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I have been trying to get lucid for 2 weeks now.
If I try to WILD before bed I'm too excited and get a heart attack when I'm about to slip.
If I do the WTB I get to relaxed and fall asleep, even if I get up for an hour or two.
Do I give up?
Is my body immune to Sleep Paralysis? I miss the days when I'd get them without trying.
I wish I apprciated them more back then.
Please help me :(
NEVER GIVE UP!
Hopes is one of the main essentials into Lucidity, I should know.
I became discouraged a while ago and I left dream views, etc.
Now I am back but the thing is I am having the same problem as you, I have never had a Lucid Dream.
Thing is I know I will!
(1. When your doing a WILD focus on visualization - Visualize what's going to happen in your dream and passively watch hypnagogic imagery.
(2. If you start to get any physical sensation such as falling, spinning, becoming heavier, lighter or discomfort that is only the process of entering Sleep Paralysis.
So when you feel it don't get excited and continue focusing.
Hi there Chrollis,
I assure you that when you're trying your WILD, you're not getting a heart attack. In fact, you're probably experiencing the beginning of sleep paralysis. A lot of newbies go through this phase initially when they try to induce SP. Also, it's recommended you don't try to WILD when you first go to sleep because REM is approximately 1.5hours to 2 hours from initial sleep. You may be left lying there for ages.
As for your WBTB, it sounds like you're doing the right thing. Mess around with your WBTB time, try and find your sweet spot. Mine's around 5 hours, some people say the more sleep they get, the better chances the have (as long as you can fall back to sleep ;) )
As for being immune to sleep paralysis.. I highly doubt it. Perhaps your mind or body is not relaxed enough to go into full SP or maybe you're not in REM (this is more likely to be the case if you're attempting the WILD without prior sleep.)
Good luck!
Hi ChrolliSpears
I'm in the exact same position as you when it comes to WILDs and WBTB...with the exception that I've previously had sleep paralysis on several occasions leading me into lucids so I know it's possible.
As fOrceez says it's about finding that sweet spot. For me it's lay ins at the weekends.
On the nighttime WILDs I don't think before bed works, but I do practice then so I get to recognise the moment my logic centre starts switching off, the moment HI appears, getting to know the territory so to speak. Sleep paralysis, however, seems only to kick in on late n' lazy mornings.
I wouldn't worry too much about SP, I've been reading on here and it doesn't always come before a lucid. Just practice with maintaining awareness.
Two weeks is not a long time. I know it can be frustrating but there are people who have been trying for months or years, so don't become discouraged in such a short period of time. Just because one person becomes lucid in one week, it doesn't mean others won't take longer or shorter. So relax and don't think of it as something you have to get done; stress will hurt lucidity more than just casually practicing your LD techniques. :)
Never WILD before you get prior sleep; a good 4-6 hours is recommended. You're not in REM right when you get into bed, and this is when dreams form. So, you won't enter a dream and it will also be more difficult to reach sleep paralysis if you're not super relaxed or tired. If you do somehow manage to enter a dream, it will probably be fuzzy and unstable. Save yourself the effort and disappointment because there's a good chance you'll lose the dream (or even the SP if you can get to it). When you're doing your WBTB, try waking up more. If you still fall asleep, go on the computer or turn the lights on if you aren't already. Do some math or watch a movie for a little bit, something that will mentally wake you up a bit more (but not make you too wide awake!).
From what I've seen and heard, people tend to get SP in more frequent bouts when they're younger in age, or have an inconsistent sleeping schedule. Lack of sleep in general can also cause more frequent sleep paralysis, so maybe you simply have a better sleep schedule or something now?