I'm getting there, but I pretty much hit a wall.

[UnadoptedPuppy]

For the past few months I have been able to have a "lucid" (or so i think) dream about once a week. My dreams are always extremely realistic, and it is as if it is reality, but I never realize that I'm dreaming until I wake up. Its very frustrating, because I know that all I need to do is be able to realize I'm lucid. Any suggestions?

[Hidden]

Wait... if you don't realize you're dreaming until you wake up, that's just a normal dream. A lucid dream is when you realize you're dreaming while you're inside the dream. I don't see how you can not realize that you're lucid. Aside from losing lucidity...

[Techno]

Keep a dream journal, and write down your dreams till your recall gets very good. Also, if you have a stopwatch, time it to go off every hour and do a reality check. Make sure you know whether or not you're dreaming. Other than that, read up tutorials and other guides here on the forums for extra information. Good luck, and happy lucids.

[UnadoptedPuppy]

Wait... if you don't realize you're dreaming until you wake up, that's just a normal dream. A lucid dream is when you realize you're dreaming while you're inside the dream. I don't see how you can not realize that you're lucid. Aside from losing lucidity... No, I have control of my dream, just not conscious control.

[Higurashi]

I never realize that I'm dreaming until I wake up. Its very frustrating, because I know that all I need to do is be able to realize I'm lucid. No, I have control of my dream, just not conscious control. I don't really understand what you're saying here, but it sounds like the dreams you've been having have not been lucid. You are lucid when you realize that you're dreaming when you're actually in the dream, not after you've woken up. It sounds to me that you've either mistaken the definition of lucidity, or that you're dreaming of being lucid without actually being lucid. Anyway, I would suggest the dream journal as Daniel said earlier, and doing very many reality checks during the day. If you're dreaming of being lucid, an rc should bring you much more awareness than you've been experiencing. You might also want to look into getting adopted here, check out the "adoption program" section of the site.

[UnadoptedPuppy]

I don't really understand what you're saying here, but it sounds like the dreams you've been having have not been lucid. You are lucid when you realize that you're dreaming when you're actually in the dream, not after you've woken up. It sounds to me that you've either mistaken the definition of lucidity, or that you're dreaming of being lucid without actually being lucid. Anyway, I would suggest the dream journal as Daniel said earlier, and doing very many reality checks during the day. If you're dreaming of being lucid, an rc should bring you much more awareness than you've been experiencing. You might also want to look into getting adopted here, check out the "adoption program" section of the site. Thanks, it is a bit unusual and hard to explain. Now i figure I only need to get in the habit of doing RC (which I am terrible at remembering anything), and finding the most affective. And I'll look into the adoption program as soon as I've been here for two weeks, I could probably benefit a lot.

[Hidden]

No, I have control of my dream, just not conscious control. My friend tried to describe something similar to this once... I didn't get it then either. Just keep a dream journal, reality check, and don't give up!

[UnadoptedPuppy]

Thank you all, I will definitely be doing everything I can!

[Paradox-db3]

No, I have control of my dream, just not conscious control. Yeah, I get this, too. I know exactly what you're talking about. It's like I'm thinking in the dream...I'm calling all the shots. Yet I'm not lucid! And I agree that it's frustrating.