My first (failed) WILD attempt - what went wrong?

Last night I performed my first WILD attempt, following Clairity's WILD-MILD tutorial. I went to bed at about 21:10, and woke for this attempt at 00:35.

I got up, slowly walked to the bathroom, and then returned straight back to bed. I began the slow chanting in my thoughts - "1, I am dreaming, 2, I am dreaming, 3, I am dreaming..." - all the way to 100 and then restarting.

At what I'd guess to be about 00:45, I began to experience the described falling sensations. I tried my best to stay calm, but at times I was so excited that I could feel my heart beating loudly, totally out of rhythm with my slow breathing.

I began to feel the need to swallow and decided not to resist it. My mouth was very dry, and I figured it was okay, since swallowing (especially last night) feels like a reflexive and involuntary action to me.

From about 00:50-01:00 the falling sensation became very intense and I felt what I thought might be this "distinctive change" in consciousness.

Feeling lost, I didn't do an RC yet, because the falling sensations still continued (and this wasn't described in any tutorials I read). I continued the mantra for quite a while, and these sensations began to slow, until they were each about 2 minutes apart.

At about 01:15 I had another intense falling sensation, and then a bit milder (but still there) feeling of a change of consciousness. Following what I read in some added-on comments, I used the breathing-through-blocked-airway RC to check so as to not disturb the transition process. Succeeded.

I lay in bed for quite a while longer, with the sensations becoming more intermittent again (about 1 every 3-4 minutes), becoming impatient. I stayed calm while now visualizing myself walking over a bridge between awakeness and a dream state. No change in the sensation.

Finally, I decided to just go to sleep and hope for a DILD. I rolled onto my side, noticing that my body was very slow-responding and tingly. I suppose this suggests that I might have been there had I waited longer?

I checked the time before going to bed - it was 01:38.

Spoiler for summarized events:

1. 21:10 - went to bed
2. 00:35 - woke, went to bathroom
3. 00:45 - falling sensations began
4. 00:50 - intense falling began
5. 01:00 - intense falling ended
6. 01:15 - second (single) intense falling
7. 01:38 - went back to bed

Does the transition ever normally take this long? Did I do something wrong?

P.S. The DILD didn't come, either. :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hansengel

From about 00:50-01:00 the falling sensation became very intense and I felt what I thought might be this "distinctive change" in consciousness.

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What I often do and could advise is that, at this point where you are nearing brain asleep-mode, try visualise yourself spinning around. I ususally do this around my length-axis and then after 1 minute or a bit longer, as I feel myself drifting off deeper into sleep mode, I just roll my dream body out of the position my physical body is in, thus entering my LD.

I would be happy with these results because I would know that I was getting some where.

You trying to stay calm, I would assume that your new to this WILD thing. With experience, this technique should become easier and easier. I am not an expert at this but I had some trouble trying to stay calm but now after succeeding to the
falling stage" a few times, it's really not a big deal now. The past 2 days I succeeded with these weird sensations but they are no longer new to me but now I focus more on transferring over into dreamland.

And yes the swallowing and dry mouth is about the most annoying thing that wakes me up from all this, but if you can get into the dreamworld, there shouldn't be anymore concern. Atleast until you do wake up from the dream. Just hang in there (which I need to handle myself).

I guess my advice into transferring into the dream world is to "get up" (since you should be paralyzed at this point, you shouldn't have to fear about actually getting up). I tried it this morning and got the levatation sensations instead. But it is very important to reality check even if you think you have failed. I had atleast 3 false awakenings recently due to believeing I failed at WILD. Don't let your mind trick you.

I hope this helps.