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    Thread: WILD According to Sageous Q & A

    1. #401
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      I have some questions about WILD.
      I've been having a WILD every saturday morning. But my WILDs are different now. Before, when lying in bed, i began to feel my body heavier, then vibrating, hearing the buzz sound and images gradually began to appear (mostly a cartoon character). This whole experience lasted for 2-3 minutes. Then a whole scenary began to form in front of me (a house, a planet, space, a garden...) and i popped into that scenary.
      A couple of months it has been different. When lying in bed, i don't hear the buzz sound, the vibrations last for just 5-10 seconds and right away i start to see my room as it is. But i know that i have my physical eyes closed, so, i'm in a dream. Slowly i begin to move my dream arms and legs and get out of my bed. My dream room is exactly as the real one, sometimes with some differences.

      As you see it, before, my WILDs had a lasting "pre-dream" experience and then i entered in a new dream. Now, the "pre-dream" experience is very short and the dream begins always in my bed, in the position where i went to sleep.
      Why is that happening? Is this another kind of WILD? Is this what people call OBE?

    2. #402
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      ^^ I think what may be happening is that your WILD skills are maturing and are outpacing your established WILD habit. You may have originally needed (or rather felt a need) to use the noise as a step toward your dream. Now, as you've grown more experienced, you step right past the noise and into the dream.

      That's a good thing, of course, but there might be a small problem: It seems you were using HI images (that scenery into which you were popping) to step into your dream. Now you're bypassing that scenery -- which, believe it or not, I think is a good thing -- and you have no imagery on hand for the beginning of your dream. "Waking" up in your own room is the most readily available image your dreaming mind could grab, and it is an image that tends to appear when your dreaming mind was not prepared with a new dream. This is a fairly common occurrence in late-cycle WILDs), and I believe is often confused with OBE's. It's also fairly easy to get through. Since you're definitely dreaming at this point (in your "room"), you have a couple of options:

      First, I suggest you just get up and leave the room: walk through a door with a solid idea of where you want to be once you leave your room. The process of moving through the dream and remembering places you'd like to go or see ought to be enough to fuel your dreaming mind into action, and you'll quickly be in your dream.

      You could also just close your dream eyes and imagine being somewhere else, being careful to keep your eyes closed for a few seconds so your dreaming mind has time to do its conjuring.

      Or, you could sidestep the bedroom problem altogether by doing a better job forming your dream before and during your WILD dive. With your mind in the right place from the get-go, especially from an expectations/intentions standpoint, you will likely not even have a "bedroom" problem!

      Oh, and one more note of confidence: I have a feeling that, once you solve this room problem, you will likely find your LD's to be richer, perhaps longer, and more open to your input. This has nothing to do with solving the problem, but with the fact that the problem exists, thanks to your developing self-awareness and LD'ing skills; not a bad deal, I think!

      tl;dr: The bedroom problem may have arisen because you had grown dependent on using the noise, rather than on your own conscious input, to get to your dream. Now that your self-awareness has grown stronger and the need for clinging to the noise has faded, you might need to "grow" your overall approach to the WILD task, so that your entry process is caught up with your advancing skills.
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    3. #403
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      Hi Sageous,

      I just had some questions about mantras:

      I know you said that ignoring the noise and keeping your mind on the dream will make the transition easier, however, I usually try to use a mantra to maintain consciousness, and I’m not sure where to put my focus. If I try to concentrate on the mantra, it feels like I’m not focusing on the dream goal. Sometimes I try to concentrate on both at the same time, but it just makes things very muddled. Is there anything you would recommend?

      Also, if you’re using a mantra, how do you know when to end the mantra, or know when it’s time to enter the dream? Thanks.

    4. #404
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      ^^ Why not have your mantra relate directly to your dream goal? For instance, if your goal is to fly to the moon, your mantra could be "Fly me to the moon." That way you don't have to concern yourself with splitting your attention, and you might find the mantra easier to maintain.

      I suggest that you do not give much thought to when to stop the mantra, because you will leave it behind as soon as your dream starts without any consideration. For similar reasons, there is no real need to concern yourself about when it's time to enter the dream, because when the dream forms you will already be in it, with no need to enter. Thinking about things like when to end a mantra or when to enter the dream tend to be distractions, especially if you make them important during your dive. Try to just know that you'll stop your mantra when you're dreaming, and that you will have no problem recognizing the dream, once you're there.
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    5. #405
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      Thanks, Sageous. You helped me a lot. I have some notes on your answer.

