Thread: My first ever attempt (WILD)

Okay, so I went to bed, I was pretty tired. I got comfortable and closed my eyes. I didn't need to wait long, after ~3 minutes I felt little paralysis in all limbs. After 5 minutes I felt completely paralysed, I could have said I don't have legs If didn't know I have. I thought this would be easy! I've never felt anything like that before, I must be heading the right way, right? But then another five minutes passed, I'm paralysed, yet conscious, however - nothings happening before my eyeballs! Then I thought that if first REM starts in 1.5 hours do I have to be awake and wait it out? I didn't have patience for that. Also, I was being distracted by little noises while I was still conscious and couldn't focus. Then I broke my paralyses, stood up, picked a scarf and wrapped it around my ears and eyes. I gone back to bed, again, I got paralysed in ~3 minutes and I'm still awake and conscious yet can't see a thing of a dream world! I decided to simply fall asleep.

I woke up after having a dream. Now I don't remember it in detail because I didn't write it down (didn't feel like it at the moment, I thought I would do it in morning but forgot the dream(I barely ever remember my dreams)). I realized one thing - I failed to do a reality check. I had no doubt in my mind that my dream was real. The funny thing is that I tried to get used to RC's yesterday (the first time I've heard about LD) I did them in real life! (I just stepped from PC to turn lights on/off) And I couldn't pull one of in the dream! Anyway, I fell asleep again and woke up again, still no RC's! I was going to sleep with intention I will have a lucid dream. Anyway, in the morning I wrote the last dream I remember with all the details in my notepad. The biggest problem with my last dream was that its start was 95+% authentic. I was just working with PC in my faculty. Then everything somewhat logically transmitted into us with brother going to street race and wrecking stuff (something like NFS:MW). Again, I haven't done any reality checks nor I realized its a dream!

So, the main question from me: How can I force myself to make a reality check in a dream?
Another question: How much more I have to stay conscious after being paralysed in WILD?
One more: Do I have to write every dream down or only a part of all dreams so my memory would store them for good?

Question 1; I don't believe you force yourself too. Regular practice of RC during the day carries the habit into your dreaming mind. Patience is key.
Question 2; It differs from person to person, don't focus too much on explicit conciousness. You must be asleep to dream. Think of it more as keeping a part of your mind alert while the most of it falls asleep. Read about 'anchors.'
Question 3; Write down as much as you feel you need to. I try to write as much as i can because I haven't the best memory. You know yourself better than anyone, decide how much you need to remember what a dream feels like. Look for recurring images, people, scenery etc.

Hi and welcome to DV!

What happened to you when you were attempting a WILD was completely normal. You don't go into REM when you fall asleep during the night, that's why you should only attempt WILD's during a nap or during a WBTB several hours into sleep.

Doing RC's in a dream is not something you just start doing because you start trying. Questioning your reality whenever you experience something out of the ordinary has to become a habit. With strong intentions though it can happen, but if you don't question things in waking life, then you won't see any meaning to do it in the dream. It'll come in time if you keep on practicing.

If you try to WILD during a WBTB you'll probably end up in a dream soon after hitting SP. Once in SP you'll start hallucinating most likely. Just be a passive observer until whatever you're seeing is solid enough to be an actual dream. Then interact with that dream and activate your senses. Or you can induce one by imagining a certain scenario.

What you do when you write down keywords is to activate your memory of that dream. The more details you try to remember the better your recall gets. Aslong as you try to remember them in the morning your recall will get better. However you want to do that is up to you, but writing down keywords is the best way to go at it because it doesn't take much time.

Thanks for the tips, they are great! This night I will try to WILD first time I wake up after first dream and see what happens.