Lady Loki's Workbook

Reality Checks:
- Ask myself, "Am I dreaming?"
- Put finger through palm
- Check the time

Dream Signs:
- Water
- Strange architecture
- People/places I know appearing different
- Pets
- Trying to yell, but my voice is quiet and other variations of powerlessness and frustration(an annoying recurring dream lately)

Short-Term Goals:
- Have my first lucid dream
- Control my first lucid dream
- Incubate a dream

Long-Term Goals:
- Use lucid dreaming to aid my manifesting
- Get inspiration for writing/acting/ect.
- Communicate with my guides
- Live out some of my fantasies in lucid dreams

Lucid/Dream Recall History:
- I've never had a lucid dream before. I bought the book Lucid Dreams in 30 days a few months ago, and it states the importance of regular dream recall, so I've been working on that. I've had periods of frequent dream recall and then sometimes weeks of no dream recall, but these past two weeks I've been remembering an average of 2 dreams a night, so I'd like to delve deeper now. I've tried to incubate dreams before, but ad no success.

Current Technique:
- Right now I'm just trying to become more disciplined in practicing awareness during the day, so that it hopefully carries over into my dreams. I'll also be trying the sticking a finger through my palm and checking the time methods.

I've also been recording my dreams in a dream journal app.

Hi! Welcome to DV. I'm doing pretty much the same as you at the moment, just trying to better my recall and learning to use RCs during daily life...

Good luck!

Thanks :)

Welcome LadyLoki :)

That's good that you're working on getting your recall back up. You certainly don't have to focus on an induction method yet while you're working on your recall, if you don't want to. But it wouldn't hurt to get in the habit of some form of WBTB, where you wake up a little early then go back to sleep. While this can set you up for and LD, it can also help you remember more dreams.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OpheliaBlue

Welcome LadyLoki :)

That's good that you're working on getting your recall back up. You certainly don't have to focus on an induction method yet while you're working on your recall, if you don't want to. But it wouldn't hurt to get in the habit of some form of WBTB, where you wake up a little early then go back to sleep. While this can set you up for and LD, it can also help you remember more dreams.

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Thanks.

Actually, I do feel ready to give one of the induction methods a try, since my recall has been pretty consistent. Is WBTB generally the most effective for beginners?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LadyLoki

Thanks.

Actually, I do feel ready to give one of the induction methods a try, since my recall has been pretty consistent. Is WBTB generally the most effective for beginners?

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Actually WBTB is something that one usually combines with their chosen method. Setting your alarm and waking up at a certain time sets you up for a lucid better, for when you fall back to sleep.

Start your own workbook thread in this subforum: Done

Start a Dream Journal and record each dream: I've been doing that on and off since January, and nightly for over two weeks now.

Record the times that you naturally go to bed and wake-up, and list it in your workbook: Lately I've been going to bed between Midnight and 1:00 a.m. I've also been waking after nearly every dream lately, starting at between 1 and 2. I usually wake up for good between 7 and 8, unless I'm very sleep deprived. Then I'll sleep till 9 or 10.

Do reality checks whenever you experience something weird throughout the day, and list it in your workbook: Did this last night when coyotes started yapping and I wasn't sure what the sound was.

Write a list for why you want to lucid dream (for motivation), and plan out what you want to do in your next lucid dream: I definitely want to lucid dream for fun. I've always had very frustrating or simply boring and tedious dreams. Just working with awareness and recall has already made my dreams a bit more interesting (or am I just aware of more dreams and therefore more of them are starting to border on interesting?). Either way, I'm excited about my dream experiences as I continue to work towards becoming lucid, and once I become lucid.

The ability to lucid dream would also help with my creative endeavors. I'd like to be able to use my dreams as inspiration for my writing. It might also help me become a better actress because I'll learn more about myself. I'd also like to use lucid dreaming for spiritual purposes, like meeting and communicating with my guides or exploring past lives, and such.

