An open mind.

Hello all! My name is Amanda.
I have been interested in lucid dreaming for a while now. Ive done it in the past without trying.
I find the dreams I remember to be VERY intense. It appears that I can smell, and feel in dreams, although it is very limited. It makes my dreams very realistic.
I lost my best friend (Ruckus, a shetland sheepdog) a few years back and he came to me in my dream world. We would have a great time. I didnt know I was dreaming while this was happening. I would chose to do things with him such as play ball, or take him to the creek. I could feel his fur when I pet him. I could smell wet dog... Amazing.
I can recall these dreams very well and usually have them any night Id like.
I am hoping to learn how to start having control of my dreams and a wider choice of other dreams to have that IS in my control (does that make since?)
While I am in dream world I seem to have a hard time realizing I am dreaming, as I am sure is normal. Hoping to get over this hurdle.

I am very glad to be here. Excited to get to know you guys, and I plan on sticking around a very very long time.
My goal is to recall most of my dreams, to realize I am dreaming, and to be able to control my dream and create dream worlds to explore.

Hey Amanda! Welcome to the DV!!

You have an amazing dream recall, which is a good start. How many times has Ruckus come into your dreams? Because he could become a really good dreamsign!!! Those goals are very good. Almost everyone here has similar, if not the same, goals. You may want to make some short-term goals too, like "have 1st lucid dream" and "learn to change dream scene"! I'm fairly new here as well (I've only been here for about a week, but I'm having a great time!). Be sure to check out the lucid dreaming tutorials on this website, and start your very own dream journal!!! We would all love to hear about your adventures!

Welcome to DV, Amanda! It's good to have you with us. Since your dream recall is already quite good, a good place to start would be to look for dream signs. Keep in mind that your dream signs can change over time, but it helps to discover what is repeated in your current or recent dreams to be able to watch out for that. Are you already doing reality checks? If so, which ones do you like?

Hello and welcome! It seems you have good vivid dreams, and you have a good idea of how your own mind works, so hopefully Lucid Dreaming won't be too hard for you to grasp. A lot of it is about experimentation and finding exactly what works best for you. Good luck, and we'll be around the forums to answer any questions you may have, you'll find we're a helpful bunch :cheeky:

squilltwin , Ruckus visits a few times a week. I've not thought of using him as a dream sign, but that is the perfect idea. - Ive kept a dream journal off and on for about a year now, but just have now started writing in it for every dream i remember. I found that I can do them on here, Thats awesome and handy! I am curious to read other's journals here.
Ive not done reality check yet. Will doing this during the day help me do them in my sleep?
My issue currently is realizing I am dreaming while I am there...
Once in a dream I did ask myself if I was dreaming- my answer to myself was of course not. lol

Totally using Ruckus as a dream sign, I hope. Thanks for the idea!

I am going to come up with a reality check that works for me, I am sure there are many threads and tips here!

Doing reality checks during the day may lead to your doing them during sleep, however, if done right reality checks in general increase your awareness level both while waking and dreaming and make it more likely that you will become lucid in a dream. What do I mean by "if done right"? A reality check will most likely be effective only if you seriously question reality and seriously consider the option that you might be dreaming. If reality checks are performed automatically without much thought, they are more likely to be useless. Even if you really think that you are awake, try to never tell yourself that this is of course not a dream because that just reinforces the thinking like that, and then you will be even more likely to think that even if you were to perform a reality check during an actual dream.

That said, there are always exceptions to rules: I remember years ago going into a kitchen and thinking something like "well, I know I am awake, but might as well reality check" and despite this thinking which could have prevented the success of the reality check because my expectation was that it would not show a dream (and in dreams expectations usually lead to things happening as expected), so it would have served me right if that reality check had incorrectly shown that I was awake, but I got lucky, and it showed that I was dreaming - I was shocked! The resulting lucid dream was one of my most memorable ones, one of the few I still remember twenty years later.

However, I would recommend on not pushing one's luck as I did, and to not start a reality check expecting it to show awake state.

Wow thank you! I did not think of that, but yes makes great sense.
I am currently researching to see what reality check I may use.

I think I got it!
I am hoping to use my tattoo on my hand and an RC.
I have a set of 3 stars that are unique. I dont see how it could look the same in my dreamworld.

Thank you all for such a warm, helpful welcome.