# Lucid Dreaming > DV Academy > Current Courses > Dream Control and Stabilization >  >  ThreeCat's Dream Control Workbook

## ThreeCat

Hi dutchraptor and Sensei:

I've been LDing now for about 5 months now and have become much more reliable at induction and stability.  I do not often fall into non-lucidity, and for the most part, I do not concern myself with stabilization unless something goes wrong.  Normally this is my WL body, for whatever reason, taking a deep breath that I suddenly become aware of.  What I do then is focus visually and tactilely on my environment until clarity and stability return.

Right now, my most important goals are related to control.  Flying has been very challenging for me, as can be seen from my dream journal.  I have probably made many cardinal errors in my approach and am hoping to find some methods that I can use to work my mind around flying.  I realize that you guys cannot teach me to fly, and that I have to get it myself, so I am committed to doing this.

I have become relatively skilled at phasing through solid objects (like walls) and do not often end up in the void.  When I have ended in the void, I have just cut my way out into another dream scene.  I have managed to shrink and enlarge things relatively easily (like openings, objects, and DCs) but have no concept of how to transform myself.  I am looking forward to some tips and ideas on how to make this happen, as I am ready transform into a dragon and play the Trogdor theme  ::rolllaugh:: 

So, as I am reading the first lesson, I feel that I am basically at Week 4, but I may be wrong.  I have destroyed possessions in dreams (throwing cell phone away, ripping off clothes, etc.) and have many times had a high level of lucidity (being able to remember goals and WL memories).  Sometimes high lucidity is there and sometimes not.

*As for harming DCs, I feel this is against my religion (I can explain in PM if necessary) but do not mind destroying terrain.  I understand there is no real difference between these two things, but until I have a "true" understanding of this--and not just a intellectual understanding, harming DCs I try to avoid.  So going on a rampage, possible, as long as it is non-violent* 

Hoping to get lots of ideas from you guys.  Currently, I have had some dreams of decent flying (shooting around the room, etc.) but was never really thinking about how I was doing it.  Maybe you will have some insight into that as well.  Thanks so much.  I will post experiences as I have them.

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## ThreeCat

Had a lucid this morning, managed to fly (best flight dream I've ever had, I think--this one will be a special memory) but later, near the end of the dream, tried to fly again and couldn't.  Not sure what that was all about.  Also tried to tear out my eye for TotM but wimped out at the moment if truth.

My DJ link is here:  "Ballroom Flying" - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I realize I didn't attempt the tasks in the thread, but thought you guys might have comments regardless.

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## Sensei

Sorry I missed this before. I shall definitely give ya a long post later after considering this.

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## ThreeCat

> Sorry I missed this before. I shall definitely give ya a long post later after considering this.



Thanks Sensei, it is appreciated.

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## dutchraptor

Im gonna wait for sensei's reply and then see what I can add. Sorry for leaving it so long, I only just started getting into the rhythm again. I made a progress chart and had a lucid straight on the second day, lucks on my side  ::D:

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## Sensei

Lol, Dutchy. I am a little busy right now finishing up stuff for the comp, I will just send you to my audio and leave it over to Dutch until later. 

http://www.dreamviews.com/dreamviews...m-control.html

Would you have issues hurting yourself in a dream? These are things that have helped me get better at dream control, killing DCs and self harm, lol. I talk specifically about my struggle with flying in the audio, I think you will enjoy.

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## ThreeCat

I actually would have issues, though I plan to do it very soon.  Was thinking of starting small and working my way up, but maybe not?  I don't mind jumping off of high places and just falling, but doing something like chopping my hand off would probably make me pause (and I'm not sure I could go through with it!).  I have _thought_ about doing this in dream just to prove to myself that I can't be hurt.

Do you guys do stuff like that?  I have a hard time looking forward to that as my next LD goal, lol.

I will give the dream control audio a listen later tonight, or tomorrow on the way to work.  I appreciate the work on both of your parts.

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## Sensei

Gotcha. Might just have to start small. I am not gonna make you.  :tongue2:  not being excited about dream goal can diminish frequency, so we can work together on dream goals and find something that can get you excited. Let me know your current dream goals after you listen to the podcast.

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## ThreeCat

Hey Sensei, listened to the podcast.  Thanks for putting that up for everyone, and for taking some time out of your work day to do it!  As for goals, I have a couple short-term ones:
Fly into space and look back at the EarthTransform into an animalTransform into an inanimate object
That being said, a lot of the time I do really enjoy going with the dream plot, _if it is positive_--I suppose I am looking for ways to enhance that experience.  I also find a lot of use in practicing for waking life while lucid, and using the dream as a way to discover different parts about myself.  I think it would be cool to interrogate the unconscious mind in the form of a dire wolf, though, or experience the world from the point of view of a tree  :smiley:  and don't think these experiences harm otherwise real-world practice.

