FILD - does this seem okay?

[Hugh]

Basically, I understand that there's a FILD thread or two floating about, however I'd like an answer directly composed in response to my questions therefore posting it in a collage thread and risking it being ignored isn't what I'd like to do! Here goes! All I want to know is if I'm going about doing the FILD technique correctly - I've read some really good reviews on it and I suppose I'd like to know if this will result in me ending up lucid in a dream. I did it last night for the first time and achieved the following: Woke up at 6am Rolled onto my stomach Closed my eyes, started moving my right hand fingers slowly but enough to tell Felt vibrations, like an intense pins and needles all over my body Heard a twang as if a metal radiator had been hit Heard my mother shouting my name (she wasn't in the house) Attempted a reality check but also opened my eyes simoltaneously after about 10 or 15 seconds - didn't work - was awake. Didn't attempt it again after this - what I want to know is the following: When do I reality check? How do I do it? Which technique? Eyes closed or not? Slowly? If I find out I'm dreaming, then what? Should I expect hallucinations in a visual manner? And if so, when? Upon being to enter SP, is it safe to visualize images of desired dreams or locations? Or should I let it take it's own path and RC when I should? Sorry for all the questions, I read a whole load of posts in the FILD thread and never got a very detailed description after the actual RC/SP part... Many thanks guys.

[benzilla04]

Hmmm.. I've never heard of this said finger technique, but I have several times woken up rolled over and proceeded to trip like crazy. (travelling down a tunnel at light speed, extreme ringing sound, shaken around a LOT) but I always lose it. I was told I was pretty much 99.9% way there but I was inpatient and tried forcing it. What I would do is just wait, you will know when it happens, just be patient and go with the flow (sorry if that doesn't make sense)

[AURON]

[*]When do I reality check? You really shouldn't have to if you stay aware of what's going on the whole time (in which you did until you actually woke up) [*]How do I do it? Which technique? Eyes closed or not? Slowly? RC? Whatever floats your boat. I usually do a nose pinch. A lot of people say they fail, but when doing them it's best to check for pressure and not the weather or not you can breathe through your nostrils. [*]If I find out I'm dreaming, then what? Stabilize, and then after that, do whatever the hell you want to. [*]Should I expect hallucinations in a visual manner? And if so, when? Maybe, hallucinations vary from person to person. I haven't had many FILDs, but the ones I usually have are sounds and feelings...like falling/melting through my bed and/or falling out of a plane. [*]Upon being to enter SP, is it safe to visualize images of desired dreams or locations? Or should I let it take it's own path and RC when I should? You mean the transition phase? Yeah, it's better to try to visualize where you want to be to help combat some of the crazier things that may happen while FILD/WILDing. Sorry for all the questions, I read a whole load of posts in the FILD thread and never got a very detailed description after the actual RC/SP part... Many thanks guys. NP, the only thing I would have done differently is waited until everything stopped. Most of the time the dream starts automatically right after all the hallucinations stop. If they don't, get out of bed and RC. A lot of times, they don't start until you actually try to do something (like a FA).