV dreams too, but mostly they're about me on chat. The chat would be at really odd places like on an envelope, where I'm typing the words on the bottom of the envelope. Sometimes it is on a shoe too lol

I made my daughter's toy come to life. It is similar to mine and has the same name. It was a cute dog (in my DJ)

I stayed up late last night, later than I wanted.

The forum is having a major effect on me. Things I read are entering my dreams. Last night I read about checking a clocl in a dream to RC because the time will not stay the same. In my dream I looked at my watch (which I don't wear) and when I looked a second time six minutes had passed. I knew it wasn't real.

Had some interesting times with night and day in my dream responding to my thoughts, or at least the lighting in my dream.

The WBTB makes for some really interesting dreams, but what is noteworthy today is my SP. Coming out of the dream state took forever. It was hard to come to an alert state because I couldn't move for a long time, and when I finally did I felt like my limbs were lead.

Also, I've read about going into SP and how lots of people experience unpleasant sensations, which is confirmed on other sites. Of course, not everyone has these sensations, but I definitely do not. I wonder if it has anything to do with my lack of nightmares. I never have scary dreams, and I can still count my true nightmares on my fingers. My dreams are so much like entertainment (which I enjoy) that I wonder if I will always see my dreams in much the same way I see TV and books: something to enjoy and even manipulate but it doesn't impact my real life severely.

As I slipped into sleep last night I did try using TOTM to stabilize myself and I was talking to some DCs but I don't think I controlled any of them. Wolves, no problem. People? Not today.

Anyway, more later.

I had three nights where I remembered three dreams each night. Homework done.

I usually remember pieces of dreams like that but I never considered many of them worthy for my DJ until I asked Ophelia. I'm trying harder to hold on to those fragments now and that seems to help with recall.

I occasionally do nose-plug RCs but I don't think they're going to work for me. Sometimes my hair makes my nose itchy in real life and I don't think this works out for me as a good RC.

I have instead been paying more attention to the color blue. It seems to be prominent in my dreams, as though I was meant to notice it. (It is a dream sign now) I'm going to use the color blue as a dream sign and as a reality check by itself. It seems like I have trouble with touching things that are blue in my dream, as though they are...less real, or intangible, like putting my finger through my hand. For me I think it'll work better as a RC.

I am still using suggestion and awareness of surroundings. I doubt my awareness will ever stop, just part of who I am. I will use suggestion techniques to influence my LDs until it either impacts my dreams or proves itself worthless. I believe in the technique.

Tonight I hope to get more sleep and again attempt WBTB for WILD or attempt DEILD when I wake up in the middle of the night. These are my chosen techniques and I have done them every night except last night, when I didn't get enough sleep.

More tomorrow.

Kick ass on the extra credit!!

Originally Posted by melanieb

It seems like I have trouble with touching things that are blue in my dream, as though they are...less real, or intangible, like putting my finger through my hand. For me I think it'll work better as a RC.

That is so interesting to me. I just love your dream style melanie.. it's so different and unique.

Hahah that sounds fun! The drooling part especially x)

Thank you, Ophelia!

I'm...just me.


So, Saturday night I stayed up very late to watch the super storms that came in. Early Sunday morning my son woke me up early to retrieve him from camp, and I couldn't recall anything. I did manage to sleep during the day for a nap around 2, and while I was able to recall my dream from that I know it wasn't complete, and it wasn't anything I would have hoped for.

Monday my kids stayed home from school, both with serious bug bites. I woke up early and never did go back to sleep. I remembered a fragment that seems weird.


I have been noticing the color blue more and more, in real life and in dreams. It's vivid.

I had a couple decent dreams last night as I finally got some sleep. I know I'm missing details from both but it has been a busy morning.

I became lucid, I flew (on a raft), I thought about DreamViews, and I did some amazing climbing that I probably couldn't do in real life.

Still, I didn't control anything this time. It's not troublesome, just a sign that I need more sleep.

I love that even when you're sleep deprived, you can still attain some modicum of lucidity. I'm a total princess and require at least 8-10 hours and no peas under the mattress.

I actually attain lucidity better when I go back to sleep after taking my kiddo to school. Works great, and it's a lot easier sitting semi-reclined in the chair than it is in bed.

I'm still noticing the color blue prominently. It seems to be my best dream sign and I have made it my daily reality check. It's prominent in my dreams and easy to spot.

You know those blue plastic Solo cups you see see at parties? Picture that color blue. It's bold.


Question: Do you need an alarm for WBTB? I do wake up with an alarm in the morning but it's just part of my schedule.

Oh, and when I can sleep for 6 to 9 hours I always wake in the middle of the night, and use the bathroom. I always dream vividly after this if I fall back asleep. Is that good enough for WBTB? No alarm is involved.

I use the alarm on my cell phone, which I have to anyway to get the kids to school. But to answer your other question, yes, going to the bathroom counts as WBTB. The only issue would be if you fall asleep too fast afterward, in which case you can just walk around a bit first before going back to sleep. Another trick is sometimes I just make myself go to the bathroom at the other end of the house, making myself walk more and waking up a little bit more before going back to bed.

