Thread: I Just Can't Do It!

I think you do need a good nights sleep. Maybe you should just try relaxing for a few nights and nt thinking about it. Have you got a good dream recall yet?

Yeah I'd like to know more about what techniques you have tried specifically. What your recall is like, if you have a dream journal/do reality checks etc, what induction methods you have tried, how far you have gotten...etc.

There are alot of variables that need to be addressed and you havent really given enough information or anything to help you properly.

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum.

paco_hojaverde

This is my advice,
When you dream remember it. Have a strong intention. A strong belief that you can do it.
Keep this consistent and do RC's atleast 15 times a day. Wake up early, as you fall asleep have the intention to lucid dream. Think about it all the time. It is only a matter of time.

Techniques, huh? Well, I've used both the WILD and MILD induction methods. MILD works best for me because my dream recall is just better than my concentration skills.

I do have a dream jounal - a very precise jounal to be exact. If you'd like to see a fresh copy, let me know. I've been falling behind in my writings though. WAY behind.

My dream recall isn't that bad, as long as I write it down immediately when I wake up. If I start thinking about other things, most of the dream will fade away into forgetfulness.

Reality checks...I've done only a few of those before. The RC methods I use are 1) checking the time first, quickly looking away, and checking the time again, 2) actively trying to change my environment with will power alone, and 3) searching for obviously out of place objects around me (e.g., a flying dog).

I haven't gotten very far. In fact, I've only experienced 1 semi-lucid dream state, and that was last night (following extreme mental preperation). It lasted a good 10 minutes and I was fighting for control for about 3. And who said that dreams don't hurt? I got my ass handed to me on a silver platter by some random dream wizard. I'm serious, he shot a bolt of lightning at me and I tried to block it but MAN!! It hurt.

Is this enough information to help you in helping me? I notice that my main problem areas are concentration, dream signs, and staying lucid. After all, if I can't notice a wizard shooting a lightning bolt at me as WEIRD, then what's going to let me know I'm dreaming?

Aquanina, you seem familiar. Do you talk on the American Mcgee forums?

have you tried a nova dreamer or anything like that yet?

I saw that you have bought books so I wouldn’t think you’d have a problem dropping a thousand dollars for it

No, I haven't. Actually - what I DID do was get a friend over to detect my REM cycles. He would then manually flash a light or play a sound file when he thought I was dreaming. Something that we both devised as an alternative means to the Nova Dreamer.

I'm not going to spend $600 or more on something I'll use only once or twice.

I think I need to take up meditation. My mind is just far too cluttered. My problem with this whole situation is I've been trying to lucid dream for more than 3 months. I'm running out of options. I'm hoping that meditation will clear my mind enough to realize that wizards shooting lightning at my FACE is NOT normal.

I can see you've had much experience in lucid dreaming, Santa ( ). Could you explain a typical night of lucid sleep from the beginning for me? Spare no details...

First off, i have only had one lucid dream and this was before i came here... Since i have been here i havent. Though i am also being very patient, what i am trying to do is small steps to being lucid... And just like you i had a "semi-lucid" dream, which was ruined simply because i was too excited and woke up. I would say be patient but sometimes thats hard? I don't know if i skipped over it but how long have you been attempting lucid dreaming? For me its been about 3 months really and i still have nothing, but i don't let that discourage me... I don't really want to use any software like brainwave generator or anything else really... I'm not saying these methods don't work i just feel if i don't use them, I will have more confidence? Some people may find this strange... I just believe i can do without it... I tried these things at first but i feel these methods will drive me insane if i don't get an LD. For the most part my dreams are very vivid... its just i don't become lucid. I don't do many reality checks during the day, so that may help me... Some things i usually do before going to bed, is coming here on dream views and reading different topics... I also just try to concentrate on dreaming topics... because it gets kinda boring to repeat in your mind "I will lucid dream, i will lucid dream, and so on..." Be patient and chin up! :-)


Hopefully this helped you in some way... Probably not... But maybe encouragement?
:-D

while i can't do it either, i am trying and i think some times things come easy to people, and so for the people like me i think it'll just take some more doin than other people, so i think you should just keep a dream journal, and work on habitual reality checks...am i right? beleive i don't know because i haven't LDed either

Paco, I believe in you. Simply that, nothing more. I know you can do it.

