Hello.

I have been a lucid dreamer from a young age (6 or so). I am entirely self-taught and have had some very interesting experiences.

However, now I am 19 and I fear I am very rapidly losing the ability to dream lucidly. I have read a lot of the topics posted on how to get started, but I'd really appreciate some slightly more specific advice on how I might focus on getting back my abilities, or at the least, prevent them slipping any further.

I recognise that this might be an effect of my age and that there may be nothing I can do about it.

When dreaming lucidly, I often have to power to "shapeshift", or switch between various forms at will. My favourite and one of my most common incarnations is a grey dragon. Other forms I have adopted include foxes, wolves, dogs and cats (both domestic and sentient, bipedal types of cat). While in these forms I am still "myself", but I tend to be much more inclined towards evil, aggression and frustration.

I've also been "someone else" in my dreams, though more rarely. These tend to be kindred spirits, but I recognise them as not being "me". Quite often these people are male (I'm female).

I also frequently have a third-person like ability, which I can usually drop in and out of at will.

When human, I can almost always glide to variable effect. I very much love flying, but I am traditionally pretty inept at it. I can usually control the wind and weather if I so desire.

I'm usually being persecuted in my dreams. Alternatively, there is usually a paternal or headmaster figure (often a dragon) who is trying to curb my aggressiveness and evil tendencies. This may be because dreams and inspiration come easiest to me when I am in somewhat stressful and frustrating circumstances.

I've had a lot of pleasure from lucid dreaming and I will be left heartbroken if I lose the ability. So any help will be much appreciated.

If I make no other contribution, here's one of the messages a "moral guide" in a dream once gave me.
"Winking at crows in the dark won't scare them."