Real Lucid Dreams (the Guide)

[BillyBob]

So last night I&#39;m in a dream where me and two of my friends are hanging out talking about LDing (we never talk about LDing together) we all decided that we would WILD and have a mutual dream (shared dream) so we did, (1) apparently the act of WILDing woke something in my head up and suddenly i was lucid enough to do a RC. I was like "woo I&#39;m dreaming" (2) and i watched as my two friends appeared in front of me, i thought to myself "finally they&#39;ve arrived" we then discussed what we thought we should do, we decided to play tag with all our dream powers wherein we would throw balls of energy at one another and whoever got hit was out, we were on a tennis court so I jumped up onto the top of the fence and began running down it doing front flips etc dodging their energy then i woke (read below before leaving) Ok, I didn&#39;t make this post to tell you about my lucid dream, I made it to show you what most of us often forget to do when we enter a lucid dream. In forgetting to do these simple things we give up lifelike details and lucidity that tops that of daily life for a shitty, half lucid, rat-hole of a dream that we forget five minutes after awakening. (the dream above was actually one I had) You&#39;ll notice that I put numbers beside the points in the dream where I went lucid and where it ended, not a very long span there huh? here&#39;s some things I could have done to make that last much much longer and make it all the more meaningful: What I did- I&#39;ve just gained lucidity, I&#39;m pretty excited at this point because I can do anything and everything that I can imagine, after a couple seconds of thinking about what the effect of seeing 7 fingers on my hand has on reality, I think to myself: "oh I&#39;m dreaming" and proceed to just walk around my dream aimlessly... what I should have done- I&#39;ve just gained lucidity, I&#39;m pretty excited because I&#39;ve just realized that my horizons are completely limitless. If, at this very moment, I wanted to fly through the clouds of some mystic distant planet, I could. Soon after thinking about the fact that I have 7 fingers, I remember all the time I spent thinking about what I should do when I fail a RC that I did the day before. Immediately I kneel down and look at my palms, examining their details, thinking extremely hard about the fact that my mind created every groove and bump that I see. I look away and then back a few times, by now not really thinking about whats going on around me, my palms are all that matters, them and all their grooves notches and bumps, by now (after looking at them for about 5 seconds) I&#39;ve lost most of the initial excitement that I had when I first did the RC, I&#39;m thinking more clearly. I look up and find a tennis court, beautifully detailed with a wide and incredible range of vivid colors, all swirilng around and through me. I look for the birds that should be flying through the trees and suddenly notice a flock of thousands of parrots rising from the canopy, their colors (almost) blinding me. I then begin to notice their familiar squawks and whistles just as they begin fade off into the horizon. Now I begin listening for more sounds... I hear the wind blowing through the fence that surrounds me, Instantly I feel it swirl through my hair and beat against my face. This goes on for about 30 seconds (my trying to open up all my senses), by now I&#39;ve tasted the wind, heard the sounds of a freeway that must be half a mile away, and saw a lone ladybug that had just began its long trek across the tennis court. I can now go do whatever I want and it will be in crystal clarity, more real than life itself. __________________________________________________ __________ That&#39;s what could have happened had I taken 30 seconds to ground myself in my new reality. (I&#39;m sure it looks like it would take much longer than that when your reading it, but it actually goes by much faster when your doing it ) Practice doing these three things when your still in reality, it makes it much easier to remember how and what to do when you actually get into a lucid dream: 1) The first thing you should do is acknowledge the fact that everything around you is created singularly by your mind, and that none of it is real in any way other than that your experiencing it alone (with no other entity such as your friends or a ghost or something stupid like that) 2) kneel down and either: Why did I make this topic?</span> I made this for everyone that asks questions like: "was this a lucid dream?", or: "how do I know if I was lucid or not?" The definition of a lucid dream is you saying to yourself: "I&#39;m dreaming" I ask you, what would be the point of lucid dreaming if all it was, was a dream where you said "I&#39;m dreaming"? Often in those dreams you just walk around feeling like you haven&#39;t slept in days, doing random meaningless dream stuff with your "dream powers". Would that really be enough for anyone to put in so much work in trying to achieve a lucid dream? Would that make you gasp in the morning in awe of how worth-while all the work you put in was? personally I say no, but I guess that&#39;s really all for the individual to decide. you see, a lucid dream isn&#39;t supposed to be remembered like a normal dream is. You shouldn&#39;t have to write it down in order to not forget any details of it (any more than you would forget that a waking memory that is). When you wake up after an LD you should feel like you just teleported into your bed, no lost memories, no foggyness, total clairity. to have dreams remembered like I just described follow the steps I laid out earlier, but also (and most important of all) remember this: DON&#39;T GO BACK TO SLEEP AFTER HAVING YOUR LD&#33; if you do go back to sleep (even if you just had the single most vivid lucid dream you&#39;ve ever experienced in your life), its all going to be forgotten in the morning. You&#39;ll remember it as though it were just another normal dream where you said "I&#39;m dreaming."... You don&#39;t want that, so follow those steps, and dream lucidly 8) (PS. comments are always welcome )

