Thread: Got any tips on reality checks?

First off, try to RC every 10-15 minutes. If you find that hard, make a suitable timeframe for yourself. Try to look at a clock every so often, and notice how long it has been since you last reality checked.

Also, when do you reality check, don't just do your technique. Don't just say, "Well my finger isn't going through my hand. So I am awake." Literally check reality. Look around you. Feel gravity. Feel your weight. Feel what it is like to move around. Test anything you can.

Eventually, reality checking will become concreted into your head, and you will do this in your dreams, and achieve lucidity.

Good luck!

-Muggler

Write RC on your hand every day and RC when you see it and especially when you think about it without having seen it.

Place post-its around your room/house/whereever reminding you to RC. Try to anticipate them.

Use the mnemonic aid of visualizing your day and all of the cues you've left around for yourself.

Set an alarm to go off as frequently as possible, and RC when it goes off.

Switch through all the ringtones on your phone, and anticipate your main ringtone. Every time you hear it, RC, then continue flipping through until you reach it again. Practice this, so that whenever your phone goes off you think to RC. If you watch tv, do the same with commercials. If you listen to the radio, do the same with commercials. Etc.

Remember to follow the tutorial and I recommend this.

Ok, guys! Thank you! I'll try these! But one mroe question, how often is it really needed to do a RC's per day?

In all actuality, you could probably become lucid with very little to none at all. Granted, it would take more time, but it can certainly be done. I've done it...twice.

I prefer reality checks mostly to confirm that I'm dreaming. The main purpose of RCing throughout the day is to increase your awareness. Awareness is key for lucid dreaming. After all, a reality check is not much good in a dream if you perform it and never think about it.

Reality checking is a brilliant tool, but I wouldn't rely on it entirely. Like Shift said, I would try to incorporate some MILD techniques, and possibly even WILDs. Of course, I wouldn't drop RCing altogether. It does work wonders for a lot of people. Really, it's all about finding the method that works for you. I kinda prefer MILD because I'm lazy...

So, back to your question, I would go with RCing at any interval from 15 minutes to every two hours or so. It varies from person to person, but what you really want to avoid is falling into the habit of doing an RC and not thinking about it. So, go with whatever interval best satisfies this condition for you. Not very helpful, I know. To start, I would suggest one every half hour to hour. Alternately, leave sticky notes lying around, etc.

Please pardon my wall of text.

If you want a reality check you can do without being conspicuous try to move things with your mind or put your hand through a solid object.

I tend to find in dreams if I put my hand/body against a wall and ignore the fact the wall is there (I cant really explain the thought process.. it's more like I just dont care that it's there) I can sink into it/walk through which obviously doesn't work in reality!

RC as much as you need to to become lucid. What does that mean? Well, it depends on you and your life right now. So, if I were you I would aim for as high of a frequency as possible just to get it on your mind, and then when you're able to remember, I'd do it until it works and you have a concept of how much you have to do it. As Mario pointed out, DILDs are especially about awareness. On the one hand, you want to be aware of yourself, your behaviors, your emotions, your thought-processes, your unconscious behaviors, why you do what you do. You also want to be aware of your environment. Sometimes, raising awareness is sufficient to allow you to become lucid. You'll see something strange and it will suddenly -click- that you are dreaming. No doubt, you'll simply laugh at yourself for not realizing it earlier.
Other times, you'll strongly suspect you are dreaming, but want to do reality checks to reassure yourself. You may feel pressured- perhaps you are surrounded by other people. Would running around screaming "I'M IN A DREAM!" be something you'd regret if it weren't true? Are you afraid of something in the dream? Just reality check to really convince yourself. Sometimes dream characters will respond to your declaration of lucidity with "What, what's wrong with you? Of course this isn't a dream." and, if you take their word for it, you'll lose lucidity. You want to use reality checks as a tool, a tool to test reality.
You also want to make your reality checking a reflex or habit. You don't have to suspect your dreaming. If it becomes a habit, fantastic! You just want to make sure that you don't make a habit of not paying attention. Lots of times you'll feel the need to RC or something fairly normal will still cue you, and without even truly suspecting you'll suddenly find that you have 8 deformed fingers. So, moral of the story: Do you reality checks, and be absolutely serious about them. Also do multiples in case one fails. NEVER put off reality checking because there are people around you- exactly how often do you have dreams without a single DC? If possible just do discrete ones- check the time, read some text, whatever. There are ways to RC without declaring it to the world. Pretend you have an itch and scratch your hand- but don't focus on your act, focus on your RC. Read the text on a shirt or a clock or the spine of a book. Close your sinuses from within and do a 'nose-pinch' test. Just remember to give them adequate attention. Never slack.

Btw, MILD is actually a very intensive method, I'm not sure why you think it's good for lazy people, Mario? With all of the prospective memory training, dream journaling, visualization, reality checking, and analysis for dream signs and reality checks during the day, I'd say it's a technique that requires quite a bit of dedication.

Please thoroughly read my wall of text.

What you have to do is you need to be in the frame of mind (always) that you could possibly be dreaming. Do not just assume you are awake. Instead, assume you are dreaming in the first place, so, the things running in your head all the time should be "I think I am dreaming, It is very possible that I am dreaming. Let me check just to be sure" then if the RC shows you are awake, then just go with it. Just say to yourself, "ok, I'll check later, you never know". And repeat that over and over the whole day, every day.

That is something which Naiya had pointed out to me. Very useful information.

Originally Posted by Shift

Btw, MILD is actually a very intensive method, I'm not sure why you think it's good for lazy people, Mario? With all of the prospective memory training, dream journaling, visualization, reality checking, and analysis for dream signs and reality checks during the day, I'd say it's a technique that requires quite a bit of dedication.

Sorry, allow me to rephrase that. I'm too lazy to WBTB or WILD, but I enjoy the increased certainty of MILD. I happen to find it easier to repeat a mantra than do RC's all day long, too. Memory stuff comes easy to me, I guess.