Another noob :)

Hi all!

Just another girl chasing LDs. I am deeply interested in dreaming--my paper dream journal goes back about 15 years or so. I've had LDs all my life off and on, but have yet to figure out to have them on demand and my control is lousy. So here I am, reading everything in sight, trying to figure out what I already know and where I need to work harder.

I guess my first stumbling block is getting past sleep paralysis. I tend to hear certain sounds when SP sets in--one is kind of squashy (sorry, I can't think of a better way to describe it) and the other is, unfortunately, much like the doorbell to my apartment. Most of the time I hear either of those sounds and wake instantly, even though I know those sounds most likely mean that I'm about to slip into a dream and that I should just hang on for a bit before doing anything crazy like dumping a bunch of adrenaline into my system. I'm still working out how to stop myself from reacting so strongly to these noises, but I'm a skittish creature. :)

Anyway, I'm pleased to find such a lively LD-related forum in the world, and I look forward to getting to know folks and getting lucid.

Welcome to DreamViews! For a while, I would get some auditory hallucinations in SP that sounded like a glass breaking and I would force myself out of SP and make sure that no one was breaking into my house, lol. After a few times of this, I finally ignored it the next couple times and it hasn't returned since. The hallucinations in SP will change frequently, so I'm sure once you are able to ignore them a couple times, they will go away and you won't have to worry about not answering the actual door if someone is there. With the sounds, you really just have to stay as calm as possible and just let them do whatever. Basically, hear them, act like nothing unusual is happening, and then forget about them. Wait for the next set of sounds/imagery to come along. Stay relaxed and allow your body to slip into sleep.

If you haven't checked out the tutorials section here, I recommend doing so. That is where a lot of the information here is compiled. There is a link in my signature. You can also check some of the other members Dream Journals here on the forum. Often times, you can gain some experience, or rather...a heads up on some problems/obstacles you may encounter. You can also get some ideas on things you may want to try out in your own dreams. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks for the warm welcome! Yeah, I'm reading through the tutorials as I can, and have been looking around for folks who seem to have had similar issues so I can do some targeted DJ reading. One of these days I'll at least remember to just let the noises go. I'm also battling overtiredness lately, which of course makes all sorts of sleep and dream-related things difficult. At least I should be well versed in useful tech whenever I can manage to get enough sleep. My recall seems to be improving this week, so I think I'm heading in the right direction, it just might take me a while to get anywhere interesting. :)

Yeah, recall will build over time. Just keep practicing and most importantly, stay positive. When you lay down for sleep, feel confident that you will have a lucid dream tonight. Fall asleep knowing in your mind that you will become lucid tonight. If you do not become lucid, don't get discouraged. Just look forward to the next opportunity and continue this process along with whatever else you are doing. Good luck to you and as long as you stay confident and keep working at it, you will be lucid in no time!