I was lucid the other night, and will post the experience when I get some time!

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## dutchraptor

It's really imperative to becoming a lucid master that you can go against the flow of the dream. 
You really need to try as hard as you can to achieve your goals, so that means taking a minute to ground yourself in the dream and come up with a plan of action, harder said than done. 

I would suggest pursuing another goal once you've achieved 1 or 2 o those, a goal revolving around pain and shock. A good way to condition yourself towards most of the elements a dream throws at you is having a confidence in yourself, both through understanding and experience. The understanding part is achieved through examinations of the mechanics of the dream, knowing that your body is merely a representation with emotions and feelings mapped to it. Most goals in the lesson aer focused on this. 
The hard part is gaining confidence through experience which me and sensei also tried to outline in the original lesson. You need goals that break the boundaries of your inhibition more so than your creativity. 
A goal such as  getting hit by something and not flinching, walking through a dark forest without feeling scared or making it light etc.

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## ThreeCat

Thanks, dutchraptor.  I think I may read through the article again, and keep those goals in mind for my next experience.  I think you both are right--some kind of danger/pain needs to be encountered, and I am not frightened (to my knowledge) of DCs, so seems _I_ need to be the bad guy.  May work up to seriously injuring my dream body.

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## dutchraptor

No problem.

It seems a little macabre doesn't it? But it's for the better if you want to be fully confident in yourself. 
As I said though, it's only important that you *can* go against the flow of the dream, there's no need to most of the time.

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## Sensei

I might try and pass up the self-harming sadistic ideas, but since you have a want to transform, I would call it needed for transforming. Kind of... let me explain something. 

Dream control is often hard to control. You might have a dream that you are controlling fire one night, and not get a spark the next. Some people think that this only happens in non vivid non aware lucids, but after a while, you notice that you can hit a very big wall and not be able to do any dream control in random LDs. If you are aware in a dream, you should be able to control it in what ways that you need. If you go through standard ways of dream control, you might be able to find a way to fly that works for you, and then always be able to do it after practice. This is a problem, because in order to be a master, you don't want to have to do that on every dream control task. 

The ideas that dutchy outlines are a way to realize that cutting off your arm is the same as controlling fire is the same as flying is the same as any dream control, because my body is the same as the dream world, and the dream world doesn't really exist unless I say it exists. So instead of learning each and every dream control, we learn one simple way to do each and every thing. 

Now omnipotence is boring after a while, but needed if you wish to work in higher levels of dream control. Even if you wish to create a universe with restrictions, you need to have full control at first. 

If you wish, I can integrate the pain into your current dream goals. 




> Fly into space and look back at the Earth



In this, you could either take your lungs out so that you don't need them in space (actually pretty hard), you could die when you get to space (also kinda hard), or you could skyrocket down to earth and burn up on the way in, maybe make it to earth  :wink2:  (quite easy if you are already up there)





> Transform into an animal



You could take out an animal heart and put it in your chest (hard), get bit by the animal and let the vampire/werewolf effect take place (pretty easy), jump into a machine (spells and things like that would work as well) that will transform you (expect pain during transformation, difficulty depends on your ).





> Transform into an inanimate object



I can't think of a way to make this painful except for the last way. Or you can always get hurt after transformation.

Make sure that the pain isn't just for pain's sake, but for understanding that your body doesn't really exist. When you come to understand that your real body isn't even with you, it will click, and you will know what to aim for in that regards. 

I often just tried to get hit by cars and jumped off trains when lucid.  :tongue2:  Good stuff. Also cliff dove. There is also a chance that you are going to do something like take off your arm with a hacksaw and feel no pain. This will have the same effect, maybe even a better effect.

I would recommend you making sure to pick just one dream control idea tonight. This first part is that your dream body doesn't exist. After this, it would be good to move to dream characters or dreamscape. These are important ideas not to just believe, but to demonstrate to yourself.

On an unrelated note!
3000 POSTS!!!!
 ::breakitdown::

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## ThreeCat

Hey Sensei, congrats on the big 3000  :smiley: 

Sorry I've been lax about posting; I really haven't had much happen lately.  I think this is partly from being a bit averse to hurting myself in dream, so I haven't been thinking about it much.  I have also been really busy with work, though, which has taken some of my goal-orientation time as well.  I'm still working with inducing on less than ideal sleep which has produced a lot if low-level LDs (awareness not very high).

I appreciate the time you guys have put in with me.  Hopefully I will have a little more to show soon.

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## dutchraptor

Hehe no worries threecat, I'm really lazy too. We've got all the time in the world though, so no rush.

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