Hello everyone! First let me just apologize for the extra-long post, lol. I've been lurking around here the past few days after learning about LD's in my Psychology class. I think its soooo AMAZING that someone can actually become aware during a dream. I can't even fathom how this happens, b/c I've yet to actually have a LD.

The closest I've ever gotten (that I can recall) is a dream I had when I was young, probably around 6 or 7. I dreamed that I was flying! I kinda jumped off a building that was "built" in the clouds (kinda hard to explain, lol) and I kinda flew/glided down from the cloud all the way to the ground (near my house that I lived in @ that time). But I wasn't lucid, I didn't realize that I was in a dream. I can say with conviction that this dream was the single greatest dream I've ever had! I can only imagine how wonderful a lucid dream must be!

I've always been really adapt at recalling dreams. This is before I even KNEW what dream recall was. I've always been able to remember at least two or three dreams per night, depending on whether or not I actually TRIED to remember them, haha. So naturally, when I came across this site and read about the different techniques to gain lucidity, I got very excited because I'm already half-way there (being that I've already pretty good at dream recall). However, I've still decided to keep a dream journal; nothing wrong with practice!

Anyways, something else I found out last night was that there is some truth (at least in my experience) to the fact that MJ (atleast if smoked soon before bed) will cause you not to be able to dream recall as easily.

Last night, I tried a few different techniques and I just had the feeling that I'd have my first lucid. Sooo, I was in bed for about an hour before I fall asleep doing RCs the whole time(~1115-1130). I wake up after my first REM cycle (~1245am) for some reason, but I either didn't remember my dream or didn't have one (I know the latter is not possible according to my Psych teacher). For some reason after that, though, I had trouble going back to sleep (didn't make it until ~250am, still practicing RCs). I woke up after my next couple cycles (~445am) and though I felt like I'd had a dream, I couldn't remember it! I even tried FILD but when I woke up during a REM cycle, I'd forget that I'm supposed to move my 2 fingers and I just sat there for a couple minutes before I realized it. I then tried HI/WILD but after falling back asleep (took me less than 30 min), I didn't wake up again until morning (~8am) and I STILL didn't remember any of the dreams I've had.

What I've learned:
1. Don't smoke MJ directly before bed.
2. I'm not as good at dream recall as I thought I was
3. I need to keep building my dream journal so I can pick out more dream signs.
4. I need to set a more pronounced RC schedule for throughout the day during waking hours.


Thanks for taking the time to read my extremely long post. I look forward to the great times I'll have here honing my LD skills!