New :) Some questions

Hey people.
I've been a long time fan of this site and lucid dreaming looks awesome. However, at the moment I can only dream of it (ahah, terrible dream based pun)
I tried half halfheartedly a while ago, but never really got into it. The other day a friend was all 'Hey, how was that lucid dreaming going?' and reignited my interest.
I've only ever had two very vague lucid dreams. The first was so vague I didn't really think anything unusual about being a dog in Antarctica, but I was able to fly briefly which ultimately is my goal (flying, that is)
The other I was like...'I'm dreaming!' And woke up...huh...thanks for nothing subconsciousness...

Anyway, so I've been trying to get into the habit of reality checking my trying to push my finger through my hand.
A question I have about achieving lucid dreaming is that, in a lot of the techniques I have read about, it involves lieing very still for a very long time. I'd be fine with that but I keep on getting itches! Nobody writes about what to do in that case. If I stay still it drives me crazy, but if I move I disrupt all of the relaxing I have done.
Answer anyone?

Thanks, also, if there any tips about this site I should feel free to tell me :D

Hey there, Flamingozilla!

The technique you are talking about is called WILD (Wake induced lucid dream). It's nothing I personally recommend for beginners. The Itches will disappear if you stay relaxed and try not to think about them.

Do you keep a dream journal?

You can find loads of useful information in the tutorial section right here:

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...splay.php?f=25

Happy dreaming!

Welcome To The Forum!
I would love to read your Dream Journal if you chose to keep one and post it.
WILD's are definetly not for begginers. But keep trying other methods you find that are easy for you and that you can dedicate to master.
There are plenty in the tutorial section as XeL has provided.

Enjoy Your Stay!
-CV

Also, the reason you're experiencing itches constantly is because you are focusing on them. I recommend doing an action to take up your mind. Example: count your breaths. Count when breathing in and say something in your head while breathing out (like "I'm dreaming" or a mantra of your choice.) This will make it significantly easier for you because you'll be doing something. Also, it should keep you from falling asleep too quickly.

Hope that helps,

Draxis

Well Said, Draxis.

-CV

I've heard some people say that if you can scratch itches and still get to sleep you should still be able to scratch itches and WILD. It's different for everyone, though.

I have pretty good dream recall and have kept a dream diary for a few years.
What would be a good beginners technique?
I did try to WILD last night without success. Though to my surprise I didn't actual get itchy after my counting reached about 20.
Also, by the time I reached about 70 I was getting that weird spinning sensation, when it feels like you bed is flying, but that went away. I got up to about 400 I think and I started having mini dreams though I wasn't lucid in any of them :(
Then I accidentally rolled over and according to the thing I read moving brings you out of it, so I was kinda like 'Damn...'

Thanks for all the help!

WILD can take some time to figure out. Different things work for different people. You have to find some combination of relaxation and focus that can keep you on the edge of sleep while you wait for a dream. It is a tricky balance.

Have you tried MILD? It is what Stephen Laberge had most of his success with. Check out this tutorial:
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=65458
The concept is simple. You just train yourself to remember to remember to become lucid. Sounds easy, right?

Thanks, I'll give MILD a go!

Another question, does age affect learning to lucid dream? I'm 16 and read somewhere that as you get older it gets harder to lucid dream.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flamingozilla

Thanks, I'll give MILD a go!

Another question, does age affect learning to lucid dream? I'm 16 and read somewhere that as you get older it gets harder to lucid dream.

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MILD usually means filling waking life with reality checks, and after months of making it a habit, you just hope to do one in a dream.

This is very sloppy and still relies mostly on luck.

the only way to induce LDs at will is to WILD. i recommend using a timer on your PC, like the one on lucidology.com (which is free btw, otherwise i wouldnt have it).

the thing is that when you wake up, and don't move AT ALL (don't even move your eyes), sleep paralysis (which is useful for getting into LDs) becomes very likely.

Lucid dreaming success!!
Wow, I didn't think I could become lucid on only my third night of trying, but I did!
Thanks for all of the help everyone. I think it was a cross between a MILD and a WBTB. I was trying to MILD at the start of he night, woke up at 4 am with no success. Went back to sleep and was flying around school when I realised it was a dream. I read last night that you should study something closely to help stabalise the dream, so I studied my hands. I still had 5 fingers but they were kinda crooked which was interesting.
Unfortunately I then woke up, but I was still lucid for a moment! I am very happy now :)

Thanks Peacock486, I'll give it a go on the weekend (so the alarm doesn't annoy my sister)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peacock486

MILD usually means filling waking life with reality checks, and after months of making it a habit, you just hope to do one in a dream.

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You can have pretty good results using only the night time practice of MILD, without any of the other stuff. Just figure out how to use your short-term prospective memory in the middle of the night.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peacock486

the only way to induce LDs at will is to WILD.

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Not true.