Hey, im new and slightly confused

I'm new to this whole lucid dreaming thing (you'll probably be able to tell from reading this i don't know much at all about it). I have heard of it a while ago and it sounded awesome but only in the last few days have I decided to give it a go. Sorry if I end up writing a fair bit here but my experience with this last night was not too good and when i woke up properly i told myself i was never going to try this again. I reconsidered this morning though.

Basically i read about reality checks a few nights ago and wanted to try them in a dream. I used the one where you put your hand over your mouth and nose and try to breathe.

Well to the dream. I've had a nightmare before where I wake up (not actually wake up just in the dream i think) and i can't move or talk or anything and it's just me in my room but i don't feel safe at all. Anyways the dream is very scary and when i wake up i am shocked and don't really want to go back to sleep again.

So the dream began in my room and i immediately tried this reality check and as soon as i did it i realised i was in a dream. But as soon as i realised i was in a dream i woke up (in the dream) and i couldn't move or talk and when i tried to move or talk i felt a great pain in my head until i couldn't move at all. This whole time my cat was next to me. It lasted a couple minutes and then i went back to sleep in my dream (reminds me of inception or something). I did the reality check again and the whole thing repeated itself, and then it happened once more time. After the third time it happened i waited till the pain had stopped and went to my parents room. I then woke up properly and realised that all three times this had happened it was a dream because my cat was not next to me and she was downstairs the whole time.

Basically i'm just wondering if i can get any insight as to what happened and how i can try to do this correctly next time. Because i want to try lucid dreaming again but this experience was not nice.

Thanks for any input anyone has.

It sounds like you are having dreams within dreams on top of false awakenings. Any time that you wake up from a dream it is usually a good idea to perform a reality check to insure that you are not still dreaming. Your problem is that you are waking from a dream within a dream and experiencing what sounds like sleep paralysis. I've never heard of someone experiencing sleep paralysis in a dream within a dream. I'm not quite sure how to help but perhaps some more background information will give us an idea.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by juvenilepunk

It sounds like you are having dreams within dreams on top of false awakenings. Any time that you wake up from a dream it is usually a good idea to perform a reality check to insure that you are not still dreaming. Your problem is that you are waking from a dream within a dream and experiencing what sounds like sleep paralysis. I've never heard of someone experiencing sleep paralysis in a dream within a dream. I'm not quite sure how to help but perhaps some more background information will give us an idea.

---

He got that all down smack, but for the issue of not being able to move, just wait for it to wear off. It doesn't necessarily happen in every lucid dream. I can't talk in my lucids, though. >.<

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by juvenilepunk

It sounds like you are having dreams within dreams on top of false awakenings. Any time that you wake up from a dream it is usually a good idea to perform a reality check to insure that you are not still dreaming. Your problem is that you are waking from a dream within a dream and experiencing what sounds like sleep paralysis. I've never heard of someone experiencing sleep paralysis in a dream within a dream. I'm not quite sure how to help but perhaps some more background information will give us an idea.

---

I'm not really sure what information to give when you ask for background information?

But i was thinking afterwards that i should have done another reality check when i woke up within my dream and i will have to do this next time if it happens. I truely thought i was awake so i didn't believe i had any control of what was happening. At least i know this for next time.

Also, I've read about sleep paralysis before because since earlier this year i have had this kind of dream a number of times. But don't people in sleep paralysis normally see someone that is trying to kill them? I've also had a similar dream where i couldn't move or talk but i could see lots of really bright flashing lights and could just sense some kind of danger.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebrah

But don't people in sleep paralysis normally see someone that is trying to kill them? I've also had a similar dream where i couldn't move or talk but i could see lots of really bright flashing lights and could just sense some kind of danger.

---

Oh, no, that isn't something that happens to everyone, just a few unlucky people. And the flashing light and sensing danger was something called hynogogic hallucinations; it wasn't a dream. You can read up more on hypnogogic hallucinations in the Wiki and around the Internet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

Oh, no, that isn't something that happens to everyone, just a few unlucky people. And the flashing light and sensing danger was something called hynogogic hallucinations; it wasn't a dream. You can read up more on hypnogogic hallucinations in the Wiki and around the Internet.

---

Ah ok thanks :)

Sleep paralysis experiences vary hugely from person to person. It is much more intense for some people than others. I will have to disagree with the whole "dream within a dream" thing and say that falling asleep in a dream is really just changing the scene although I cant back that up with anything more than personal experiences. Definitely try to reality check whenever you wake up to prevent being fooled by false awakenings, and the next time you are in SP I recommend you don't try to fight it at all, relax, and remain aware until a stable dream forms.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AscendedSleeper

Definitely try to reality check whenever you wake up to prevent being fooled by false awakenings, and the next time you are in SP I recommend you don't try to fight it at all, relax, and remain aware until a stable dream forms.

---

Ye thanks, I'm definately going to try reality check when i wake up from now on. I'm new to it so there's a lot to learn.

Ye i will hopefully be aware next time i'm in SP and i won't try to fight it. I guess i just tried to fight it because i was scared.

Yeah, it was nothing uncommon you just didnt know what was going on. FA's can be scary but if you RC than they can become wonderful lucid dreams.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dakotahnok

FA's can be scary but if you RC than they can become wonderful lucid dreams.

