Thread: Becoming a Natural Lucid Dreamer

Originally Posted by MindGames

@salty, I don't really think of lucid dreaming like that. It sounds to me like you're using it to deal with your real life. Personally, I would like to learn how to become a natural lucid dreamer simply because it's fun to lucid dream. But if you have any tips on how to actually become a natural, I'd be glad to hear them. I do think that people need to shift their attention to their environment to become a natural.

Well I'm not telling what to do with your lucid dreams just giving tips on how to be aware so you will know your dreaming when your dreaming. I guess you can say that is natural. Its not like I naturally discover I'm dreaming all the time. I just kind of know right when I enter the dream. I am aware enough that I don't have to deal with crap from non lucid dreams. The random life situations and stuff. Its just I enter a dream knowing I am dreaming. Then I am free to whatever I please. Really I think the main thing is breaking the habit of thinking all the time. I our society we are tought to listen to our inner dialogue and it becomes a habitual behavior. You gotta just focus on something else, any thing else that is happening right now to keep yourself from creating more thoughts that lead to you looking like an unaware zombie. It might be hard at first, but over time it will become natural and habitual to not be creating thoughts all the time. You will be much more peaceful too.

Great, thanks for your input. Essentially, the goal is to maintain awareness without losing it. What we have to do from there however is to be attentive of the aspects in particular that will get you lucid. For instance, from what I've learned, you're likely to become lucid because it feels like you're in a dream. So it's not entirely about stopping your internal thinking; it's what you focus on in particular that will get you lucid. That's the main focus of the current version of the technique, which is on the first post of this thread. Namely, you're going to focus on whether or not it feels like you're in a dream, in addition to knowing your location at all times.

ya definatley. I have noticed that feeling of being in a dream. I think thats actually the reason I normally know I'm in dream.

Originally Posted by MindGames

So, when you say Reality Check, are you referring to an actual reality check as in a nose-plug RC? Or do you simply make a quick judgement based on whether or not it feels/looks like a dream?

What I am testing is a state of mind where you always keep your attention focused on whether or not you feel like you're in a dream, and also whether or not you're in an unfamiliar environment. You seem to be constantly doing a bunch of reality checks, but maybe I'm misinterpreting your words. Can you elaborate on that for me?

No, I am not referring to an ACTUAL RC, though it is very much advised. Yes, I do make a quick judgement. I am not doing an RC all the time, I am just QUESTIONING reality all the time. My teachers used to say I look absent while doing that, but I have long since learn to keep my attention on the task at hand, too. This 'state' is hard to explain. It's like when you focus on something, your whole attention is on it. Now, try to think of something else WHILE doing that. You will notice a certain blur to how attentive you are. For example, you will no longer notice the less noticeable details, etc. That is pretty much how it is always in my head. Even while typing this, I can feel myself trying to distinguish whether this is reality or a dream.

I looked at the link you attached, and I will post my most frequent RCs.

1. Look at your watch or a clock
When you are lucid dreaming, the part of your brain in charge of recognizing numbers and letters is still asleep. Therefore, when you check the time, it should be completely random. For example, if you look at your watch and it is "12:25" one minute and "2:33" the next, you know you are dreaming (barring the unlikely situation that your digital watch is extremely broke) and are therefore lucid.

Question reality every time you see a watch. Good thing to remind yourself of RCing.

4. Try to find unusual things in the world
These are things to look out for in a dream. If, for example, the sky is green and an alien is attacking you, it is most certainly a dream. Of course, it is likely to be far more subtle than this, as is normal. When you pick up on this, try to alter your surroundings in some way - a usually easy dream trick. If you can, then you are either dreaming or magic.

You don't necessarily need an alien to attack you, just TRY to find ANYTHING out of the ordinary, even if there isn't, and question reality. For the sake of clarity, I will refer to questioning reality as QR. It means you have to spare some time and ask, 'Is this really real?'.

6. Trying something considered "impossible"
Another method to test whether you are in a dream or not is to try somthing that you know is impossible in the waking life. Commonly used examples of this are: Putting your finger through your palm, crossing over through a mirror, levitating, etc. I suggest you don't try something like flying out your window or such... just to be on the safe side.

