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

## Xanous

OK I really need to refresher. I'm not new to this but I have really been out of practice. My recall is terrible and I think this class will be a great jump start.

I have an app on my phone that reminds me to do recalls. I either do the nose plug or finger hand check. Sometimes, if I am outside I will look at the sky and see if anything spectacular happens (dream sign).

----------


## Caenis

Hello Xanous, welcome to the class.   :smiley:   This is a self-paced class, so take as much time as you want or need with each lesson.  I take it you're using DILD and/or MILD.  Any other techniques you're using?  What are your goals for the short-term and the long-term?  Have you decided how you'll improve your recall?

There's a DVA chat in half an hour in IRC, so feel free to join us!   :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Hi and thanks. Sorry I missed the chat had family stuff yesterday. Yes, MILD and DILD. Sometimes WILD but my WILD's mostly come about if I happen to find myself in SP. SP used to scare the ever living dog crap out of me. But thanks to DV I learned to turn it into a lucid dream. Goals? Not sure. I want to get back to having regular LD's and nightly dream recall. I think one can learn a lot by examining dreams. Last night I used caffeine to with WBTB and my recall increased but I ended up wide awake for an hour or so. I tried to WILD but it was no good.

----------


## Caenis

Hey Xanous, no worries, I just wanted to let you know if you happened to be available!  There will be many more chats you can attend if you are interested.  There's certainly no obligation to attend them though.

I'm glad that DV helped you use SP to have LDs, and showed you that it was nothing to fear.   :smiley:   Glad you already started trying to get your recall back too!  Do you imagine you'll continue using caffeine regularly?  Will you make any other changes to your diet or sleep schedule?

----------


## Xanous

Probably wont use the caffeine much if at all. It really disrupted my sleep. I ended up sleeping way later then I wanted to this morning because of it. I may look into supplements but I don't want to rely on them. They help but only for a time. My diet is pretty healthy but I do need to focus on more consistent sleep schedule. My problem is that I seem to have periods of restless legs at night and it really kills my recall. Instead of thinking about my dreams I'm just mad that my legs hurt. I am trying to at least use the opportunity to try WBTB methods.

----------


## Caenis

A friend of mine was woken up with restless legs too--ruined his sleep schedule, he was miserable.  He told me that potassium helped him.  Try eating a banana before bed, the B6 in it should also help your dreams be more vivid.  If you haven't already tried it, experiment with it soon.   :smiley:   You could also try going to bed an hour earlier, that's supposed to help you wake up more easily after you dream.

Please tell me if I'm telling you stuff you already know.  You've been part of DV for much longer than I, so I don't want to tell you stuff you've known for years.

----------


## Xanous

Well yeah some of it but I don't mind. There might be something I forgot or missed. I haven't actually tried eating bananas but I do take potassium supplements and it helps some but not 100%. I might try going to bed earlier but thats a challenge sometimes.

----------


## Xanous

Did some reality checks today. Sometimes I try to push my hand through glass. Glass is always "soft" in dreams.

----------


## Xanous

No lucids. Used MILD. Took multivitamins potassium and magnesium 1 hour before bed. I noticed that I woke up a lot and had a hard time falling asleep. No use trying to WILD. Seems like I almost thought to RC in the dream with the helicopter.

----------


## Wurlman

You WILL have a lucid dream tonight!

----------


## Xanous

> You WILL have a lucid dream tonight!



Power of positive thinking? I like it.

----------


## Wurlman

No really u WILL tonight! and so will I! Then we talk about it tomarrow sound good?

----------


## Xanous

Continued to do RCs but not as many. I don't want to make it a chore. Tried pushing my hand into the mirror in the bathroom at work. (no one was there) Also started doing brain trainer and memory apps on my phone in hopes of making my mind more aware and sharp.

----------


## Xanous

> No really u WILL tonight! and so will I! Then we talk about it tomarrow sound good?



I'm not convince but sounds good.

----------


## Caenis

> Also started doing brain trainer and memory apps on my phone in hopes of making my mind more aware and sharp.



That's a good idea.  I started keeping a waking journal to help with my memory.  I haven't done much other than SAT for awareness though.  I like the idea of using brain trainers to increase memory/awareness.

----------


## Wurlman

> I'm not convince but sounds good.



I come on dude!

----------


## Xanous

> I come on dude!



OK OK I believe you! We will talk about it tomorrow. LOL.




> That's a good idea.  I started keeping a waking journal to help with my memory.  I haven't done much other than SAT for awareness though.  I like the idea of using brain trainers to increase memory/awareness.



 Wait what is SAT? I know ADA and its tough especially when I am working and such.

----------


## Caenis

Good job, Wurlman, Xanous is pumped now!  Look at that focus and confidence!  Xanous is ready to kick some lucid ass tonight.

Puffin's Sporadic Awareness Technique Guide.  ADA is ridiculously difficult.  I'd like to do ADA some day, but SAT is a heck of a lot easier.  It's basically ADA, but not 24/7.

If you're interested in ADA, have you been reading the Dream Yoga lessons?  Or have you joined that class too?

----------


## Xanous

LOL yes pumped!

So I guess when I try ADA I end up doing SAT. I only skimmed part of that link I will be reading that one thoroughly. Now I'm going to go have a lucid. And thanks guys. I enjoy the advice and encouragement.

----------


## Xanous

Well a little too pumped. I was having restless leg the first half and getting mad because it craps my recall. So I moved to the recliner and felt better but my idiot cat was jumping on me a lot. Anyway I briefly woke up enough to remember to try WILD. I didn't get up or give it any time. I just went straight into this Jakob's Awesome WILD or my own variation of it and here is what happened. 

Well it was still progress. It was the best intentional WILD yet. SP is the key for me. Everyone says to get up and wake up for a bit. I think it was better not to move. Even though I did lose concentration more easily I entered SP really fast. It was almost like the few time I was able to chain my dreams. You know... when you wake up don't move and just think about the dream. Well I failed but I will know better next time. And lock the cat up some place!

