hi.

I'm new here (obviously), and have always been rather intrigued by the concept of lucid dreaming. I have tried, on a few occasions, to attempt to achieve such a state using sheer force of will and botchy dream journaling (some of the entries of which would make for some pretty crazy stories), but have had little success. I am eager to try my hand at some new (to me) techniques.

As it stands now, I don't believe I have ever had a true lucid dreaming experience, but I do believe, on a number of occasions, that I managed to aquire a sort of median, semi-conscious state through mere dumb luck.

Basically, you know how sometimes you'll sort of "wake up" but you don't want to wake up, whether because you just don't want to yet, or because you're having a really good dream and want to see where it goes? Well, it's times like these where, while I know I'm waking up, whether I want to or not, I try to focus on my dream instead, trying to watch it play out in my mind's eye. I don't believe it's really lucid dreaming, as I have to stick within the parameters of the dream, if that makes sense, but random waking thoughts of mine pertaining to what was happening in the dream have been known influence it.

incidentally, these are also the only dreams I can ever remember "finishing", so to speak. that is, in my semiwaking state, the dream seems to rush toward a(n oftentimes hastily unsatisfying) conclusion.

so, yeah, that's my experience (or lackthereof). off to check out the rest of the forums, now.