Wow, the Brainwave Generator. I used that a LONG time ago. I even did my research and made the correct frequencies (Theta, I believe). What a waste of time that was!

Although, I never thought of making it a point to review these forums before sleep. Actually, your theory of repetitive cerebration just might work. I think I'll give it a try - thanks Logik!

I know these forums probably cover this question elsewhere - but, could any of you give me proven methods to staying lucid? Also, for those that are well versed in the art of lucidity, do you have working tips for the MILD induction method?

Thanks Seeker. I won't stop until I've succeeded!

Originally posted by paco_hojaverde

....I haven't gotten very far. In fact, I've only experienced 1 semi-lucid dream state, and that was last night (following extreme mental preperation). It lasted a good 10 minutes and I was fighting for control for about 3. And who said that dreams don't hurt? I got my ass handed to me on a silver platter by some random dream wizard. I'm serious, he shot a bolt of lightning at me and I tried to block it but MAN!! It hurt.

Is this enough information to help you in helping me? I notice that my main problem areas are concentration, dream signs, and staying lucid. After all, if I can't notice a wizard shooting a lightning bolt at me as WEIRD, then what's going to let me know I'm dreaming?

You are a perfect example of how people get their priorities mixed up. You have put so much attention into the Realm of Dreams that the Old Man Archetypes (such as are your Wizards) take notice of you, and you consider it some failure because you were not able to explode the dream apart with some mis-applied Lucidity.

yes, this is a Page dedicated to Lucid Dreaming, however, people should realize that in the overall scheme of things, an ordinary, silly and ultimately futile Lucid Dream is worth far less than an Important but non-Lucid Dream.

Well, let's examine your dream. Hmmmmm. typically the Wise Old Man Archetype finds more congenial means of offering his advice than by blasting one with lightening bolts, but then again, my first few encounters in the first Higher Planes was met with Aggression. The Angels at the Lowest Levels of Heaven are perhaps fond of 'hazing' the new arrivals. They show you the power you will now be dealing with by giving you a taste of it. I should think they mean no lasting harm. If you were an actual enemy, then you would not have been Ethereal enough to even be within their reach, so it must have been that they allowed your rise, so they could give you that good zap.

We may even be optimistic. Do you feel any residual effects of your Zap. It may well have been an initiation into the Light -- a rough way to open up a Chakra, but there is some theoretical reasons why we might suspect an energy transfer, afterall, lightening is Energy and Light, is it not.

But if you insist in being Lucid, then try being a bit more corporeal in your Suggestions. What has seemed to work for some is to slap the heck out of your left arm when you awake without having become Lucid, or if any particular Dream Plan has fallen short. Tell your Higher Mind that Pain will be the inevitable result of any failure or shortfall. Compared to a little bit of wincing pain, all other forms of mental suggestion come across like little baby sisters. Try it.

No, I don't believe the wizard had any meaning. I simply lost control of the situation and my mind turned to the next page. I tell myself that when I master my lucidity, I will manifest a being of great power - one that will present a creative challenge in both staying lucid and shaping the dream itself. A wizard just happens to be the recourse of my vivid imagination. If I'm truly ready, I'll be able to block the bolt, and like any game of alternating chance, it will then be my turn. Apparently, my mind can't multi-task.. Thusly, I opened my eyes and the dream was over.

There were many other parts to this dream that had nothing to do with the wizard. In fact, a lot of it played like a movie or a video game in a 3rd person's perspective.

