Xanous' Workbook

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Originally Posted by paigeyemps

Ahh yes probably just sleep deprivation. If it persists any further, I suggest taking a day off from any dreaming-related attempts. It's always good to let the body adjust and do its thing when it needs to. Also, most people get instant lucids on the most unexpected times! :D

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It's not a bad idea to take a break once in awhile.

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Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Yeah, I think you're exactly right. I've been under 7 hours for a few nights in a row and like you, I can feel it catching up to me. I don't know what your experiences are like, but virtually all of my lucid dreams are during the longest stretch of REM during the 8th or 9th hour of sleep. If I miss those, my chances of lucidity and vivid recall are much lower.

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I think mine come more anytime after the 4th hour, but the chances get higher later on for sure.

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If you can't quite face the waking journal right now, one substitute that works all right for me is to frequently review the previous hour or two during the day. Whenever it occurs to me, I'll quickly run through an ultra-fast daydream of what I did the last couple of hours. This has tended to help my dream recall a bit and it has the added bonus of potential getting you lucid if the habit occurs to you in-dream.

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That's a great idea! I think I'll start that. It's just the writing-it-all-down part that kills me so the day dream thing might be more tolerable.

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Another happy thought that melanieb mentioned to me once is that when you go through a time where your sleep schedule is irregular, when you finally get that good night's sleep, you might experience some sweet REM rebound. She actually considers her irregular sleep schedule an asset for her lucid dreaming, a positive attitude that I found remarkably comforting.

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Yes, she mentioned something like that in chat. She said to get only 5 hours for a few nights and then sleep in the next. I can see how that works. That reminds me, I was listening to EWOLD on my phone. (I have this app that reads text. It's a bit robotic but it works) I realized how much information I forgot. LaBerge says if you normally sleep 8 hours; wake up at 6 hours, stay awake for 2-3 hours. Then, got to sleep for 2-3 hours. He says this extended WBTB really increases the chances of lucidity exponentially. I think that might explain Sunday morning's easy WILD. So yeah, irregular sleep can be taken advantage of. That IS comforting. :D

Irregular sleep is always good to keep your mind guessing. It probably raises awareness instinctively simply for the habit. I remember getting my first WILD during a nap. Then again, ever since I tried to take a nap, it hasnt worked. So there is the big expectation thing raining on the parade again.
Whatever sleep schedule you have, that in dream awareness remains a number one need. :party:

This is kind of where I am at right now in my lucid dreaming progress. I can't complain too much but I see a lot of room for improvement. I am sure I forgot some thing and I probably have a ton of typos so bear with he here. :D I may revise when I get more time.

TECHNIQUES AND SUCCESS/FAIL

VILD - low success. Dislike. Some dream incubation but its boring. May try another time.

VMWILD - (...These acronym are getting ridiculous :roll:...) Mix of VILD MILD and WILD. Had great back-to-back success Sunday morning. First was DILD to DEILD chain. Second straight WILD to DEILD chain. This works best on the weekends with lounger WBTB. Exact method. Visualize a dream sign and set an appropriate mantra. For example a dream sign is seeing strange things in the sky. So I will visualize skies with strange things. Then mantra, "Look at the sky." After some time that feels appropriate, I will take my awareness down just a notch and count 1-10 repeatedly and focus on relaxing more and more every cycle while holding some awareness.

SSILD - Tried for the first time lastnight. Beginning bedtime was just practice. Woke from a dream early with great recall.
WBTB was a little more difficult. Couldn't get comfortable. Eventually stopped and fell asleep. Had DILD but failed DEILD to excitement and FA.

DILD from SSILD and some NLDs - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

DEILD- SP sometimes causes excitement. I thought I was over it but last night was a problem. Although other times I chain like a pro. Need to find out the reason for excitement and solve it or learn to ignore it. Also notice DEILD is more difficult after a NLD than a LD.

WILD - 50 - 50 success rate. Depends on a lot of factors. Takes a lot of focus. Easy to fall asleep. The upside is chance of DILD increases exponentially. Sometimes hit random SP after loss of awareness. Other times no loss of awareness goes straight to SP. Other times there is no SP just HI that gradually become more real.

