music and dreaming..a few questions

[fire_walk_with_me]

about a week ago i decided i wanted to learn more about lucid dreaming, so the past few nights i have just been doing some beggining steps, like being able to recall my dreams, write them down and remember them. Now, every night before i fall asleep, my boyfriend and i like to listen to music, last night we did, and i had a hard time remembering my dream, or evening knowing i was dreaming. the other night, i was fully aware, and we had no music on, DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MUSIC? The other thing is, last night, i woke up crying, really crying, i do remember bits and pieces of the dream, but nothing like i did the other night, now, could the music we were playing have effected my reaction to the dream? also, if anyone can help me with little tricks they use to fall into a dream, meditaion that is different then what i have read online...or anything useful. as for me, i have had a history of bad insomnia, and its hard for me to concentrate as it is... thanks fire

[OpheliaBlue]

Mmmmmmmmm, insomnia....I swear I need to start an Insomnia Club here or something. Anyway, WELCOME TO DV!!!!!!!!! I haven't really experimented much with music before sleeping. My insomnia is so bad that I need 100% quiet and darkness to fall to sleep. Perhaps someone else could help you out there. But as far as "tricks" for falling into a dream (I'm assuming you mean a lucid dream), you should ry a WILD. Might even help a bit with your insomnia, usually does me. For more info on WILD's, check out our tutorial: Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream (WILD) Tutorial Good Luck Fire!! And PM me anytime if you have any questions about the tutorial, or insomnia, or the forum in general. xoxo ophe

[CT]

A friend of mine once told me that a nurse taught her this trick when she was in the hospital as a kid, and it if you're desperate this might just be crazy enough to work is to systematicly trying to tense up your muscles, starting with your toes, and go up and hold the tension, and then suddenly release and relax... I tried it and I swear if you can manage to really tense up and hold EVERYTHING (which takes quite some effort) and then suddenly relax its like you get a major headrush and I actually fell right asleep after it. Once.

[Amethyst Star]

To me it sounds like with the music you may be more focused on that than on the dream. How vivid/detailed are your dreams that you can recall? Do you remember hearing the music in your dreams? If so, you could try using that as a dreamsign and whenever you hear music you can try and perform a RC (reality check, there's another tutorial on that). Have you tried sleeping without music at all? or a different kind of music? Like Ophelia, I can't sleep with noise unless I'm psychotically tired or something. As for insomnia, can't help you much. I'm sure there's more information here on this site that deals with that. Anyway, I'm glad you're here and I hope to see you around! Sweet Lucid Dreams! -Amé

[Damascus]

yeah i have to agree with ame on this, i think the music may distract you from your intention to LD. It would especially prevent you from using the MILD technique because of the amount of concentration needed to pull it off. My suggestion for you would be to attempt WILD after a short WBTB (stay up for about 5 minutes lying in bed, no need to get up and wake your bf) Or you can try the void/re-entry technique which is similar to WILD (all these techniques can be found in tutorials section) I think your chances of LDing are lowered if you listen to music when sleeping. it may help you sleep but it will strip away any attempts at LDing you may have.

[DarudeMaxX]

I agree with Damascus in saying that music might distract you, but I found that the SoundScapes (.mp3's) on www.lucidquest.com help. Some are pretty cool, some are just weird, but they're supposed to be (mathmatically) created to help produce Theta waves in your brain...or something along those lines, haha. And also, about tensing up your muscles and then relaxing...the track and field coach at our scool made us do that, and it does make you tired. Not very good for running, but he's got lots of experience so we all listen. Of course it could just be senility...anyways, good luck!

[lord soth]

i have heard a whole song in an ND i had recently... so reall....