My attempt to LD and what i did wrong.

Hello there, I'm 15 and I've only just recently known about lucid dreaming, about 6 days, and I've been really fascinated by it.

I'm not entirely sure which forum this goes in, but i figured i'd put it in here since i'm a newbie xD

I have been trying to learn as much as i can about it, finding tons of guides and learning the sciences about it and how to actually do it. I have alot of dedication to trying to do it and i'm really excited about it.

Last night, I tried my second attempt to WILD, which i've been trying to do since i've been having a bit of trouble with other techniques, like crazy stuff will happen in dreams and i don't give a care in the world, and i have trouble remembering.

So as of this post, i tried to WILD around 4 hours ago, and I'm going to try to recite everything i did and then i'll go over a few questions and troubles i have.

Watch out, here comes a giant wall of text:

So yesterday, i was studying about lucid dreams for about an hour, and then got pretty tired at 10:00. I set my alarm for about 3:00 and spent a little bit of time reading a printout of the giant LD FAQ, and other stuff such as the stop, drop, and roll technique. Afterward, i create a mental picture of what i want to do and creating a world from the 1st person that i'd hopefully dream into. At 3:00, i wake up and instinctively hit the snooze to stop my alarm clock, and all of my focus is on remembering the dream i had that i could hopefully right down in my DJ. I don't remember anything however and get alittle annoyed, but i still have the dedication to try to WILD. I know its a hard process from what i read, and i haven't really had any experience with actually going through with it, so i'm not entirely sure when i'm feeling certain things or if i'm progressing or not. I could be completely wrong on everything i'm doing. So after waking up and not remembering my dream, i stay up for about 30 minutes, using the restroom, getting a bottle of water, doing a few math problems, etc. I decide to try to attempt the WILD now, I lay on my back with my arms against my side, and my feet straight out, but not touching. I lay completely still, not moving my eyes, and focusing on breathing. At around 10-20 minutes in, i get a fuzzy feeling that slowly covers my whole body. Its a tiny bit harder to move, not too much, but to the point where its noticeable. I then have to sneeze, and the fuzzy feeling goes away and i'm back where i started. I repeat the process, feeling fuzzy again (Note: I don't hear any wierd sounds or images) and i'm waiting for the "roll over" command your body sends you. I never get it, or it slipped past my mind somehow, but i'm not entirely sure. After about an hour of just laying there still, I get a wierd feeling starting at my feet that feels like i can't really move it anymore. Its not exactly heavy like the led blanket everyone they says it feels like when you hit sleep paralysis, so i'm a little confused, but abit excited hoping its SP. It goes away after about 5-10 seconds and doesn't move up past my feet, leaving me a little disappointed. I decide that i want to try a different position then laying on your back, so i try on my side which i find more confortable, but it takes a tiny bit longer to get the fuzzy feeling. Eventually, the wierd feeling hits my feet again, but goes away again. So after about 2 hours in, i just decide to sleep normally and fall asleep in the sideways position. I wake up about an hour later and instantly try to remember my dream, but i still don't remember.

So thats my attempt, and heres a few questions and concerns i have:

• What exactly is partial sleep paralysis? Is it the fuzzy feeling i get? I feel like its a tiny bit harder to move, so i'm not sure if it is partial SP or if its something completely different.

• While laying on my back, spit slides through the back of my throat and gets extremely annoying, losing my concentration and the fuzzy feeling when i have to swallow. It doesn't happen when i'm on my side as much tho. Do i need more water, or how could i fix this?

• I never get the "Roll command" and i'm not entirely sure what it feels like. How long in is it until it happens?

- I've read about the stop drop and roll technique to make your body enter SP faster, but i'm not entirely sure about it. When it talks about putting your hands about your head, does it mean litterally over your head? Also once i drop them, i don't feel any different then if i just lie down there. Also, when it says to "roll over" and enter SP, i don't understand what rolling over is. Is it rolling onto your back?

• When i finally hit SP if i ever, How do i transition into LD? Do i just create a picture in my head?

• I get the feeling of my feet getting a tiny bit heavy, but it goes away real fast, and i'm not sure if it is SP or not and how to stop it from going away instantly.

• When i DILD (I think), I never become lucid, even after being used to doing constant reality checks. Insane things will happen like people flying, teleporting, and all kinds of stuff like that and i still don't become lucid. Also i never remember half the dreams that happen, even if i think about them instantly as i wake up and focus all of my attention on it.

• I have trouble breathing as much when i'm on my back. Is this normal or is this a major problem?

• My heartbeat is really fast. I'm very tired and i relax for a bit and get it down, but as soon as i try again, my heartbeat explodes again.

• Can only a limited number of people LD? I know there's only a partial amount who can naturally do it, but can everyone learn how to with time?


Thanks for reading so far. I'm pretty sure i did alot of things wrong, and if you could point them out, that would be great. Also, how long did it take you to learn to LD? I'm pretty new to Lucid Dreaming, so any help is really appreciated :D

First of all, very good job, you really show dedication!

