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[MrsLost]

Hello everyone, my name is Amanda. A little about me in general: I am an Army wife living in Fort Bragg, NC with my amazing husband Matthew, 3 year old daughter Kailyn, and Tyler on the way (almost 7 months pregnant). I am currently pursuing a bachelors degree fully online (not as easy as most people think) in Psychology. Ultimately I want to have a masters in Marriage and Family Counseling with experience in Substance abuse and mental health as well. I plan to have my own counseling firm years from now probably around the time my husband is retiring from the Army. I am open minded, observant, and a hard worker. I love being a mom and wife. About my dream experience. One day when I was fairly young I stumbled upon lucid dreaming. I didn't know that it had a term to it, but it was 'cool'. So I kept going, curious if I could control dreams as well. i had some successful attempts with that, never able to change the architecture of the dream but other things I could change and make decisions within it, etc. During this time I also had an out of body experience on accident. It didn't last long but developed my interest in that as well. However, I fell out of it, perhaps with the distractions of my waking life. Recently I have been thinking more and more about it and how I would like to pursue it more. Especially now that I know what it is called and have an idea of what is possible in this area. Not to mention I have an awesome husband who has interests and experience in these areas as well and is actively trying to be able to astral project at will nightly. Now having this support system in my family which I didn't have before and now having found this forum, I am hoping to enter this realm once again since it seems to come fairly naturally to me anyways. I am still able to wake myself up from dreams I do not wish to be having, an odd sensation. I am also finding myself recognizing I am dreaming and then forgetting, lol. For a while I wasn't even remembering dreams, that seems to be better now. Having seen Inception two days ago, the subject is fresh on my mind at night and I think it helps. Anyways, sorry for the novel, guess I have more background than I thought. I am hoping to get back into it though. Thanks for listening... O reading, rather!

[MrsLost]

O I forgot to mention that I have also had experience with spirit/power animals. I had one specifically show up during a time of need and then disappear once I was no longer in need of it. I got a tattoo of it shortly after so I could always remember the help it brought me. Does anyone else have experience with/believe in this idea?

[SillyDreamer]

Hi nice family, to DV. Good to start a DJ if you haven't already (you haven't mentioned it in your novel). Good luck in your endeavors. Interested in the topic of the second post and waiting for the expert comments!!

[MrsLost]

Good call. I have a journal I can start to write things on immediately when I wake up.

[Siphorix]

Lucid Dreaming is a one of a kind experience. Absolutely nothing compares to it. Not to mention, it is 100% safe. It doesn't appear that you have experienced a true LD though. Many people say "Oh yeah, I Lucid Dream, I am able to control my dream, or wake up". There is a HUGE difference between being semi-conscious / in semi-control and Lucid Dreaming. When one Lucid Dreams, it is VERY easy to mistake the dream world for reality. You are 100% conscious, aware, and alert. You know that you are dreaming and your body is asleep. You have perfect memory and recall of events which had just taken place. It is similar to the matrix, living two lives, being able to do ANYTHING. In regards to the animals, powers, or spirits, many people in the Lucid Dreaming community reference to them as "Guides". Guides are part of your mind/imagination that you create or call upon for aid, support, assistance, questions, etc. - They are very popular in the world of LD, as they are part of your subconscious, they know everything dream related, and everything about you, not to mention they are most powerful(in the dream sense). No matter where you go for advice, and what you ask to help you start, EVERYONE will say to improve your dream recall. You can do this by means of a Dream Journal. Yes, I know it sounds really lame and a waste of time... but it help more then you can imagine, and in more ways then one. You want to be able to recall at least one entire dream a night in full detail, and/or be able to remember about 3 dreams a night overall. When keeping your dream journal, regardless of how big or small the dream might be, write down EVERYTHING! What happened, events, colors, details, what was said, who was where, what were you feeling in the dream, was it daylight, etc etc, the key is to write down as much as possible. Doing so will trigger more memory of the dream... Keeping a consistency will tell your subconscious that you want to be able to recall your unconscious short-term memory. It will then begin to give your dreams importance. Look around the forums, there are countless tutorials, questions and answers, supports, reasons, etc etc. You have DEF come to the right place to begin.

[MrsLost]

Awesome, and thanks for the advice. You're right I haven't experienced that level of Lucid dreaming. As I understand it though, there are many different levels. When I was younger I got to the point where I would realize I was dreaming and then begin to look at my hands and try simple things like walk from point A to point B. I really think if I had continued I would have attained that level you speak of, as it is, I didn't But here I am ready to get back into it. I don't think a dream journal is cheesy at all and I completely understand the need for it as well as what to put in it. I plan to start one tonight! Thanks again, I look forward to hearing/reading what experienced lucid dreamers have to say!