When I have a lucid dream, I will speak gibberish to a DC, per the TOTM. (This should prove very interesting if I happen to become lucid during one of those dreams where I'm trying to scream at someone but I can't. ;)

Establish a night-time routine (Include reading your dream journal, making sure to leave your DJ open to a blank page for quicker dictations): I'll discuss this below in my goals & techniques for June.


Optional:
Start a DreamViews Dream Journal: Done
Start posting snippets from your dreams in the Dream Snippets Thread to get feedback on your dreams: Started
Start practicing awareness from Lesson III: I've also been doing this (semi-successfully) for spiritual and manifesting purposes, but I'm going to be more disciplined with it now. (It's really relaxing and centering!)
If you notice any recurring elements in your dream journal (aka dream signs), list it in your workbook:

[*]Bodies of water or indoor pools.
[*]Being on a funky (read: scary) elevator or bridge.
[*]People/pets in colorful costumes (a very new but common theme).
[*]Wanting to scream/hit something but being unable to.

*Edited June 5

Main Goal: Have at least one lucid dream.

Bonus goals:
1. Start speaking gibberish to a DC.
2. Find a mirror and describe my reflection (maybe even step through it?)
3. Meet a power animal.

Sleep schedule:

Go to bed between 11:00 p.m. and midnight.

Set alarm for WBTB at 4:30 a.m. (may adjust later).

On weekdays, get up at 7:00.

On weekends, set another WBTB at 6:30


Technique

SSILD

Practice ADA awareness combined with reality check, especially upon waking (ask, "Where was I last? What was I doing?" and finger through palm test).

WBTB. Do SSILD cycles when back in bed.

I know from experience that my subconscious sometimes needs to really be drilled with something before producing results, so I'm going to stick to this method/chosen daydream for at least the entire month.


I am awake in my dreams!

Welcome LadyLoki :cloud:

Great start to your workbook, I find that it's an awesome tool for going back and tracking your progress. Also a fantastic way to get advice from DVs awesome staff, as you have already noticed above. A piece of advice Ophelia gave me helped me snag a Lucid not too long ago :D

Not being able to use your voice to scream seems to be pretty common with people in dreams. Personally, I can't make contact when I try to hit something in a dream - similar to if you have ever tried to punch something underwater. lol

I see you have adopted one of the Task of the Month tasks as a goal, looking forward to seeing your updates on that :D

Great decision in my opinion to stick to a method for about a month, that's a good amount of time to get a feel for whatever you chose to use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PennyRoyal

Welcome LadyLoki :cloud:

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Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PennyRoyal

Not being able to use your voice to scream seems to be pretty common with people in dreams. Personally, I can't make contact when I try to hit something in a dream - similar to if you have ever tried to punch something underwater.

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So I've gathered after looking around the forum for a few days. Luckily, I managed to survive well over two decades without one. Now I have them almost every night. :mad:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LadyLoki

So I've gathered after looking around the forum for a few days. Luckily, I managed to survive well over two decades without one. Now I have them almost every night. :mad:

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That's frustrating, but if it's a frequent dream sign hopefully you'll learn to catch it for frequent lucids :D

I like to keep a paper Dream Journal at home so I can write down goals, dreamsigns, or anything else that I want to 'commit to memory'. Find a way that works for you to remind yourself to RC when you're having trouble using your voice :P

Good luck!

Need to reinforce my intention to try DEILD. I feel like it would be a great method for me, but I forgot about it until it was time to get up this morning.

I have a question about SSILD. As I understand it, you do the cycles during your WBTB, and then you just allow yourself to fall back asleep... and you don't have to worry about DILD/MILD/WILD? The reason I ask is because it seems like that would make everything so much easier. I didn't want to rule anything out-- I think I might have an innate talent for WILD, as I'm good at being aware of HHs, but I didn't want to rule out he other types as well. With WILD, if you lose consciousness, the night is lost. However, leaving things open has left me feeling a bit like I don have a set technique.

I know I said I'd stick to me routine for the rest of the month, but I just discovered SSILD yesterday, and it's only the 5th...

