Thread: Totally new at this, but I'll give it my best shot!

Originally Posted by Bing

- I am planning to drink a lot of water before I go to sleep.

Why not use an alarm instead? Of course, drinking water is healthy, but why the extra effort?

Originally Posted by Bing

- Then I wake up during an REM cycle and write down my dream(s) in my Dream Journal before going to the bathroom

Hah, we'll see if you can manage that. I hope you are a very fast writer. You may also feel tempted to leave out details. For me it takes about half an hour writing down dreams. I wouldn't want to do that having a strong urge.

Originally Posted by Bing

I think that is about right so far but what I am really struggling to understand is how on Earth I'm supposed to recognise these dream signs.

By analyzing what you wrote down of course. You need to find and memorize regular aberrations from waking life. Don't expect too much from that though. Just look at this thread: http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=67771 As you see, a pink elephant could stand right in front of you singing an operetta and you wouldn't notice that you're dreaming. It may work sometimes, but usually it fails more often than not.

There are effective methods you've been missing so far:
1. prospective memory (as used in MILD)
2. regular challenge of reality ("Is this a dream now?") until it becomes a habit + doing reality checks
3. Sleeping schedule (total sleeping time; when to apply methods, etc.)

That seems to work best for most people and requires you to train special skills.

And of course there's WILD. I wouldn't start with that though, unless you have a really good reason.

Thanks Barbizzle. That actually helped me alot.
I was wondering how to do an RC in a dream too.
I have had a lucid dream once but i didnt know it was an "art"

This website is amazing. I cannot wait to fly around the universe inside my head.

Dream Journals are awesome for dream recall. It's really helpful in recognizing the differances from the waking world to the dream world. However if you just spend some time each morning when you wake up, or when you wake up in the night just thinking about the dream you just had, keeping it in your memory, you can get a basic version going with dream recall.

If you just keep asking yourself off and on throughout the day, "Am I dreaming?" (then do the finger through the hand thing or whatever suits), your subconcious will start picking that up and sticking the pattern in your dreams.

"Waking up" in a dream isn't quite like hitting the sound barrier, but you'll experience some shock and awe at the vivid reality that your mind is putting in front of you. Just try and relax when it does happen so you can make it last. (Alot of folks wake themselves up from getting too excited, like me >.<)