Introduction and a few questions.

[AquilaCrux]

Hey all, I'm Nick, and I got interested in lucid dreams a few years ago, but recently (as in, yesterday) I decided I was ready to try it. Wrongfully, I kind of headed straight into it, reading a few guides here and there, and I'm just wondering if my first attempt was something expected or did I just fool myself into thinking I was making progress. All foolhardy, I decided to take an afternoon nap (since the tutorials say WILDs are often done in that way), and I stayed still and whatnot. There were a few times my mind drifted off and started envisioning stuff. I wasn't really in control, I still sort of knew I was in bed and I wasn't interacting in the situation (one example is: I saw small room where people were beading and working with silk and it had a Middle Eastern theme, they were doing it for fun and sitting in groups and talking about stuff while beading and whatnot. I wasn't physically there, that is, I felt like I was watching a weird film with various shots and angles of the room), also I have never seen nor been to that situation that I thought up. There were a few others, but I've completely forgotten them, but they were somewhat the same: A never-before-seen situation, I saw things as if I was seeing a film (no music, no sound but the picture cut to various angles and specific people) and I wasn't interacting in any way. What makes me feel it was different from dreaming was that I was consciously thinking about something in my bed, and then it sort of got carried away until I saw whatever I saw. So I would get bored in bed, think about something I did, and then it just linked to other topics I would think about (sort of like talking to myself, which I kind of do on a regular basis), and then I'd end up at the random scene. Anyway, these lapses could go on for various lengths and there didn't really seem to be any movement or whatnot to them. After a while, I stopped myself (not on purpose) and found myself fully aware in my bed. After a while, I would find myself somewhere else again, with a completely different scenario. And then the final something happened. I felt awoken, and was lying on my bed. My eye lids were half closed and I couldn't really move. I could, but very weakly. I could move my lips and I think I managed to form words, but it was very hard to even say something. Then I concentrated and managed to get in full control, after a bit. Now I have a headache and am typing this. I just want to confirm that this was something (sleep paralysis?), but since I haven't even made myself well versed in these things, some of your wisdom would be greatly appreciated. And yes, I think I'll read up properly on the tutorials before rushing into that, since I swear before I made myself properly awake, the coat hanger was moving like a mouth and saying something I couldn't hear. EDIT: I've written a fair amount, so thanks to anyone who bothers to read all of it.

[Ontru]

Hello and Welcome! Im also pretty new hear but I figure I might aswell contribute what I can. From what it seems, your convinced that you wont reach sleep paralysis or lucidity before youve practiced and worked hard at it for some time. This is not true. Often times (and even in my case) simply reading about lucid dreaming and focusing on it can lead you to becoming lucid. So dont be discouraged at the fact that many take weeks and even months to become lucid for their first time, some become lucid mere days after learning what lucid dreaming is. Secondly, from what youve written it seems like you DID reach partial sleep paralysis. WILD is, in my opinion, one of the harder techniques to simply "jump" into so dont think because it didnt work this time it wont ever. With practice you can perfect it. And last. I think its awsome how vividly you remembered your dreams. For me it took about a week of keeping a dream journal to even remember full dreams. Please feel free to correct me on anything (goes for anyone) im also a newbie here. -Ontru