# Lucid Dreaming > DV Academy > Current Courses > DILD >  >  Shingles' Workbook

## shingles

Hello, I am Shingles, I am 22 years old and rather new to lucid dreaming. 

I have been keeping a dream journal for a little under three weeks. I have also been performing reality checks regularly over that time. Over the past week I have begun performing reality checks in line with random prospective memory targets that I set in the morning (e.g. when I see a motorcycle). Over the past three weeks my dream recall has improved. I went from one dream per night to now two or three. 

I am yet to have a lucid dream. I have, however, twice performed a reality check while dreaming. The first time was three days after I started doing RCs. I had up until that point been doing RCs without really questioning whether I was dreaming. Accordingly when I performed it in the dream I didn't really question my reality. Lessen learned, I now am very aware while doing RCs. The second time was last night. I counted my fingers and counted 7, realized that 7 was weird and instantly woke up. 

Is it normal to wake up right after failing a reality check? I am very worried about this because it feels like a missed an opportunity to have my first LD. 

Other than that, it seems worth noting that I have aphantasia, that is to say that I completely lack any visual imagination. I also generally have difficultly falling asleep, with it often taking between 30 mins and an hour of laying in bed. 


Thanks in Advance,
Shingles

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## LdForMe

I'm also very new to lucid dreaming so i wouldn't pay too much attention to what I say. it's completely normal to wake up from that. Maybe out of surprise or excitement or even confusion. I wouldn't worry too much and just keep on trying this in my books also means that you're getting closer and closer to having your first LD.

I dont know what to say about the aphantasia though. Are you're regular dreams vivid or does nothing happen due to it?

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## shingles

Hey LdForMe,

Thanks, I guess you are right. I should be encouraged by performing the RC, not disheartened by waking up after.

As to the aphantasia, as far as I can tell my dreams are normal. They have visual aspects to them which are often quite vivid. I think the only place it makes a difference is in terms of recall. When I remember something I cannot picture it, and so if I dont write down the visual aspects of a dream quickly they are the first to be lost.

Cheers

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## Legkicker

I wouldn't worry about waking up from an RC at all as it seems to happen to a lot of people just starting out. I know I woke myself up a few times early on after performing them. And like you mentioned you should be encouraged because that means you are so close! Just keep it up and next attempt try to remain calm once lucidity is achieved (it will be difficult but practice makes perfect). 

As for the trouble falling asleep I am the same way. I often may lay there for two hours or so before falling asleep no matter how exhausted I am. Regardless of that the ability to lucid dream just requires you fall asleep eventually so its no big deal just a bit annoying I suppose ::lol::

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## shingles

It has been about a week and so I will post a small update.

 I have kept up with my dream journal every night and my dream recall has remained strong with an average of 2 dreams per night. 

I have also kept up with prospective memory training, although I have not seen as much improvement there. I continually miss the first occurrence of 1 or 2 of my 4 targets for the day. I'm not sure what to do about that, so I am taking today off to avoid getting frustrated. 

I wonder if anyone can provide some advice regarding WBTB. I have always been fairly good at setting my intention to wake up at a certain time, so it wouldn't be too difficult to include WBTB in my practice. What I am wondering is whether or not WBTB only matters for WILD and FILD. Does WBTB matter at all for DILD?

Cheers, and thanks to LdForMe and Legkicker for your responses,

Shingles

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## fogelbise

Welcome Shingles! WBTB definitely helps with DILDs too. You mention having trouble getting back to sleep so I would save any WBTBs to times when you can sleep in until you get good at falling back to sleep. It will help if you do your WBTBs early enough that you are still quite sleepy when going back to bed.

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## shingles

> WBTB definitely helps with DILDs too.



Thanks for answering. For the WBTB, since I am not attempting a WILD should I be doing anything while awake aside from writing in my dream journal and reaffirming my intention to become lucid? 

And yes, I will certainly only be attempting these when I have the next day off. 

Cheers

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## fogelbise

WBTB works well paired with MILD or SSILD (ssild works for wild or dild), if you want to give WBTB an extra boost. Some people find ways to make both of those methods very relaxing so it is easy to fall asleep. It might help to practice during the day so that you're not thinking too much/over-thinking when you're trying to go back to sleep.

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## FryingMan

Hi Shingles!   Welcome to the DILD class, and congrats on your progress on dream recall and getting to doing RCs in your dreams!   Don't stress or worry about waking up -- just focus on really enjoying your dreams, including your non-lucid ones.   Lucidity will come in time if you are consistent in your practice.   It took me 30 days (one month) from the first time I explicitly starting trying to recall dreams and to have lucid dreams until I had my first LD.    Along the way to your first LD your recall improves, your dream vividness improves, and you start having little bits of lucidity or just the ideal of lucid dreaming leak into your dreams.   Those things are sure signs that you're getting closer.   For example, before my first LD, I remember dreams where I told "my mother" that "Oh, Joe is a lucid dreamer."   In another case, I watched a "screen" on a fence that displayed the visuals from a "lucid dream that my neighbor was having."   Sure enough, within about a week I had my first LD.   Along the way I had *awesome* vivid non-lucid dreams.

Pay attention to your dreams, enjoy them, love all of them, express gratitude for your dreams, and do the practices discussed on this site and in books like ETWOLD (Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Laberge).  Since you mention PM targets I assume you're familiar with ETWOLD.  If you're not, I highly recommend it as all you need (just even chapters 1-3) to get your first LD.

I particularly like and find very effective LaBerge's "reflection/intention" moments.

The more triggers you can set up and practice throughout the day, that get you thinking "hey this might be a dream!" and do an RC, the better.

What are the RC(s) that you do?

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