Non-lucid dreaming is fun to diagnose, but I'm here to lucid dream. I've been asleep for too long and I want to claim what's mine: time.

I'm not sure if this is considered residual, but after I tried blocking the bolt, a lingering burning sensation resided in the palm of my hand - even after I woke up!

I really don't think I should be punishing myself for not being able to lucid dream. I don't want to be 45 years old and have a patch of skin on my arm that doesn't grow hair.

Originally posted by paco_hojaverde
No, I don't believe the wizard had any meaning. I simply lost control of the situation and my mind turned to the next page. I tell myself that when I master my lucidity, I will manifest a being of great power - one that will present a creative challenge in both staying lucid and shaping the dream itself. A wizard just happens to be the recourse of my vivid imagination. .

OKAY, have it your way... you're dreams are totally meaningless and have no relationship to anything that is either real or significant. Let me know when you change your mind.

Look, I don't believe in gods and goddesses. I believe in human potential. If you think the wizard has meaning, I'd be more than happy to hear what you have to say.

Originally posted by paco_hojaverde
Look, I don't believe in gods and goddesses. I believe in human potential. If you think the wizard has meaning, I'd be more than happy to hear what you have to say.

Before I could not understand why the Wise Old Man Archetype blasted you. It didn't take long before you put all of that quite into perspective. You come into the spiritual world as a disdainful invader and barbarian. I quite agree with the Old Man and would not see it as to great of a waste to commit whatever resources it would take to proportionately vindicate against this contempt of yours.

So are you happy?

Leo, are you trying to say that the whole afterlife theory of there being different levels of planes applies to lucid dreaming as well? I'd highly doubt it but I do have some stuff I want to rid myself of.

Originally posted by TheUnknown
Leo, are you trying to say that the whole afterlife theory of there being different levels of planes applies to lucid dreaming as well?

It is not a belief system. it is what I have observed, and I am not so very original either. Carl Jung made a big point of Dreams occurring at various levels. And anybody who has ever shared a dream with somebody else knows that dreams are objective phenomena.

Haha...I think if the old man wants war, I'll have to learn that neat little lightning bolt trick of his. Fighting myself would never be more fun! I'll show him barbarian...

Thanks Leo. I have no clue on what you said, but I think I know what to do now.

Originally posted by paco_hojaverde
Haha...I think if the old man wants war, I'll have to learn that neat little lightning bolt trick of his. Fighting myself would never be more fun! I'll show him barbarian...

Thanks Leo. I have no clue on what you said, but I think I know what to do now.

I had a friend who was also a High Initiate of a certain form of Yoga, but he was rather naive about the world. He would associate with anybody. He was soon drawn into a company of people who had connections to a Witches Coven. It seemed they thought it would be amusing to rob him of his Power. I warned my friend, but he said, "Leo, what could I possibly have to worry about." Over the next 15 years, one at a time, each of these members of the Witches Coven died of some form of disease, mostly brain cancers. My friend never suspected a thing, and even cried at some of their funerals.

But he had been right. HE had nothing to worry about.

I almost joined a Pagan coven once. Part of the initiation was to cross a river, carrying all our supplies over my back. It was a cold river that day. The wind was still and something told me to turn back. I got in the river and started to swim out further and further. The bag slipped out of my hands and I soon found myself cascading down one of nature's most powerful allies. I had a choice to make: either swim to safety or swim after the bag. I choose to swim for the bag. Although, it almost seems like that river wouldn't let me. I was fighting against the currents until my arms grew tired. Then, another set of choices presented themselves as a friend of mine fell in, and she floated amongst the river: do I swim to safety, swim for the bag, or swim for my friend? I swam against the current again that day. Only this time, I rescued her and I swam us both to the other side of the raging river. The bag was lost. That was the last time I saw any of them.

