Thread: MILD question

I feel the same way with my dreams. It is like a movie and I'm just watching it from a particular character's point of view (mine)... However I just started this whole thing a couple days ago and so far i have gotten a lot better at dream recall... I'm hopeful that the next step of lucidity will happen soon... I'm going to try the WBTB method tonight.

As senecadawg said, you're not alone in this. I also feel like most of the time I'm either just observing the dream or am a character that's just reacting to what's going on around me. I often switch points of view and the plot is constantly shifting from one idea to the next. Just last night I went from walking around St. Petersburg, Russia to being baptized into the Orthodox church to watching a soccer match I don't feel like I, myself, did very much, though.

I think that just taking a greater interest in your dreams and putting forth more effort to become lucid will help you out. I go through spouts where my dreams are dull and I'm not really doing anything, but others where there's lots of action and times where I semi-consciously think I'd like something to happen or to change and I make it happen. I think, though, that as you strive to become lucid, you might start to look at your dreams differently.

I think as far as MILD goes, it includes you taking time to ingrain a mantra or desire in your head by repeating it. Among those might be "When I see/do/feel X I will know that I am dreaming." Something like that. It's the idea that if you repeat something enough, you'll start thinking or doing it automatically. That's why it's good if you can find Dream Signs that pop up in most of your dreams that might help you figure out when you're dreaming.

Either way, enjoy your dreams
-Amé

I have felt that multiple times i find realizing it in the dream has sometimes made my dream skip and put me in the first person position

Originally Posted by Hmonchunski

I can't do reality checks because I'm just watching everything. My dreams to me are like movies, I'm not controlling anything, not reacting to things, it's as if I'm just sorta watching it all happen

Yes this is normal, and frustrating! especially when all you want to do is lucid dream! MILD is a very good lucid dreaming technique. Its is very effective and reliable. The thing is, is that it takes time for it to start working, everyones time frame is different, but the general consensus is that it will take about a month to start working (it took me 3 weeks to have my first lucid dream with MILD).

Originally Posted by Hmonchunski

I can't do reality checks because I'm just watching everything.

Yes, I understand what your talking about here, and you cant because your not lucid. Let me explain, you can only do a reality check (at least in my experience) when you become lucid. When you become lucid then you preform a reality check to make sure your really dreaming. So you cant do a reality check when your not lucid, you have to become aware. Thats what MILD is going to teach you.

Right now with MILD what your doing is reprogramming your subconscious mind to make you become aware that you are in a dream. Thats all its doing. A reality check and MILD are two different things. You do not use RC's to induce lucid dreaming, you use it to prove your dreaming after you have become lucid *see note*. But first you have to become aware that you are dreaming, thats where MILD comes into play. it will teach your subconscious to help bring you to awareness in a dream. But it wont happen all at once.

You have to reprogram your subconscious to do something different than what its been doing all of your life. So itl take some time. BUT it will happen if you practice it every night. Pound the idea that you want to become lucid into your subconscious and it will start to, and eventually understand the message. MILD is a very good technique and urge you to continue it!

Also, I really recommend you do it with a WBTB. You can get up and stay up for 30-50 min or you can just get up and use the bathroom and go right back to sleep. Either way, its better to do it with a WBTB than nothing. Both ways, Iv found are effective. Staying up for 30-50 min is probable more effective, but less practical. I personally just get up and goto the bathroom and go back to sleep and that works, and is effective for me so...either way youll be fine.

I hope this helps, if you need anymore explanation feel free to ask. Good luck!

*Technically you can use RCs to induce lucid dreaming, and there is a method for doing so but in this case its better to view it as separate and not as an induction method.