# Lucid Dreaming > DV Academy > Current Courses > Intro Class >  >  James' Workbook

## balinup13

Lucid Dreaming is _Easy_

"Stop thinking and just do it" 
(http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/silver...eaming-117015/)
(http://www.dreamviews.com/f11/how-ta...eaming-120910/)

*My Method*

*Reality Checks:* 
I randomly use R.C. whenever the thought of lucid dreaming pops into my mind like in this guide: http://www.dreamviews.com/f11/best-t...2/#post1973553. I use the finger through the palm R.C. as well as the nose plug R.C. In addition, every morning I reality check to prevent false awakenings!

*My Mantra:*
I want to repeat this mantra before bed, while in the theta state to ensure that it becomes part of my subconscious.
"_I Dream Aware_"
This guide is great for outlining how to do this: http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/buildi...6/#post1971436.

*WBTB:*
Currently working on finding the ideal time after bed and the ideal amount of time to stay awake for..

*WILD*:
I will be using WILD as my method of induction until I achieve a WILD. I have tried many times with no success yet but I WILL have a WILD before I die  ::D: 

*My Goals*

*Short-Term Goals:*
- Increase dream recall: 3/night (Almost there, usually remember 2, sometimes 3)
- Create habit: R.C. after waking up every morning
- Create habit: Remain perfectly still upon wakeup
- Lucid Dream #4 (Increased Awareness)
- Fly in a LD (Complete)

*Long-Term Goals:*
- WILD method of LD at will.
- Finish a list of 100 awesome things to do in a LD which I am still making.
- Finish the LD task of the month.


*Dream Journal: http://www.dreamviews.com/blogs/balinup13/*

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## OpheliaBlue

Hey balinup, looks like you're off to a great start!

I share those same dreamsigns with you: my old school, and work. In fact, the LD i had yesterday morning started off when I fell asleep thinking about work, and I immediately began dreaming about being at work. That triggered lucidity because I suddenly remembered that I had just been thinking about work in bed not moments ago. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

So you're improving your recall, that's great. I'm guessing it's the WBTB and journaling that helping? And that night time routine guide is really helpful, it sets up your mind for lucidity from the start. Just remember when you do the reality checks, to step up your level of awareness at the same time. That's the key.  :wink2:

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## balinup13

Yeah well I have only tried WBTB a couple times with no lucididty, but I am wondering how long I should really stay up?  ::D:  I am pretty sure it is mostly the journaling that has helped! Also, could you clarify what you mean about stepping up my awareness at the same time?! I am very faithful to the r.c.'s but have had no luck! Thanks so much for the class by the way, this is such a great idea.

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## OpheliaBlue

> Yeah well I have only tried WBTB a couple times with no lucididty, but I am wondering how long I should really stay up?



That's a really great question. There was actually an experiment performed by the Lucidity Institute on that, and I believe the most successful result was staying up for 1 hour. What I've found personally is anywhere between 30min-1hour. That's just one factor though, it's also important to have the right amount of sleep prior. Again, I believe 5-6 hours of sleep before the WBTB was the popular result. I'll have to find it again to make sure about that. Me personally, I need 6-7 at least. Gotta have that beauty sleep haha.





> I am pretty sure it is mostly the journaling that has helped!



Journaling definitely helps. I try to make myself record the lucid AND the nonlucid ones. It's great to go back and reread your own dreams too. When ever I have a "lucid dry spell" I just go back and read over my past lucid entries, and sometimes that's just enough to put my mind back in gear for more lucids.





> Also, could you clarify what you mean about stepping up my awareness at the same time?! I am very faithful to the r.c.'s but have had no luck! Thanks so much for the class by the way, this is such a great idea.



I could go on and on about this, so for the sake of tl:dr, I'll just link you to the awareness lesson on DVA. The meditation section's not finished yet, but the rest is gold: http://www.dreamviews.com/f151/begin...on-iii-135003/

Give that a read over when you have the time, then ask me if you have any questions about it.  :smiley:

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## paigeyemps

Just wanted to drop by and give you a warm
 ::welcome::

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## balinup13

Gonna try the new bedtime ritual tonight and for the next 2 weeks! What ya guys think?!  :smiley:

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## paigeyemps

Sounds great! One thing I wanted to add though. I suggest maybe writing up a list of things you want to do once you get lucid (lucid goals). You can read them every once in a while, and if you can, read them before bed. This will boost your motivation, as well as give you something specific to do once you get lucid, rather than panic and come up blank on things do  :smiley:

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## balinup13

Recalled 3 detailed dreams last night!! which was pretty cool ::D:  still no lucid yet:p okay paigeyemps I will start that list  :smiley:  Thanks!

