Thread: I hope this hard work pays off

Firstly, welcome to the forums!
Secondly, what is the method you're using to attain lucidity? Check out the tutorials section if you're not sure. It would really help know, so we can help you further.

I think I've been closest with the D.I.L.D. method. I had a dream two nights ago; in witch a ring was stolen, I looks at my hand and seen my ring, I knew I looked guilty, so I ran. The point is I looked at my hand! That's my closest point so far. It just seems no matter how odd of a place I'm in I just don't clue in. The place is not where I should be and the situation is even stranger, but visually everything is normal. That's the hard part I think. I have tried a little mild and even more wild. I think I've been even combining the three.

That's a bit of a problem. When starting just focus on one method, like DILD, or MILD. Eventually try WILD if you want. Trying a different technique each night or combining techniques is not likely going to get you far, unless you're combining techniques that work well together (WILD & DEILD, DILD & WTBT etc).

Ok. Thx. I'll focus on dream induced LD. I tried w/o luck to re enter my dream from two nights ago when I seen my hand, think I should pursue previous dreams as maybe a platform?

I had mine after 3 months so it will come to you but because it's a new concept and you only read about it it's tough. As you go along you will get to know your dream and waking life influential relationships better and then you can try different ways even your own way to have them. based on what you have found.

IMJ

the way dream characters/people look is often a sign for me, hard to explain exactly how they seem different than people in real life..

IMJ thx - The same night I learned about lucid dream I tried to have one, but of course didnt. Many disappointing mornings after I woke and realized it's not just going to happen overnight for me. Now I am starting to realize it may take months. It's a lot of fun just watching my dreams for now anyways.

Mud thx- it's like I've never really seen peoples faces closely in dream, I just know who they are, I will definatly take a closer look when I remember. I do remember feeling people in my dreams are like hollow almost ghost like.

In my opinion, you're trying way too many techniques. Use one technique and stick with it for a few weeks. At the very most, you should be WILDing and DILDing. DILDs are the easiest to have, and WILDs come with practice. You may also find that one technique is easier than another.

The most important part of DILDing is being aware of what is going on, especially when you do reality checks. If you don't increase your awareness before you do your reality checks, you won't be aware of their outcome in your dreams. This is mainly because the area of your brain that is necessary to observe the outcome of the reality checks correctly is inactive until you become aware of your environment and what you're doing. If you do this, coupled with a fail-safe reality check, I guarantee you'll have a lucid dream within weeks.

If you need help with WILDing I'd be more than happy to teach you how. I never found WILD tutorials to be very useful, since they're mainly subjective experiences and don't focus on the individual needs of different people (aside from a couple tutorials that do). They also focus the processes that must happen that don't necessarily need to be focused on by the WILDer.


Good luck with your quest for lucidity.

Thanks mindgames. I guess I go through my reality checks mindlessly, I'll practice awareness before and during checks.

My method in life has always been to bombard my problems with solutions in hopes something would stick. The dild method seems most probable in the respect that can remember almost one dream per night if not more. So I feel closest to the dream world because of this.

Wild method I find difficult as I have a 4yr old daughter and a pregnant fiancé, so the idea of being calm and still for 20 mins without being disturbed is not happening. I will soon be going back to work in a camp for a month so maybe I'll have more time to practice the method there.

I just thought while falling asleep anyways at night I should practice wild. And if that doesn't work then maybe dild will somewhere through out the night might? Is this an unfocased approach?

to the forum
Alright first, don't do all the things you are doing. Such as vitamins, etc.
I find that can lower chances of having an LD just because you are so fixated on that. Just start off slow, by doing reality checks (you seem to be doing that) and by doing mantras throughout the day. You don't want to start off by using lucid aids-you will become immune and dependent on them which is not a good start. You will get an LD soon, just don't focus on it as much because usually what happens to people is they are so caught up in it they don't have an LD, and the one night they don't do all the crap, is the night they have an LD. So just take it slow at first and you will be good.

