My Approach

Hey there everyone, I just wanted to see if my approach is anywhere near where it should be, and/or see if you guys can fill in the "blanks" of my method. I know that I have to develop my dream recall abilities and get into the habit of reality checking, but honestly I want to jump right in. I figure if I start getting used to the approach while I fall asleep the better I'll be once I master the pre-requisites. Here's what I've been doing the past couple of nights.

-Head to bed at about midnight, pretty exhausted. Note that I haven't really been in any stress or had any worries throughout the day.
-Just lay there for about 5 minutes and then begin my deep relaxation methods. I just imagine my body turning to sand, or just melting away going from my toes up to my head.
-While doing this I feel a stiffness in my body in the places that I have gotten too, which I'm pretty sure is the self-paralysis state. Though, if I concentrate hard enough I can move my body again, but like I said, I have to concentrate.

Now, this is one of the points where I get stuck. I'm not too sure what to visualize here, or rather if and what to think. Eventually I begin to drift off, and I figure that I have to do something before I completely fall asleep. Again, a blank in my method I need filled. Do I need to feel like I am opening my eyes in real life, or do I visualize myself in the dream opening my eyes? I think that's the problem with me. The transition between trying not to fall asleep, and drifting into a conscience dream.

I hear everyone talking about their WILDs and WBTB methods and such, so is trying to LD the first time you head off to bed a bad idea? Should I set my alarm to 5 hours later and try then, after being awake after 1/2 hour or so thereafter? Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated, but you guys are sweet like that so I know I can count on ya. Looking forward to hearing from everyone :). Thanks in advance!

I'd suggest you get atleast 5 hours sleep first, just to go through the sleep stages first. So you have a WBTB then try the WILD.

Then when you are trying to WILD, just continously think "I am dreaming/I am going to lucid dream." Try to keep your mind awake while your body will sleep. Or try to focus on images behind your eye lids ect.

When I attempt lucid dreaming, I fall asleep like I normally do.... after some amount of normal dreaming an alarm goes off in my head saying
you are dreaming! DO NOT WAKE UP!
once that has occured I can lucid dream!
Try to sleep normally!
The experience is incredible!

I think you have the basic idea down pretty well. The hardest part is to actually get yourself to do reality checks and such in the dream. In my experience, doing meditation/relaxation techniques before bed greatly increases how vivid and easy to remember your dreams are. Good luck.