Anyone familiar with this method who can offer some insight? Seems like doing ADA during the day and the SSILD cycles during WBTB would really simplify things.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LadyLoki

I have a question about SSILD. As I understand it, you do the cycles during your WBTB, and then you just allow yourself to fall back asleep... and you don't have to worry about DILD/MILD/WILD? The reason I ask is because it seems like that would make everything so much easier. I didn't want to rule anything out-- I think I might have an innate talent for WILD, as I'm good at being aware of HHs, but I didn't want to rule out he other types as well. With WILD, if you lose consciousness, the night is lost. However, leaving things open has left me feeling a bit like I don have a set technique.

I know I said I'd stick to me routine for the rest of the month, but I just discovered SSILD yesterday, and it's only the 5th...

Anyone familiar with this method who can offer some insight? Seems like doing ADA during the day and the SSILD cycles during WBTB would really simplify things.

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Hey LadyLoki! Great workbook, BTW! :goodjob2:

Yeah, I'm very familiar with SSILD. That was the first technique that really worked for me with lucid dreaming and even though for the last couple of months I've stuck with MILD/WILD, the majority of my LDs were from SSILD. I highly recommend checking out the latest version of the tech here: 宇宙��: Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD) Official Tutorial These tweaks, particularly leading off with shorter cycles, seem to make the technique work even better and become more natural to execute.

Your understanding is completely correct. SSILD is primarily a technique for inducing DILDs, especially via false awakening. Some people wind up "feeling" the WILD coming when they're performing their cycles and that's perfectly fine. But under normal circumstances, the idea is to complete the cycles and then simply fall back asleep, ready to have a lucid dream. The steps really are that simple.

There are couple of important things that I'd keep in mind for SSILD.

First, watch out for false awakenings! If you've never experienced a really convincing false awakening before, SSILD has a tendency to bring them on. That's a good thing but you do need to be ready to catch them. It's good to get into the habit of performing a reality check when you first wake up or before you get out of bed. On SSILD, I used to have long false awakenings where I'd play with my kids, wander around the house, check Facebook, etc.

Second, since the technique is a bit more "magical" than others, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking the tech is making you lucid. But when you hit that first LD with it, remember that it's you that succeeded. SSILD just amps up your natural levels of awareness and opens the door a little wider. You're the one who finds it, walks through it, and does awesome stuff once you're past it. :) Awareness work and even more importantly intent and belief that you will have a lucid dream are as crucial as ever. Once you start believing that you are simply a person who has lots of lucid dreams, you'll find yourself getting lucid more and more regularly.

Good luck!! :goodjob2:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Hey LadyLoki! Great workbook, BTW! :goodjob2:

Yeah, I'm very familiar with SSILD. That was the first technique that really worked for me with lucid dreaming and even though for the last couple of months I've stuck with MILD/WILD, the majority of my LDs were from SSILD. I highly recommend checking out the latest version of the tech here: These tweaks, particularly leading off with shorter cycles, seem to make the technique work even better and become more natural to execute.

Your understanding is completely correct. SSILD is primarily a technique for inducing DILDs, especially via false awakening. Some people wind up "feeling" the WILD coming when they're performing their cycles and that's perfectly fine. But under normal circumstances, the idea is to complete the cycles and then simply fall back asleep, ready to have a lucid dream. The steps really are that simple.

There are couple of important things that I'd keep in mind for SSILD.

First, watch out for false awakenings! If you've never experienced a really convincing false awakening before, SSILD has a tendency to bring them on. That's a good thing but you do need to be ready to catch them. It's good to get into the habit of performing a reality check when you first wake up or before you get out of bed. On SSILD, I used to have long false awakenings where I'd play with my kids, wander around the house, check Facebook, etc.

Second, since the technique is a bit more "magical" than others, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking the tech is making you lucid. But when you hit that first LD with it, remember that it's you that succeeded. SSILD just amps up your natural levels of awareness and opens the door a little wider. You're the one who finds it, walks through it, and does awesome stuff once you're past it. :) Awareness work and even more importantly intent and belief that you will have a lucid dream are as crucial as ever. Once you start believing that you are simply a person who has lots of lucid dreams, you'll find yourself getting lucid more and more regularly.