Took me about a month if I remember correcly, keep up the work and you will see results. If you keep a dream journal you should have no problem, the main difficulty in attaining lucidity is awareness of what a dream is and what it feels like. Most people don't really think abiout their dreams.

I would stick with one technique and when you get the chance to sleep in, like on the weekend, do a wbtb. You'll be kind of rested already so your brain will be working right and you slip back into rem right away so you don't lose contact with your thoughts.

I would focus on MILD if I were you.

As long as you:

1.) Stick with your journal
2.) Stick with your reality checks
3.) Stay patient and vigilant.

Than you'll start having them eventually without fail.

All the other stuff is extra and not really needed..Just keep those three points on the forefront.

Lol, ok I'll take it easy. Thx.

I would keep up all the work, just don't get stressed or worried about it. The more you do to make yourself aware of dreams the more likely you will have a LD.

do DV! Come feel at home, make some friends and of course... LUCID DREAM!

Thanks erible, thanks stonedape. I have taken your advice. I'll keep the momentum and lose the extra baggage. Extra thanks to Lost Prophet! I overlooked the mild method. Now I have some experience in 'trying', mild seems to suit best. I can visualize my most vivid dream, I can re-live moments in this dream, I can imagine what it feels like to become lucid in this dream, and I can remember all of it. (question - does mantra have to be said out loud? if so im sure my fiancé will induce my ass into a very deep sleep in witch I see stars)

I think a lot of people (newbs) like myself, feel an overwhelming sensation to learn how to, upon discovering lucid dreaming. The same night I clued into it, I expected to do it. After many disappointing mornings, I am learning like riding a bike it takes practice. Yet I feel as if a marathon is in progress and each night is missed scenery, missed moments, and valuable experiences that could have been capitalized. Why am I so interested, why am I so drawn? Why does it now feel so compulsory to me?

Thanks for all the posts, I appreciate every one!

Originally Posted by Joshc

IMJ thx - The same night I learned about lucid dream I tried to have one, but of course didnt. Many disappointing mornings after I woke and realized it's not just going to happen overnight for me. Now I am starting to realize it may take months. It's a lot of fun just watching my dreams for now anyways.

Do not condition your mind that it will take months...that would be a downer. Just expect it to happen anytime like now...then do an RC to keep the awareness fresh or it will rot. Mine has rotted because I have been doing lucid dreaming for a long time and plus other issues so getting fresh awareness is difficult , you are still new so try to keep it that way...

IMJ

Originally Posted by Lost_prophet

I would focus on MILD if I were you.

As long as you:

1.) Stick with your journal
2.) Stick with your reality checks
3.) Stay patient and vigilant.

Than you'll start having them eventually without fail.

All the other stuff is extra and not really needed..Just keep those three points on the forefront.

I don't believe dream journals are necessary. I've never kept a dream journal and I have lucids pretty frequently.

They may help, nonetheless, but so do many other things.

Heheh...funny about the dairy products before bed. I have this thing about ricotta cheese. It always gave me really strange, vivid dreams (Once I dreamed of getting into a knife fight with my boss after eating this). Try some melatonin before bed, it improves my dream frequency and recall. You can meditate before bedtime, just count your breaths and let that be the object of your attention-You'll have a wonderfully clear mind when you lay down. That's just my two cents, haven't even concentrated on a method, I'm just recalling and writing the journal, and still working on doing reality checks.

Above all else, doing reality checks seems to be the one thing that is agreed upon. I like my journal as it good practice as a writer and I do illustrations with little stick figures that represent what I seen (I guess that would be a projection of a projection) lol.

When I am emotional, upset or stressed , my awareness seems limited. I keep it fresh by looking for the vividness of life. Rotting awareness sounds dismal...I think. Thanks IMJ I'll focus on the NoW before I am lost in an eternity of months.

So, I'm still not lucid yet, bit I am having dreams that are based on dreams. Like my dream of going to a dream clinic where they induce dreams. I hope this is a sign of getting closer.

Does anyone one recall having such dreams prior to they're first lucid dream?

Yes, I would say a dream about dreaming is definitely what Patricia Garfield would call a "cooperative" dream.