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## balinup13

Excited for another night to try my hand at LD! Tonight I am going to try WBTB again but only for 20 minutes because last time I tried 30 minutes and could not fall asleep really after that.

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## CanisLucidus

> Excited for another night to try my hand at LD! Tonight I am going to try WBTB again but only for 20 minutes because last time I tried 30 minutes and could not fall asleep really after that.



Good thinking.  Making precise little notes like this in your workbook is a great idea.  It not only helps us keep up with what you're trying but will also serve as an excellent record for you to look back over in the months ahead.  It's always tougher than I expect to remember the details of what I tried several weeks ago without a written record!

I also really like your attitude.  Every night is an opportunity to go for an LD (or at the very least get a really cool non-lucid written down!)  So much better than thinking of sleep as this great black void that instantly transports you to the next day's worries.

This great attitude and your attention to detail will take you far!

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## balinup13

Thanks Canis :smiley:  I tried WBTB last night for twenty minutes and it still felt like too long..I think 15 might be perfect because I was still yawning at 15 minutes but at 20 I felt way too awake and it took me an hour to fall back asleep. On the other hand I had 3 really cool dreams. It feels like when I do WBTB I always remember my dreams better for some reason. Another thing I wanted to add was that I had another freaking dream about lucid dreaming! In one of my dreams I stole this guy's lucid dream journal and was reading his entries!!! WHYYYYYYY!!? ahh so close ::D:  anyway let me know what you think :smiley:

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## CanisLucidus

> It feels like when I do WBTB I always remember my dreams better for some reason.



Yeah, same experience here.  Your awareness is just so much higher after a WBTB and you're heading into those late, long REM cycles.  That tends to give you your all-around best shot at recall.  My recall dipped a bit in the past two days, but the post-WBTB dreams managed to hold on.

Having said that, as your recall improves, you'll find lots of interesting stuff happening before the WBTB as well.  Early stuff can be a bit more abstract, choppy, and illogical at times, but the vast majority of dreams are at least somewhat cool.





> Another thing I wanted to add was that I had another freaking dream about lucid dreaming! In one of my dreams I stole this guy's lucid dream journal and was reading his entries!!! WHYYYYYYY!!? ahh so close anyway let me know what you think



Oh man, I totally get this!  I really do.  All I can say is that this really does happen to pretty much everybody as they get into this!  It's equal parts hilarious and agonizing.  All you can do is get a laugh out of it, forgive yourself, and emphasize to yourself to look for these signs.  Take the time to review that dream and at that portion, really emphasize what you should have noticed in order to become lucid.  The more mnemonic tripwires you can leave for yourself, the better!

One of my old "close calls" when I was starting out was a dream where I was hanging out in a place called "The Lucid Sports Bar".  Every television in the place showed people doing all of these amazing sports that you can only play while having a lucid dream.  I just sat there watching, imagining how wonderful it would be _if only I could have a lucid dream like these people_.   ::lol::   I mean, _come on!_  Reality check, maaaan!

Seriously, though, it's all good stuff.  This means that the idea of becoming conscious in a dream is permeating your thought processes.  When this kind of thing happens, you are getting very close.  You're changing in all the right ways.   ::goodjob::

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## balinup13

OH MY GOD...okay guys here's a long post I need your help..
Either I had my first lucid dream, or I just had the most realistic lucid dream experience within a normal dream..I can't seem to decide so i need your help!
First off, I can't remember how I became lucid to start it off. And this brings me to my first question
1) Is it possible to not remember all of the details in your lucid dream especially if it was a loooong one?
Also, is it possible to perform a reality check in a dream that works but somehow you keep dreaming? Because mid way through the dream i counted my fingers and holy shit, I counted six.. they were kind of blurry as i counted though and it seemed as if my hands just added a finger as I was counting? Either way I said oh my god I am still dreaming.

