i cant seem to control my dreams at all please help?

hi, i just discovered the idea of lucid dreaming a few days ago.... so for the past few days i have had dreams where i try to perform a reality check to gain control of the dream. however, i cant seem to take control to do the actual reality check. i have been doing them throughout the day in the real world, as long as keeping a dream journal.

but when i am in my dream, i act as if it is real life, but with no control. it is almost like watching a movie. i know i am new to this and need to practice more, but maybe someone has some pointers for me to get me going in the right direction?


and i also have a few questions that i would like answered:
while in a lucid dream, can you just do anything you want like in real life, or is it still random? and do you have all 5 senses or is it more like a video game?

i would really like to start lucid dreaming soon, but im not sure if i am doing it right...

To answer your questions, that all depends on how solid your awareness is and if you took the time to stabilize your dream, reaffirm your lucidity occasionally and whatnot. As far as what you do, you have to keep in mind that the dream state is in effect an altered state of conciusness. Typically your thought process won't go by quite the same as in waking life. For example I've always found it's hard to get myself to think things through after attaining lucidity; I always want to just run off and do the first thing that pops into my head (which, incidentally, has been sexual in nature at least half the time :P), so it helps a lot to have one goal picked out before you go to sleep and emphasize to yourself repeatedly that next time you're lucid you need to do that thing. Hopefully then when you become lucid and your mind begins to scranble for what to do, you will remember your goal and pursue it instead of spending your time on some random task you were never planning on doing.

Well, I wrote more than I planned on. Anyway, just keep at it, a few days is nothing. As long as you're keeping a dream jornal and (I can't stress this part enough) keeping those dreams on your mind more than you otherwise would (for me, just spending more time with my thoughts on my dreams has helped), then it's only a matter of time. In case you're wondering, it was 3 weeks from starting to my first lucid dream; for some it's less, others more.

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Originally Posted by skiier862

and i also have a few questions that i would like answered:
while in a lucid dream, can you just do anything you want like in real life, or is it still random? and do you have all 5 senses or is it more like a video game?

i would really like to start lucid dreaming soon, but im not sure if i am doing it right...

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You still have all 5 senses, but some of them can be a bit fuzzy, like smell while you have a cold and sometimes hearing things as if you were under water, but you can fix that easily by focusing on the senses and imagining what they would be like if you were awake, and they should return to normal.

Also, if you're doing MILDs one thing you could say is, "When I get lucid, I will do X thing" (It's important to have confidence, that can greatly increase you chance to get lucid/control)

Ok first of all...Lucid Dreaming isn't an idea, it's real as real can get. Secondly, we all have dreams and we all think that it's the waking life, that's the point of doing RCs and ADAs and all that jazz so we can realize we are dreaming when we dream. Also, doing reality checks doesn't make you gain control, it makes you aware that you are dreaming, i.e, lucid. Lucid Dreaming is a skill and just like any skill you want to master you must be dedicated. It's good that you're doing RCs and keeping a DJ but are you taking time out to become aware of your surroundings while doing said reality checks? Are you making note of every little detail you can remember of your dreams in your DJ? Are you going through your DJ and picking out reoccurring people, places, animals, objects, whatever they may be and making them your dream signs? Now, once you realize you're dreaming, then you can start controlling it and over time, when you master this art form, the possibilities will be endless. There are many techniques to assist you and you can find them all here at DVs.
To answer your questions, I don't think you can do anything you want in waking life because then you'll probably end up in jail or dead but in your dream world you can, that's the great thing about it. In terms of your senses, once you were born with all of them working then you should have them in your dreams lucid or not or if you want it to be like a video game then as Captain Planet so rightfully states, "the power is yours!" That's if you're lucid of course. Don't forget to take breaks now and again, it helps to clear your mind and gives you a nice jump start at gaining lucidity especially if you're going through a dry spell. Good Luck and I hope you found this helpful!

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Originally Posted by skiier862

and i also have a few questions that i would like answered:
while in a lucid dream, can you just do anything you want like in real life, or is it still random? and do you have all 5 senses or is it more like a video game?

In a Lucid Dream, you can do more than In real life, However, It takes some concentration to stay lucid. It may also be challenging but rewarding to control you dreams. . If what you mean by random is the dream will just be random things, then usually no. At least for me, dreams Are like stories. They have a simple plot, and somewhat predictable outcomes of each decision. Normally Lucidity and dream control can ruin this plot. If you have a dream you are late for school/work, and become lucid, you can rewind the last half hour to make it on time.

Also to answer your other question. It is common to see and hear things In your dream. Not long ago, I tried a fruit in a dream. It tasted kind of bland, but It DID have an orangery flavor. For that reason, I see it as possible that all 5 senses are active in a dream.

Finally, Don't worry. As long as you Do some Reality Checks and keep your Dream Journal going, Your working well towards Lucid Dreaming. Just make sure you pay attention when your doing RCs. If you do one without really paying attention you might do a RC in a dream, and not notice that your dreaming.

i would really like to start lucid dreaming soon, but im not sure if i am doing it right...

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Good Luck with your dreaming.