Blah its sucks though because I ended up not being able to go back to sleep. Waking up two hours early is not my usual thing. I did get to bed about an hour early but my sleep is really messed up now. I have been drinking a lot of water so I know I will wake up to go to the bathroom and I will get to do WBTB. I only did that because an alarm would really be rude to my wife. I'm thinking about not trying any techniques tonight and just focus on sleep. If I happen to wake then I will try WILD or just repeat my mantra but not spend a lot of time on it.

----------


## Wurlman

Damn cats

----------


## Xanous

Since I had sometime I started looking back on my old post. Theres a lot of important things I forgot and theres a lot that was crap. Funny how I change my point of view over time.

----------


## Wurlman

Great point! I think I'll read my old dream journal from last year as well! Good idea man.

----------


## Caenis

Focusing on sleep for a night or two is a good idea, especially since you're working.  Sleeping a good amount is more important than LDing, as that affects both your waking and dreaming life!  I'm always miserable if I don't get at least 7 hours of sleep, preferably 8 or 9.  Work can be pure torture if you don't have enough sleep.

I'm happy to read that you had some progress with WILD, good job.   :smiley:   Last night would have been a good time to start practicing that cat throwing sport.  I can't wait to hear how you'll progress without the cat bothering you!  You were so close, first with the vibrations, then with the FA.  And despite not sleeping well or long last night, you still remembered your FA!  I hope you sleep well the next couple nights, I'm eager to read more of your progress.

----------


## Xanous

> Last night would have been a good time to start practicing that cat throwing sport.



She knows when I'm pissed and won't come near lol.

The FA took a few minutes to understand what happened.

----------


## Xanous

Today I continued with thumb and mirror RCs. And use my memory trainer app on my breaks. Hope my sleep is better tonight.

----------


## Xanous

Decided to move on to Lesson II. My focus will be WILD/DEILD since I am familiar with SP and know what to do.

----------


## Xanous

I know its late but I just noticed my RCs  involve mirrors. hhhmmm TOTM!

----------


## Wurlman

Is that a free app? I think I'm going to dl it is it for the iPhone?

----------


## Caenis

You have 11 days Xanous, go for it!  I'm still hoping to complete TOTM too, it's definitely not too late.

----------


## Xanous

> Is that a free app? I think I'm going to dl it is it for the iPhone?



Android. But iPhone/pod has one that's good by lumosity. I think its called brain trainer. I got that on my pod.

----------


## Wurlman

Cool thanks

----------


## Xanous

legs better lastnight. took some tramadol. tramadol causes some wakefulness but stopped the rls. had bad recall though. still squeezed out a few from my memory this morning. tried to wild but didn't have patience. may reserve wilds for weekends and naps.

----------


## Xanous

Well my recall was null and void last night. I hope to do better tonight but I will be drinking (Shiner Black oh yeah) so its hard to say. Definitely will do a nap tomorrow afternoon. My WILD attempts are failing. I keep falling asleep. It is really hard to find that half way point and maintain it. I have continued with the same RC's and awareness practices.

----------


## SpaceCowboyDave

Also, don't be afraid to dabble with other techniques too.  I wanted to focus my efforts on WILDing, but I did a half assed MILD attempt and got results.  Now I have pretty much abandoned WILDing.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Well good luck on your nap WILD. Naps have always yielded good things for me.

And have fun tonight with Shiner. Nothing wrong with a little celebration!

----------


## Wurlman

I dabbled in the drink one night and went to bed without any expectation. To my conclusion I had three recorded dreams I was wasted in all of them it was so funny an very surprising as well! So either way good luck my friend and good night!!

----------


## Xanous

> Also, don't be afraid to dabble with other techniques too.  I wanted to focus my efforts on WILDing, but I did a half assed MILD attempt and got results.  Now I have pretty much abandoned WILDing.



It's not a bad idea to mix things up a bit.

----------


## Xanous

Hells ya! I took a nap and got WILD and even half assed the TOTM! It's all in my Dream Journal

----------


## Xanous

About my mirror RCs... I wonder if TOTM was difficult because I was expecting real life results.  I'm so used to mirrors being solid that I expected it to be solid in my dream. Hmmm.... I wonder if all RCs could in fact be counterproductive in this same way? I actually never needed them in the past. If I had enough presence of mind to ask the question then I instinctively knew the answer. "Am I dreaming? Duh of course I am!" Obviously this was not 100% for me but neither are RCs.

----------


## Wurlman

> About my mirror RCs... I wonder if TOTM was difficult because I was expecting real life results.  I'm so used to mirrors being solid that I expected it to be solid in my dream. Hmmm.... I wonder if all RCs could in fact be counterproductive in this same way? I actually never needed them in the past. If I had enough presence of mind to ask the question then I instinctively knew the answer. "Am I dreaming? Duh of course I am!" Obviously this was not 100% for me but neither are RCs.



 Is this what I think it is my dude!!!! Congrats!!!!!!

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> About my mirror RCs... I wonder if TOTM was difficult because I was expecting real life results.  I'm so used to mirrors being solid that I expected it to be solid in my dream. Hmmm.... I wonder if all RCs could in fact be counterproductive in this same way? I actually never needed them in the past. If I had enough presence of mind to ask the question then I instinctively knew the answer. "Am I dreaming? Duh of course I am!" Obviously this was not 100% for me but neither are RCs.



You know, when I went through a mirror in a lucid dream, I imagined it being like the gate in the Stargate movie. Basically, pushing your face through a liquid type substance. Also, I read several journals where other members pushed their faces through mirrors and it felt like water or gel. The point is, if you know a mirror can be something other than a solid, either from movies, or more especially, others members' LDs, you can pass through one as well. The good news is that you already did it, it was just too brief to see much on the other side.

As far as RCs being counterproductive, I suppose it depends on the RC. I feel like it has less to do with something that defies physics (which obviously doesn't happen in real life), but more to do with an overall sense of awareness. The feeling of being aware in waking life for me is much different than in a lucid dream, to the point where I note it almost instantly when I have a FA.

----------


## Xanous

Not a good day for me. I hope the night is better. I continued my RCs eventhough I have my doubts them. Its seems to be critical to a lot of people. I haven't thought much about how to increase my recall. Ive got to work on that the most.