      Since i started WILD i was not expecting noises, vibrations or HI imagery, because i had WILDs unintentionally. I was originally performing MILD in the morning and then those things happened. After browsing through the forum, then i knew it was WILD. The WILD i have been doing, i just lie on my bed expecting something. I don't look for noises, vibrations or images (but those are cool ). Whatever happens, happens.

      Quote Originally Posted by Sageous View Post
      First, I suggest you just get up and leave the room: walk through a door with a solid idea of where you want to be once you leave your room.
      Yes. I've taken advantage of starting my dreams in my bedroom. I've explored my house, my building and, the thing i do most is jump out of my window and explore the outside world. It has been vividly beautiful and exciting. And always different.

      For me it's not a problem starting my dream in my bedroom. I was just curious on why is that. And, to my excitement, i loved to know that, as you said, maybe because my WILD skills are maturing.
      And i will take your suggestion on forming a dream to see if i can go back to pop into a different scenery right at the beginning.

      Thanks.

    6. #406
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      Sageous,

      I might be having some problems with implementing mantras. After a few minutes of using the mantra, the words become lost and it begins to turn into music and random noises. It’s as if the mantra takes on a mind of its own. I can maintain my awareness through it, but the words quickly become lost or transform altogether. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
      Last edited by Eamo24; 04-29-2014 at 01:03 PM.

    7. #407
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      ^^ It sounds to me like your mantra doesn't mean enough to you, Eamo. Either that, or actually using the mantra doesn't mean enough to you. The use of a mantra is meant to focus your attention, but it doesn't just do it because you're saying it; if you don't know that repeating the mantra will hold your focus, it will quickly just become just another bit of noise.

      You seem to have a couple of options here:

      First, reread my session on mantras, and then try to select a mantra that both holds some meaning for you and is simple to repeat (so it won't break down on you). After you've chosen it, give the mantra some thought during the day: consider why you chose it, maybe repeat it in your head a few times, just to give your mind a cance to get used to it. In short, make your mantra consciously important.

      Next, you say you are maintaining awareness without the mantra. [Now, normally I would argue that that might not be the case because if you were fully aware you would not have forgotten the mantra or found yourself unable to repeat it fully, but instead I'll assume that you are maintaining self-awareness (you're there, after all; you ought to know!).] If you are holding onto your self-awareness straight through the falling asleep process -- and into your dream -- without using a mantra, then using a mantra might not be necessary for you. Mantras are not required for WILD, they're just a handy tool for focusing attention. If you can stay focused without a mantra, then don't use it! Using a mantra when it isn't needed would make it another distraction rather than an aid, and there are already enough of those!

      tl;dr: Make your mantras more important or they won't work, but if you are able to WILD without a mantra, don't feel obliged to use one.
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    8. #408
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      ^^ This makes sense actually. I would usually only use a mantra if it’s earlier in the sleep cycle, as it’s more difficult to stay conscious, or maintain self-awareness. However, on my better attempts (usually in the later stage of sleep cycle), I would get close to WILDing without the need of a mantra. I would normally just watch or manipulate HI with full self-awareness.

      I think trying to occupy your mind during the process is the main difficulty. I had a close WILD attempt the other night where I started to see my dream room. For a second or two it felt compellingly real, however, my thinking about it and focusing too much on what to do caused it to fade. On that attempt, though, it didn’t even occur to me to use a mantra….

      So from this I mean, when you’re fully self-aware, and have the intention of entering a lucid dream in mind, it can be hard to know what to do with your mind until you get there. If you don’t use a mantra, is there anything else you could actively do to stay ‘focused’ during the process, purely for something to use as a distraction from things like the need to try and ‘control’ the process? Thanks.
      Last edited by Eamo24; 04-29-2014 at 06:13 PM.

    9. #409
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      Quote Originally Posted by Eamo24 View Post
      ...So from this I mean, when you’re fully self-aware, and have the intention of entering a lucid dream in mind, it can be hard to know what to do with your mind until you get there. If you don’t use a mantra, is there anything else you could actively do to stay ‘focused’ during the process, purely for something to use as a distraction from things like the need to try and ‘control’ the process? Thanks.
      First, if you are fully self-aware during a WILD dive, you can be as distracted, bored, listless, or even excited about the process as you'd like, because, since you are fully self-aware, you will be lucid... that is the power of self-awareness.

