Thread: RC Problem

Originally Posted by mattmuffler

ok so i was havin this dream the other night and was like "there's no way this could happen in real life. RC!!" so i did the block the nose thing and it worked but i was still suspicious so i tried to push my hands through each other which didn't work. i also tried to spin around and this didn't work either so i thought it was real and was pissed off wen i woke up lol but i think because i do the hand one all the time that it didn't work because i do it al the time haha real bad explanation but because i do it alot does my brain realise that wen i try to push my hands through each other they shouldn't go through, so this is wat happens in my dreams? do i need to be mixing up my RC's a bit?
thanks!

It may be your mind got used to seeing the check that way. Lucidity comes with varying degrees of waking memory unfortunately waking memory of what can't be done. You can try to confuse or trick the mind by rubbing two hands together really fast and make them look as though you have 10 fingers and then look at one hand..I haven't tried it in the dream but my guess is it'll work because the dreaming mind cannot cope with fast change and will be confused.

IMJ

o sweet ok i'll give that a try. thanks mate

Certain ones work better for different minded people. I am logically minded. As such, the only RC that I have ever gotten to work for me is the watch RC, and it has worked every time I've tried it.

Generally speaking, when you do reality checks try to mix them up. Maybe not every time you do them, but have a few that you do every time that you RC. That way, if one doesn't work you've got some backups. Look at your hands. Count your fingers. Try to push one through your palm. Look down at your body. What are you wearing? Did you put it on? Where are you? Should you be there? Look for some writing. Is it stable?

This way, if your hands looked normal, maybe your finger went through your palm. If not, maybe you're wearing some strange clothing. If not, maybe you don't remember getting dressed. If not, maybe you're on top of the Empire State Building in China, etc etc etc.

Now, you did try this approach but remember- a reality check isn't simply a physical action that you do. It's about raising general awareness of your environment, behavior, feelings, etc. Don't just plug your nose or push your hands into things, but really take a look around and question what's going on.

Also, when you do a reality check in waking life don't just absentmindedly push your finger into your hand or whatever. When you do it, it's because something just reminded you that you might be in a dream. So really push your finger into your hand thinking, "It's possible that this is a dream, and if it is my finger is going to go through my palm." Don't think "I'm awake, so my finger won't go through my hand." When you do it, do it with the expectation that it's going to work. Only when you've done a few, have gone through the past few minutes of your life, and consolidated your location, behavior, etc., should you go "Oh, the reason it didn't work is because I'm really awake."

shift, you are just a wealth of knowledge!! thanks heaps mate hehe

Originally Posted by Shift

Now, you did try this approach but remember- a reality check isn't simply a physical action that you do. It's about raising general awareness of your environment, behavior, feelings, etc. Don't just plug your nose or push your hands into things, but really take a look around and question what's going on.

That is critical to remember. You can go through all of the motions of a reality check, and never comprehend that you are dreaming. Everything reality check you do should be with intent. As Shift said, think about why you're doing it.