[Lesson 2] : Maintaining lucidity
There are countless stories in the lucid dreaming sections about people who finally attained a lucid dream, but lost it immediately after. Either they lost lucidity, woke up, lost complete control of their mobility, or the dream went blank/collapsed.
In this lesson I'm going to share with you some techniques I have learned through my own experiences, as well as some I've heard here on the forum.
You became lucid, now what?
Immediately after becoming lucid, you should always do a reality check. This will remove any doubt that you are dreaming, and will make you more lucid. There are varying degrees of lucidity, because our brains are slow when we're asleep. Sometimes you might be aware that you're dreaming, but it doesn't fully sink in because your mind isn't as sharp as it is in real life. That's why a simple RC can make you more aware.
On top of doing RCs, it's also a good idea to talk out loud to yourself while in the dream. Say things like, "I'm in a dream right now." Take a moment to look at your surroundings, focus on details in the dream scape. I always like to check out what I'm wearing, and pick up some dirt off the ground and feel it in my hand.
*** You need to always remain calm. One of the most common ways people collapse their dreams is by getting really excited. Try some deep breathing, or whatever it is you need to do to keep your excitement level down.
How to increase clarity/ vividness
Ok so now you've taken a moment to increase your awareness, here's some techniques you can use to increase the clarity, and further stabilize the dream.
Dream spinning- Spinning around in place. Once you've stopped spinning, the dream should have increased in vividness. I've heard some people say it destroys the dream for them, for other people it works wonders. I personally only use it when I feel like the dream is ending or starting to collapse. Try it for yourself and see if it works for you. If the dream starts to collapse, immediately start using one of these other techniques to stabilize it.
Hand rubbing- Rubbing your hands together. This one works pretty well, and doesn't have the risk of collapsing the dream.
Focusing on details- Using all of your sense to focus on different aspects of the dream. Looking at different textures closely, feeling them, smelling them, tasting them, and listening to things.
Remaining lucid
There are some things you need to look out for to prevent losing lucidity, as in losing awareness and forgetting you're in a dream. This can happen in a few different ways...
Getting too caught up in an activity
Maybe you're having a conversation with someone, or you're fighting a dragon. Whatever the case, it's easy to lose concentration and have your mind start focusing on other things. That usually kills lucidity and turns it into a regular dream with it's own plot. The way to combat this is pretty simple, constantly remind yourself that you're in a dream. I like to do this verbally to myself, because hearing my own voice telling me to stay lucid just makes me that much more aware. Continue to do RCs throughout the dream as well.
At first, you should always have staying lucid in the forefront of your mind. As you gain more experience it becomes less necessary to remind yourself regularly.
False Awakening
Sometimes you'll have false awakenings even while lucid, so it's really important to do a RC every time you wake up. Making a habit of this will prevent any loss of lucidity, and will also allow you to take advantage of false awakenings that happen while you weren't already lucid.
A dream character trying to trick you
I've heard of people losing lucidity because a DC told them they weren't dreaming. This can be solved by doing another reality check, considering you're already lucid. You should be doing these on a regular basis while in the dream anyways.
Please post any questions or comments you have!
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