Finally lucid, but -- no control

[Thor]

Hello, I've been lurking here for a while and this is my first post. For several months I've been trying to get lucid, but every time I realized I was dreaming, the dream would quickly fade out and I would awaken. Last night was different. I did a WBTB and during the waking hour I applied a 7mg nicotine patch, something I've tried several times before with modest success. This time something must have gone right, because I had several hours worth of amazingly vivid dreams and most of the time I was fully aware that I was dreaming and I didn't wake up. The only problem was that I was unable to control what happened. Whenever I attempted to control the dream, either it wouldn't work or I would awaken. So I guess I'll have to work a bit on the ability to control the dreams. Do you have any suggestions for easy stuff I can try to begin with?

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Hey there Thor! for a start. I think that because you have been trying to lucid dream for so long that when you experience a lucid dream you become excited and the dream fades because of this quick jolt in awareness and thus you awaken, you just need to get rid of this excitedness, i know its hard but believe me it is achievable. Okay, its good that you have found something that works for you, i think to start bettering your control you could try simple things, maybe wish a basic object into existence, then build it from there, start from basics and build your way up. The truth is that you can control anything in your dream, you just have to believe you can and push yourself, if you truly believe something will work in a lucid dream it usually does. Maybee start by wishing some basic objects into existence like a mug or a chair, very basic, then try something bigger and if it doesn't work you can identify what your not strong on and improve it! Best of luck Thor, cool name btw

[Thor]

Thanks a lot for your reply, Lucid Seeker. I think that because you have been trying to lucid dream for so long that when you experience a lucid dream you become excited and the dream fades because of this quick jolt in awareness and thus you awaken, you just need to get rid of this excitedness, i know its hard but believe me it is achievable. Yes, I think you're right. It used to be the case that the excitement of getting lucid would cause me to wake up. But last night I didn't wake up even though I was very excited. Maybe it had just taken me this long to get used to the idea of becoming lucid. Okay, its good that you have found something that works for you, i think to start bettering your control you could try simple things, maybe wish a basic object into existence, then build it from there, start from basics and build your way up. The truth is that you can control anything in your dream, you just have to believe you can and push yourself, if you truly believe something will work in a lucid dream it usually does. Maybee start by wishing some basic objects into existence like a mug or a chair, very basic, then try something bigger and if it doesn't work you can identify what your not strong on and improve it! Well, in the first dream I was on a ferry and I became aware that I was dreaming. I went up to a group of people sitting around a table and I announced: "This is all a dream." They looked at me as if I was nuts. So I grabbed a glass of water from the table and turned it upside down. At that point I actually fully believed that I could control everything, and I wanted the water to become suspended in mid-air, but the water just splashed down on the table. I began to seriously suspect that I was wrong, so I counted my fingers and to my relief there were six. So that first attempt at control was a bit disappointing to me, but you're probably right; wishing an object into existence should be easier. I'm gonna try this the next time. Best of luck Thor, cool name btw Thanks, it's actually my real name.

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Well i must admit that when you get a feel for lucid dreaming the novality probably wears off, the whole concept becomes something old and in the past in your eyes, this is because now you want to try some things in the lucid dream. Hopefully you have overcome your excitedness for lucid dreaming but i suppose you'll just have to be patient and see how things go, i wish you the best of luck though with your lucid dreams, don't get too exicted Plus i hope that you get better with your control. Anymore questions, feel free to ask

[DimAspiration]

That's the problem I've been having; staying calm. In the only four lucid dreams I've had I have been so utterly awed that I freeze up and can only look around and take in the scenery. Sometimes I've been able to observe certain things, or make small movements like looking at my hands or rolling on the ground and feeling pavement. The first lucid experience I ever had I was in a arctic forrest doing something I normally do in dreams. I run for about 20 feet and leap into the air as far and as high as I can and end up doing a sort of hulk jump, but it's slow and graceful. I made one jump after finding myself in the forrest and realized, "Flying so is not possible..." I imeadiately became lucid and could no longer move because I was so shocked. I soared to the clouds and passed through them feeling a rush of cool breeze. I reached a point about 300 feet above the clouds and stopped. All I could do was look around at the mountain peaks wading in the clouds with the sun shinning very brightly on me. I could feel the wind one my skin moving my hairs. I began to question exactly how I became to be so on top of the world and withing 15 seconds I fell backwards and everything went silent. That's when I woke up. Is this at all similar to the excitement you felt? It sounds like you had much much more control than I.

[Thor]

Hello DimAspiration, Is this at all similar to the excitement you felt? Very likely. I was excited and exhilarated because I knew it was a dream, even though it was totally vivid, like reality. It sounds like you had much much more control than I. You gotta be kidding. I didn't have any control at all. I would like to fly in a dream, like you did. In one dream I tried to levitate a bit off the ground, but that caused me to wake up.

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Thor, you can fly in a lucid dream, you just have to believe that you can, take things nice and slowly, be calm and keep your mind focused. You can do it, you just have to believe you can do it, its only hard if you make it hard, try your best at it if you want to achieve it Best of luck. Just take things slowly and in moderation! Step by step...

[Wavefunction]

Lucid Seeker keeps giving everybody advice before I can At least it's good advice... to the forum!

[DimAspiration]

Hello DimAspiration, Very likely. I was excited and exhilarated because I knew it was a dream, even though it was totally vivid, like reality. You gotta be kidding. I didn't have any control at all. I would like to fly in a dream, like you did. In one dream I tried to levitate a bit off the ground, but that caused me to wake up. It's funny, I can fly, but I can barely do anything else or even last long enough to try. hehe The second to last LD I had I tried looking at my hands to keep myself in the dream and establish some control, but when I looked down, to my surprise, I SAW MY FREAKIN' HANDS!@!! I was in more awe then when I realized I was lying on pavement with my blanket in the middle of school.

[Thor]

It's funny, I can fly, but I can barely do anything else or even last long enough to try. hehe The second to last LD I had I tried looking at my hands to keep myself in the dream and establish some control, but when I looked down, to my surprise, I SAW MY FREAKIN' HANDS!@!! I was in more awe then when I realized I was lying on pavement with my blanket in the middle of school. Ah, so you too have trouble staying in the dream? I used to be like that since I started my attempts at LDing some six months ago. Many times I would become lucid and I would try spinning or rubbing my hands, but to no avail; the dream would just fade to gray. I have no idea what happened last weekend, but all of a sudden I could stay lucid for longer periods of time. Maybe it just happens if you keep trying.

[DimAspiration]

Ah, so you too have trouble staying in the dream? I used to be like that since I started my attempts at LDing some six months ago. Many times I would become lucid and I would try spinning or rubbing my hands, but to no avail; the dream would just fade to gray. I have no idea what happened last weekend, but all of a sudden I could stay lucid for longer periods of time. Maybe it just happens if you keep trying. I hope.