Alice and the rabbit hole...

im new to this. really new. cellophane wrapper new.

ive read some of the tutorials and some peoples experiences and for the past 2 days have been trying to remember to reality check at points throughout my day. ive recorded a few of my dreams for a short period last year but that wasnt to aid lucid dreaming, so im not a total noob in that area.

ive got my phone ready for me to record my dreams.
ive got my notepad to write them down.
im surrounding myself with LD info.
ive got two diff timers ready to attempt to EILD (this seems obvious choice)
so bring it on!!!

it would be good if some of you more advanced newbies let me know some of your earlier experiences and surprises, and the techniqes you used to achieve them.

try to explain to us total newbies what that first experience is like

My first lucid experience was blurry, found it hard to move and very very short.

My first lucid was amazing and probably the best one I've had. I would say that it varies from person to person though. But good luck I hope yours is as good or better than mine was!:)

im not trying EILD method. i went for a stab at a WILD instead. really frustrating!! i can sense when i start dreaming that something isnt right (my brain trying to tell me im dreaming), but as im trying to reality check i wake up!
had about 5-7 dreams during early hours but all were really quick, extremely vague and i kept waking myself up!!
pls tell me this is just a beginner thing

WILD is a difficult technique, and really more advanced. Not recommended for the first technique to try.

And I can offer this -- it might start to seem like it will never happen. That's how I was starting to feel after a solid month of trying with inly one brief success right in the beginning (beginner's luck)... but then just when I was thinking about quitting suddenly and out of nowhere I had a nice long lucid. So just stick with it and realize... it takes persistence.

im using an app called 'sleep cycle' that uses the iphones accelerometer to monitor your sleep patterns. i set an alarm to go off 6 hours after i go to sleep but the alarm will only go off at the nearest REM pattern (within half hour). the thinking behind the app is that it wakes you up in a more gentle period of sleep so you dont feel groggy but i reckon it will work just as well to achieve LD's using either the WILD method or the WBTB method.
i wake up to the alarm during REM. have a stretch and do some affermations while i try and go back to the dream i was just in.
this morning was eventful because i had several dreams, woke up between each, but couldnt remember most. all dreams were short but i think that when i experienced what i think must be dream signs, i just get too excited and wake myself up.
while i was dreaming i am aware that something doesnt feel right but im not making the correct connections yet. im sure im heading in the right direction but im a newbie so i might be wrong.

Interesting... not sure I understand how that app works. How does it monitor your sleep pattern?

You say it wakes you during a more gentle period of sleep... what does that mean exactly? Gentle in what way? As I understand it the more gentle periods of sleep are in BETWEEN REM cycles. Maybe I'm just not understanding though.

When I say that WILD is a more advanced method, the doesn't mean you shouldn't try it... Heh, guess I shouldn't go around saying things like that - I don't mean to discourage anybody from trying a method they like! Just lately I've been trying WILD during my WBTBs. No success yet that way though (actually my only successes so far have been random... check my join date :lol:).

Basically what I'm doing now is trying DEILD when I wake up, and if I can;t get right back to sleep then I;ll get up and do something like write down my dreams I can remember and then try for a WILD. I feel like I've been getting close with both techs. My biggest problem s the same as it sounds like yours is... I get excited when I get close and I wake up.

But after trying for over a month I finally trained myself to remain motionless when I wake up for proper DEILD technique, which is awesome! Haven't yet LD'd from it, but the fact tht I can change long-ingrained habits and make myself lie still when I wake up means this stuff is getting through into my subconscious. And THAT'S encouraging!! I figure I'm getting there.

yeah man, it sounds like were both heading in the same direction, i just wish id heard of this before.
the app monitors your movements in your sleep. it says that if you are still, you are in a deep sleep, and when your shuffling around your in a dream state.
the app offers a graph of your sleep pattern throughout the night and it seems to match up with how the diff cycles work.
it may not work at all but it feels like a good place to start. i just cant wait for bedtime!

have you seen any movies or tv shows or documentaries about LD's? let me know if you have cuz id like to watch things like that before i sleep. for an extra boost.

You have just embarked on one of the most fabulous adventures of your life. The world of dreams can be fascinating. I congratulate you, welcome you warmly to these forums, and wish you loads of luck.

wow. thanks a lot!