Now for the dream..from the beginning of this dream I knew I was dreaming. I really don't remember how but I did. It starts out in a warehouse with my roomate and my friend. I first off know that I want to fly and I begin to use the trick that I read about with lucid flying by focusing on an object. I swear I would focus on an object and then zoom over to it throughout the warehouse. Then for some reason I don't remember what happened in between this and the next scene. In the next scene I am flying overhead my friends who are driving in a car. They drive off a cliff and I fly down into the water that the car is sinking into and pick up the car to allow my friends to get out of the car. Then as we are in the water swimming I have the desire to fly back up on top of the cliff. At first I can't do it for some reason. Then after a second I focus on the top of the cliff and fly up to it. I take off from the top of the cliff and fly through the sky showing off my skills to my friends. Throughout this entire dream by the way, I am telling myself "oh my god I finally had a lucid dream I can't believe this". Then I forgot what happens between this and the next scene. In the next scene, I am in a glass elevator that is within a dam on an island. I remember flying around the island and really thinking this elevator is cool because it takes us up and down the waterfall of the dam. Next scene..haha. I am at a hospital area waiting in a line and I remember that I read that expectations in lucid dreams allow for something to happen so i test this. I really want a coffee so i go over to a counter in the waiting room and say that I expect a coffee to appear after i turn around. The first time i turn around it doesn't work. However, the next time I really try to expect and when I turn around I see a coffee on the table. I am freaking euphoric at this point and really can't believe this is happening. Next I decide to check out the bathroom in the hospital and I walk into a stall that is very dirty. I practice expecting the next stall to be pristine and clean and I walk into a stall that is just as I expected. After this I don't remember what happens..but I find myself in a room with my roomate. On his computer he has loaded a game of Mario or something that takes place on an island. The moment he starts the game I am transported to the island and find myself soaring over Mario's island. Me and my roommate discuss how cool it is to be in the game and flying over this island. After we explore we decide to drive home. I remember driving in the car and listening to the Lucid radio. I can't freaking believe that I just had a lucid dream and I tell my roommate that I need to write it down so that I remember it when I wake up better. Then I wake up. 

So thanks so much for reading I really appreciate it guys!

What do you think? Does it sound like your LD's? Or just another insane dream???

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## Xanous

First of all congratulations on your FIRST lucid dream!  :Awesome Dance: 

There are different levels of lucidity and yes, you can forget parts or even all of a lucid dream, especially if you lose lucidity during the dream or false awakening. Just last Thursday, I had a lucid dream but I forgot the first part. I can't for the life of me remember how I became lucid. There have been other times were I would just be going about my day and something will trigger a memory and I will be like,"Oh my God. I had a lucid dream last night." I have even found that when I have a really long lucid dream I have hole and gaps in my memory of it. When you think about it, it makes sense. Do you remember every little detail in your waking life?

Reality checks are for confirming to yourself that you are dreaming and can even be used to stabilize the dream. So yes, it is possible to perform a reality check in a dream that works and you keep dreaming. Personally I rarely end up doing reality checks in my dreams because when you think about it you kind of have to be at least mildly lucid to even consider doing a reality check. I mean a real RC not just a habitual one. I think that once you get used to the lucid feeling you wont need them but that just my personal experience.

That was an awesome dream my dude. Good job!

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## balinup13

Ah so excited, thanks so much Xanous!! I am so freakin happy finally hahah

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## balinup13

No dream recall after two days :Sad:  oh well, just a dry spell! Hopefully I will get some good ones tonight!

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## OpheliaBlue

Congrats on your first lucid dream James! And what Xanous said, it is totally normal to forget some details of lucid dreams. I not only forget details of my lucids, but sometimes I'm fuzzy on remembering how I became lucid. Most of the time it's because I don't journal my dream until hours later (bad habit  :tongue2:  ). It's also normal to phase in and out of lucidity within the dream, and I think that's just because you can get caught up in the story which can make you forget that you're lucid. And also what Xanous said about RCs. Once yo uget used to that lucid "feeling," you don't have to do RCs. Unless you just want to for fun. And it can help to stabilize the dream more, because it gives you something to focus on. I like looking at my hands, and even rubbing them together, because it reminds me that* I* am dreaming, this is *my* dream, and* I* am in control.

As for the dry spell, don't even worry about it. We all have them. And every dry spell ends  :smiley:

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## balinup13

wooo back on track :smiley:  had two dreams last night!

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## OpheliaBlue

Awesome congrats! Definitely remember to journal them too, either here on the site or somewhere else. That way you keep your recall going strong for your next lucid experience.

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## Chimpertainment

Welcome James!

So your first lucid experiences may not be full blown lucidity. Indeed as we progress as lucid dreamers, there are new experiences to be had, no matter what level we have attained.
That being said, some of your lucids might be hazy, or it might feel like you are behind yourself among other strange sensations. The key in my opinion is to find enjoyment in every experience within a dream. 
No matter what happens, each additional experience gives you more perspective and that is always a good thing.  :smiley: 

well keep up the goodness! we will be watching....  ::silly::

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## OpheliaBlue

> That's a really great question.* There was actually an experiment performed by the Lucidity Institute on that*, and I believe the most successful result was staying up for 1 hour. What I've found personally is anywhere between 30min-1hour. That's just one factor though, it's also important to have the right amount of sleep prior. Again, I believe 5-6 hours of sleep before the WBTB was the popular result. I'll have to find it again to make sure about that. Me personally, I need 6-7 at least. Gotta have that beauty sleep haha.