----------


## Caenis

Hey Xanous, good job on completing TOTM!  I knew you could do it.   ::D:   The dreams from the weekend were pretty vivid too.  Is that because you don't work the weekends?  And if you're displeased with RCs, perhaps you could use a different RC, or focus more on awareness?  I know that some people use awareness as their RC, and it works for them.  I'm usually not aware enough in my dreams to rely solely on logic and reasoning, but if it works for you, go for it!  See if it makes a difference for you.

----------


## Wurlman

My recall sucks! If u find something that works for u let me know I'm getting a little frusterated

----------


## Xanous

Yes. Thank you OpheliaBlue and Caenis. Very good advice! This week my RCs have been more like SAT. I seem to like that better and it feels more natural.  

Wurlman. I dont know what I did different bit I recalled 3 dreams. I did wake @ 3 am and it took concentration to remember.

----------


## Xanous

I think I'm moving up to lesson III now. Based on the pros and cons, I will focus on MILD/DILD during the week and WILD on the weekends. Also I will continue with SAT type RCs and work to improve recall.

----------


## Caenis

Excellent.  WILDing on the weekends is a good idea.  I take it you've been sleeping better this week.  I'm curious to read how your awareness-based RCs will work in your dreams!  Hope you get another LD soon.  Good job on improving your recall too!  Your recall has gotten a lot better in a short amount of time.

----------


## Xanous

I am not sure but I think the awareness RCs are at least making my dreams more vivid. It has been training my mind to pick up more detail in my waking life so it would make sense that its doing the same for dreams. I just got to take it one more step up.

----------


## Xanous

Last night I did a mental waking journal. Had slightly better recall and vividness. Continuing awareness RCs. Need to LD soon.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> I am not sure but I think the awareness RCs are at least making my dreams more vivid. It has been training my mind to pick up more detail in my waking life so it would make sense that its doing the same for dreams. I just got to take it one more step up.



You just said it in a nutshell! You really do pick up on more detail in your dreams when you do the same in waking life. This is really the seed from which pretty much all induction techniques are derived. And now you're seeing results: more recall and vividness. You're so incredibly on the right track, so keep doing what you're doing!

----------


## Xanous

Yay! Thanks for the comfirmation.

----------


## Xanous

My recall is still holding steady. I'm happy about this but I really want another LD. Last night I intended to try WILD and I had it in the back of my mind but I totally didn't even try. I think I was too tired.

----------


## Wurlman

We still have another day in the weekend!!!! U will have a lucid tonight do a bit of meditation before bed dude mild it up!! Tonight is ur night I just know it

----------


## Caenis

Now that your dream recall has improved, the LDs will come.  I hope your WILD attempt tonight will be more successful!

By the way, does your family know that you have LDs?  I can't remember if you mentioned it or not.  What do they think of it?

----------


## Xanous

Well, I just didn't get a good WILD a tempt tonight. I just fell asleep every time. I should have made myself get up longer. I did have great recall, though. I recorded 5 dreams. And I loved the evil clown dream. It was my favorite. LOL.

Ceanis, you hit on something that bothers me. I can't find one person that is even remotely interested in LD. I tell people and they are just like hmmm ok. And I feel like some of them think I'm a little nuts. My wife is OK with it, I think. She doesn't say much about it. She will talk about dreams and stuff but when I tell her about a lucid dream she just cant relate or really care about it. She listens though. My mother thinks it is unhealthy lol. And my daughter, tells me she does it all the time but I don't think she really knows what I'm talking about. So, if I didn't have all you great people on Dream Views I would not have a sole to share this with.

----------


## Wurlman

Dude I'm with ya everyone is a bit skeptical and the few people who I have shared this with like to relate it to a Hollywood movie matrix inception so forth. My grandmother "super religous" said my lord I don't know about that lmao I said grandma everyone dreams "well I will b praying for u" omg lmfao. Anyways I'm glad to have dream views to there is not a better place for us lucidtears. How old is ur daughter my son is 14 months and I caint wait intell he has better speech so he can share his dreams with me!! Btw screw what people think about lucid dreams its more of a way of life to me than anything now I almost feel the need to spread the word around and if people don't want to listen or look at me funny than o well u Tryed to help

----------


## Xanous

I guess we are a small niche. Most people are closed minded mostly because of religious BS. Not to disrespect your grandmother or her beliefs. My family is super religious as well. I am a more liberal Christian and I guess I get tired of hearing all the same religious language and judgment. There is nothing religious or non-religious about lucid dreaming just like there is nothing religious or non-religious about regular dreaming or sleeping or the million other things we do everyday. Working with your dream is really healthy and beneficial but most people would rather tune it out and not learn anything about themselves. But yeah, I'm with ya. The older I get the less I care what people think about me. Its just frustrating. LOL.

I actually have two daughters with my ex-wife one 6 and one 10 plus a boy on the way with my second wife. She's due in September. I'm getting super excited. I've wanted a boy for so long. Im just dreading all the other stuff, like diapers. I thought I was done with all that. Ha!

----------


## Wurlman

Congrats man lmao I caint wait to start potty training lol

----------


## Xanous

Recall great even though I hardly slept. Bad night. But I am beginning to question reality in my dreams. I just need to follow through a bit more. Progress! And I got to get those wings back! LOL!

----------


## paigeyemps

> I actually have two daughters with my ex-wife one 6 and one 10 plus a boy on the way with my second wife. She's due in September. I'm getting super excited. I've wanted a boy for so long. Im just dreading all the other stuff, like diapers. I thought I was done with all that. Ha!



Congratulations! Even better than a lucid! (maybe except the diaper part) Looool 





> I guess we are a small niche. Most people are closed minded mostly because of religious BS. Not to disrespect your grandmother or her beliefs. My family is super religious as well. I am a more liberal Christian and I guess I get tired of hearing all the same religious language and judgment. There is nothing religious or non-religious about lucid dreaming just like there is nothing religious or non-religious about regular dreaming or sleeping or the million other things we do everyday. Working with your dream is really healthy and beneficial but most people would rather tune it out and not learn anything about themselves. But yeah, I'm with ya. The older I get the less I care what people think about me. Its just frustrating. LOL.



