Keep losing lucidity

[RobotGymnast]

I've had, on more than one occasion, a dream where I lost lucidity. I became lucid, started using a super power to escape from my dream situation, and then -in the struggle to survive- lost lucidity, but kept the super power. Is this common? How do I deal with it? (yes, I've posted a thread on dealing with it. However, I'd like to hear other people's methods; maybe there's something I haven't thought of) Thanks, teh Robot.

[Sugarglider11]

Before you start using superpowers and all that try to anchor yourself, just stand there and decide what you want to do and make sure that you are completely 100% lucid.

[RobotGymnast]

that's worked for me with mixed results. Lately, trying to calmly get a grip of my dream makes me lose lucidity, because it's sort of like trying to fight the dream head-on, where it still feels real. I've found that actively controlling the dream to get a hold over it before stabilizing is working better. I think I'm just weird though; your method seems to work well for most people, and it works decently for me.

[Xetrov]

Hi RobotGymnast, it's possibly that you lose lucidity because you go more or less with the "flow" of the dream. This is what the mind usually does when it is dreaming normal dreams, so it is very easy to lose lucidity that way. I usually never go with the flow of my dream when I am lucid, because I know this pitfall. I always try to keep thinking on the fact "hey, this is still a dream", and meanwhile I expore around a bit or do whatever it was that I set my mind to (I usually have a task set for myself for when I become lucid). All I can otherwise think of is that with more expereince it should be more easy not to lose it.

[RobotGymnast]

yes, I AM going with the flow of the dream. This is because, as stated before, I can't oppose the flow of the dream because it still seems real. And I can't shake the feeling that it's real without first gaining control. If I start trying to calm myself down, I tend to wake up, because I lose hold on the reality of the dream. However, circumventing the reality and just modifying it bit-by-bit rather than trying to stop it all at once has proven easier for me.

[Swordz]

Hi RobotGymnast, it's possibly that you lose lucidity because you go more or less with the "flow" of the dream. This is what the mind usually does when it is dreaming normal dreams, so it is very easy to lose lucidity that way. I usually never go with the flow of my dream when I am lucid, because I know this pitfall. I always try to keep thinking on the fact "hey, this is still a dream", and meanwhile I expore around a bit or do whatever it was that I set my mind to (I usually have a task set for myself for when I become lucid). All I can otherwise think of is that with more expereince it should be more easy not to lose it. So that's why i ALWAYS lose lucidity

[mrdeano]

I find that this is very common. Here is what I do to keep myself lucid - Every few minutes in the dream you need to stop what you are doing completely and rub your hands. Not only rub your hands but to look at them and really concentrate on the feeling of warmth on your hands. This will then keep your dreaming going for a few more minutes before you have to do it again. Also, when you feel the dream coming to an end quickly grab onto the nearest thing in front of you. Rub your hands on it. Concentrate on what it feels like against you hands, get a good understanding of its texture. Hopefully that will stabilize the dream enough for you to do a annual rubbing of the hands I always find that clothes have the best results for me. And finally you can also spin around on the spot and really feel the motion of spinning enough to anchor yourself back in. If all else fails do a DEILD. I find that the more you practice at doing things such as superpowers within a LD the better you get at controlling it. When I first tried to fly in my Lucid dream I would always wake up or loose lucidity, But now after practicing, I can fly easily.

[Xetrov]

Wise words mr Dean. I second that and urge anyone having troubles staying lucid to try your advice. Especially the rubbing of hands has saved many a LD for me from ending prematurely.