Thread: how to realize you're in a dream?

Originally posted by gossamer

My main problem is realizing that I am in the dream in the first place. I have been doing daily RCs. They used to work for me but I've had no luck in close to a week now. No matter how fantastic my dreams have become, and they are very bizarre (example: last night King Kong chased me repeatedly through a hotel lobby, ripping up the building as it went, and that was before I encountered the younger self of Jon Stewart and Eugene Levy) and it doesn't occur to me that I am dreaming. I'm aware that it takes weeks, maybe months, before the subconscious becomes accustomed to doing RCs, it's just a little odd that I was doing it regularly at first, but stopped doing it the more I worked at it.

Does anybody have any good tips for this?

Hey there and welcome to the forum!!
Just trying at it and not quitting is the best thing you can do. Also, it will really help if you keep a Dream Journal to boot.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Originally posted by gossamer
This is my first post to this forum. I have been practicing LD for the past two weeks now with mixed results. Last week, I had 4 LDs in a row, but nothing really since then. I have vivid dreams (especially when I take 200mg of B6 before bed and don't have too much to drink) and my recall is great. During the LD experiences I've had so far, my attempts at dream control have been very promising for a beginner. At this point, I don't so much try to control the dream, but rather walk freely within where-ever the dream takes me. I'm learning to recognize when my dream activity is starting to wake me up and I hold back until either the feeling passes, or I do in fact wake up.

My main problem is realizing that I am in the dream in the first place. I have been doing daily RCs. They used to work for me but I've had no luck in close to a week now. No matter how fantastic my dreams have become, and they are very bizarre (example: last night King Kong chased me repeatedly through a hotel lobby, ripping up the building as it went, and that was before I encountered the younger self of Jon Stewart and Eugene Levy) and it doesn't occur to me that I am dreaming. I'm aware that it takes weeks, maybe months, before the subconscious becomes accustomed to doing RCs, it's just a little odd that I was doing it regularly at first, but stopped doing it the more I worked at it.

Does anybody have any good tips for this?

This often happens when you first start learning lucid dreaming. you have a few weeks or really good success, and then it feels like nothing. the trick is not to worry about it too much, keep writing in your dream journal, keep doing reality checks. You might also try Wake Back to Bed. More detail of this technique is given in the tutorial section.
Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

You might also try Wake Back to Bed. More detail of this technique is given in the tutorial section.
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Funny you should say that. After last night's King Kong dream, I woke up at about 3:30, after a good 5 hours sleep. I was still half asleep so I briefly thought it was a perfect time to try WBTB, but I was worried that still being a rookie in this, I wasn't ready. So I woke myself up and tried MILD. Didn't work. Which method is better for beginners: WBTB or MILD?

I had my first success with wbtb. My first 2 lucids came 2 nights in a row - I would wake up naturally (after telling myself to wake up a few hours early before I went to bed), and then chug like a quart of chocolate milk and go back to bed. I would fall asleep before the sugar and whatnot was processed by my body so like just as the dreams started my mind would go into overdrive mode. This resulted in more vivid dreams, and a better chance of realizing I was dreaming because my brain was simply more active.

I definately recommend wbtb for any other beginners. You don't have to drink chocolate milk or anything like I do when I try it, but I feel like it helps.

Good luck to you sir,
- Pete

Originally posted by gossamer

You might also try Wake Back to Bed. More detail of this technique is given in the tutorial section.

Funny you should say that. After last night's King Kong dream, I woke up at about 3:30, after a good 5 hours sleep. I was still half asleep so I briefly thought it was a perfect time to try WBTB, but I was worried that still being a rookie in this, I wasn't ready. So I woke myself up and tried MILD. Didn't work. Which method is better for beginners: WBTB or MILD?[/b]

As to which technique is best, it all depends on which works for you. The best thing i can say to you is stick with one method for a couple of weeks, either WBTB or MILD. Whichever one doesn't work, switch it for the other one.
Good luck!