Daytime practices - Do a mix of RCs, Reverse RCs, Senory awarness, Dream control practice, Day recall. CanisLucidus gave me the idea of day recall. The waking journal was getting too cumbersome. So he suggested that every two hours or so just quickly day dream back to what happened so far. I have been doing this each break time at work and at random times at home. I think it is working out for me so far.


GOALS
Have at least 1 LD per night on the weekends
Have at least 1 LD every Wednesday.
Try to relax a bit every Sun,Mon,Tues,Thurs, night. Maybe no WBTB just try for DILD.
Find ways to make the dream last longer.
Try lucid precog.
Speak to my higher self.
solve lighting issues
ignore excitement SP
Remember to watch for FA
Element manipulation
General dream control

No more acronyms please! :P Lighting issues seem to be a big issue for me as well. Sucks to be in a completely black or even dark/unclear dreamscape. It seems to be both a blessing and a curse to be able to use so many different techniques to get lucid :S

I think I may try this tonight with Alarm Clock Plus for android. I can set the alarm to stop after a few seconds that way I wont have to move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...=IKquVghfwG0#!

The timer method almost worked for me. I didn't get enough time to sleep to do a proper WBTB. I see potential in this though.

Also, I haven't meant to have any precognitive dreams but it seems I did... sort of.

I had a dream about Alice Cooper and the floor rotting and bugs.
Then I watched Dark Shadows unplanned. These elements where in the movie.
Coinsidence?

The other dream about the hospital. My son fell to the floor.
Then last night he he kicked and rolled off the couch while I was making a bottle. He was totally fine just cried until I picked him up. And I almost had a heart attack.
Another coincidence?

Good luck with the timer method! The sound appears to be jacked up on my computer, which I'm 99% sure is somehow the fault of my baby son. :D I'll have to watch this later and see what it's all about.

How are you employing this in a way that doesn't make your wife want to throw you out the window?

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Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Good luck with the timer method! The sound appears to be jacked up on my computer, which I'm 99% sure is somehow the fault of my baby son. :D I'll have to watch this later and see what it's all about.

How are you employing this in a way that doesn't make your wife want to throw you out the window?

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Well, I was actually interested in making my own lucid sleep mask with the blinking lights. I got interested in it again from reading LaBerge's book. I found a few leads but stumbled upon this video and saw it as something I could do now but had the same idea behind it... sort of.

Basically it works off the principle that when you set your alarm clock at a certain time each morning you tend to start waking up before the alarm. They say your body doesn't like being jolted awake this way so your subconscious tries to avoid it. There was some extra info in there they talked about like stop, drop, roll, whatever, OBEs. Bleh. I should probably find out what they are talking about but I feel like I've done enough of this that it would just be garbage info. I know people call what I do with WILDs and DEILDs, OBEs but I'm pretty sure it's just lucid dreams. Anyway, the info that I wanted was the times for setting the timer. I think it said to go to bed at 9 and WBTB at 4:30 then fall asleep at 5:15. Then you have timers that wake you at 8min, 4 min, 8min, 12min, 16min, 20min, 20min, and then about six or so 6min intervals.

I had a VERY vivid dream during the first 20min and almost DEILD after the timer. But I could not sleep after that and then my wife's alarm went off at 6. My problem was I only got 3 hrs sleep before I WBTB (had baby duty) and I could not make myself get up for it. But I did roll with the timers and I have to say there is something to it.

I used the same alarm on my phone that I use for WBTB. That app I have is really handy. The phone vibrates under my pillow and my wife has no notice of it. For the timers I am able to select "auto-disable" and how long I want the alarms to last. I had them all vibrate for 5 and then auto-disable. That way it woke me but I didn't have to move a muscle. Tonight I hope to get more sleep and I will try this but at 3 secs each. I feel like the 5 secs woke me up too much.

Interesting ill try this tonight as well

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Originally Posted by Wurlman

Interesting ill try this tonight as well

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Cool let us know how it goes. btw they have a mp3 that does this for you. I just don't do well sleeping with headphones and noise is not an option for my wife. I have to admit it would be easier if I could get used to headphones.

EDIT: Ah they have a separate pc, android, iphone, java apps as well. I had to give them my email though. :(

It seems I don't notice the vibration I'll try again tonight but with multiple alarms set back to back

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Originally Posted by Wurlman

It seems I don't notice the vibration I'll try again tonight but with multiple alarms set back to back

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Cool, Wurlman. I'd like to see if it actually works and if its consistent. I have my doubts at this point.