      That said, and assuming that self-awareness is rarely fully achieved for any amount of time, there are some other non-mantra things you can do to stay occupied; here are a few that I use:

      * Think about your dream goals. This has always worked best for me. If you are good at visualizing, those "must stay focused" moments are a fine time to do some. Imagine your upcoming dream, think about where you will be, what you will be doing. There is a chance that you might get carried away and lapse into a daydream, but that's okay, because the daydream will likely form the foundation for your actual dream, so you will have set up your dream (and even if that daydream causes you to lose self-awareness, the familiarity of a dream that directly represents your goals will likely restore it). This is what I do most often, by the way.

      * Practice "process avoidance" during waking life. Whenever you find yourself thinking about all the stuff they talk about in these forums, just make a conscious effort to change the subject in your head. If you can learn to automatically shove away useless thoughts in waking life, you ought to find yourself doing the same during a WILD dive.

      * Create a pleasant metaphor for those distracting thoughts. For instance, imagine extra thoughts, misgivings, urges to control the process, etc, are just so much water flowing past you as you relax. Sure, they are there, but they are just passing by, and you regard them as much as you would regard an individual drop of water in a flowing river.

      * Do something physical. The meditation crowd has found great success in using breath to maintain focus. You could simply listen to your breath as it flows in and out (don't try to change its natural rhythm), letting its sound (and the effort to keep hearing it) fill your mind and push out distraction.

      You can also do all these things simultaneously -- on my particularly distracting dives, I find myself visualizing the dream with a stream of thoughts flowing by (sometimes that stream is a roaring torrent in my case!), all while listening to my breath... and yes, there is a mantra being repeated as well. And trust me, if you develop a knack for juggling all these mental balls and still relaxing enough to get back to sleep, distractions like excitement about the process or the noise will become distant, frustrated gnats!
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    10. #410
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      Quote Originally Posted by Sageous View Post
      First, if you are fully self-aware during a WILD dive, you can be as distracted, bored, listless, or even excited about the process as you'd like, because, since you are fully self-aware, you will be lucid... that is the power of self-awareness.

      That said, and assuming that self-awareness is rarely fully achieved for any amount of time, there are some other non-mantra things you can do to stay occupied; here are a few that I use:

      * Think about your dream goals. This has always worked best for me. If you are good at visualizing, those "must stay focused" moments are a fine time to do some. Imagine your upcoming dream, think about where you will be, what you will be doing. There is a chance that you might get carried away and lapse into a daydream, but that's okay, because the daydream will likely form the foundation for your actual dream, so you will have set up your dream (and even if that daydream causes you to lose self-awareness, the familiarity of a dream that directly represents your goals will likely restore it). This is what I do most often, by the way.

      * Practice "process avoidance" during waking life. Whenever you find yourself thinking about all the stuff they talk about in these forums, just make a conscious effort to change the subject in your head. If you can learn to automatically shove away useless thoughts in waking life, you ought to find yourself doing the same during a WILD dive.

      * Create a pleasant metaphor for those distracting thoughts. For instance, imagine extra thoughts, misgivings, urges to control the process, etc, are just so much water flowing past you as you relax. Sure, they are there, but they are just passing by, and you regard them as much as you would regard an individual drop of water in a flowing river.

      * Do something physical. The meditation crowd has found great success in using breath to maintain focus. You could simply listen to your breath as it flows in and out (don't try to change its natural rhythm), letting its sound (and the effort to keep hearing it) fill your mind and push out distraction.

      You can also do all these things simultaneously -- on my particularly distracting dives, I find myself visualizing the dream with a stream of thoughts flowing by (sometimes that stream is a roaring torrent in my case!), all while listening to my breath... and yes, there is a mantra being repeated as well. And trust me, if you develop a knack for juggling all these mental balls and still relaxing enough to get back to sleep, distractions like excitement about the process or the noise will become distant, frustrated gnats!
      What an amazing amount of time you put into teaching here. I wish I was half as helpful lately. This entire post is golden; it is clear and every word is well used. Thank you.
      Peace Be With You. Oh, and sure, The Force too, why not.



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    11. #411
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      ^^ Thanks Sivason; I do appreciate that!
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      Sageous,

      I’m just wondering about something:

      When maintaining self-awareness through a WILD attempt, sometimes tiredness is a major hindrance. For example, earlier in the night it’s very difficult to maintain self-awareness, however, in the late morning (after about 7 hours sleep) tiredness isn’t a major issue, so it's a lot easier, but the WILD attempt usually takes a lot longer. So I was wondering:

      Would it be right to say that if you’re very tired, you will fall asleep much faster, but it will be a lot more difficult to maintain self-awareness, and the less tired you are, the longer it will take to fall asleep, but is much easier to hold self-awareness?