It takes only 1 person to decide what's right and what's wrong; as it may affect many more people, such is the domino effect, it doesn't take away from that fact. I choose to NOT believe in any one or many deity(s). Not because I don't believe rather, because I don't see. And I refuse to search for something with as big an egotistical mindset as a godhead. If any 1 religion can affect your chances of getting into the proverbial Heaven, then why fumble around trying to prove and disprove such religions? I prefer to stay neutral. It's as simple as that.

When contrasted against lucid dreaming, I believe that being in such a neutral-religious state won't affect its induction nor its quality. I can't say whether or not, for sure, that this wizard or archetype we speak of is my personal manifestation or a spiritual being. But I can GUARANTEE you that I won't tolerate such a vulgar display of power in my own dream state. So, I'll keep fighting until I'm strong enough to win or I'll wait for a message from this archetype of yours. Whatever the case, it's just another obstacle towards attaining true lucidity - or true failure, as it were.

Ok, I think I figured something out. The position in which you sleep, that affects particular mobility, also affects the dream state. For instance, I chose to sleep on my left side last night and in the dream state (non lucid) my left hook was too slow. It may have been coincidence, but interesting nonetheless.

As for the wizard - I reconfronted him. He was pissed off because I actively sought him out to finish the fight. Only this time, he called for help. Wow, it got weird then: do you know who his help was? All the character classes from Diablo 2 : Lord of Destruction! The wizard shot one of his fancy little lightning bolts at me but I dodged it this time. The last thing I remember was the old man, the Diablo 2 characters, and I all had a good laugh. I wish I could've finished the dream but it was non-lucid so I had no choice.

You know what this means? It means I play too much Diablo 2 : LoD, that's what it means. This dream just gives me more of a reason to become lucid. If I had been lucid, I could've finished that AWESOME, yet inherently weird, dream of mine.

Hey Paco,

This wizard is such an obvious dream-sign for you that I bet it's just a matter of time before you finally see him and realize "hey! I'm in a dream!!". You just need to make the association between wizard and dream stronger in waking life.

You're seeing him too much as a game character right now. What you need to do is have him become your red flag for being in a dream. Pound the following thought (or similar thought) into your head as much as possible until it carries over into your dream: "Wizard = Dream, Wizard = Dream, Wizard = dream.....".

CAUTION: Others on this site, including myself, have noticed that once you identify a dream-sign in a dream, it will no longer appear as often as it used too. So, if you really like having it out with this guy - forget the above advice.

I've also read that stress, anxiety, depression, etc can effect your ability to become lucid. I'm going through a dry period myself and am considering taking a week off of trying to LD. Hopefuly it will help me relax. Trying hard is, ironically, the worst thing you can do. This is also advice that I've seen quite a bit on the boards here.

Good Luck, man!

Originally posted by paco_hojaverde
I can see you've had much experience in lucid dreaming, Santa ( ). Could you explain a typical night of lucid sleep from the beginning for me? Spare no details...

what do you mean by this? like what I do before bed and everything? or what sets me into lucidity?

also it might be important to mention that all my DILDs have occurred after failed WILDs in the morning, as a matter of fact I had one from this just this morning, it started from allot of preparation last night and then even more this morning, also once you have a pretty good amount of LDs you sometimes just know when your dreaming, (don’t ask me to explain because I cant)

also it seems to me like you have excellent recall, so I’m sure you will have a LD soon

Actually Santa, I'd like to know what sets you into lucidity. Perhaps if I mimic your procedures, the induction process will speed itself up.

Like I said, I have a BIG problem in realizing foolishness in a dream. If I can just figure out what's real and what's not, I'm in.

I took a short nap today; around 2 hours. Amazingly, I managed to gain some foothold. Its success was based primarily on two mindsets: 1) I'm in my room and 2) I'm taking a nap. I tell myself that if any of those two facts changes, I'll realize that I'm dreaming. It worked. I was lucid for about 10 seconds, but I couldn't stay in such a state.

It seems that the more we talk about this, the further I get. I'm so close, I can taste it.