I should update on this. I did it two nights in a row and I think it really effed my internal clock up. Or maybe it was that with a combination of a shortened sleep schedule. Anyway, I find that that alarms made me too awake. The first night I had very brief SP and then was wide awake halfway through. The second night I was jolted awake on the first alarm and had a hard time sleeping again. I had to turn it off. I may try again this weekend IF I get a chance to sleep late.

For now I'm just sticking to the very basic of basics except I am starting to incubate precognition dreams. I didn't WBTB last night and I may not tonight. If wake naturally I may just move to the recliner. For some reason sleeping in that position is more likely to trigger the "OBE" type LDs which are my fav.

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Originally Posted by Xanous

For now I'm just sticking to the very basic of basics except I am starting to incubate precognition dreams. I didn't WBTB last night and I may not tonight. If wake naturally I may just move to the recliner. For some reason sleeping in that position is more likely to trigger the "OBE" type LDs which are my fav.

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"Basic of the basics" sounds like a smart idea, at least for most nights of the week. This was a cool experiment, though. I can see how there'd be something to using these spaced alarms in order to take you in and out of light sleep. Basically just repeatedly trying to tee up that prime DEILD state.

I'm interested in what approach you're using to incubate precognitive dreams. Hey... what if that "clairvoyant" that your wife tried to hire in your dream was... you! Dun dun DUNNN!!

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Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

"Basic of the basics" sounds like a smart idea, at least for most nights of the week. This was a cool experiment, though. I can see how there'd be something to using these spaced alarms in order to take you in and out of light sleep. Basically just repeatedly trying to tee up that prime DEILD state.

I'm interested in what approach you're using to incubate precognitive dreams. Hey... what if that "clairvoyant" that your wife tried to hire in your dream was... you! Dun dun DUNNN!!

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:laughhard:^^

I apologize to everyone for my inactivity. Things have been crazy, busy, and hectic around here. I just haven't got the chance to get online much. And I haven't been able sleep late for awhile (I'm lucky to get 8hrs) so the timer thing is bad for me right now. My lucid rate has dropped so I'm just mostly focusing on day time awareness which, of course, can be full plate on its own. I really think that is the key to it all anyway. You won't get far without strong awareness practices. The other night I missed a dream sign that I have been trying to incubate all week. I saw it and noticed it but I didn't pay attention to it. I woke feeling like a moron but I realized I had been slacking on the awareness.

For now I'm going back to more traditional MILDs during the week and WILDs on weekends and that "Hail Mary" DEILD once in a while. I'll WBTB when I feel like I can handle it. Keeping it simple and relaxed seems to work best for me. I guess sometimes I get wrapped up in looking for that one thing that will do it for me every time that I forget the basics. Shame on me! Although, I am doing some subliminal stuff starting tonight that I found on youtube. Call it a lazy MILD if you will :D but really its just a 10 min thing so it shouldn't be very intrusive.

regardless, my recall has been holding at 2-4 per night except last night. For some reason both dreams were so odd and abstract that I lacked words to describe it so I really didn't feel up to writing in my DJ. That's another thing. I haven't had time to post to my online DJ and my offline one is just bullet point type notes. I think I am getting my dream signs and such from them but it's not the same as writing out all the little details. I hope to do better this weekend but maybe it's not that big a deal.

As for the precog, that's still in its infancy stage and I'm still working that out with paigeyemps. But getting lucid would be the first step. I am, however, keeping an eye out for those non lucid precogs. Also, maybe I did incubate something with the "clairvoyant" in that dream. I had not thought of it until I read your post. Interesting. I need to be more vigilant. It seems my incubation ability is getting better. It won't be long until I trigger another LD this way. :D

I think I've been having some interesting dreams. Still trying to work out how to ask the dream though – I asked a DC what would happen the next day but got no reply. :D I'm doing mantras now for remembering what to ask, so I am more productive when I start dreaming.

Seeya!

What..when...where...how...why...

What is in store?

You never know how long you may have to wait for a pre-cog to happen irl...my most accurate pre-cog was 3 years before the event took place. I probably wouldnt even had remembered the dream but i had told a friend about it so the memory was pretty solid. Funny thing about pre-cog is that you wont know until it has already happened. Sounds fun :-)

Haha cool! It's nothing major really. Just some similarities like micro-deja vu moments. :D

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Originally Posted by Xanous

I apologize to everyone for my inactivity. Things have been crazy, busy, and hectic around here. I just haven't got the chance to get online much. And I haven't been able sleep late for awhile (I'm lucky to get 8hrs) so the timer thing is bad for me right now.

