Anchors

**ipe369** · 08-20-2012 08:04 PM

Hey

I'm very new to lucid dreaming, and have only attempted the WILD technique so far (I'm a very practical and methodical person, and while i understand habit and how the MILD technique works i don't find it incredibly reliable)
I had my first lucid dream last night. Ironically i attained lucidity near the end of the dream by performing a reality check. I have recently been having a recurring dream where i go back to school, and i realised it was another dream, so performed a reality check and attained lucidity. However i'd already half woken up, so what i was observing was extremely fuzzy, almost like a memory of a dream rather than the dream its self.
I had a low level of lucidity though, and after attempting to fly, my brain said 'NO BITCH, NO LUCID FO' YOU' and suddenly it was as if i could fly all my life, i forgot it was a dream, and just flew around with my friends who had also mystically gained this power. Then the scene changed to a mixture of sonic and a huge marshmallow man, but that's another story.
Basically, i try WILDing almost every night with no success, as i just fall asleep. I realised i needed an 'anchor'.
I have read through lists of anchors, and have yet to find one fun. I can't believe that nobody has tried concentrating on their breathing, thought 'This is the most boring fucking thing i've done, and you can take that to the bank' then fallen asleep.
Basically, my question is, are there any fun anchors? like, riddles, philosophical questions, or mind games that you can do to keep yourself amused while waiting for SP to kick in? I've never made it to SP and have never seen a single hypnogagic image (unless you count the VERY faint purpley pulsating waves i can see occasionally)
Thanks

**Tucane** · 08-20-2012 09:24 PM

Hey and Welcome

. Have you tried music as an anchor? It may be one of the most entertaining ones, generally speaking.

Anyways, have you ever considered the simple fact that the whole WILD-attempt is a big mindgame. It's you versus your mind. There are several ways to go about it. You like philosophy ey?

Separate your mind.

There is a part of you that only watches; The Watcher

There is a part of you that only thinks; The Thinker

There is a part of you that only feels; The Feeler

Make this a fact.

When attempting WILD, put your self in Watcher Mode. Know that The Thinker does it's job without you being a active part of it. Shut of the part of you that is The Feeler. Fall asleep just being The Watcher

. Note that this requires some force of will anchoring you in Watcher Mode.

I've successfully WILDed this way on multiple occasions. Might this be something for you?

Greetings

, Tucane

**Burke** · 08-20-2012 09:45 PM

Anchors aren't really meant to be "fun", they're meant to be a tool used to maintain the delicate balance of consciousness whilst falling asleep. If an anchor were fun, such as a riddle or philosophical question, your brain would remain too active while thinking about them and you would never fall asleep. Anchors are meant to be simple things which require little concentration but enough so that you can't completely disregard it. A common one is counting, both forward and backward, allowing your brain to require a little bit of focus to keep the task going but not too much so that you can't fall asleep. The fun doesn't kick in until you attain lucidity and enter a dream. It's like a job you don't like but pays well; you don't enjoy the job but you keep working and push through it so you can get that satisfying paycheck at the end of the week, lucidity being that paycheck.

**ipe369** · 08-20-2012 10:45 PM

Thanks both of you

I'll try that watcher method now

I do listen to music, every night, maybe the genre is limiting me? it's heavy metal, screamy sort of stuff, johnny doom's temple of doom on kerrang for any listeners

I didn't know that having your mind too active would affect this! Thanks

**ipe369** · 08-20-2012 10:45 PM

Thanks both of you

I'll try that watcher method now

I do listen to music, every night, maybe the genre is limiting me? it's heavy metal, screamy sort of stuff, johnny doom's temple of doom on kerrang for any listeners

I didn't know that having your mind too active would affect this! Thanks