And I agree with what you said about lucid dreaming. I haven't really seen any negative effects it has on me. I was also born and bred by a devout Catholic family, but as I'm getting older I'm trying to find my own way and beliefs. I just try to avoid talking about lucid dreaming with my family, because we've had the conversation before, and not only are they very religious, but my country is also very superstitious, and I got tired trying to explain things to them. I'm not very religious, but I am spiritual. As long as I don't put myself in any danger (which I won't), I will never stop lucid dreaming.  ::D:  I hope you won't too!  :Rock out:

----------


## Xanous

Thanks paigeyemps! And glad someone agrees. I was afraid I came across wrong.

----------


## Xanous

Holy crap my recall is zero! I guess that happens once in a while?

----------


## paigeyemps

Aww.. Yea it's been happening to me a lot lately as well.. That's alright, I used to have crappy dream recall for days at a time (also right now) then BAM! A lucid. Hopefully it happens this time as well, lol. Good luck to both of us  ::D:

----------


## Xanous

So I recalled only one. It was a good one though. A favorite. I slept well and woke early. I got the holiday off today and I may try to nap if I get time. I haven't been on top of my awareness like I should. Still trying MILD. I am getting a little frustrated that I haven't had a LD since that one. I know it takes time to start having them regularly again. Patience!

----------


## paigeyemps

Patience indeed! Nice job on the recall :3

Happy 4th of July  :Party:

----------


## Xanous

Recall stinks. I just remember fragments about Lego Indiana Jones 2. My wife and I played a long time on the Xbox lastnight so that would make sense for me to dream about it.  :wink2: 

I think I have gotten lazy with my techniques. If I get a chance I will spend some time tonight reading a tutorial or 2. Maybe that will help.

Also, it may just be a coincidence but it seems like magnesium supplements hinder my recall. I think I will lay off all supplements or at least magnesium for a few days and see.

Oh and yesterday I cycled 16.5 miles and snapped after a shower and got nothing. I'm really bummed out.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

It's possible that some supplements can hinder sleep and dreams in general in a variety of ways. Some people take them in the mornings instead, don't know if that would help you out or not.

What do you mean by you "snapped" after a shower and got nothing?

----------


## Xanous

> It's possible that some supplements can hinder sleep and dreams in general in a variety of ways. Some people take them in the mornings instead, don't know if that would help you out or not.
> 
> What do you mean by you "snapped" after a shower and got nothing?



Yeah it might help to take in the mornings. I do that for my B vitamins or Ill be up half the night.

And snapped is a typo. I meant to say I took a nap. Lol.

----------


## Wurlman

^^ lmao I'm about to take an oooo snap in a bit. Keep kicking ass dude and 16 miles damn good job I'm off now for I ride and a snap! Keep that chin up we will b lucid dreaming every week in just a little wile u caint ever give up cuz I need ya to lean on!!!!!!

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> Yeah it might help to take in the mornings. I do that for my B vitamins or Ill be up half the night.
> 
> And snapped is a typo. I meant to say I took a nap. Lol.



I honestly couldn't figure that out haha. I thought you either got into a fight, or popped your back in an unhealthy way or something.

----------


## Xanous

You two are soooo funny!  :tongue2: 

You keep me going Wurlman. Thanks!

----------


## Xanous

I found my old copy of Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by LaBerge and decided to flip through it. He suggested that some people might sleep too heavily to have good recall so it my be helpful to set an alarm at 90 min intervals and aim toward the last few REM cycles. 

I had forgotten about that. I got to thinking about it and the nights that I don't seem to sleep well are the nights with the most recall. And nights where I do sleep well I remember very little. 

LaBerge also mentioned that it is well accepted among scientist that if you do not wake up immediately after a dream you do not remember. Soooo I guess I will try setting a vibrating phone alarm tonight. Hmmmm maybe just maybe. I don't know if it will be enough but I don't want to set a loud alarm and wake my prego wife. Might be bad. LOL.

----------


## Wurlman

Yea dude I set 3 alarms every night 4,5,and 6 hours after I go to bed it keeps me alert my girl got used to it but yea a prego just nothing to mess with. When my girl was prego I slept in the spare bedroom so I could still set my 3 alarms. Or just set ur first one and go into the other room when that goes off and get ready for the recall. The hardest part is u will b so tiered sometimes u will turn them off without even realizing it I ha to train myself to "write down no matter what" but hell yea dude I treat that book like a bible!

----------


## Caenis

> I found my old copy of Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by LaBerge and decided to flip through it. He suggested that some people might sleep too heavily to have good recall so it my be helpful to set an alarm at 90 min intervals and aim toward the last few REM cycles.



Huh.  I guess that makes sense, yeah.  I still need to finish that book.  That's a good tip!  Sometimes I'll have my phone ring at 20 minute intervals two hours before I get out of bed, that seems to help me sometimes.  Most of the time I just sleep through them though.  Good luck with your wife, I hope she's a heavy sleeper too.

----------


## Xanous

I put the phone under my pillow and had vibrating alarm only. I wakes me up and doesn't disturb her. Whats great about it is I can set any app to open when the alarm goes off. So I get my Journal app that I use to take notes. It worked great for me. I only got 2 dreams and one of them I didn't write enough to make sense of it. I got lazy on the others and didn't write anythi.... but what the heck? I just remembered one while typing this. LOL!

----------


## paigeyemps

> I only got 2 dreams and one of them I didn't write enough to make sense of it. I got lazy on the others and didn't write anythi.... but what the heck? I just remembered one while typing this. LOL!



Looool! 

That's great that you found a way to make it work. I can barely wake up to any alarms :3

----------


## Wurlman

Hell yea dude I'm glad it's all working out for u lucids tonight

----------


## Caenis

That's really convenient, Xanous.  Glad the phone and the app are helpful in making you jot down notes!  Sometimes if I'm really tired, I'll write down two words for one dream.  Naturally that doesn't work out very well.  I stare in confusion at the two words and wonder what the hell I dreamed about.

----------


## Xanous

> That's really convenient, Xanous.  Glad the phone and the app are helpful in making you jot down notes!  Sometimes if I'm really tired, I'll write down two words for one dream.  Naturally that doesn't work out very well.  I stare in confusion at the two words and wonder what the hell I dreamed about.