Okay, that's good to know. When I wake up I've never had any trouble with being instantly alert (the curse of the parent). I stay up late so often than I often don't get to do my WBTB for two hours, but when I do it works great. Lately I've been waking up with my alarm at 6:30A.M. and falling back asleep until my second alarm goes off at 6:55A.M. During this time I am sometimes successful in having either a vivid dream or lucidity.

Been talking with Aly about dream signs.

I went to sleep late last night and woke up early as usual today. I did manage to go back to sleep and have a really involved dream but I waited too long and couldn't recall half of it by the time I wrote it down.

I seem to find it easy to dream of celebrities. Patrick Stewart showed up in my dream again, as did Jean Grey from X-Men. Neither one was happy with me.

I was supposed to do a shared dreaming event with Link, and we talked about meeting at a lake. I did have a lake in my dream and I was looking for someone but as soon as I realized I wasn't spotting anyone familiar I forgot about it and just let the dream unfold. I never thought specifically about Link in the dream.

I have been hyper-aware of blue in my daily awareness but I didn't see anything significant in my dream. I did wake up in the middle of it and continue dreaming, which I am surprised at. I was really tired though.

I will try to find my blue awareness or the lake again tonight.

miss youuu

I apologize for being absent. It has been busy. Kids needed my attention and today I was feeling ill.

I posted six dreams in my DJ. I managed to have a couple of interesting lucid dreams, some interesting fragments, and I managed the Task of the Month.

My success totally made up for my sadness from one of my dreams last night, as well as the stomach discomfort that kept me off the computer today.

I haven't seen much blue in my dreams lately, at least not the bold blue that I've recently been spotting frequently. I still do my daily RCs which usually involve touching blue objects and reminding myself to be aware of their presence. It's definitely working in real life.

I will be online more Monday. It's late now, well into Mother's Day, and I have important people to take care of. Catch you soon!

I stayed up until 5:48A.M. this morning before heading to bed (bad idea).

My neighbors contractors began waking me up in the eight o'clock hour. (not fun)

I had a WILD that was pretty neat, but my headache from lack of sleep is preventing me from being very excited about it now.

I succeeded with my blue RC! (Coolio and hooray for me!)

I'm about to go to the store so I can make a big enchilada dinner. I'm very tired and cranky. I will sleep much earlier tonight.

Awesome! Congrats on the WILD and the TOTM melanie!! Sorry about your neighbors' contractors

Hope you get a better night's sleep tonight.

I just put my kids to bed...well, I'm watching a little TV, but it wasn't long ago they went to sleep.

I did a WBTB this morning, which is normal. Sleeping in the living room was nice, and I had some decent dreams with lucidity.

I ate in my dream, a goal I established in the competition thread. Mmm....Slurpee and Funyuns.

I have memories of 3 full dreams and 2 fragments. I've noticed my recall has really gotten better since I've been writing stuff down upon waking. Sometimes I remember dreams long after I've woken up, triggered by some mundane activity. It's great.

I didn't do any RCs in my dreams last night/this morning, but I did achieve lucidity by recognizing dream signs. I'm still paying attention to my surroundings.

I'm sorry I haven't been online much. After taking my kiddo to school I slept until almost 11A.M. and then it took me a while to write down my dreams in note form. I have been busy all day so I'm just now getting to record my dreams in my DJ. I should be done soon.

I feel like I had as many as 7 or 8 dreams but I only remember the 2 fragments and 3 full dreams.

I miss you and everyone else also!

So I stayed up late last night, perhaps 2:30 A.M., and I was up before 7A.M. There was a hint of a dream fragment when I woke up but I lost it quickly.

I took my daughter to school and had intended on going back to sleep but I never did. I spent some time on the forum and then ate a little food.

Around noon I decided I needed sleep and lied down for a nap. It didn't take long to fall asleep.

I woke up just before 1:30P.M. following a very eroitic dream that included lucidity. To say it was strange would be an understatement, and this is likely why I became lucid. I wasn't planning on making any effort to dream beforehand, so when I woke up and recalled the super-vivid dream I was pleasantly surprised.

I have had 3 lucid dreams so far this week, or at least since the homework was assigned.

I am hoping to work more on stabilization techniques, which is something that will require special attention on my part. I'm so used to enjoying the dream, even while lucid, that sometimes I forget I am lucid and just let the dream play out.

Today's lucidity was almost lost when my feet slipped in my dream. That's about all I can say. It's an interesting read.

I need to come up with a weirdness RC. It was the odd situations in my dream that made me lucid. I need to figure out a way to incorporate that into something I will recognize. My nose and my hands don't seem to mean anything to me so far. I'll give this some thought.

You sure are kicking ass on the recall and the lucid dreams, well done melanie!

I look forward to reading your recent entries.