Chickening Out of Wild (Help!)

**SpliceStirling** · 02-26-2014 05:11 PM

I need some help. I've been able to WILD in the past, when I was like...... 7... or 8... or 9. When I was really young and had not a fear in the world. In fact, I wasn't even aware that "WILD" was a thing. I just did it.

Then recently, I got all scientific and stuff, learning that the term for it was "Wake Initiated Lucid Dream" and all that. I also read some... warnings. And they creeped me out.

Now I can't WILD.

Here's my exact problem. I get in bed. I try to look at hypnagogic imagery. It's usually black and grey fog. I pick a comfortable sleeping position and sink deeper into hypnagogic imagery. And then, all of the sudden, the imagery gets more intense. It goes from black and grey fog to colors... like a kaleidoscope. The colors get more and more saturated. But before I even get a chance to see a dream scene or ANY OF THAT, my body starts to vibrate. I can feel I'm entering sleep paralysis! Then my heartbeat swings uptempo, and I get super freaked out (but equally excited). I'd decide, "Man, I can't do this! Not yet!" and I move my fingers or jerk my leg around to stop the sleep paralysis (since it probably hasn't taken over yet?).

Then I attempt again. I think to myself, "I'm not gonna be a chicken!" and restart the process. Again, the onset of sleep paralysis arrives faster than I could conjure up a nice image. In fact, my brain is so indecisive, I can't decide what image to conjure! One moment I decided to go to this beautiful big city, and the next moment, this nice forest, and the next moment, this underwater cove, and so on. And I know you're not supposed to directly influence hypnagogic imagery like that, but I've never even gotten THAT far because I just make the SP stop.

Whyyyyy.... Meeee, y u so chicken?! But it's so hard to fall asleep now, because I'm so hyper aware of my body as it falls asleep, I can't help but notice SP onset every time... I end up falling asleep NOT noticing it, after many many "almost SPs," when I'm too sick and tired to even stay conscious.

I never do meditation. It's as simple as playing back a relaxing song in my head to block out other sounds. Even if I don't want it to happen just yet, the dream world pulls me in, and I can feel it -- and I want to go in! But the feeling of sleep paralysis excites me so much I lose it.

Also, what exactly is meant by distorted body image? Does it just mean that your body doesn't feel much like a body and starts to "meld" together? If it's THAT, then it's not so bad. Because the word "distorted" creeped me out.

Halp. D :

P.S. Should I try it in the morning instead of at night? I think it'd help to go to sleep on the living room couch or someplace where everyone can see me so I won't feel so alone. (Only problem -- again, even if I actively try to avoid it at night, I involuntarily start to WILD and then chicken out, and I keep repeating that cycle... which leads to less sleep, and more groggy mornings.)

EDIT: I may have incorrectly used the term sleep paralysis. Because what I'm experiencing are just vibrations. No really loud scary sounds. Just nice music. Probably REM Atonia? Whatever it is, as soon as the vibrations start, I get too excited and chicken out. : P

**splodeymissile** · 02-26-2014 05:56 PM

there isn't anything to be scared of. Your body goes through this all the time. The imagery does seem very intense, but that's probably because you expect it to. Expect it to be pleasant, like when you were a child, and it should go back to that. Even if it doesn't, the imagery isn't real and can't harm you, so, again, there's nothing to be scared of. The vibrations can be a bit alarming, but they're equally as harmless. Just try and keep calm during it. I'm afraid I've got nothing for influencing imagery, other than to stop trying to do so and see how it goes. And I'm just as clueless as to what distorted body image is, but we've all lucid dreamed without worry and so did you as a kid. As for when you should try, 5-6 hours after you first go to sleep is best. When sleeping on a night, try to keep your mind wondering and before you know it, you should be sleeping naturally.

As an absolute last resort, you could try DILD. I hope this has helped.

**SpliceStirling** · 02-26-2014 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by splodeymissile

As for when you should try, 5-6 hours after you first go to sleep is best. When sleeping on a night, try to keep your mind wondering and before you know it, you should be sleeping naturally.

First off, thanks for your response!
Regarding when to try WILDing.... I went to sleep at like, 11 PM last night, and the hypnagogic imagery + REM Atonia happened right then... it happens so fast. Should I just let it happen right when I start sleeping, then when I awaken later 5-6 hours later, try to WILD again?

Thanks again!

**splodeymissile** · 02-26-2014 06:37 PM

The only reason why we say to wait 5-6 hours is because its both easier to get a lucid and it lasts longer. Its difficult (waiting for 1 and a half hours, for one) to get a lucid when you first go down and it doesn't tend to last long, but, its by no means impossible , so, why not? I'd put more focus on the after 5-6 hours attempt, though

**DukeDreamWalker** · 03-01-2014 05:57 AM

My WILDs almost always happen after Wake Back To Bed (4 to 6 hours of sleep). So you may want to try WBTB when you try to WILD. When I experience Sleep Paralysis it starts with an intense heavy feeling and then moves into extreme vibrations accompanied by loud audio static in my ears. The closest natural "earthly" experience that I can compare SP to would be riding in the back bed of an old pickup truck traveling 100mph over a rough dirt rocky road. Or what it might feel like reentering the earths atmosphere in a space capsule. These feelings of vibrations should never be feared - after all what's the worst that can happen??? My SP usually lasts 2 to 5 minutes and is always an exciting exhilarating experience that I welcome and look forward to and never fear! After all, I am safe at home in bed...