HA! Yeah I am having this problem as well.

----------


## Wurlman

It's all or nothin for me. But writing it down is in the past for me I just recored it on my phone now

----------


## Xanous

Recall is still ok for the most part. No lucids. I try to remember Awareness RCs but I'm getting lazy. I tried to WILD but I was way to awake for it. I could not make myself snap this weekend. I've been too antsy or bored or I don't know what. I am not sure what technique to go with now.

----------


## Wurlman

O snap! I stay stick with wild and ur awareness rc's for 1 more week then we'll switch

----------


## paigeyemps

Oh snap indeed! Haven't snapped also. Btw, what do you usually do with your time. What do you do at work, or at home, etc? Maybe we could help you find ways around it so you can remember doing awareness RCs  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Came home sick today. I took about 3 hr total snap. I remember the HI and the floatiness and something about my lawyer. I woke up some time... later.. and didn't move. Started to WILD I got on the verge of SP (I had full body numbness and slight tingles all over and really loud sound like tinnitus) but I just couldn't get there all the way. 

Been doing awareness and questioning reality still though not as thorough. Maybe I need a new type of RC?

I think I need to focus primarily on DILD and MILD and use WILD as a once in a while thing. Like those times that I randomly find myself in SP! OMG that used to scare the bejesus out of me. I always thought something evil had taken over me and It was the worst kind of nightmare ever. Now that I understand it, I kind of crave it. Strange how when we are faced with a frightening unknown we begin to think its the Devil. Haha! 





> Btw, what do you usually do with your time. What do you do at work, or at home, etc? Maybe we could help you find ways around it so you can remember doing awareness RCs



Well I work with wire harnesses. We build the electrical wiring assemblies for various aircraft. I mostly work with a two part compound called Hysol that I inject into molds. Its pretty routine most days. 

I have posted a sticky note at my workstation with a symbol I made up to stand for lucid dreaming and awareness. That is a good reminder. Plus I have a phone app but I am not supposed to have my phone at work so it makes it difficult to look at it.

At home I spend time with my wife and/or kids. When I am alone I go cycling around town or get on facebook or dreamviews, play xbox, watch TV, read, pretty boring really. :p

Now that I think about it. I hardly do any RCs at home. Maybe because my wife is not into it? Or there are just so many more distractions? I am not sure. I think I kind of go back to the normal not-questioning-reality type of thinking.

----------


## paigeyemps

Haha, 'snap' is becoming a thing now, eh? 





> Like those times that I randomly find myself in SP! OMG that used to scare the bejesus out of me. I always thought something evil had taken over me and It was the worst kind of nightmare ever. Now that I understand it, I kind of crave it.



Yea that is pretty amazing. I used to be very scared that I would find myself in SP. But one day I just thought ohwhatthehell and let myself go. It turned out that whenever I found myself in SP, it's mostly just random sounds calling out my name or something. It is sometimes scary, but a few seconds later it kind of amazes me that I am witnessing something I don't normally notice, having hallucinations and stuff. Really really cool. I try to keep in mind though that SP is not the aim when attempting a WILD, so I don't get caught up in it.

Btw, you can try doing RCs when you do routine stuff at home, like whenever you turn on the TV, reality check. Or when you load the washer, reality check. Or when your wife is cooking, reality check. Or maybe just whenever you have a scene change, like you go outside, or move to another room, question your reality. Just anything that makes you really aware that it is/is not a dream would be good. You don't even have to do obvious RCs, at home you can just look at something and try to change its color, or try to make it float, so it will be less obvious.  :wink2:

----------


## Wurlman

Like ur style bro same here!

----------


## Xanous

Ok so I recalled two dreams last night.  if I had not recorded them on my phone I would have forgot. The first dream is lost because of that.

I listened to some LaBerge audio. I really like the one about awareness. I think I will try to listen to that one at least once a day. it is very helpful for SAT. 

Also I think my techniques need refining. the MILD audio was a little more to it than I thought. He has it as a WBTB with more visualization than I was doing. I think I may give that one a try tonight.

----------


## Xanous

Ok! I am on a real high right now. I finally got lucid. I am so happy right now you'd think it was my first one LOL. I am so excited I just got out of bed an hour early because I had to get on here. LOL. 

I think I will move on to the last lesson now that I got a real solid result from an actual technique and not just getting lucky with a WILD.  ::D: 

I did take 200mg 5-HTP even though rarecola and opheliablue said just 100mg. I went to bed like normal. I set a vibrating alarm (even though my wife doesn't like it) for 4.5 hours into bedtime. So I wake up at 2:30 and record a dream. Then it was time to WBTB MILD. I thought about listening to the Laberge audio about MILD again but I didn't want to mess with the headphones. So I did it from memory. Basically you just think about the last dream you just had. Sort of relive it. Then think about all the dreamsigns, or things that were odd that would let you know it was a dream. Then, being back in the dream in your imagination, think about what you would have done if you had realized you were dreaming. So I thought about the TOTM. I pictured myself fining a green glowing potion and when I drank its sweet contents it opened a wormhole to a planet with yellow grass and purple sky. I conjured up an eleven woman with yellow skin or maybe blue skin, to go on a date with. We will see how that works out LOL.  I also repeated the mantra "The next time I am dreaming, I will realize that I am dreaming" If my mind wandered I would say the mantra and start over with the dream or pick up where I left off. I don't know how long I did this but it felt like 30 plus minutes. I am losing sleep here so I decided to just sleep. I tossed and turned because my legs were on the verge of RLS and it was very uncomfortable. So I went to the recliner and fell straight to sleep and that's when I had my lucid. It was a very short lucid though. And I did remember TOTM but I woke up at that point. 

So I don't know if it was the 5HTP or just the Laberge audios or the chat last night or a combination of all 3. But thanks everyone for help and support. Its really nice to have this forum. Sorry for all the long boring details. I just want to remember exactly what I did. So hopefully I have my confidence back I can have another soon. And I'll stop the 5-HTP and save for later. It is expensive and I don't want to be dependent or build a resistance.