Sorry, I meant to follow up on that study. Here's the link if you want to read it.. really interesting: "An Hour of Wakefulness Before Morning Naps Makes Lucidity More Likely," by Stephen LaBerge, Leslie Phillips, & Lynne Levitan

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## balinup13

Alright guys, after a really rough week of tests and such for college I am ready to get rolling again! I'm determined to have another LD before the end of the month! I am going to get focused on my dream journaling again, and I am going to continue attempting to MILD! I'll keep ya guys updated  ::D:

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## paigeyemps

Heyheyhey glad to hear it!  ::D:  good luckz000rs

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## balinup13

Hey guys I have really been trying to ld for the last couple months so I think I need to go back to the drawing board. I am going to really focus on dream recall for a while and then I will look for a technique. Any thoughts or ideas on this.?

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## paigeyemps

That's probably best.

Remember to write something in your journal even if you can't remember anything. Write down what you did that night that might have made things different, etc. Then you can tell us about your attempts and we'll do our best to help you out  :smiley: 

good luck, and wb!

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## balinup13

Weird thing happened last night!! I had a lucid dream, but i think I had a false awakening when I realized I was lucid.. Check it out! http://www.dreamviews.com/blogs/bali...-murder-42142/ Is this even possible?!?

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## L4xord

> teach us college students how to make sandwiches.



LOL... how I love subconscious humour...! XD

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## balinup13

I tried WBTB for 15 minutes last night in combination with WILD. I went to bed at around 1 and woke up at 8 to do the WBTB. As for the WILD,I could not get sleep paralysis for around 25 minutes and so I fell asleep. I did get a very detailed and interesting dream though Disney College - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views check it out  ::D: . I really think WBTB helps increase the detail of dream recall. Today I will be trying the same thing but maybe trying WBTB a little earlier. WILD will be my new method and I will stick with it until i successfully have a WILD  :smiley:

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## Chimpertainment

False awakenings can be very common when first learning to lucid. Its almost like the experience is a metaphor. Your consciousness is awakening so a dream is created in which you are literally waking up. Very cool, and that is where reality checks come into play. Once you reach lucidity, its very important to RC and stabilize. anyhoo, awesome!  :smiley:

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## balinup13

Been working on wild with the counting method! It's so hard to concentrate on counting instead of letting my mind wander but I am making progress! I have also been doing it with short wbtb.

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## balinup13

Last night I went to bed at 12 and woke up at about 5am to start a short wbtb. I only went to the bathroom and then stayed awake for a bit longer. After I started my wild attempt. I did the counting method and stayed perfectly still which I was proud of. I I also felt a little more focused on my counting. I my mind was still wandering a lot so I think that might of been why I did not wild. I am going to try a nap later and another attempt tonight!

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## OpheliaBlue

I have to confess that the times I had a successful WILD, I did pretty much what you did, which was WBTB after 5-6 hours sleep, and stay up a while. The difference for me is that I fall back to sleep normal after the WBTB, but THEN I wake up naturally an hour or 2 later. When I go back to sleep that time is when I get the vibrations and have a WILD. So really, it takes me 2 WBTBs to get that WILD. Don't know if that would work for you or not, or if you can even afford extra hours in the morning to try it like I do on my days off. Anyway, just a free tip.

Good luck with the counting method, I'm sure it will work soon!

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## balinup13

I can make time  :smiley: , thanks for the tip I will be trying this in the next few days I'll let you know how it goes!

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## balinup13

Had a brief DILD last night!! Weird that I had a DILD when I have been exclusively focusing on WILD, but of course I will take any taste of lucidity  ::D:  You can read about it here Runaway Jeep - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views :smiley:

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## balinup13

Going to have to increase my wbtb time because I have been just falling asleep the last 3 nights. I will try 10 minutes then 15 mins after that if I need it!