      I’m not sure if this is a sleep related question or anything, but I’ve often found this to be the case. Thanks.
      Last edited by Eamo24; 05-14-2014 at 06:07 PM.
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    13. #413
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      ^^ Yes, you are right, Eamo, and yes, this is indeed a sleep related question.

      If your body is extremely tired, and poised irreversibly toward falling asleep, then it would be quite difficult to maintain self-awareness through the process; the physiology is almost always too powerful. Notice I said "almost always" there, because it may be difficult to maintain self-awareness when very tired, but it is not impossible (i.e., mastering the art of doing just this is a goal of sleep yoga). Still, it may be better to DILD if you're very tired, and sure that you wouldn't be able to hold it together during a WILD attempt -- and, also because of long NREM periods early in the sleep cycle, it is usually better to hold off WILD attempts until later on.

      And yes, it is an annoying irony of WILD that the most effective time to try it is when your body is least interested in going back to sleep (causing those long waits during late-morning WILD dives), but that is indeed the best time to attempt a WILD, not only because REM periods are close together, but also, I think, because it is much easier to maintain self-awareness when your body is more awake.

      So I guess you answered your own question, but you do raise an interesting and often overlooked point: physiology -- in this case the need for sleep, or tiredness -- is a major player in WILD attempts, and ought to be integrated into your plans, or at least respected. In other words, if you are too tired to attempt a WILD, then don't bother.
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    14. #414
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      Lucidmatz asked me a question through s PM today that I thought worth sharing here. So, with his permission of course, here it is:

      Originally PM'ed by lucidmats:
      ... I have another question now regarding your self-awareness training : You say "know that everything around me has an effect on me and the other way around" I think i kinda know what to do and it certainly feels right, i guess. Just to clarify, do you mean by effect, that when i sit on the couch i´ll make it sink in and the couch will keep me away from the ground (just an example) ?
      Hope i´m doing the right thing

      Did I really say to know that you are interacting with your local reality, or did I say to wonder about it? I guess I might have said "know" once or twice; I get that way. I also guess it wouldn't hurt to assume you must know the interaction, because that might help you wonder more!

      Regardless: Yes, I do mean in effect that when you sit on the couch you acknowledge the dent you made, that you are squeezing some foam and springs, and that, yes, the couch is suspending you above the ground, as is the floor below it. Also:

      *You can wonder that a moment ago the couch was just so much material occupying space in front of you, but now, with your sitting upon it, it has a true purpose and is serving it.

      *You can notice how the couch has changed your perspective on the room; perhaps it has even changed your personal attitude; especially if you were tired and really needed to sit down.

      *You can wonder if anyone noticed you plopping down on the couch, and how they might feel about your recent surrender to standing.

      *You can look around the room, and see what sitting on the couch means: does it mean impending rest? Conversation? Reading? TV? Video games?

      *You can also wonder about how your sitting is wearing the couch out a bit, and that tiny bits of you are rubbing off onto the couch (eew).

      See? Even just sitting on a couch can be swarming with things to wonder about (or know). But clearly you already get the idea!

    15. #415
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      ^^ My RRCs have tended to be more about wondering at "here I am, I realize I'm here, a sentient being" and examining memories of recent interactions or actions and their effects, I guess I should work in more local object interaction thoughts.

      p.s. it's nice to see a concrete example, it really helps.
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      I know this thread has already had a mention here, but it may be worth a bump in relation to Sageous example of an RRC: http://www.dreamviews.com/beyond-dre...rspective.html
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      Quote Originally Posted by FryingMan View Post
      ^^ My RRCs have tended to be more about wondering at "here I am, I realize I'm here, a sentient being" and examining memories of recent interactions or actions and their effects, I guess I should work in more local object interaction thoughts.

      p.s. it's nice to see a concrete example, it really helps.
      Lol I am doing the same thing too!

      Sageous, can this expand to more features, like how my neighbor's music is entertaining/annoying me now? How things around me make me feel and change my mood? Also like what I just did and how it benefited me and effected others/environment?
      I fill my heart with fire, with passion, passion for what makes me nostalgic. A unique perspective fuels my fire, makes me discover new passions, more nostalgia. I love it.

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      I'd just like to share that I had a (brief) LD the other night that I can confidently ascribe to techniques I've been using inspired by this tutorial.