----------


## paigeyemps

Congrats Xanous!  ::D:  That's really great to hear!  ::banana:: 

Btw, what happened in the lucid itself? I'd love to know :3

----------


## Wurlman

Wahoooo!! Kick ass dude! What's 5htp? I missed the chat last night  I was to busy but congrats man that's really cool the laberg audio is kick ass as well!! I love it

----------


## Xanous

> Congrats Xanous!  That's really great to hear! 
> 
> Btw, what happened in the lucid itself? I'd love to know :3



Well in short I noticed a strange and spectacular nebula with planets in the day time sky. That was a giant slap in the face and I got lucid. I got the full thing in my DJ.





> Wahoooo!! Kick ass dude! What's 5htp? I missed the chat last night  I was to busy but congrats man that's really cool the laberg audio is kick ass as well!! I love it



5-HTP is a supplement that is marketed for positive mood and appetite control but it also makes a great lucid aid because it produces serotonin which is a precursor to meletonin. OpheliaBlue uses it so I thought I would give it a shot. We all agreed that it should only be used occasionally when you need to break a dry spell. I got some 100mg 30 count pills at Wal-Mart for about $10. Natrol is the brand in a purple bottle. http://www.natrol.com/prod_mood.aspx?prod=27

----------


## Xanous

So I started a new department at work today. I was way out of my comfort zone with helped me to continual question reality. I did lose focus this afternoon. I was mostly training and got bored real fast.

Tonight I am going to listen to my guided reality test as I go for a quick ride. Then I'll go over lesson 4.

And I am trying to get used to doing a day review before bed. That seems to help my recall. I forget to do it alot.

Big lucid no whammy!

----------


## Wurlman

I think I'll try the 5 htp sounds like it couldn't hurt. Day review sound like a great idea. Mabey Amagin becoming lucid during parts of ur day. I'm going to review tonight!  ::banana::

----------


## Xanous

Oh yeah like day review MILD? Not a bad idea.

----------


## Xanous

I got a large needle in my arm so this will be short. Donating blood lol. I have been continuing with realty checks. I put a rubber band on my wrist as a reminder. I like that one seems to help. I used text RCs and attempt TK were no one can notice. I think I WILD the other night but lost lucidity right away. I have a vague memory of it. Keeping with wbtb mild for now. was too tired last night. I just turned alarms off.

----------


## Wurlman

It's the weekend now dude time for some lucids. That's what I did with the rubber band thing it help for about 2 weeks then u forget it's there I think a necklace is next for me!! Good idea bro

----------


## Xanous

Just what I was thinking. I know I will get used to the rubber band so I either get a silicon bracelet or take my wifes hair bands. Anything to switch it up.

----------


## paigeyemps

NO. NEVER TAKE A FEMALE'S HAIR BAND TRUST ME, YOU WILL UNLEASH THE KRAKEN LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL


just kidding, go ahead   ::D:  good luck...


with the kraken

----------


## Xanous

I gave a good effort for WBTB MILD. No LD and no recall after WBTB. Hmmmm. I don't understand why.






> NO. NEVER TAKE A FEMALE'S HAIR BAND TRUST ME, YOU WILL UNLEASH THE KRAKEN LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
> 
> 
> just kidding, go ahead   good luck...
> 
> 
> with the kraken



HAHAHHAHAHAH

----------


## Xanous

Recurring dream elements or signs from DJ.

(11)Coworker/friends past or present

(10)Wife
(10)Strange houses or structures

(8)Strange man
(8)Strange woman

(6)Daughters

(4)Mom
(4)Lego

(3)Dad
(3)Malfunctioning phone and/or pc
(3)Medical Issues
(3)Son
(3)Ex-Wife
(3)Royalty or medieval

(2)Sex
(2)Surreal sky
(2)Water
(2)School
(2)Church
(2)Carnival or Theme Park
(2)Skyrim Elements
(2)Bad Bathroom experiences
(2)Wal-Mart
(2)Work
(2)Demon or other evil entity
(2)Car Trouble
(2)Celebrity
(2)Sister

(1)Naked
(1)Chickens
(1)Cats
(1)Hot air balloon 
(1)Strange boy
(1)Sunflowers
(1)Machinery
(1)Super powers
(1)Geocaching
(1)Police
(1)LJS
(1)Famous
(1)Military
(1)Dentist/Doctor
(1)Ghost
(1)Mirror
(1)Moon
(1)Winning Money
(1)Glenn Beck
(1)Music
(1)Religious Elements
(1)Ex-Girlfriend
(1)Bro-In-Law 
(1)Magic
(1)Zombies
(1)Dream Views member


Hhhmm so should I get into the habit of doing RCs whenever I see my wife, coworkers, friends, family members or interact with strangers?

----------


## Caenis

Very nice list, Xanous!  What dates does this encompass?




> Hhhmm so should I get into the habit of doing RCs whenever I see my wife, coworkers, friends, family members or interact with strangers?



Theoretically, yes.  I like using moments of awareness myself.  Two of my big dream signs are food and water.  So whenever I remember, I RC and think of where I am, what I'm doing--I don't have the energy or the memory to RC and be aware all the time.  Especially since I live next to a pond and a pool.  With your wife for example, you can think about whether the conversation you two are having makes sense.

----------


## Xanous

> Very nice list, Xanous!  What dates does this encompass?.



Just since 6.15.12. I could have went way back but I didn't think it was relevant.

----------


## Xanous

I like to use GIMP to put together images of some of my lucid dreams.

Here is a picture of the last lucid. It doesn't do it justice but it is close enough.





Here is a picture I had in my photobucket from a lucid about two years ago.

----------


## Xanous

One last thing before I go to my dreaming life. I was meditating and the thought burst into my head that I need to refine my WILD technique. So, I found something really interesting. FAT. I will try to use my wedding band as an anchor for awareness. As mentioned in Mzzkcs Comprehensive WILD Guide  an anchor could be anything and whatever works best for you. I feel really optimistic about this. I will post results in the morning.

