A question or two for someone(s) with experience...

[coderton]

To preface, this is my first post in the forum... My first lucid dream happened somewhere around the end of last year. I started looking into lucid dreaming after watching Waking Life for the hundredth time, and deciding to give it a try. One of my questions stems from my beginnings in the effort. It was either my first or second time trying that I went lucid. A friend of mine had tried for a long period at one time, and he said he'd only been able to do it once. ---So, question 1: What would make me more "pre-disposed" to being able to achieve lucidity?--- After I started, I continued trying for the next few nights. I believe that out of the next 4 tries, only one was unsuccessful. I quit try after that for a couple of nights, but it didn't matter. The lucid dreams continued, eventually turning into lucid nightmares. I finally got them to stop, and my dreams returned to their regularly scheduled program. -Jump forward to now- Last night I decided to try again. My only fear from before was that I couldn't get the nightmares to stop, but I was successful in doing so, so I decided to give a good dream another shot. Success yet again. ---Which brings me to question 2: In the film Waking Life the character is told in one of the scenes that a good way to test if your dreaming is to flip a light switch or look at a clock, because light switches don't work, and you can't make out the time... When I'm testing in a dream, I almost always pinch myself first. Then I tend to bite my hand or slap myself, something more intense. I then flip a light switch for confirmation. Last night I flipped the switch, and per usual, it didn't work. I then decided, however, to see if I could become lucid enough to MAKE the light go out. I flipped the switch, and out it went. The question is, is that weird? Or was it just part of being in control? For all I know the light switch concept is not that widely used.--- If a description of my dreams would be of any use, I can include that later. Thanks for any help in advance. -Coderton

[Luminous]

I don't think anyone knows what makes lucid dreaming easier for some people than others. So I'm afraid I can't help you with that, and I fear that no one else can, either. It's not weird to be able to control light in dreams, it's not true that's impossible. Same with reading time on digital watches. Pretty much the only limit there is is your imagination, but some things are easier to control than others. I hope that helps, and welcome to DV!

[Omega Weapon]

Everybody's minds are built differently and everybody has varying levels of control and commitment to whatever they feel. In your case this is clearly stronger than your friends. This is good for you, but there is no wonder-gene or way of life that can make you so predisposed to it. As far as we know. And I agree with L above. The lights are perfectly normal. Control of this kind of thing is very typical of an LD. I've used a light reality check once or twice myself in fact, but not in the same fashion as you.