[Bosco]

sounds kinda like meditating in your dream on some scale...im gunna try it

[BillyBob]

yeah i partly got it from meditation and stuff EDIT: added the majority of this post to the main topic

[invadergarf]

The idea of focusing on your hand to see every detail is a great idea BillyBob_001. I'll try it next time I have a lucid dream and see if it works. Will it help my lucid dream last longer or just help it be more realistic and detailed? One problem I have is that my dreams end really quickly sometimes and that they aren't too detailed (in one I felt like i was not really there and could supposedly feel myself in my bed, I had difficulty concentrating on my surroundings in the dream and felt like I was just barely keeping in the dream, it wasn't very detailed as a result...) Anyway, I'll try the looking at my hand idea tonight (hopefully), i'm going to bed pretty soon so hopefully it will still be on my mind during a lucid dream. It sounds like a great idea though, so i'm hoping it will work. InvaderGarf

[BillyBob]

Originally posted by invadergarf The idea of focusing on your hand to see every detail is a great idea BillyBob_001. I'll try it next time I have a lucid dream and see if it works. Will it help my lucid dream last longer or just help it be more realistic and detailed? One problem I have is that my dreams end really quickly sometimes and that they aren't too detailed (in one I felt like i was not really there and could supposedly feel myself in my bed, I had difficulty concentrating on my surroundings in the dream and felt like I was just barely keeping in the dream, it wasn't very detailed as a result...) Anyway, I'll try the looking at my hand idea tonight (hopefully), I'm going to bed pretty soon so hopefully it will still be on my mind during a lucid dream. It sounds like a great idea though, so I'm hoping it will work. InvaderGarf yeah it should help with both, and as much as i would like to claim that it was my idea it actually wasnt (to look at your palm) And also there's a really good way to make yourself stay in the dream, you just induce a false awakening... I wrote a tutorial type thing on that, here's the link: <False awakenings>

[tehownerer]

Originally posted by BillyBob_001 yeah i partly got it from meditation and stuff _+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_ anyway I forgot to put this in the original post: I made this for everyone that's like "was this a lucid dream?" "how do I know if I was lucid or not?" The definition of a lucid dream is your saying "I'm dreaming" (or at least you thinking it) I ask you, what would be the point of lucid dreaming if all it was was a dream where you say "I'm dreaming" and then you walk around with your mind so clouded that it feels like you haven't slept in days doing random dream stuff with your "dream powers"? Would that really be enough for anyone to put in so much work in trying to achieve a lucid dream? would that make you gasp in the morning with how worth-while all the work you put in was? personally I say no, but I guess that's really all for the individual to decide. you see I wouldn't waste as much time on lucid dreaming as I do if all it was in the morning was a foggy half remembered dream that I said "oh I'm dreaming" I doubt anyone else that's a hardcore LDr would either to have dreams remembered like i just described follow the steps iv laid out above, but most of all the one I'm about to tell you, DONT GO BACK TO SLEEP AFTER HAVING YOUR LD! if you do go back to sleep even if you just had the single most vivid lucid dream you've ever experienced in your life, its all going to be forgotten in the morning, it'll seem like it was just some dream. you dont want that... follow those steps, and dream lucid Your right on that note. Make sure you fully write it down. You may still remember it in the morning but it will be very blurry/unclear/ crap quality.

[Zaphod]

Excellent advice, BillyBob. I try to do the exact same thing, examining the details of my palm, the ground, my surroundings, etc. for a good 10-15 seconds before going off into my LD. Whenever I do, my LDs are way longer and more vivid. It can be hard, since it seems like you're wasting your precious dream time, but it's certainly worth it. I find it's best to take in as much as possible with several of your senses, like feeling the ground or the wind against you. I also like to shout out something like "Increase clarity!" "Don't go back to sleep after having your LD" is another good piece of advice. At least try to jot down the important points so that you can remember them later.