----------


## Xanous

Well unfortunately I failed miserably on my WILD attempts. I kept falling asleep and jerking awake until I finally gave up. I lost my ring at some point lol. I also was too lazy to write down my dreams. So for some reason I only remember the first and last. I hope that when I write in my DJ something will jog my memory. idk I guess that I just sleep really heavy when I don't have RLS. The good thing is that in a lot of my dreams I am questioning the world around me more and more. I think the awareness and meditations are helping me the most.

Also it is important to note that I sort of failed an RC in a dream. I checked the sky like I always do but I didn't really question. I looked up and didn't see anything odd so I let it go. But I didn't really LOOK. I think it was more habitual than an RC. But still my new habits are carrying over to the dream. I like it.

Oh and I took 12.8mg menthol in the form of cough drops. I think there was a slight improvement in dream quality but its hard to say.

----------


## Xanous

Well I think I am about done here. I am planning to take the Yoga and WILD classes simultaneously. I may post back here from time to time if that is ok. I have grow found of you all and your input and advice. Thanks a ton for all of it!

----------


## Wurlman

Sniffle sniffle he's all grown up now lol

----------


## paigeyemps

AWWWW! It was nice being classmates with you! I hope you have many more great successes with whatever technique you choose  :smiley:  Take care Xanous! (LOL like you're going somewhere far away  :tongue2: )

----------


## Xanous

LOL. Ya'll can follow me in my other workbooks or post on my wall thing or my DJ.

So I was excited by my most recent night time adventure that I couldn't sleep until I posted in my DJ. Whick leads me to a burning question. Does anyone have any advice for WILDing. I have trouble moving past the SP into a dream. The last two times I got tricked by FAs! I guess I better start that WILD class soon!

----------


## paigeyemps

Hmm well I've only had 2 successful WILDs so far, and both of my transitions were just kinda lucky. Trying to learn how to transition better as well. 

You can take a peek at my 2 WILDs and try to see if you can get anything from it  :smiley:  Good luck! And the WILD class was really thorough and helpful! Though it'll be a few weeks before you are actually told to make attempts, it's still awesome! Have fun.

1st WILD
2nd WILD

----------


## Xanous

Cool thanks. I'll look at that later gotta get off here and get ready for work. Bleh!

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Congratulations for graduating from the Intro Class Xanous!  ::mrgreen::  You were a model student.

Good luck with Professor Sageous. (Word of warning: don't look him in the eye, or he'll pop you!)

Have funnnnn  ::teeth::

----------


## Xanous

LOL Thanks. I think.  :Cheeky:

----------


## Xanous

So, I have had 4 lucid experiences in the past 11 days. That's pretty good for me. But they are so short. Does anyone have any good advice for prolonging the dream. I know I can search and find a ton of stuff but a lot of it is crap anymore.

I don't think I get THAT excited. I just wake up before I can do anything. I have often felt like my subconscious is working against me. It's like it saying "Oh shit he's lucid! Wake him up, fast!" or "Hey he's trying to WILD.... Hmmmm. Oh I know! False awakening will get him!".

What do I do? LOL.

----------


## SpaceCowboyDave

> So, I have had 4 lucid experiences in the past 11 days. That's pretty good for me. But they are so short. Does anyone have any good advice for prolonging the dream. I know I can search and find a ton of stuff but a lot of it is crap anymore.
> 
> I don't think I get THAT excited. I just wake up before I can do anything. I have often felt like my *subconscious is working against me*. It's like it saying "Oh shit he's lucid! Wake him up, fast!" or "Hey he's trying to WILD.... Hmmmm. Oh I know! False awakening will get him!".
> 
> What do I do? LOL.



I have been thinking that lately too.

----------


## Wurlman

I personally think that it just takes time for u to get used to being lucid so keep on keepin on!!!

----------


## paigeyemps

> So, I have had 4 lucid experiences in the past 11 days. That's pretty good for me. But they are so short. Does anyone have any good advice for prolonging the dream. I know I can search and find a ton of stuff but a lot of it is crap anymore.
> 
> I don't think I get THAT excited. I just wake up before I can do anything. I have often felt like my subconscious is working against me. It's like it saying "Oh shit he's lucid! Wake him up, fast!" or "Hey he's trying to WILD.... Hmmmm. Oh I know! False awakening will get him!".
> 
> What do I do? LOL.



Gaaaa same here! And even when I do get a stable lucid, I can never remember to do anything! D:
For me, rubbing hands and touching objects work well. I also try to focus on one thing at a time, since I quickly lose lucidity when I'm like "Oh look a boat, I wonder if I can--OH LOOK A BEAR!". So when I get lucid, I just think of one thing I am interested in, and stick with that until I accomplish it, before finding something else to do. When I think less, I focus more (if that makes sense). And when I focus more, the dream lasts so much longer.

----------


## Xanous

Well last night was my 3rd lucid night in a row. Never done that before. However they were all low level and weak. Last night was strange because I was lucid but I didn't really care. It was kind of my mood all night. Maybe tonight will be better.

----------


## Wurlman

Yes I've been lucid before but I was so tierd. That I said fuck it and backed out. But I u have tht same attitude next time u will have a better chance to stabilize and stay lucid longer so ur next one I predict will b hella good my dude!

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Yeah I've had those too.. like some part of me felt too tired within the lucid to put out the effort to do anything with it. Then I wake up and feel like "What was I THINKING?!? God what a waste." You have to remember that the cohesive flow is way off in dreams, even in lucids. The best way to combat this in my opinion is perform SOME task in every lucid, regardless how small or mundane it may seem. Exercise those lucid muscles  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Hey so the podcast got me thinking about stuff. I like OpheliaBlues idea of key words for remembering dreams. I do this myself especially when I want to DEILD and can't afford to move to record a dream. Mostly its hit and miss. I need to really try to refine this skill a little more. But I will gladly scrap a recall of NLD to get LD.

Also can you recommend a GOOD DEILD tutorial. I have found DEILD to happen for when I am trying to WILD. But I don't really have a technique. I just wake up realize I missed my WILD and then I think briefly about the dream I just had then all I do is say "DEILD" in my mind and BOOM I hit SP. (It doesn't always work)The rest is just visualization. Which I may need to for a tech for that as well. FA have been kicking my but after DEILD. The last time I tried to jump out of my recliner in order to enter a dream but I really thought that I jumped up was in FA then slammed back into SP.

