I just can't stay lucid...

[chann006]

First, I want to tell everybody hey and introduce myself. Thanks for any help you guys can give. I just want to share my experiences and difficulties. I've been reading on this board for about a month now and have been trying to practice. Since I started I have had 3 LD's. 1st LD I was in an amusement park and noticed that something defied the laws of physics (yeah, I know it sounds kind of nerdy). I got really excited and all of a sudden started remembering everything that I had read on this board. Everything kind of went really clear and then it started to fall apart. I started to fly, but felt like something was pulling me out of the dream. I woke up. Not even 15 seconds. 2nd LD I don't really remember the dream very well before I went lucid, but when I realized I was dreaming, everything started to fall apart again, so I tried spinning. I just woke up. Again, not even 15 seconds. 3rd LD Once again, I don't really remember the dream, but I went lucid. As always, everything started to fall apart. I tried to look at my hand and details, but I felt like I was going to wake up. So I decided to close my eyes. After a few seconds, I tried to open them again, but I couldn't. I woke up in SP and immediately went back to sleep, but not into an LD. I think that I'm doing pretty good attaining lucidity, but I just can't seem to keep it. What else can I do to stay lucid?

[nina]

Hey a month and already 3 lucids? Not bad at all! You should be happy with your progress. With time you will learn how to control your LDs and even keep yourself from waking up from them right away. Have you tried any LD induction techniques? Like WILD, MILD, etc? I could suggest a million things to keep you lucid (like spinning, rubbing hands together, focusing on a specific detail, verbal commands like "visual clarity" or "increase visuals" etc.), but only you will be able to figure out which ones work for you...and sometimes, the mind just wants to wake up and there isn't much you can do about that. However, after you do wake up from a lucid and want to go back into that state I would suggest trying to WILD, or stay conscious as your mind falls back asleep. With practice I have learned that I can wake up from a lucid, and fall right back into that same lucid or another one if I like. It's all about your state of mind and it takes practice. Oh yeah...welcome to the board!! -nina

[Seeker]

Nina beat me to it! Let me be the second to welcome you. Sounds to me like you have the ability. Just keep practicing!

[chann006]

You guys are fast! Thanks for the advice. As for the techniques (WILD, MILD, etc) I never have really understood exactly how those are supposed to work. I just got into the habit of reading about it and thinking throughout the day about it and doing reality tests. But, the last 2 I don't even remember how or why I realized I was dreaming. Just like all of a sudden I realized. I think that this is normal in dreams, but because people aren't aware of LDing, they just dismiss it and continue dreaming. I think that somehow when this happens in a dream, now that I know about LDing, my mind pays more attention and does something about it. Of course the other stuff helps. Usually before I go to sleep, I try to relax, control my breathing and think about LDing. Once again thanks for everything. Also, do you think that 3 in one month is a lot? I have no idea, and I always feel frustrated when I can't have one. Another thing, I always drink a cup of coca tea or chew coca leaves before I go to sleep. Would this have any effect, positive or negative, on having LDs?