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## balinup13

Been slacking on 3 things: dream journal, rc when I wake up, and rcs in general... This week I am focusing on keeping up on those. Also, an update on my wild progress: I have improved my ability to focus and stay awake and still using the counting method of wild. Unfortunately nothing seems to happen ever even after I count for a very long time and remain perfectly still. Any ideas?  :smiley:

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## paigeyemps

Hey James! Good to know you'll be working on your DJ and RCs more. I am in the same boat, as I have been really wonked from school x__x

Anyway, for the WILD thing, perhaps you should try another anchor? I've come to find out that for some people, counting makes them too awake in their mind and the effort of counting makes them too active to drift off. You can try to not think too much about the counting though, if you don't want to switch anchors. Don't focus too much on the counting, to the point that you HAVE to be aware of the count at all times. Let your mind flow calmly while being aware of what you're doing  counting. For me, when I count, I let myself drift off a bit and I get to the point where I have no idea what number comes next  the important thing to me is that I know I am counting and that I am still somewhat awake. That usually does the trick for me, finding the delicate balance between awake and asleep. 

Hope this helps!  :smiley:

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## balinup13

Okay thanks paigey! I can you suggest a different anchor? I will try your ideas tonight :smiley:

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## paigeyemps

> Okay thanks paigey! I can you suggest a different anchor? I will try your ideas tonight



Hi, i personally like this visualization method I read a while back:

http://www.dreamviews.com/attaining-...-works-me.html

Not sure if it counts as an anchor, but it's pretty cool because when I visualize for a while, i am actively engaging my thoughts while the dream slowly unwraps by itself through the little details that pop up without my conscious effort. I haven't had luck yet with this though, because i fall asleep most of the time haha

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## balinup13

Hahahh sounds like me!..-.- oh the struggle..but I will give it a try  ::D:  thanks!

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## Chimpertainment

I find even with the best anchor, if I am not completely relaxed I will end up staying too alert. Then I will stop the anchor in order to fall asleep and boom Im gone...On the other hand, if I am completely relaxed even when I first go to bed, entering SP is relatively simple...the transition after that is the tricky part..

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## paigeyemps

Welcome back James!

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## balinup13

Thanks ::D:  been having some really interesting dreams lately haha! I'll post some in my dream journal  ::D:

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## balinup13

Alright Alright, it is finally time to learn how to regularly lucid dream. After a very busy year at college, I am finally back at home in my comfy bed. I will be able to sleep in and set as many alarms as I want so that will help. I will be writing in my dream journal daily. I will be working on the WILD technique first and maybe DEILD. Feels good to be back and can't wait to keep ya guys updated on my progress  ::D:

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## paigeyemps

> Alright Alright, it is finally time to learn how to regularly lucid dream. After a very busy year at college, I am finally back at home in my comfy bed. I will be able to sleep in and set as many alarms as I want so that will help. I will be writing in my dream journal daily. I will be working on the WILD technique first and maybe DEILD. Feels good to be back and can't wait to keep ya guys updated on my progress



Hey that's awesome! Welcome back  :Party:  Looking forward to your progress. Seeya James

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## balinup13

Tried WILD attempt #1 of summer last night. Went to bed around 10:30 and woke up at 3. I went to the bathroom got some water and then went into the attempt. Tried for about an hour but didn't get any sp so just went to sleep. Going to try again tonight with about 6 hours of sleep I think!

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## paigeyemps

> Tried WILD attempt #1 of summer last night. Went to bed around 10:30 and woke up at 3. I went to the bathroom got some water and then went into the attempt. Tried for about an hour but didn't get any sp so just went to sleep. Going to try again tonight with about 6 hours of sleep I think!



Keep in mind that SP is never the aim in WILD. If you keep focusing on the physical sensations and when they're gonna come, you'll end up getting stuck in the physical state instead of the mental state where you should focus on to go into the dream.  :smiley: 

Try not to worry about waiting for the sensations, and instead think about your dream or perhaps use an anchor to keep your mind awake while you let your body sleep. Good luck

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## balinup13

So what's a good anchor?! I will try this tonight!

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## paigeyemps

Breathing, counting, white noise, visualization. It's up to you and some may works better than others for you personally. Try them all hahaha

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## balinup13

haha okay gonna try counting on exhale  ::D:  Had a super vivid dream last night remember a tonnn of stuff. Think my dream recall is already improving since i started the dream journal! Tonight's another WILD attempt will let ya know how it goes  ::D:

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## balinup13

Okay guys got a couple questions, some interesting stuff happened last night!

First, I went to bed around 12 and woke up at 5:30 AM to do a WILD attempt. I counted until I would drift off and then would count again. Usually I would drift off around 8/9 after about 10 or 15 miins. I tried not to think about SP or HH or anything but just focused on my counting. After about 45 mins or an hour I got really impatient and frustrated  :Sad:  so i just decided to go back to bed. However when I moved, I could tell that my arms and legs had been kinda numb. What was going on here? And how long does it usually take to get into the dream?

