Lucid dream.. or not? A few questions.

**Liz17** · 05-21-2013 08:49 AM

Hello! Okay, so last night I was finally able to have a lucid dream through doing a reality check, but there is a catch. I didn't have complete control but I was able to change my environment around me, and I was also able to fly! The thing is, well for some reason I could not feel anything, nothing physical and no emotions. I knew I was dreaming, and had control over my dream but that was all.
When I rubbed my hands together to make the scene clearer, I did not actually feel my hands. When I was flying, I did not feel the wind or even that stomach-dropping feeling. When I realised I was dreaming, I remember I was happy, but I didn't necessarily feel happiness like I do in real life.
It was really weird, and although I'm happy to have had the experience, I would be lying if I said it didn't feel bittersweet.
I was wondering if you knew anything about this? Or if you would be able to give me any advice? I'm beginning to think I did not have a lucid dream after all, but rather was dreaming about having one (after all everything seemed too easy like flying, and maybe I wasn't fully conscious) Thanks in advance!

Oh also, just before this I experience sleep paralysis. But it was weird. First of all, I was on my stomach which is different than normal. Secondly, I felt this horrible, aching pain on my back. It felt like someone was continuously hitting me with a hammer. I knew this was simply a part of the sleep paralysis, so once I calmed down it went away (and I entered the dream where i eventually became lucid). But I remember I could actually move my arms, I was attempting to hold the area where the pain was. But you're not supposed to be able to move your arms (I could not move anywhere else apart from my eyes and arms)? Do you know anything about this?

**Scionox** · 05-21-2013 11:26 AM

Congrats on the first lucid dream!

Being lucid means knowing that you are dreaming, and you knew is so... It's common that when just starting out that one isn't able to get full control outright because of how much we are used to the logic of waking life, but don't worry, with practice and right mindset it'll get better. I suggest you to read this tutorial: Dream Control Tutorial - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

As for lack of feelings... maybe your awareness was low, do you do reality checks only mechanically? Reality checks should not be done as just mechanical action, but as awareness practice. Before doing reality check, look around, look for anything weird and completely believe that you might be dreaming, then put emotions into it, like "Wow, am i dreaming?", and then do reality check itself, and while doing it fully expect it to show you that you are dreaming. But either way as you practice lucid dreaming your awareness will increase too, so your next lucid should be better in that part.

Also dreaming about being lucid is still being lucid, you know that you are dreaming and that's what's being lucid is. I have had some pretty awesome lucid dreams from doing WILD in a non-lucid dream.

Also it does not sounds like sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is rare event that if ever happens, happens like only once or twice through lifetime for most, unless sleep disorder. And the main part about it is not being able to move. Your experience could have been just discomfort from lying in different position than normal or just hypnogogic hallucination, i am not entirely sure which exactly though.

**Liz17** · 05-21-2013 11:56 AM

Thanks so much for the reply!
I think you're right, I never really put my emotions into my reality checks and I treat them like a chore, so I'll definitely do that from now on!

Also the more I think about it, I think what I thought was sleep paralysis was really just part of my dream/hypnogogic hallucination like you say, maybe I had tricked my brain into thinking it couldn't move after reading too much about SP on other sites (and giving myself a scare!)

Anyway I'll definitely work on my dream awareness and control, thanks again for the insightful answer!