Always be trying to do something 'impossible'. VERY efficient.

7. Memory Check
This is a method where you are "asking" yourself what have happened during the day, or fortunately a dream. Try to think back as far as you can. When you perform this method, you will be aware if you have experienced anything illogical during the day, and you may have blank periods.

THE BIGGEST BADDEST AND MEANEST RC OF THEM ALL. THIS is the one I am doing ALL day. My main RC. The writer here says something very valuable here.
be aware if you have experienced anything illogical during the day,

12. Emotion Analysis
Pay close attention to how you feel. If something causes you to react a certain way - frustration, bliss, laughter, it would be a good time to determine your state. The feelings generated by a dream are the same as in the waking world, so it's certainly something to keep in check.

Not a reliable RC, but I believe it is close to describing how that 'state of mind' is.

13. Constant physical awareness
If you're like me, you've been trained to be rushing from point A to point B throughout life. Life is a race and there's no sense of *now*. Learning to control the feeling of now is a great way to pick up on the inconsistencies. I find that learning to consciously acknowledge the little things in life is a great way to regenerate the minds' analytical ability. I find this to be very strong in kids. They will pick up on something insignificant to my mind, and point it out to me, and I will be thinking; "How did you notice that?" It's that sense of *now*; the feeling that there's not some light waiting at the end of a tunnel, but that the tunnel is filled with light.

Insanely true. He has the words I was looking for. The feeling of *now*. The awareness.

the feeling that there's not some light waiting at the end of a tunnel, but that the tunnel is filled with light.

The tunnel is your consciousness. When you are fully conscious, the tunnel is filled with light.

24. Smell something
Quite easy. Spray something or some perfume or just smell something - does it smell as expected?

I find smells are always different in a dream, or not there at all.



So basically, my RCs are more, err, 'thought' RCs that lead me to QR.

Originally Posted by MindGames

[B][COLOR="red"] From the research that has been done so far, I am led to believe that natural lucid dreamers have a naturally high level of awareness of their environments in their everyday lives. This requires one to shift their attention from their thoughts, and to instead always pay attention to the environment that they are in.

HA, SO THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN GETTING SO MANY LDS LATELY. I have really really trying to do this, and I guess it's been paying off.

Great guide! This is pretty much what I tend to do all the time since I was a little kid, except that I'm too lazy to write a big post about it

Awesome Looks like this is working for quite a few people.

As for me, I've been really busy with essays lately, so I don't have any time to practice the technique and give any input myself. I'd love to see some of the people who are just starting this technique post their results as they progress, though.

@ThePieMan, I'm curious, what's your LD frequency, and which parts of the technique do you focus on the most?

Originally Posted by MindGames

Awesome Looks like this is working for quite a few people.

@ThePieMan, I'm curious, what's your LD frequency, and which parts of the technique do you focus on the most?

Hi MindGames! To answer your question, I have a lucid dream pretty much every single night if I want to. Like I have stated in my biography I don't tend to use any techniques in particular because when I fall asleep lucidity comes very naturally for me. (Don't ask me how lol). There are times when I fail to become lucid because I have too much on my mind; to overcome that I relax and use MILD - simply because it's the most intuitive and easiest technique to grasp.

Originally Posted by ThePieMan

Hi MindGames! To answer your question, I have a lucid dream pretty much every single night if I want to. Like I have stated in my biography I don't tend to use any techniques in particular because when I fall asleep lucidity comes very naturally for me. (Don't ask me how lol). There are times when I fail to become lucid because I have too much on my mind; to overcome that I relax and use MILD - simply because it's the most intuitive and easiest technique to grasp.

Do you use repetition to induce lucid dreams? e.g. ' I WILL have a lucid dream tonight.'

No that's too boring. Although for the MILD technique you should repeat a mantra like that, I just do it once and go to sleep.