Good luck!! :goodjob2:

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That's actually the manual I read. :)

It's interesting that this technique causes so many false awakenings. I think I may have actually had one a few nights ago. I was having a sleepless (I thought?) night and naturally did something similar to SSILD, just without the cycles. At one point I even thought of doing an RC but was afraid I'd fail. But when I looked at my clock later, more time had passed than it felt like. Hmm.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll give this technique a try.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LadyLoki

That's actually the manual I read. :)

It's interested that this method causes false awakenings so much. I think I may have actually had one a few nights ago. I was having a sleepless (I though?) night, and naturally did something similar to SSILD, just without the cycles. At one point I even thought of doing an RC but was afraid I'd fail. But when I looked at my clock later, more time had passed than it felt like. Hmm.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll give this technique a try.

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Excellent, sounds like you're right where you need to be then. I hear you on sometimes being a little reluctant to do the middle of the night reality checks. I sometimes become oddly concerned that I'll... kind of wake myself up out of disappointment, I guess. :P

After getting a few WILDs under my belt, I now like to try reality checks where I "will" things to happen. It's also my personal style for entering WILDs. Rather than using my muscles, I'll will my hand to go to my nose and perform a nose-pinch. It's basically just imagining with full intent that this is what my hand's doing. It's a bit strange to describe but it may be an idea you feel like playing with at some point. Once you get a few lucid dreams under your belt (and if you keep working at it, you will) you'll recognize this as a dream control technique. When you want something to happen, you simply imagine that it is already happening with full intent... and it usually does. :) RCs can operate the same way.

Anyhow! Good luck with the tech! Looking forward to seeing how you do.

Study up on all of the induction techniques listed here and find one that suits you: I've settled on SSILD for now.

Practice your chosen induction technique for at least 2 weeks (although longer is preferred) before changing it to something else or ruling out that it's not working: I've been doing it for three days now and intend on sticking with it at least through June.

Continue to post all of your experiences, even failed ones, into your workbook: Will do. ☺


Optional:

Discuss your chosen technique with the teachers by posting in your workbook. There are lots of ways to go about each technique, we will be able help you find a method that suits you: Done

Choose a second (and possibly third) induction technique that compliments your first. For example, if you chose DILD you will also be able to perform WILD: I think I'm just gonna stick to SSILD for now and see how that goes. It seems to be working pretty well so far.

If possible, it is highly advised to include WBTB into your routine: I've been doing one WBTB weekdays and two on the weekends.

Looking forward to seeing how SSILD works out for you. I had really good success with it.

June 1- June 9

Techniques Used: DILD & SSILD

Dream Fragments: 10

Dreams: 11

Lucid: 0

Semi-lucid: 2

Incubated: 1

Recall Quality: Low/Moderate

Vividness: Moderate

Dream Adventures Completed: 0

DV Tasks Completed: June TOTM (basic ii) :banana:


Notes:

Good: I've managed to recall at least one dream per night despite being stressed out and sleep deprived.

Bad: Lucidity has decreased these past two nights. Might be due to increased stress.

Going forward: Must start going to bed earlier. :offtobed:

Awesome, congrats on the TotM :)

Great progress so far. I think you're exactly right -- once the stress settles out, I think you'll find yourself thinking and dreaming much more clearly, as well as just feeling better rested in general.

Those hectic thought patterns just seem to make dreaming a lot less organized and harder to corral, at least for me. Hopefully the stress and sleep deprivation will get better in the coming days, but in either case you're managing it well.

And yeah, grats on Task of the Month. I've got some catching up to do. :D

June 10 - June 15

Technique Used: SSILD

Dream Fragments: 4
Dreams: 6
Lucid: 0
Semi-lucid: 0
Incubated: 0
Recall Quality: Very Low/Low
Vividness: Low
Dream Adventures Completed: 0
DV Tasks Completed: 0


Notes:

Good: Had a few false awakenings, and I have done plenty of reality checks at night. I just don't know if I failed them in my dreams or in reality because the false awakenings have me confused. Also, managed to recall at least one little fragment a night.

