Questions About lucid Dreaming. Help Please

[BCR]

Hey, I’m pretty new to lucid dreaming and have a lot of questions. I’ve started a dream journal and have both a notebook and an app on my itouch to use. I’m curious which I should use. If I use the itouch app which if I do I would need to have a lock on it. I wasn’t sure if punching in numbers for the lock would affect my recording. Any recommendations? I have been studying up on lucidity for about a month now and have experimented with several induction techniques but truthfully have been not writing in my journal much at all. I have read that before doing induction you should spend a period of time without induction just recording regular dreams. Is this stage Important and if so for how long? I have tried and read up on many induction techniques and was wondering what is the quickest most consistent technique or blend of techniques to learn. Another question of mine was about WILDs. I have been able to sit down close my eyes and what I do is start counting my breaths until my body goes numb. Then at that point I start to drift off into what seems like little dreams but because of the counting I’m and shortly pulled out of them back into full consciousness. I’m not sure whether to let myself drift into these or to keep counting. I have also experimented with binaural beats. Should I use these? If so should I use them with other techniques or is it its own technique which I just sleep to? Thanks For All The Help!

[KushyBear]

Hello BCR! to DV! It is important to write in your dream journal to build up good recall. I recommend leaving the notebook by your bed and writing small notes in it about the dream until you are ready to fully record it. Then you can use the app. I say little notes because I usually wake up in the middle of the night, multiple times and just jot down what I know will make me remember the dream once I wake up in the morning. As for how long you should journal for before using induction techniques, I'd say, until you're comfortable with your ability to recall dreams. I also suggest to use MILD and DILD together, and for WILDs, I can't help you much, since I fail at them. But, let yourself drift to sleep, but remain conscious of something. Non-physical would be best. With the binaural beats, use them if they work for you and if you can fall asleep with either the noise playing from speakers, or some type of headphones.

[MadMonkey]

Welcome! It is definitly important to wright in your dream journal, especialy when you are first getting started. Establishing good recall is very important to your lucid dreaming. If you don't want to wright a dream in full detail wright it down in short notes and go back and put more detail in later if you can. In my opinion the best technique to learn first is DILD. Even if you do end up doing other techniques you need to know DILD. You should also try MILD and WILD and find out what combinations work best for you. Also try WBTB to give you more opertunities to wright dreams and WILD ect. It all comes down to what works for you. As for drifting into dreams when WILDing its exactly what you want. Let the dreamscape build itself around you but make sure you remember to stay aware. Don't continue counting if it waking you back up.

[DeepThort]

Welcome BCR ! MadMonkey knows what he is talking about, trust me . The most important thing is to do what feels right. If it does not work, try something else. Chances are your mind will let you LD when it is ready. That is what I am holding out for anyway .

[DeepThort]

Also, the binaural beats are not effective for everyone. In many cases they are an excellent way to control sleeping patterns and cycles but in many cases they can also hinder sleep or prevent it. Some brains will reject the external inducement of brain wave frequency and not sleep at all. You have to try it to really know.

[BCR]

Thanks a ton for all the help. I think I'll just spend some time just doing journal entries before I do more induction. I also need to learn to force my self to do reality checks throughout the day. How often do you do them and what are your favorites? Thanks

[BCR]

As for drifting into dreams when WILDing its exactly what you want. Let the dreamscape build itself around you but make sure you remember to stay aware. Don't continue counting if it waking you back up. Thats the only problem for me though, when I start drifting into these i think i'm loosing control. However I dont realy know because I havent fully tried to let it happen. Thanks

[DeepThort]

Do reality checks as often as is practical (without looking like a fool) as you must make them a habit so entrenched that you perform them without thinking in your dreams.