Greetings all,

Yesterday, I decided to attempt another WILD. I wasn't wholly satisfied with my experience but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless.

I resolved to wake up at 2:45 AM and go back to bed at 3:30 AM, having gone to sleep at around 11:00 PM. My alarm was set for 2:45 AM and I woke up as planned. During my time awake, I smoked a cigarette and had some tea while listening to a new cd and reading parts of "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming" by Stephen LeBarge.

I went back to bed at around 3:40. I attempted a WILD by trying to focus on mental imagery. However, I noticed that perhaps my mind was too awake (most likely because of the tea and the smoke) and I wasn't being flooded by hypnagogic images as I was in my previous WILD attempt.

Despite this I did have semi-Lucid Dreams all night. I believe low-level lucidity would be the correct term. I regret being lazy and not writing down my experiences as soon as I woke up. My memory is a bit hazy. However, I remember that the dreams were elaborate adventures. I also remember eating lots of junk food; something I don't have the liberty of doing during my waking hours. I had tons of fun despite the faint nature of my dreams.

My main problem with my lucid dreams is their frail and subtle nature. Most of the time they are very fragile and I find myself drifting between blackness and the dream state. Nevertheless, I do have experiences where I feel like I am really there and have a solid grounding in the world inside my head.

I had one such experience last night and it really stood out. Unfortunatly, it only lasted for a minute or so. At some point during the night, I had a proper WILD. I went straight from being conscience of my body in bed to being in a dream scene. It was exceptionally clear and vivid albiet not as much as my first WILD. The dream scene took place in front of a small corner store in a modest, peaceful town. When I became aware of the dream, the euphoria was quite incredible. It was a fantastic feeling of freedom. Joy would be the only word to adequetly describe it. I started to fly but as soon as I did I lost the dream.

I suppose that learning to have lucid dreams is like learning any other new skill. It takes practice, patience, and dedication. Hopefully, in time, I will be able to experience solid lucid dreams at will.

I would very greatly appreciate some tips or constructive criticism from seasoned oneironauts or anyone with some advice or comments.

Thanks for your patience in reading my lenghty post.

Cheers,
-1933