Bad: Both recall and vividness have gone down, down, down.

Going forward: Same as last week, but this time actually do it. :offtobed:

The false awakenings are a great sign, especially with SSILD. It won't be the last you see of them but you'll get better and better at recognizing them over time, particularly if this is something you focus on.

Sorry about the vividness drop! How's sleep been lately? Have you been managing to get a few mornings where you can get a nice, full night's sleep? Have you noticed any difference?

And yeah, going to bed earlier will help you a ton. I had no choice but to adjust my routine and start getting a decent measure of sleep or my recall tends to plummet. But the good news is that once you fix that kind of thing, recall will usually come right back. A few days of consistent sleep and determined focus on recall will get you right back in shape.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

The false awakenings are a great sign, especially with SSILD. It won't be the last you see of them but you'll get better and better at recognizing them over time, particularly if this is something you focus on.

Sorry about the vividness drop! How's sleep been lately? Have you been managing to get a few mornings where you can get a nice, full night's sleep? Have you noticed any difference?

And yeah, going to bed earlier will help you a ton. I had no choice but to adjust my routine and start getting a decent measure of sleep or my recall tends to plummet. But the good news is that once you fix that kind of thing, recall will usually come right back. A few days of consistent sleep and determined focus on recall will get you right back in shape.

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Yeah, I was able to sleep in today and skipped my WBTB. I remembered a bit more, so I'm confident sleep will solve that problem.

I personally don't experience a lot of FAs with SSILD, but I know that a lot of people report having a ton of them.

Having a lot of them could have it's advantages though, lot's of opportunity to catch some lucids.

I'm sure some more rest will help with the dropping dream quality. Don't get discouraged! Keep us posted.

June 16 - June 23

Technique Used: SSILD

Dream Fragments: 8
Dreams: 8
Lucid: 1
Semi-lucid: 0
Incubated: 0
Recall Quality: Moderate
Vividness: Moderate
Dream Adventures Completed: 0
DV Tasks Completed: 0


Notes:

Good: Recall and vividness have gone way up from last week. I'm not where I'd like to be yet, but I think this may be my best week ever.


Bad: Bad dreams these past two nights. Last night, especially, was a nightmare fest. They weren't the kind of dreams that scare me awake, but they had some unpleasant imagery. Hopefully it was just the full moon (though I personally associate the full moon with magic and power, not anything negative). Also, after that first lucid I had, my level of lucidity has gone way down. No more false awakenings, either.

Going forward: IDK. I'd like to start doing WBTB/SSILD more regularly, but having had some sleepless nights this past week, I don't want to sacrifice sleep for it. If I could get to bed earlier, it might be possible, but I've been saying that all month... :horse:

All I really want at this point is to have some pleasant dreams. :dreaming: :cloud:

Congratulations on the improved recall, but bummer about the nightmares. The best advice I can give on nightmares is to avoid stress as much as you can and hit bedtime with as positive, sunny, and confident of an outlook as you can.

I'd definitely avoid upsetting media right before bed. For me, that generally includes the news, which I pretty much avoid all of the time. :P So probably a better idea to read The Little Prince before bed rather than watch a slasher movie marathon.

Hopefully with the Supermoon fading away things will return to normal for you. Let me quite literally say, Pleasant dreams! And if there are any stresses in your life, I hope that they ease in the coming days. Let us know if we can help!

Hi LadyLoki, how is the SSILD technique working out so far?
I am not always able to perform the cycles (being too sleepy or something), but when I do, am met with some success, whether it be a full on lucid, or FA, or even just heightened vividness. :P

As for the bad dreams, I've noticed that when I was eating more b6 enriched foods, I had a lot of violent dreams, which is not like me at all. They were so disturbing that I had to question myself about what I was doing differently. And sure enough, once I stopped eating that particular b6 food, the violent dreams went away.
Not sure if that'll help you, just a thought in case you're experiencing something similar.