Why Reality Checks?

In my humble opinion, the very idea of actually conducting a reality check is redundant. If you're wondering if it's a dream, I'd say it is. We don't wonder that in real life. (except maybe the lucky few who win the lottery) If I started doing reality checks during the day when I was walking around awake, I'd be very concerned about my state of mental health. So therefore, I say, at least with me, if I ever suddenly think, "I wonder if this is a dream?" It probably is. Of course, my mind was very kind to me the other night. As soon as I wondered, It very obligingly produced something utterly ridiculous- blindfolded cartoon penguins waddling around my bedroom- to answer my question immediately. I was talking to my brother about the reality checks, and he says, "So you go, I wonder if this is a dream? you decide to try switching on the light but the bulb's blown, and you go, Woo Hoo! I'm dreaming! then you walk straight up to dad and punch him in the face to see what that feels like?" Of course when I heard it put that way it occurred to me that I would never need a reality check when it was actually reality.

the point is to get in the habit of ACTUALLY considering whether or not you're dreaming...the reality check itself, like you say, is in a lot of cases secondary. however, most people (myself included) will very happily and easily accept even the most obvious and ridiculous things in dreams. getting in the habit of doing reality checks carries over to your dreams and allows you to actually NOTICE the blatant dreamsigns.

Exactly, you say that whenever you doubt reality, that means you're in a dream, but that doesn't mean that every time you dream you question reality does it? That's where RCs come in. If you make a habit of doing and RC every time you see a certain thing/person, then you will have a good chance of doing so in your dreams as well, which, in turn, will make you realize that you're dreaming. :)

There is absolutely no question that Reality Checks are invaluable. Time and time again they have been one of the most successful methods for producing Lucid Dreams. HOWEVER, they are not the only technique and they are not for everyone. It’s kind of like religion; you’ve got to find the one that works for you.

If you look at the mechanics of doing RCs, it’s to get you in the habit of questioning reality; then testing that reality to see which one it is. Some people need to do the test, and even that doesn’t work all the time. But there are those of us who don’t need to test reality. All it takes is the questioning of reality and the answer is obvious without any further verification. Personally, I can’t even imagine doing a Reality Check to determine which reality I am in.

The more fundamental purpose of Reality Checks is to develop a new level of awareness of you own universe. But that can also be accomplished in other ways: by simply intending it, or by Lucid Living (shameless self-promotion). Techniques like MILD are ways of intending to become aware and these do not also require Reality Checks.

I don’t mean to discourage anyone from doing Reality Checks. They are extremely effective and some of the best LDers on this board do them. But ultimately everyone needs to determine what works best for them and no one should get stuck on any technique just because it works for some people.