2nd- After this i just decided to go to bed. I had a long vivid dream but decided against writing it down. Then I had another long vivid dream that I recorded. I then tried to think of my other dream as I was falling asleep again. I literally had a dream that I had googled what my other dream was. I thought this was actually happening though but then I woke up. False awakening!? Very interesting overall. Let me know your thoughts  ::D:

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## paigeyemps

> What was going on here? And how long does it usually take to get into the dream?



Probably just bad timing. I suggest you try this next time: if it takes too long, just roll over or move into a more comfortable position and try again. You dont have to lie straight on your back for a WILD, being comfortable is the important thing since you wanna fall asleep. So if you get a bit iffy after a while, just change position, relax and start again. Getting that relief could help your body fall asleep faster, just remember to use an anchor or retain your awareness. Anyway, if you can, just lay in a comfortable position in the first place and be patient. If that doesn't work, it might be time to adjust the time you wake up or stay up.





> False awakening



Indeed, it was a false awakening. Practice doing reality checks every time you wake up, no matter where you are. This will help you catch FA's in the future.

Good luck!  :smiley:

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## balinup13

Yeah I have been consistently able to stay relaxed and keep awareness using an anchor. I had noticed that my body has been numb especially in my arms after every attempt! But I'm not sure if this is sleep paralysis or what!

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## paigeyemps

> Yeah I have been consistently able to stay relaxed and keep awareness using an anchor. I had noticed that my body has been numb especially in my arms after every attempt! But I'm not sure if this is sleep paralysis or what!



It looks like what you felt were the normal sensations you tend to notice as your body starts falling asleep. Since you woke up, it's makes perfect sense that you will still have those lingering feelings of numbness, etc.  :smiley:

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## balinup13

Another 4 tries of WILD without success but gonna have a WILD tomorrow morning I know it! Here we go!

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## paigeyemps

That's the spirit! Make every attempt a learning experience, no matter the outcome  :smiley:

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## CanisLucidus

> Another 4 tries of WILD without success but gonna have a WILD tomorrow morning I know it! Here we go!



There you go, man, love the attitude!  That's exactly right.  You learn more and more about yourself every time you try this stuff.  WILD is a technique that tends to have a very personal shape to it -- a person has to learn what it feels like _for them_ to fall asleep consciously.  For me, the process is usually a quiet and peaceful journey, for some it involves lots of excitement and vibrations.  It took me lots of attempts to learn what it was like, and once you get it, you'll be that much better equipped to  make it happen in the future.

One of the unspoken secrets of success is that _you must keep showing up_.  Most people forget this, but it really is that simple.  So long as you keep trying and keep learning from each attempt, you're getting closer and closer to your next success.

Let us know how it goes and any specific questions that arise in your attempts!

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## balinup13

I really like the advice about showing up. I know i just gotta keep putting in the work and I'll get the results. Interestingly this morning I had an incredible experience. I woke up quite a few times this morning because it was hot in my room so I kept fading in and out of consciousness. Anyway I think I had an interesting LD experience that I need some help making sense of. 

The dream began for a while where I was getting ready to go to a massive mansion for a dance or something. Somewhere along the lines I ended up in Mexico trying to hide from the cops. I was with some friends and I somehow just knew that the cops would be showing up soon and so I tried to hide behind a sand dune but they found us and surrounded us. They then told us that there was no other way to avoid getting in trouble unless we walked across a very small and sketchy bridge that had some type of acid below it. Somehow the idea just came to me that this was all very unprofessional and that the police would never do this type of thing. So I am right by the bridge and I look below me and everything just magically clicked. I put it together. I took a huge risk and just jumped  from the top of the bridge into the acid and screamed I am dreaming. At that moment I started to fly above the acid and felt completely exhilarated. This is where it starts to get VERY WEIRD. After i flew above the acid I woke up...or so I thought. I felt myself like wake up to a new dream in which I was watching a 90's music video take place. I knew I was still lucid somehow and noticed that the dream was very blurry. So I told myself that I would close my eyes and then when I opened them it would all be clear. When i opened them it was much clearer but I felt as if I didn't have the kind of control as at that one moment flying over the acid. After this, that dream ended and I woke up in yet another dream. I wasn't lucid anymore though, and interestingly I woke up feeling like I had actually woken up from my very first dream of being at the mansion dance. I was convinced that that was reality until after I woke up from all of this confused as hell. 