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Nothing to apologize for, man! I'm not going to lie, we missed you though. But in the life of the family man, there are gonna be some gaps during which that man just cannot get online. :)

Your experiments and plan of action both sound great. It's always wise to make sure your practices take a shape that fits harmoniously with the rest of your life.

Ah yes. I also watched that episode of Grimm. And the attack on that show was way worse than what happened to me in my LD! Yikes.

I had some weak ass LD precog attempt. It was sort of on accident and on the fly. Still Interesting.

Lucid?, Romney, Five Thirty Room, Semi-lucid semi-precog - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I don't know if you can truly call this a lucid dream. It was like I was in a dream but I felt my body in bed still after some playing with some intense HI. It was like being in a dream but being awake too. Almost like a trance. Has anyone done this? I am counting as an weak LD because it was so different.

Anyway, I spent some considerable amount of time talking to the dead. Very STRANGE stuff. I think the next time this happens I will try for some precognitive information.

She Doesn't Trust You, The Voice In The Void - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

BTW I forget how reading over past DJ entries and old LDs can really boost confidence. I think I will spend some time before bed doing this tonight and maybe every night. Sounds like some good medicine.

EDIT: I went way back to all my recorded dreams and did some backups and a little reading. I counted 89 LDs that I have recorded since my join date. The count would be way higher but I have had so many periods where I took long breaks from lucid dreaming. Anyway, it's nice to actually have a somewhat accurate number to go by. I know there are a few that I never recorded but that's ok. It was also fun to notice some things that I had forgotten. There are many things I that I accomplished and lessons that I have learned ... and relearned. I need to examine things a little closer. I am just glad a have a long record to study. :D

So I unintentionally had a WILD and DEILD chain at the beginning of bed time. I just sat in a white void with strange thoughts and emotions. No actual dream scene formed but I am calling it lucid #90.

Lucid #90 The White Void - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Congrats! And it happened at the beginning of bedtime too, kickass!

free muffin for you! :muffin:

(sorry i'm running out of bananas :P )

It sounds like you have had an amazing couple of days, Xanous! This weekend's been totally insane so I've had virtually no DV time. I'm very excited about your two most recent DJ entries, though, so I'll swing back around tonight or tomorrow and comment. You have some unbelievably cool stuff going on!

Let me also congratulate on compiling a full LD record! That is a great thing to have. Mine is much punier than yours but it's a source of great inspiration and enjoyment for me, not to mention a great learning tool.

Okay, gotta hop, but just wanted to give you the big :goodjob: on all this latest stuff!

I got lucid #91 this morning with WBTB SSILD. It was very brief which was disappointing. I don't know why they have been so sort lately. It's not due to excitement. Maybe I'm just tired.

Several dream signs slapped me in the face and I became aware and used dream control to solve a problem.(Japan, Daughters, Brass instruments, Church, Car falling apart.... I have a lot of dream signs!) Were was no "AHAAHAH YES I'M DREAMING" moment. More like "Oh yeah... dream control... yea I guess I'm dreaming." I was already feeling the dream fade before my lucidity so I just tried to go with the plot and see where it would take me. No luck. I should have stabilized and DEILD. Oh well. It was still fun. I will post DJ this evening.

Anyway the point is; I am keeping up with SSILD for sure. Or at least have it ready in my arsenal. It's really great for during the week because it does not take too much of my sleep time away from me. If anyone hasn't tried it yet they should.

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Originally Posted by Xanous

Anyway the point is; I am keeping up with SSILD for sure. Or at least have it ready in my arsenal. It's really great for during the week because it does not take too much of my sleep time away from me. If anyone hasn't tried it yet they should.

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Congratulations on the lucid! I'm glad to hear that the tech is working so well for you!

I'll occasionally have trouble where I either fall asleep after 1 cycle or at the other extreme, become a bit too amped after finishing 5 and have to work a bit to fall asleep. That has generally made me use SSILD if I hit a perfect WBTB time and I'm in the mood for it. It sounds like you don't tend to have this problem, though, which is great.