---

What?

They usually aren't, he just got unlucky by landing in several nightmare FAs. RCs don't do anything to help except get you lucid.

Please try to be a bit more clear next time. :|

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

What?

They usually aren't, he just got unlucky by landing in several nightmare FAs. RCs don't do anything to help except get you lucid.

Please try to be a bit more clear next time. :|

---

I dont think i need to be more clear. If you look at my post it says CAN be scary. I have had several FA's so you really dont need to explain it to me.

Hey. Just thought i'd update you with a dream i had last night, or i should say this morning.

I woke up today at about 7 in the morning (not for long at all, i only know it was this time coz i saw my dad and thats when he gets up) and went back to sleep. I ended up dreaming. Once again like last nights dream it was just me in my room. I really wasn't sure whether i was awake or not and i tried a RC. As i did this i could hear this high pitch ringing sound in my ears intensify greatly and i had this feeling come over me like my body was losing control and i was growing weaker. Then i couldn't move again, like last night. The whole time when the ringing was growing louder and my body started to feel weaker i remember thinking to myself, "I'm in a dream". So once again i couldn't move, and this time there was a loud ringing, but i wasn't scared because i was aware of what was going on. I opened my eyes in my dream and knew it was a dream because my vision was weird, things around the room weren't natural. I got 'pins and needles' across my whole body (by pins and needles i mean the feeling you get if you sat on your hand for a while and you lose circulation, you get that pins and needles feeling). Once i could feel i could move again i awoke properly.

I have a couple questions:

Is this even sleep paralysis? Is it even possible to go into sleep paralysis so often?

How am i meant to lucid dream if this keeps happening?

It could just be restrictions you have in your dreams, but yes its possible to go into SP so often.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dakotahnok

I dont think i need to be more clear. If you look at my post it says CAN be scary. I have had several FA's so you really dont need to explain it to me.

---

I was talking about the RCs thing.

Now, to your questions:

1) Yes, it was. That almost perfectly matches the stereotype SP.

2) It will stop at some point, so don't worry. It happens to me too, but it's getting better.

it is sleep paralysis! it is in this state that you want to stay calm and eventually once your dreams starts unfoldindg you should try to stay aware that you are dreaming and slowly start experimenting with things. small steps at first obviously. it is very easily to get over excited or scared and wake yorself up the first couple of times you try. look into the WILD technique!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by youngjedi

it is sleep paralysis! it is in this state that you want to stay calm and eventually once your dreams starts unfoldindg you should try to stay aware that you are dreaming and slowly start experimenting with things. small steps at first obviously. it is very easily to get over excited or scared and wake yorself up the first couple of times you try. look into the WILD technique!

---

He was in a dream. SP only occurs outside of one. :|

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

I was talking about the RCs thing.

Now, to your questions:

1) Yes, it was. That almost perfectly matches the stereotype SP.

2) It will stop at some point, so don't worry. It happens to me too, but it's getting better.

---

Well thats completely backwards because if you use a RC in a dream you will be lucid and you can turn it into a wonderful lucid dream.

Case closed

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

He was in a dream. SP only occurs outside of one. :|

---

You can feel the effects of SP in a dream, like if your half awake. Also sense you are in SP as you sleep you can sometimes feel the effect in your dream, especially when you are in the early REM periodes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

He was in a dream. SP only occurs outside of one. :|

---

ya i know, but i actually go into WILDS eing fully aware that i have entered SP as beofre my dream occurs i hear a buzzing sound/sensation that i can somewhat stabalize by focusing on my breath. after about a minute or so of doing this or maybe longer the dream will come into play.during the dream i will have parts that start to fade out and the buzzing sound will come into play again. at this point i will do something like rub my hands or spin and the dream will stabalize and the sound and feeling will go away. but its like i can still sence my sleeping body if i focus on it and at anytime i want i can open my eyes and end the dream. with the possibility that ill be stuck in SP for like 5 to 10 seconds which is kinda cool and i dont mind

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dakotahnok

You can feel the effects of SP in a dream, like if your half awake. Also sense you are in SP as you sleep you can sometimes feel the effect in your dream, especially when you are in the early REM periodes

---

Please learn to type English a bit more clearly. I honestly had a hard time understanding that. Also, half-awake isn't a dream, and if you focus on your physical body obviously you will feel what it feels, but you will also wake up, so you lose the dream.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

Please learn to type English a bit more clearly. I honestly had a hard time understanding that. Also, half-awake isn't a dream, and if you focus on your physical body obviously you will feel what it feels, but you will also wake up, so you lose the dream.

---

I think i need to make everything a bit more clear for you. Stop ripping my post apart. I know what what im talking about and i dont need someone telling me to type English more clear. This is dreamviews not wordviews.

Stop spouting off crap.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowboy

Please learn to type English a bit more clearly. I honestly had a hard time understanding that. Also, half-awake isn't a dream, and if you focus on your physical body obviously you will feel what it feels, but you will also wake up, so you lose the dream.

---

And to get back on topic. You can dream half awake. Also imagine if you get hurt in real life or your arm goes to sleep. YOU CAN SOMETIMES FEEL THAT IN YOUR DREAM. The same goes for SP.

And no if you focus on your physical body you don't wake up. Or at least i don't.

I speak from experience not what I read on the forums.