      I've been using a phone app called Prospector that picks four random triggers each day (from an editable list) which you can use to trigger RCs / RRCs and practice prospective memory by trying to spot those triggers. I've been seeding my list of triggers with dreamsigns, and increasingly spotting those dreamsigns even when they're not on today's list. One of my dreamsigns is that outdoors locations are usually very brightly lit, with an early in the morning in the summer type feel.

      This is the DJ entry, but the key moment was when I noticed it was very sunny and thought to do an RC/RRC type thing (I just thought about my context and the events immediately preceding) and became lucid when I spotted several dream signs!

      I'm really pleased that I can actually (for the first time in a couple of months of practicing) see a clear link between the disciplines I've been working on, and my actual LD life!

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      Quote Originally Posted by Sageous View Post
      Lucidmatz asked me a question through s PM today that I thought worth sharing here. So, with his permission of course, here it is:




      Did I really say to know that you are interacting with your local reality, or did I say to wonder about it? I guess I might have said "know" once or twice; I get that way. I also guess it wouldn't hurt to assume you must know the interaction, because that might help you wonder more!

      Regardless: Yes, I do mean in effect that when you sit on the couch you acknowledge the dent you made, that you are squeezing some foam and springs, and that, yes, the couch is suspending you above the ground, as is the floor below it. Also:

      *You can wonder that a moment ago the couch was just so much material occupying space in front of you, but now, with your sitting upon it, it has a true purpose and is serving it.

      *You can notice how the couch has changed your perspective on the room; perhaps it has even changed your personal attitude; especially if you were tired and really needed to sit down.

      *You can wonder if anyone noticed you plopping down on the couch, and how they might feel about your recent surrender to standing.

      *You can look around the room, and see what sitting on the couch means: does it mean impending rest? Conversation? Reading? TV? Video games?

      *You can also wonder about how your sitting is wearing the couch out a bit, and that tiny bits of you are rubbing off onto the couch (eew).

      See? Even just sitting on a couch can be swarming with things to wonder about (or know). But clearly you already get the idea!
      This. I'm finding it really difficult to get into this mindset, and it's putting me off even trying to do RCCs. :/

    20. #420
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      ^^ Well, then don't do RRC's!

      Seriously, if you find yourself unable to do RRC's properly, or perhaps just not interested in them, you do not need to do them and still be able to LD. There are other ways to build self-awareness, and other ways to prepare yourself for making sense of the dream when you are in it, and certainly other ways to successfully WILD. This is just a method I've found that works well, and also helps with other things, like focus and imagination, which are important in LD'ing.

      So if it's too difficult, just move on. If it is just difficult, and you want to be able to do RRC's, then I suggest that you keep trying them, even if they feel useless or like you're not doing them correctly at first. You might get the hang of them eventually, and the process of attempting them might still help.

      If I misunderstood you, and you had something specific that you did not get, let me know.

    21. #421
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      Quote Originally Posted by Sageous View Post
      ^^ Well, then don't do RRC's!

      Seriously, if you find yourself unable to do RRC's properly, or perhaps just not interested in them, you do not need to do them and still be able to LD. There are other ways to build self-awareness, and other ways to prepare yourself for making sense of the dream when you are in it, and certainly other ways to successfully WILD. This is just a method I've found that works well, and also helps with other things, like focus and imagination, which are important in LD'ing.

      So if it's too difficult, just move on. If it is just difficult, and you want to be able to do RRC's, then I suggest that you keep trying them, even if they feel useless or like you're not doing them correctly at first. You might get the hang of them eventually, and the process of attempting them might still help.

      If I misunderstood you, and you had something specific that you did not get, let me know.
      I DO want to be able to do them, I'm just struggling to come up with good questions like the ones regarding the couch. I suppose I'll just keep at it.

    22. #422
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      ^^ That's good, because if you really want to be able to do them, then the effort to get there only mnakes successful RRC's more rewarding.

      Here's a thought, though: don't worry about the significance of the questions. They don't have to be good, or even terribly relevant. They just have to help you wonder about your place, and your interaction with, your local reality. But yes, if you keep at it with some experience you will gain comfort in the moment, find the questions easier to form, and the wondering easier to do.

      Good luck, and let us know here if you're still having trouble after spending more time attempting RRC's as best you can.

    23. #423
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      Sageous,

      I’ve had a few WILD attempts recently, but not without some difficulty…

      My main difficulty at the moment (I think) is being able to use the right amount of awareness when navigating the difficult path to the LD -- a path which could certainly do with a little de-cluttering!

