On the verge of lucidity...

Since keeping an active dream diary and practising reality checks throughout the day, as well as generally saturating my mind with information about lucid dreaming in the hopes of getting a lucid dream, I seem to keep missing really, really good chances at becoming lucid.

I've had a few lucid dreams before, some that lasted fractions of a second, some that lasted about 10 minutes, and one particularly long one that felt like it was going for days, and must have gone for hours.

My problem is that even several times in the same night, I'll see something to tip me off that it's dreaming, like the lights changing, slow movement, etc. And I'll think to myself "that's just like what happens in a dream. Maybe I'm dreaming"

But then I dismiss it immediately! It's getting extremely frustrating because if I had realised that I was dreaming - even from just paying attention to my own thoughts in the dream - I would have had a hell of a lot more lucid dreams by now!

Does anyone know how to get past this final hurdle? Or any information that might be helpful or reassuring?

Also, I've only had this problem since I've started actively trying to have lucid dreams. Before joining here I had them every now and then, and even after joining here I've had about two or three decent LDs.

Sometimes when someone is working really hard toward a LD their mind can become overwelmed. And no matter what they do they don't get a LD. This sounds like what is going on with you. I suggest taking a short (no more than a week) break from actively striving for a LD. Don't read anything about LD, ect. This is often all it takes to cause a spontaneous LD.

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Originally Posted by Delilah

My problem is that even several times in the same night, I'll see something to tip me off that it's dreaming, like the lights changing, slow movement, etc. And I'll think to myself "that's just like what happens in a dream. Maybe I'm dreaming"

But then I dismiss it immediately!

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I suggest thinking about some of the times this has happened. Try to make them as vivid as possible. Then imagine what might have happened if immediatly you'd done a RC or something else to determine if you were dreaming. This will help you practice what you should do the next time this happens.

Seems like you are in the EXACT same situation I am in. I am so close to having a full blown lucid dream and at some points I have realized I was lucid but then just quickly slipped away. My advice would be to continue what you are doing, the dream journal and reality checks really help and within some time you should be having multiple lucid dreams nightly/weekly/monthly.

I soon hope to be having lucid dreams more often and I believe I am very close to doing so.

Thanks for the advice, guys. They're almost polar opposites though, which is funny, but I think I'll have to persist for a little while like NiteMARE said and if that fails, just take a break. I also like your second bit of advice, Seeker.

It happened again last night, though. I was dreaming about my teeth falling out, and thought to myself as I stared at them in the mirror "this is just like my dreams!" but I was too horrified watching my teeth to click.
When I woke up I was so frustrated that I told myself I'd go back and have that lucid dream, and ended up having my first WILD ever ^_^ So I don't know... maybe I can just do that :P

Just one question though, if I stop striving for an LD, can I still keep a dream diary? Or should I just stop everything for a week.

You can still keep a DJ if you want.