Greetings and a few questions

Hi all:)

My name is Ayanizz, 23 years old, and I recently (re)discovered my interest in controlling my own dreams. I remember that I used to do this as a kid, almost every night, and it used to happen automatically. I decided that I wanted to be in control of my dream just before I fell asleep, and bam, I was. Never had any training, but I guess it came out of having a lot of nightmares and being very adamant about solving that problem.
Anyways, as with most fun things in childhood, it died out with growing up:D Due to some coincidence I stumbled upon lucid dreaming and this forum yesterday evening, which ofcourse fired up my interest and left me with a couple of questions, so I hope to find answers here.

1. What is the significance of a dream journal (and dream recall in general)? I mean, when you're dreaming normally most of it dissappears in the first few minutes of being awake (however, I can have scenes from a dream stuck in my head for DAYS without doing anything special). However, when you are lucid dreaming, doesn't it stick in your memories more than a normal dream? Or does it go away just as quickly as a normal dream too? Because if it does, I guess I'm going to have to start writing;)

2. Concerning reality checks and using them to induce lucidity: If I were to look at my hands 20+ times a day, at random times, and say "Five fingers, I am awake", or for example everytime during the day when I need to know the time, look at my clock, look away for a few secs, and then look back to check if it's still the same, will this behavior carry over to my dreams, and subsequently induce lucidity? Or am I going about this in too simple a way?

Too anyone who has read this through to the end and is willing to take out some (preeecious) time to answer my questions, thanks!

Ayanizz

Hello.

1. Can help you catalogue pet dream-signs, build a bridge between the realities. And yes, you can forget lucids.
2. No, it's good. Just do it with conviction. Simplified, it'll carry over once it becomes a sub-conscious action.

Hi Ayanizz, welcome to Dreamviews. :okbyenow:

1. What is the significance of a dream journal (and dream recall in general)?
You can forget your dreams (also known as having poor recall), lucid ones are no different. You may wake up knowing that you had an LD, but you might not remember the details, which would be pretty upsetting. I don't recommend using dream signs because if you aren't aware enough in the first place, you won't recognize them. Just practice being skeptical.

2. Concerning reality checks and using them to induce lucidity... will this behavior carry over to my dreams, and subsequently induce lucidity? Or am I going about this in too simple a way?
Like I just said, it's more about skepticism and awareness than just going over reality checks. If you do them without really considering the fact that you could be dreaming, you'll end up doing them mindlessly in dreams. Real life feels real when we're awake, but dreams feel real too. How are you really sure if you're dreaming right now, just because everything "feels" real? That mindset can help. :)

Good luck!

Thank you to both of you:)

Oh and puffin, your DILD guide seems nice, I'll get to improving my dream recall for a week or two and then start off with that:) As I said, I mostly remember big parts of the last dream I had, and pieces of it can stick inside my head for days.. But it needs improvement:)
And unfortunately the things I did as a kid don't work anymore or I'd have been going last night already :D