      I find that if I try to focus on the WILD, I can’t fall asleep easily, even though I may still be very tired after the WBTB. The attempts usually start off ok, and I think: “great, I’ve got a steady mantra, I’m focused etc. and can fall back to sleep”, so I try to just wait until sleep sets in. But during the wait, I feel like I’m concentrating quite well but getting nowhere*, only to completely lose consciousness about 15 minutes later. I also get the feeling a lot of people talk about, where they feel like giving up on the WILD and going to sleep normally. But you must go to sleep in order to WILD; It’s a bit of a tricky situation!

      I’m not sure why this keeps happening but maybe I’m being too aware, and it’s too tiring to maintain so I just black out later and forget the whole thing. I try not to pay too much attention to things like HI, but I do observe it now and then, and sometimes I talk myself through the process or make some mental notes about what’s happening.

      *Sometimes if I find that I’m not falling asleep or nothing’s happening, I try to just ‘go to sleep’ as I would normally but then try to pick up a little bit of awareness again in few seconds. I’m not really sure how to use a small amount of awareness but still be aware enough to be conscious of the process. Hope this doesn’t sound like a repetitive question but would you happen to have any advice on what to do?

      Thanks.
      Last edited by Eamo24; 08-14-2014 at 12:25 AM. Reason: Rephrased something

    24. #424
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      Quote Originally Posted by Eamo24 View Post
      I’ve had a few WILD attempts recently, but not without some difficulty…

      My main difficulty at the moment (I think) is being able to use the right amount of awareness when navigating the difficult path to the LD -- a path which could certainly do with a little de-cluttering!
      I hear you, but keep in mind that there is no "right amount" of self-awareness in this formula -- only as much self-awareness as you can muster. That said:

      I find that if I try to focus on the WILD, I can’t fall asleep easily, even though I may still be very tired after the WBTB. The attempts usually start off ok, and I think: “great, I’ve got a steady mantra, I’m focused etc. and can fall back to sleep”, so I try to just wait until sleep sets in. But during the wait, I feel like I’m concentrating quite well but getting nowhere, only to completely lose consciousness about 15 minutes later. I also get the feeling a lot of people talk about, where they feel like giving up on the WILD and going to sleep normally. But you must go to sleep in order to WILD; It’s a bit of a tricky situation!
      It is a tricky situation indeed, but one with a fairly easy solution: wait out your body.

      When you lie down to WILD, you should allot yourself about two hours of "effort time." Odds are excellent that you will likely fall asleep in less than an hour, but if you make it to two without falling asleep then odds are you'll never fall asleep that day. So give it the full two hours, no matter how bored you are or how sure you are that you won't fall asleep after any amount of time less than that two hours. I think that about 90% of WILD's fail simply because people give up too soon. Regarding your body's interest in falling asleep:

      I’m not sure why this keeps happening but maybe I’m being too aware, and it’s too tiring to maintain so I just black out later and forget the whole thing. I try not to pay too much attention to things like HI, but I do observe it now and then, and sometimes I talk myself through the process or make some mental notes about what’s happening.
      I personally do not think that you can be "too aware," but your conscious input can have an influence on how long it takes you to fall asleep. This input, however, tends to go straight to your reticular system (aka: you desire to be awake, so your body obliges and keeps you, all of you, awake). Also, if you spend too much time rationalizing the HI and other events you stumble across during a WILD, you will likely turn your mind away from the nature of the event, and cause your body to become less interested in simply falling asleep -- as was its original plan.

      So yeah, awareness is involved in keeping you awake, but it isn't really a case of being too aware as it is a case of letting your awareness wander. When you are attempting a WILD, try to hold onto your mantra and your dream goals, and don't let thoughts of things like "am I asleep yet?" or the HI to eclipse your mindset as you WILD.

      So muster all the self-awareness you can -- just be sure to meter that self-awareness in a manner that keeps you self-aware, and not one that allows you to fall prey to the distractions inherent in WILD -- the greatest of those being the urge to roll over and go to sleep.

      tldr: When you get tired of doing your WILD attempt, and are sure you cannot fall asleep (or can't help just falling asleep), just give it a few more minutes. And when that few minutes passes, give it a few more, until at least two hours have elapsed.
      Sivason, DragonMaster21 and Eamo24 like this.

    25. #425
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      Hello sageous,
      Ive gotten my technique and such down i just have a question on rem cycles, if i take a nap say 6pm or so and wake up and do my wbtb am i sure to have a wild (if i succeed in the transition of course. Im mainly wanting to know more about the rem cycles, when will it take ten mins to enter a dream and when are the dreams sure to not happen and you find yourself looking into blackness for half an hour

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