Clearing up a common misconception regarding RCs and dream signs

This was posted in the newbie zone because newer members might be confused as to what RCs and dream signs actually do, and might be misinformed.

I've been here for a while now, and I've seen the following misconception alot in the forums. I guess it's probably just from the way the tutorials were written. So, I wanted to post this to let people know how lucidity really comes about, instead of posting five hundred more messages in seperate boards to seperate people.

Here goes. :P

Dream signs and reality checks DO NOT cause lucidity, only awareness/consciousness does. Dream signs and reality checks are NOT required to become lucid. Some people do claim to have become lucid from them, but that's only because they were aware enough to begin with; the awareness may have finally gone over the top when they did the reality check or saw the dream sign afterwards.

Reality checks and dream signs don't even have to be used, but they should. This is because they're important in the sense of confirming the fact that you're dreaming. In the peak of my lucid experiences, I only made five or six a day, and didn't overdo it. Lucidity was caused by awareness; looking for dream signs and doing a reality check (or two) followed afterwards.

Reality Check = lucid tool. A device used to test one's environment. Correctly practicing RC's in waking life will lead to higher awareness, and consequently, lucidity. They are a simple medium by which a person can become lucid.

Long story short: they don't hurt and aren't worthless. Practice them wisely, young noobs. There are many paths to lucidity, but DILD is by far one of the most common. The more you question your environment, by whatever means, the better.

Also note that RC's can be used for dream stabilization purposes, to prevent you from becoming lucid for a couple seconds and quickly losing it. Being naturally in the habit makes it all that much easier, especially since dream goals and procedures are easily forgotten in-dream by many.

tl;dr, keep doing RC's. They're good for your brain.

In order to even do a RC you obviously have to have some type of consciousness and awareness. Ok I get that, so what steps can you take into actually getting that awareness and consciousness to begin with?

You have to distinguish between doing reality checks during the day, versus doing them in a dream. You do them throughout the day to help raise your awareness and train yourself to question reality. You do them in a dream as a way to stabilize the dream, lock down your lucidity, and remain calm. Every once and a while, you will RC in a dream and be surprised by the result, but those times are rare. The majority of the time, you will already be lucid, and just do the RC to convince yourself. Dreams can feel so real, it is sometimes necessary to take a few seconds to convince yourself.