Hi everyone, my name is Howard. I have been having lucid dreams since I was about 17-18, I will be 40 in November. I think lucidity is all to do with determination and persistence, oh and a healthy interest in your dreams. My first lucid dream was triggered by sheer determination. I was about 17 and hanging around with a bit of a bad crowed. We were doing the usual, as a lot of teenagers do, experimenting with drugs. We did most stuff from Cannabis to LSD, Speed, Extacy nothing more serious, but I never went down the road of Heroin or injecting. All this made me mentally ill and as a result I've done my fair share of mental hospitals, been out of hospital now since 2000, praise be! But back to the point. As you can imagine all those drugs made me paranoid and I was convinced all my mates were having lucid dreams and meeting up in the dream world. In my paranoia I thought I was the odd one out because I couldn't do it and join them. So I was determined to do it. So I did. I've been able to do it ever since. I can't do it at will, but from time to time I will become lucid. For a long time I was content with humping dream characters then I got a bit disillusioned with it. Lately though I think I have become more lucid. I had a dream character acknowledge that I was the dreamer and knew we were in a dream. As I understand this is an indication of a deeper lucid state. Which has in turn renewed my interest and inspired me to learn more about it and try to gain more of a mastery of it. I suppose my ultimate aim is to be able to have out of body experiences. Even to just make some new like minded friends in the process would be nice! That's my intro anyway. Oh, as a bit of a seasoned lucid dreamer I'm happy to give advice to anyone starting out. I think due to my unorthodox start to lucid dreaming I might be able to help beginners mybe come to it from a different angle (I'm not sugesting enyone dose drugs!) but ultimately it is whatever works for you. I look forward to chatting and expanding my consciousness with you all. Be well and sweet dreams everyone!