[BillyBob]

Originally posted by Zaphod "Don't go back to sleep after having your LD" is another good piece of advice. At least try to jot down the important points so that you can remember them later. I actually just wouldn't go back to sleep at all (if it was a worthwhile LD where i did more than just walk around) if you just jot it down and go back to bed you will remember it... but its just remembered as something that happened... if you actually get up (and stay up) it'll be remembered as something you were just doing (long term memory vs short term memory) that might sound stupid/ not make any sense... but truthfully the only reason i LD is for the day of effect... if you get up directly after having the LD it should stay in your short term memory (think of something you did 2 minutes ago vs. something you did yesterday... which memory is more vivid and meaningful?) if that you do get up and stay up after the LD and write it all down (but then continue to stay up till the next night) then that 2 minutes ago memory feeling should last all day (because you've been running the experience through your head all day) I call it the day of affect... without it lucid dreaming would be pointless... every LD you had would be distorted and partially forgotten (yes even if you wrote down every detail which is impossible) due to the natural deleting of useless memories brought on during sleep (ie. you cant remember the sensations of brushing your teeth last night due to sleep trimming down that useless memory, the same goes for dreams and lucid dreams, except the mind sees them as the most useless memories we have) anyway i doubt that made sense but whatever

[cecile]

You're brilliant BillyBob haha even if it wasn't your idea... I seem to love all your posts they are the most helpful I think you're my favourite person on these forums Whatever you do --- don't go away! but... as far as your post goes If ever I attain another lucid dream that will be the first thing I'll do no doubt

[computernerd90]

You did bring up a good point, BillyBob. One of the first things you should do after you attain lucidity is itensify the lucidity by either examining your hands or other things (spinning, screaming 'maximize lucidity'). Otherwise you would shortly after get so excited about the LD that you fade away from it. I've done this a few times and it sucks. Intensifying the LD makes it last a whole lot longer and makes it more worthwhile.

[Twoshadows]

BillyBob, I enjoyed reading this post. I have been thinking about this topic too. Before I read this I wrote a post called "Creating the details" bringing up this same idea (though much more abbreviated). I enjoy flying in my LDs but I haven't had enough details lately to make them very memorable. So I made the goal to remember details. And the next LD, I did not fly but just looked around and took in the details of my surroundings. And I'd say I woke up more satisfied than if I had just randomly flown around. This is something I really want to practice.

[invadergarf]

Hi again! I'm just posting to say that I looked at my palm in a lucid dream a few days ago and it worked great! It all felt very real but still didn't last that long... I just looked into your false awakening post and it sounds interesting, so i'll try that as well to keep my lucid dreams going for a bit longer. Thanks for the advice, it seems to be helping!

[BillyBob]

as with all my topics this was written for the sole purpose of being read (it isnt asking a question) so....

[.jared.]

Thanks this has really encouraged me. I will try to keep it in mind when i have my first LD.

[Awhislyle]

I admit, my best lucid dreams happen when I do this, I need to remember to do it in all of them.

[ilovefrootloopz]

I've have this problem... my first 3 lucid dreams were all me becoming lucid and just wasting it. The fourth one I attempted some verbal commands, but not much more, unlike what I thought of doing while awake (going on evil rampages mwa ha ha). I'll try this and hopefully if I have my 5th Lucid dream anytime soon I'l ltry it.

[Pettersson]

Thank you!! This was exactly what I needed to get help with!

[SpaceFlower]

yes, your posts always help I noticed that it seems like my mind finds a way around letting me get too lucid. tried to study my hands and they were kinda transparent (like in Back to the Future) sometimes I get a little frustrated because I remember to look for detail but things still stay blurry. Often times my dreams are very bright or very dark. then i figure i should stop becuase if I get too agitated I might lose the lucidity all together. So I just enjoy what I can. what I have noticed though, is that my hearing is impeccable in lucid dreams! I hear birds landing on branches, water trickling from faucets, different conversations both close and far away, even footsteps where I can tell the type of flooring beling walked on.

[themikeyg]

so pretty much I was extremely confused about what to do after you realize you're dreaming but.. this just like.. cleared everything up so.. hopefully that'll make this a lot easier now thank you

[Bjango]

Wow! Really great thread! I'm still really new at all this and I haven't had an LD yet, but I'll keep these ideas fresh in my mind. Thanks!