Sorry for the long post but this was absolutely insane..a breakthrough for me for sure. Reminded me of inception. Did I actually have a lucid dream?? or did I just dream about having a lucid dream? There were 3 different dreams in one or something? I am pretty sure I had one because I thought at one point I can't wait to tell my girlfriend about having a lucid dream when I woke up. Anyways, let me know what you think! 

Thanks guys  ::D:

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## balinup13

Had yet another false awakening this morning!!!!! GAH these pesky false awakenings..really trying to get into the habit of RC'ing first thing when i wake up!

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## paigeyemps

Haha no worries, you'll get used to it in time!

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## CanisLucidus

> The dream began for a while where I was getting ready to go to a massive mansion for a dance or something. Somewhere along the lines I ended up in Mexico trying to hide from the cops. I was with some friends and I somehow just knew that the cops would be showing up soon and so I tried to hide behind a sand dune but they found us and surrounded us. They then told us that there was no other way to avoid getting in trouble unless we walked across a very small and sketchy bridge that had some type of acid below it. Somehow the idea just came to me that this was all very unprofessional and that the police would never do this type of thing. So I am right by the bridge and I look below me and everything just magically clicked. I put it together. I took a huge risk and just jumped  from the top of the bridge into the acid and screamed I am dreaming. At that moment I started to fly above the acid and felt completely exhilarated. This is where it starts to get VERY WEIRD. After i flew above the acid I woke up...or so I thought. I felt myself like wake up to a new dream in which I was watching a 90's music video take place. I knew I was still lucid somehow and noticed that the dream was very blurry. So I told myself that I would close my eyes and then when I opened them it would all be clear. When i opened them it was much clearer but I felt as if I didn't have the kind of control as at that one moment flying over the acid. After this, that dream ended and I woke up in yet another dream. I wasn't lucid anymore though, and interestingly I woke up feeling like I had actually woken up from my very first dream of being at the mansion dance. I was convinced that that was reality until after I woke up from all of this confused as hell. 
> 
> Sorry for the long post but this was absolutely insane..a breakthrough for me for sure. Reminded me of inception. Did I actually have a lucid dream?? or did I just dream about having a lucid dream? There were 3 different dreams in one or something? I am pretty sure I had one because I thought at one point I can't wait to tell my girlfriend about having a lucid dream when I woke up. Anyways, let me know what you think!



Wow, man, awesome, _awesome_ dream!  Yes, absolutely, this was a lucid dream.  And from the sound of it a very cool one!  Even during a lucid dream you'll experience these sorts of transitions.  I'd normally say that the trick is to hang through them without losing lucidity, but you did that just fine at the part with the 90s music video.  It's the false awakening that got you, but that's normal.  More practice and experience will help there.  And let's be honest, they all fool us sometimes.   :smiley: 

Anyway, yeah the dream within a dream thing is totally real and has happened to me a few times as well.  I have actually performed a "WILD" from within a NLD, gone into a lucid dream, and then had a false awakening back into the original dream, now non-lucid again.  Here's the DJ entry where this happened to me, although your dream was actually much cooler!  But to show that you're not alone: Fooled - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Keep up the great work, man!

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## balinup13

Woah that was quite the dream you had! Thanks for the responses I am so happy I have been having this kind of success lately!

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## balinup13

Had another lucid  ::D:  but the weird thing is that I have no recollection of how I got to be lucid! I also was not very lucid I don't thing cause it all seemed kinda foggy when I was lucid. I even tried to fly to the stars but for some reason I like stopped before I left the atmosphere? Any thoughts on this guys?

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## paigeyemps

Hey James! Congrats on the lucid! Sometimes, we have spontaneous lucids where you just get lucid without really any trigger (this means your awareness is just really good). And also, many times because of the low level of lucidity, and perhaps with not-so-good recall, we tend to not remember how it began. Not to worry though, it always gets better with time and practice. The same is true with dream control. Just remember that lucidity is not equal to control, though they may be related. Next time try stabilizing the dream so it can get more vivid and prevent you from waking up, as well as give you a better chance to improve your dream control. 

http://www.dreamviews.com/attaining-...-tutorial.html

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## Chimpertainment

Along the lines that paigey was going, taking a moment to gather yourself is a great way to extend a lucid. This is especially true if you are doing intense stuff like flying into space. One lucid I had, I was doing that exact thing and realized I was losing the dream. I stopped flying, and just floated in the clouds for minute. A full scene began forming below me with the earth and oceans. Unfortunately, once it was done forming, the dream ended. Regardless, taking a moment to relax, and take stock of your surroundings will go far in improving lucidity.