When I become lucid I usualy don't even have to reality check any more. I agree with Lucidmax, I can sort of sense if its a dream or not because it sort of feels different. Of corse I have to have something to make me think about weather it is a dream or not though. Its usualy spontainious or caused by MILD. I still RC often though because sometimes I really can't tell if its a dream because its so dang realistic.

My awarness in waking life has been way to low lately so I am going to try some all weekend awarness.

Edit: ThePieMan, if you do it just once its not likely to do anything. Just be patient and do it for a minuite or two and it will be worth it.

@MadMonkey, I think that what ThePieMan was saying was that he's able to induce a lucid dream by only using MILD once. I do agree however that it's easy to sense whether or not you're in a dream. That's one of the main focuses of my technique. My awareness is really low too, but that's because I haven't been practicing since I have finals coming up. All of my lucid dreams occur spontaneously; having constant awareness should increase the frequency of DILD since you'll train yourself to focus more on your environment.

@ThePieMan Although you say you don't really use any techniques, you do however consider yourself to have high awareness during the day, right? That's what I was referring to with my question; as in, what do you tend to be aware of in particular?

The OP is basically what I did to get to the point where I now have lucid dreams pretty much every night, so ya, this does work for anyone unsure. (P.S. I haven't updated my LD count in a while)

I've been trying this technique for a while now. It may be because of my horrible sleep schedule, but it's not working. I also can't seem to keep constant awareness. I just sudden;y remember to be aware and see if it feels like a dream, if I can remember how I got wherever I am, if words and/or numbers are morphing etc. But I'll get a proper sleep schedule and report back again.

One of the best guides on achieving lucidity. There, I basically summed up everyone's comments.

Originally Posted by tommo

I've been trying this technique for a while now. It may be because of my horrible sleep schedule, but it's not working. I also can't seem to keep constant awareness. I just sudden;y remember to be aware and see if it feels like a dream, if I can remember how I got wherever I am, if words and/or numbers are morphing etc. But I'll get a proper sleep schedule and report back again.

Thank you for your feedback. Yeah, you should try and get your sleep schedule set up right before you try this. It takes a lot of mental acuity to initially be able to maintain constant awareness. Remember, by constant awareness I mean constant awareness on the feeling of whether or not you're in a dream and also determining your location at all times.

Okay, I'm out of school now so it's time to start practicing this technique a lot more!

Reporting success!
Got back into practicing some time ago and yesterday eventually broke the dry spell. Too bad it was a lucid nightmare, though

Also some success. Sort of. Progress, anyway. I had two moments 2 nights ago while dreaming
where I realised that something was not right.
One involved the environment suddenly switching, and the other was my viewpoint changing strangely.
I didn't get lucid. But I was at least questioning my environment in my dreams.

Any idea whats happening to my head/mind at night? Going to lucid straight once I 'fall asleep'..without any drop of effort at all. My lucids are like taking place in another dimension/world/virtual reality. There are events, missions, festivals etc. I just have to act accordingly to whats happening, like I'm appearing out of nowhere and people didn't notice it..like I've been living/existing in it. Every night different situation..and yeh everything I 'experienced' felt real as well. So Yep, whats happening?

(And do everyone have to practice lucid to get it?)

Originally Posted by Shinice

Any idea whats happening to my head/mind at night? Going to lucid straight once I 'fall asleep'..without any drop of effort at all. My lucids are like taking place in another dimension/world/virtual reality. There are events, missions, festivals etc. I just have to act accordingly to whats happening, like I'm appearing out of nowhere and people didn't notice it..like I've been living/existing in it. Every night different situation..and yeh everything I 'experienced' felt real as well. So Yep, whats happening?

(And do everyone have to practice lucid to get it?)

You lucky, lucky bitch. hehe

Yes, most people have to practice.

Bitch....

No..this just doesn't sound right. Compared to how things are explained here. Its weird
The mind of the Naturals..are they simple or complicated all the time?

I'm quite natural and I love simplicity.

Originally Posted by Shinice

No..this just doesn't sound right. Compared to how things are explained here. Its weird
The mind of the Naturals..are they simple or complicated all the time?

Quite complicated.