I don't understand how to do the next step!

[Serenity]

So, tonight I decided to experiment with attempting an immediate WILD, since I was only going down for a 4 hour nap. Keep in mind that I've had a really really odd sleep schedule in the past 48 hours, and I was dying for a nap so that I could make it through to this time in the morning (I actually can't go back to sleep for another 3 hours at least.) This might contribute to why I didn't really need to use the WBTB method to get this far in my WILD attempt. I had a nice dark room. Some neighbours were playing music loudly, so I threw in some earplugs which cut through the noise just fine. I decided to wear my sleep mask too, just in case my eyelids didn't feel heavy enough. I did the counting, "one" breathe in, "I'm dreaming" breathe out. I got up to about 30 and I had what might have been an audio hallucination. It sounded a lot like when they start running in the Flintstones, and you hear that slap, slap, slap noise of feet on stone. Imagine that, but the slapping noises were much clearer and louder. It only lasted for a short burst and I stopped counting when it happened. I was so shocked at how real it sounded! And how unprovoked it was. It sounded like I actually heard it, rather than like a daydream sound. It sounded real. I continued counting from where I left off and calmed my body down (heart was racing). I got up to about 50-60 counts and I was getting short bursts of audio and visual scenes. I followed the advice that I read and didn't focus on them, rather I just let them roll over my mind. I just kept counting my breathing as they happened. Here's where I didn't know what to do though. I wasn't sure if I should be doing something else next, now that I was getting these image bursts. Is this the point where I make that transition from an external focus to an internal one? What constitutes as an internal focus? Focusing on say, a land scape (like if you want to LD on the moon)? Or on one of the HI's? On one of the image bursts? Perhaps I actually had a false awakening? When I decided to give up my focus, because I wasn't sure what to do next, I instantly fell into a regular dream.

[evildoctor]

You were very close. I have a few bits of advice based on how I WILD. 1) Ignore all hallucinations. I have had audio, tactile and visual). Know that they will occur and be ambivient about them. With time you will learn to accept all manner of oddness as nothing more than a "sign" that you are close to take off. 2) The visual scenes (what I call mini dreams or dreamlets) come in waves. The first ones are breif or hazy or fade in half formed and then fade out. These will get stronger. If you continue to relax and dont get excited then one will come that is quite "solid" and lasts more than a second or so. When this happens just focus on one small area. DOnt move in your dream just stare at the closest and most mundane thing you can (a wall, the floor, the table top. When you do this you will notice the dream becomes hyper real - its like someone is turning a dial up. Its quite hard to explain but everything gets very vivid and real. As this happens let it finish - dont get excieted and break too soon. Once the dream is hyper vivd and does not seem to becoming any more so then you are there will be free to move around as you want. I like to think of it like surfing. YOu do all that work to get out to where the waves break. Having done that its important to be paitent and not ride the first small waves to come along. Know that a big wave is going to come sooner or later - and thats the one you want to ride.

[Serenity]

Do you stop your breath counting once you focus on that one scene that appears solid? I was definitely at those dreamlets. They were exactly those fuzzy, half formed thingies... and didn't last more than a flash, or what it felt like. I thought I was destroying the chance of a dream to form because I continued to focus on relaxing and counting.

[evildoctor]

Yes. You have to focus - not too intently - just stare at one small thing - look at its texture, colour, etc, and wait for it to get vivid.

[Serenity]

Thank you! I will try it once I'm able to attempt a WILD again!

[evildoctor]

Good Luck. DOnt forget the most important thing is to not jump on the first dreamlets. If you try and fail you will probably be pissed and it will set you back. Remember - the dreamlets get longer and vivid. Wait for a good vivid one before switiching your focus from breathing into the dream scene. Wait for the "big wave".

[destinationmoon]

I like to think of it like surfing. YOu do all that work to get out to where the waves break. Having done that its important to be paitent and not ride the first small waves to come along. Know that a big wave is going to come sooner or later - and thats the one you want to ride. I love this advice! I agree, you just have to wait and focus on the things that start forming around you and be patient. You will know when the dream has formed as you will usually be dragged into it, you just have to keep your focus and not fall asleep or give up

[ImALucidDreamer]

evildoctor, again, real solid advice here. 1) Ignore all hallucinations. I have had audio, tactile and visual). Know that they will occur and be ambivient about them. ... so just place your conscious mind's focus elsewhere? correct? sometimes I focus on this stuff and I think it takes me out of the game completely. 2) The visual scenes (what I call mini dreams or dreamlets) come in waves. The first ones are breif or hazy or fade in half formed and then fade out. These will get stronger. If you continue to relax and dont get excited then one will come that is quite "solid" and lasts more than a second or so. When this happens just focus on one small area. DOnt move in your dream just stare at the closest and most mundane thing you can (a wall, the floor, the table top. When you do this you will notice the dream becomes hyper real - its like someone is turning a dial up. Its quite hard to explain but everything gets very vivid and real. As this happens let it finish - dont get excieted and break too soon. Once the dream is hyper vivd and does not seem to becoming any more so then you are there will be free to move around as you want. this morning I got close with a WILD attempt. i got the dreamlets coming in waves, but I kept trying to jump into each dreamlet, thinking if I didn't maybe it would form into a dream and sort of leave my conscious mind behind--I'd slip into a non-lucid dream. guess I needed a little patience. I like to think of it like surfing. YOu do all that work to get out to where the waves break. Having done that its important to be paitent and not ride the first small waves to come along. Know that a big wave is going to come sooner or later - and thats the one you want to ride. that's a good analogy. can't wait to try it out. thanks again for the advice. just what I needed. imaLDr

[Armistice]

2) The visual scenes (what I call mini dreams or dreamlets) come in waves. The first ones are breif or hazy or fade in half formed and then fade out. These will get stronger. If you continue to relax and dont get excited then one will come that is quite "solid" and lasts more than a second or so. When this happens just focus on one small area. DOnt move in your dream just stare at the closest and most mundane thing you can (a wall, the floor, the table top. When you do this you will notice the dream becomes hyper real - its like someone is turning a dial up. Its quite hard to explain but everything gets very vivid and real. As this happens let it finish - dont get excieted and break too soon. Once the dream is hyper vivd and does not seem to becoming any more so then you are there will be free to move around as you want. This is nice I usually get HI in the form of colored spots. Then they wash over my viewing area and is a sky blue sort of color with some darker blotchy bushes and tree-like shapes. However, it fades away within 10seconds. Am I focusing too much? Am I just not at the right point to focus. I just kept counting breaths I also don't understand the attention switching. COuld you explain that in my Attention switching thread in this forum? Thanks