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## balinup13

Thanks guys I did a ton of reading about this yesterday and I guess it is a common mistake for beginners! My next lucid goal is to perform some of the stabilizing techniques... I don't even care of that's all that I do in the dream. I learned that out of my 3 or 4 lucids I have never stabilized and that's why I have questioned how people think lucids are so incredibly vivid! It's time to experience this for myself! Anyways thanks as always for the quick reply  ::D:

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## CanisLucidus

> Thanks guys I did a ton of reading about this yesterday and I guess it is a common mistake for beginners! My next lucid goal is to perform some of the stabilizing techniques... I don't even care of that's all that I do in the dream. I learned that out of my 3 or 4 lucids I have never stabilized and that's why I have questioned how people think lucids are so incredibly vivid! It's time to experience this for myself! Anyways thanks as always for the quick reply



Congratulations on the lucid, James!  Sounds great.  I think you'll find that these stabilization techs are fun in and of themselves.

In fact, you don't even have to think of them as "stabilization" so much as just really getting yourself immersed in the dream.  An issue we face is that once we become conscious in a dream, we want to make sure that we live in that dream, completely ignoring our physical bodies.  Yes, we know that we _have_ a physical body, but the last thing we want to do is spend a lot of time thinking about it!

What's cool with these stabilization techs is that they involve just getting really, really into your dream scene, drinking in all of those awesome details, and just really living _in the moment_ in this incredibly powerful human experience.  Once you look, _really look_ at just how vivid and detailed this world you have created is, you'll be blown away by it.  Stabilization becomes almost a byproduct of that.

Great work!

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## balinup13

Guys I finally had an unbelievably clear ld!!!! 
The dream begins with me getting into a random Chrysler with 3 men. We speed off into a spiral parking garage and I roll down my window to throw some coins to a poor beggar. Suddenly hundreds of beggars start to swarm to our car and so we speed off through the parking garage. I desperately try to roll up my window so that the beggars don't reach their hands into the car. After this I somehow end up on top of the roof of a giant hotel. Everything is pretty dark and I for some reason push my fingers through my palm. I realize that I am dreaming and so I continue to push my fingers through my palms a couple times. Interestingly I had to do it a couple times because I felt like I was on the verge of waking up or losing the dream or something and that I had to focus myself into the dream. Now pretty lucid, I look around the roof of the hotel. I begin to fly and realize how much I have wanted to have a crystal clear lucid dream. So I contemplate looking at my hands in the air but instead I see a little ledge with some plants. I decide first to examine a leaf and start to notice the details of the leaf very well. Then I decide to look at my hands. I stare at my palms and notice the lines on them and also notice a giant gash or something on my right hand that is not there normally. I also notice that everything has become extremely clear and vibrant like nothing I have ever seen. The light and colors around me seem even more colorful than in real life and I feel exhilarated in knowing that I have finally achieved the highest level of lucidity. I decide that I want to fly into the clouds and that I want the dream to surprise me with something as I fly. I also notice that it isn't all that easy to fly. I still manage to do it and as I look into the sky a vibrant and colorful spiral staircase appears above me. I touch it and it kind of bends. It is not made out of stairs but instead out of flowers in one part and a cool type of material that I have never seen. In seeing all of this I just woke up and I'm not sure why? My guess is that I got too excited. Nevertheless I am so happy to finally have a REAL lucid dream with full control!! I have worked very hard for almost a year and finally experienced the real deal last night!

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## CanisLucidus

Awesome, James!  Sounds like an amazing, clear, high-level lucid dream.  Great stuff!  I love it when they hit like this and you just enjoy the product of your mind, not distracted by excessive emotion, lingering dream plots, etc.  Just pure enjoyment!

May you have many more like this one!

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## paigeyemps

Wooot it must be lucid day because lots of students are having a blast of lucidity! Congrats!  :Party:

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## balinup13

Hey guys was wondering if any of you had tried Calea Z! I tried it last night and the night before with no luck!

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## paigeyemps

> Hey guys was wondering if any of you had tried Calea Z! I tried it last night and the night before with no luck!



Haven't tried any supplements or herbs but I found this, hope it helps somehow: http://www.dreamviews.com/lucid-aids...ream-herb.html

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## balinup13

Thanks  ::D:  Yeah i tried it twice with no luck. Was just looking for something to get me going again! Haven't been able to have a dream for like 4 days now and am not sure what to do  :Sad:

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## balinup13

THANK GOD finally remembered a dream yesterday and a couple this morning! The dream recall is coming backkkkkk!  ::D:

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## paigeyemps

niiiice! great job  ::D:

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