Introduction and question (of course)

Hi all,

So here I am wanting to embark on my journey of lucid dreaming. Once upon a time I thought that I could work out certain problems in the dream state, but never pursued it. There are a lot of things I want to gain control of in my life, and thought that it would be a rewarding journey if I embarked also into the dream world.

I had a lucid dream once ages ago. It was pretty thrilling. I believe I may have had a second, but it was much quicker and somewhat less-lucid. Anyway, that was over twenty years ago!

So my question is, after reading many of the different methods, is there a method that strictly addresses how to induce lucidity without having to wake up in the night, or have a dream first. I'd rather mentally work on the means to do so as I drift asleep and allow it to work it's magic. I think the MILD technique talks about repeating your intentions, but it also says that it should be done after dreaming. I don't want to rely on whether or not I have a dream. Any suggestions?

Thank you all,

Mike

You can always hope for a DILD, which is where you're in a dream and realize that you are dreaming. To help the chances of this you will need to perform reality checks throughout the day, in the hope that it will become a habit which will rub off into your dreams.
If you haven't started a dream journal already it'd be a good idea - just write down what you remember from your dreams each night. You can then look over your journal in search of a dream sign - a common trait which the majority of your dreams contain. When you next see that dream sign you should presume you are dreaming and, again, perform a reality check. Hopefully you'll do this in a dream, and consequently become lucid.

Hey there, :welcome: to Dreamviews! I don't really have anything to add to Chris but if you have any other questions, feel free to ask. :)

Thanks for the warm welcome. Wish me luck :)

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Originally Posted by MikeatDreamViews

Thanks for the warm welcome. Wish me luck :)

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Good luck (and welcome)! :D

I tried WILDs, MILDs, WBTB, and everything else I could think of for about three weeks without any luck. Then one evening I just laid down and told myself over and over "Forget WILD or even waking up. Just go to sleep and have a lucid dream. You will become aware that you are dreaming. You will check reality in your dreams. You will become lucid. But just go to sleep." Then I went to sleep and forgot all about any of it. Well, I had not one but two lucids that night! They were very short (just a few seconds), but I became lucid nonetheless.

Of course, during those three weeks I had been keeping a dream journal and doing reality checks throughout the day.

Wow, that's pretty inspiring Raklet! I'll definitely have to start doing reality checks and trying to remember my dreams a bit more. I can usually recall most of my dreams, but I think it's time to "turn up the heat," a little bit.

Thanks as always!

The good thing about writing dreams down is that you can go back and look for patterns - things that show up in your dream on a consistent basis. You can then use these items to base reality checks off of. Even if you remember all your dreams, you really won't see patterns emerge until you write them down and then go back and analyze them carefully.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by finding items to use as reality checks (called dream signs). In my dreams, I have discovered that I dream frequently of semi-trucks. So, whenever I see a semi-truck in real life , I immediately do a reality check (or series of them). This will train my mind to do reality checks when I see trucks and hopefully will carry over into my dreams. When my subsconscious sees a truck in my dreams it will remember to do a reality check and I will discover I am dreaming.

Hmmmm. Nothing jumps out at me right now as a frequent dream-sign. I hope there is one though. I'll have to keep notes. With reality checks, you just ask yourself if you're dreaming I'm guessing throughout the day. Maybe a few times? Seems like once you get in the habit of doing that, it becomes second nature....

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Originally Posted by MikeatDreamViews

With reality checks, you just ask yourself if you're dreaming I'm guessing throughout the day.

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Don't just ask and then say no. If you get in the habit of answering your question negatively without really thinking about it, then you will do the same in your dreams and miss a chance to become lucid. When you do a reality check, you have to really test whether you are dreaming or not. Take the watch check for example. Look at the watch. Look again a few seconds later to see if it has changed. If it has not changed, focus on it and see if you can will it to change with your mind. Spend some time thinking about reality and just exactly why you consider to be in reality at the moment.

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Originally Posted by Chris182t

To help the chances of this you will need to perform reality checks throughout the day, in the hope that it will become a habit which will rub off into your dreams.

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Note that it may not help if you do reality checks just randomly, believe me, it's very, very improbable that you will randomly do a reality check while dreaming, only reality check when you see something strange, when something you know it's not in its usual position, etc...

Good advice Kraik.

Thanks all