[Steohawk]

I noticed that it seems like my mind finds a way around letting me get too lucid. tried to study my hands and they were kinda transparent (like in Back to the Future) sometimes I get a little frustrated because I remember to look for detail but things still stay blurry. Often times my dreams are very bright or very dark. then i figure i should stop becuase if I get too agitated I might lose the lucidity all together. So I just enjoy what I can.[/b] I can't say from experience, but I'm sure that intent has a lot to do with it. If things are lacking detail, try to see the detail anyway. I don't know if this makes since, but since you're trying, it'll probably be no time before you succeed.

[Lonewolf]

Originally posted by cecile You're brilliant BillyBob haha even if it wasn't your idea... I seem to love all your posts * they are the most helpful I think you're my favourite person on these forums Whatever you do --- don't go away! but... as far as your post goes If ever I attain another lucid dream that will be the first thing I'll do no doubt I totally agree... I'm new here and I have especially noticed your posts and replies and its jus very great and helpful. UR AWESOME.

[BillyBob]

Originally posted by SpaceFlower yes, your posts always help I noticed that it seems like my mind finds a way around letting me get too lucid. *tried to study my hands and they were kinda transparent (like in Back to the Future) sometimes I get a little frustrated because I remember to look for detail but things still stay blurry. *Often times my dreams are very bright or very dark. then i figure i should stop because if I get too agitated I might lose the lucidity all together. So I just enjoy what I can. * what I have noticed though, is that my hearing is impeccable in lucid dreams! I hear birds landing on branches, water trickling from faucets, different conversations both close and far away, even footsteps where I can tell the type of flooring beling walked on. If you look for something in your dream with enough intent you will find it no matter what. just keep trying and I'm sure in your next LD (if you don't expect it to be blurry) then you'll find all the amazing details the one thing you have to remember is that every LD is different from all the others you've ever had, this is due to many factors including 1) when you had the LD 2) what your psychological state was during the LD (If you had been intensely angry at someone the previous day you might have more dream control than normal) 3) your environment (you don't notice it due to your minds ingenious incorporating it into your dream but ambient real life noises are constantly being made into noises in your dream [although they're often heavily distorted] this could cause a nightmare dream that seems totally random and like you didn't induce it at all. (you hear a noise behind you in the dream [it was actually your real life cat knocking over a glass in the real world] you turn around to see what it was fearing the worst only to find a psychotic werewolf) the list goes on. the point: never judge your overall dream control level or clarity, () in reality you could have the worst control ever for 3 nights in a row then the next night finding yourself with more abilities than the most experienced LDr ()

[Lonewolf]

hey...I kind of have a problem. Well last night I actualy became lucid (even though I fell asleep at around 12 and woke up at 6:30 for summer school, which I thought wouldn't give much enough time for lucid dreams) but I remembered the tip to examine you hands (which I just read yesterday) except when I looked at them, they were all disfigured! It was gross and creepy. Parts of fingers are smooshed together and I think they were red and shaking. I was stunned but I try to examine them anyway but I just couldn't. After a while I lost my lucidity and from there it branched off into a sort of slight nighmare. I also remember doing the spinning technique earlier which was the first time I ever did one in a lucid dream, but I dont think anything happened.

[BillyBob]

Originally posted by Lonewolf hey...I kind of have a problem. Well last night I actually became lucid (even though I fell asleep at around 12 and woke up at 6:30 for summer school, which I thought wouldn't give much enough time for lucid dreams) but I remembered the tip to examine you hands (which I just read yesterday) except when I looked at them, they were all disfigured! It was gross and creepy. Parts of fingers are smooshed together and I think they were red and shaking. I was stunned but I try to examine them anyway but I just * couldn't. After a while I lost my lucidity and from there it branched off into a sort of slight nightmare. * I also remember doing the spinning technique earlier which was the first time I ever did one in a lucid dream, but I don't think anything happened. yeah the first time I saw that I had 8 fingers on one hand it made me wake up instantly I'd recommend picking up and object and examining it, (although iv never had any disfigurement on my hands other than more fingers, it may be a one time occurrence) Every time I've used the spinning technique it did one of two things: 1) woke me up 2) had no affect whatsoever instead of just spinning spin and focus on the feeling of spinning (rather than just doing it)