Sleep paralysis is felt different depending on the person. For example, I rarely hear any random sounds/images, it's mostly about vibrations. Since you're going through different stages of sleep while performing WILD, it's likely that you experience heartbeat changes, breath changes, a long with some physical sensations. Sleep paralysis is gradual, but only fully noticeable at a later stage. I'tell you what you seem to be doing wrong:

- Never wait for SP. just makes you anxious and naturally you can't fall asleep. Just focus on relaxing, like you were trying to compete with the world's most relaxed body rank.
- Roll command may not work for everyone. If you're in a comfortable position and you're fine at the moment, don't bother rolling. My wilds were actually moving for some minutes until I finally found a good position, then I just went to sleep trying to be awaken. As you can see, all I wanted was to go to sleep, so I relaxed, with the difference of keeping myself aware of my purpose.
- Spit and itches may be a obstacle, but if you really practice, at some point you won't slip your mind to those. Just focus on relaxing and relaxing. If you really need to swallow for example, try to do it in a way that you barely have to think about it.
- When you hit full SP, you'll know. Either strong vibrations/hallucinations/physical sensations, you will experience something you can identify as unusual :)
- Choose a position where you feel comfortable, meaning if you feel uncomfortable due breath, just try to lay up, many people refer this is the best way to reach SP
- About heartbeat, whenever it speeds up, focus on breathing and it will eventually slow down.
- Try to read this. It should give you more hints about why you failed the WILD

About DILD: it doesn't work right away. Your brain takes some time (depends on the person) to take used to be aware and to awake you in a dream. Some people go for months before having their first LD, others have one in the first night and none in the remaining week. It all depends.
Your problem seems to be mostly about patience. It may take a few time to finally get the hang of a technique, and longer to get frequente lucid dreaming. But eventually, you will reach it, no matter what technique you're using, because steady practice makes your brain receive a message that you want to get lucid. At some point, the will is so strong that you will start having lucid dreams. MILD is a great technique for this philosophy ;)

Feel free to pm or post any more questions, the more clarified and confident you feel, the higher the chances that you actually gonna have a lucid dream! :)

Wow - ok you weren't kidding about the wall of text, ill do my best to answer your questions.
Also, welcome to DV :welcome: hehe.

Partial sleep paralysis is the early onset of sleep paralysis, you may feel it in certain areas of your body, or all over but with a weaker sensation than full. I wouldn't worry too much about partial sleep paralysis as its not what your going for, but its good that you started to note different sensations in your body. THIS IS NOT A FAILURE it is a step in the right direction!

I get this too, try not to focus on the swallow reflex too much (i know its easier said than done) also maybe re-arrange your pillows so that your head is slightly lifted, this will allow your saliva to drain naturally and may stop the need to swallow so often, allowing you to continue into SP un-hindered!

Hmm, are you SURE you never get the roll command? I mean, after all you did roll over, right? :P. You'll find that it isn't always direct, sometimes its just a subtle feeling that your uncomfortable in this position and to move to get more comfortable. it can build up slowly and sometimes you get the urge to move so bad its actually really hard to fight it.

This is where i am stuck too, the transition, all the advice i can give to you is try not to focus too hard on entering a dream, its not something that you want to force into happening, you just want to let it happen, continue being passive and be patient.

When you get this feeling in your feet, try not to think about it, in fact you dont want to put much attention to your physical body at all. Sometimes when you start to feel the onset of SP you can get a lil excited about it and your mind goes all over the place with thoughts of lucidity or just general OMG IM DOING IT!!! Don't get excited, stay as calm as possible and just wait for HH.

Hey, with DILDs, this happens to us all, don't get frustrated, last night i actually dreamt that we were bribing a teacher to let us use his classroom by telling him we will teach him how to lucid dream, didnt become lucid..... Sometimes things slip past us, dont let it get to you man, it even happens to the pro's.
Make sure when you RC, you really are sceptical about your surroundings, REALLY try to question whether its reality or a dream and dont just pass it off as your awake until you PROVE to yourself that you are.

I dno about the breathing if i'm honest, i dont have any problems with this.

I think i read somewhere about your heartbeat getting faster as you enter SP, its just natural, you'll also find you get a rush of adrenaline, same advice as before, just keep calm and try to ignore it.

I think with enough dedication anybody can LD. You just need to go through the reasons why you want it so badly and get motivated, remember you are starting off new habits and a new way of thinking here, its not going to be easy at first but you will get there eventually.

All in all your not doing anything specifically wrong, every attempt you make is a success, if a small one. Your getting closer with each try and sooner or later you will get there.

I hope this helps man, and as punishment for making me read that wall of text....
:evil: <----- You get that smiley :cheeky:

Good luck on future attempts!!!

Thanks, i really appreciate the response :)

It really helps me out and i'll take it in mind.

I don't have any more questions yet, but i'll probably have some more in future attempts.

EDIT: Nito posted right as i posted this xD

About the roll over command, It wasn't as much as an urge to roll over, but more i was frustrated and wanted to try a new position. However, it might have been it and i wasn't paying attention xD

Thanks again for the responses, at other places people will just give me about a sentence or w/e. These posts help me out alot :D

Your description sounds a lot like my first attempt at a WILD... However I didn't wake up in the middle of the night :P
I tried a MILD the next night when I went to bed though, and it worked... also, I tried WILD again while being a lot more relaxed and that worked as well.
Just be careful!!!! When you actually find yourself in a dream, do your best to stabilize it. My dreams lasted about a minute or less.
Just keep in mind that you need a perfect balance of awareness and relaxation to do a perfect WILD. That is, mostly relaxation, but just enough awareness that you don't drift off.
Good luck! :D