So that's kind of been my mindset...what I'm getting at is I need better focus, simplification and... idk ritual. I just feel a little scatterbrained putting all these differnet induction tech to practice. I know I just threw a lot out there but any Ideas?

----------


## paigeyemps

How about this? Many people seem to have successes with dutchraptor's tutorial. http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/dutchr...ld-god-134760/

There are also some links in the  http://www.dreamviews.com/f151/tutor...lation-133466/

Good luck!

----------


## Xanous

I just got around to looking at all this. There is just not enough time to read everything!  ::morecrying::

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Ok hold up, I just read this:





> FA have been kicking my but after DEILD. The last time I tried to jump out of my recliner in order to enter a dream but I really thought that I jumped up was in FA then slammed back into SP.



So you were in a lucid dream about being in your recliner, and when you tried to jump up, you thought your real body was jumping up and it messed you up?

Just trying to make sure I got what you're saying.

----------


## Xanous

Not exactly. Sorry I always try to type too fast I guess and forget to proof read.  ::roll:: 

What I was saying was when I wake up from a dream and try to DEILD sometimes (not lately) I will go straight into SP just by thinking DEILD. I will usually bounce from SP to dream to SP. I was *not* lucid because I truly thought that I lost self-awareness and later woke up. And a lot of the times I go to my recliner when I WBTB or can't sleep (like tonight). So the last time I was in this situation I forced my SP'd dream-self out of the recliner thinking I could jump straight into the dream and not bother much with all the things that go with SP. Well it worked but I thought I really did jump out of the recliner. I tripped and fell and hit back into SP and later it faded. FA just fools me every time. Here the past few nights and mornings I try to remember to do a quick RC when if I get up for any reason.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Oh I see what you're saying. Yeah, FAs can be tricky little devils. That's good that you still forced yourself out of your recliner to break out of SP. Alot of people would be too worried that they're real body would move, so they might not even bother trying. Interesting that after you do it, you fall back into SP.. are you able to stand up out of the recliner a bit more slowly? Or do you have to do it forcefully like that to break out of the SP?

edit: You know something that helps me alot I just realized, than whenever I get up in the morning, I believe that I'm in a lucid dream for a while. I think this has helped me to conquer those FAs and turn them into LDs. It's like, if an FA is going to trick me, I'll just trick it right back  ::mrgreen::

----------


## Xanous

> Oh I see what you're saying. Yeah, FAs can be tricky little devils. That's good that you still forced yourself out of your recliner to break out of SP. Alot of people would be too worried that they're real body would move, so they might not even bother trying. Interesting that after you do it, you fall back into SP.. are you able to stand up out of the recliner a bit more slowly? Or do you have to do it forcefully like that to break out of the SP?



Well I've found that when I go slow I feel like I only part of me is able to move and I just end up face first on the floor. I have also tried sliding out of my body from the top of my head but those just turn into OBE type dreams and when I look at myself I slam back in. So this time I just spontaneously tried something different. It worked sorta. I am still not used to transitioning into the dream from SP. I've done it only a few times. Like the mirror TOTM dream.





> edit: You know something that helps me alot I just realized, than whenever I get up in the morning, I believe that I'm in a lucid dream for a while. I think this has helped me to conquer those FAs and turn them into LDs. It's like, if an FA is going to trick me, I'll just trick it right back



That's a good idea! May be better than a quick RC. RC's have failed me before. I will try to make this habit. Thanks!

So the next time time I SP I will know to jump up and not be fooled by FA!

----------


## Xanous

Success this morning. I failed WILD but had a great DILD and then DEILD. This time in SP my legs floated up and I just visualized my feet connecting to the floor. Once my feet were on the floor I was able to stand up. I don't know... maybe concentrating on putting my feet to the floor is all I need here. I forgot to   RC but there was no FA anyway. Maybe because there was no momentary loss of awareness. I think talking about all this yesterday was a big help and made me really think about things. So thanks!

----------


## Xanous

Same thing this morning. Except I never could make my self see!

----------


## Xanous

I kept this religiously for about a week with great results last weekend. I have been tapering off too much the last few days and totally forgot the basics (RareColas post reminded me of that) I am going back to this starting now. If anyone sees anything I need to improve on here I would love the advice. Thanks!

*Lucid Dreaming Routine*:

1) Morning Wake Up RC to check FA. (I almost always forget until I've been up for a while)

2) During the day Practice RRC but not to the point of mental exhaustion. Quick hand or nose RC If I see anything that is odd or rememinds me of lucid dreaming.

3) Evening Waking Journal. Record highlights of the day. Find a few minutes to practice dream yoga meditation.

4)Sleep around 9PM. Think about MILD. Set intentions with visualizations and imagining going lucid, clear mind, watch and/or form HI. 10-15min.

5)Remeber: If in SP remain calm. Focus on putting feet on the floor. Check FA RC.
WBTB MILD 3:30AM to 4:00AM on weekdays. Skip WBTB if too tired. Else, repeat MILD from 4.
WBTB WILD 5:30AM to 6:00AM on weekends. Relax, Mantra on awareness, If too awake ditch mantra and do wordless mediation on awareness.
Adjust times if needed.

I need to find a way to remain calm during WILD. Maybe a relaxation technique.

----------


## Wurlman

I really like the goals and focus u put into it I need to get better at fa rc's

----------


## Xanous

Thanks! I finally had a successful RC last night with the nose plug but my heavy breathing woke me up!

----------


## paigeyemps

Nice goals, xanous  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Well I haven't stuck to the routine 100%. I made a few various. But I did take the suggestions from the podcast to heart and made a real breakthrough. My LD wasn't super long but it was satisfying. I was able to accomplish a few goals. I was able to keep myself calm through a type of quick meditation inside the dream.  I don't know if anyone else does this but it was very effective. Dream Yoga helped my sensory focus as well. I forgot about TOTM though. I don't think I could do surgery on my brother anyway. I guess I should have tried for advanced. Oh well, I'm all into this competition with Matte87 anyway. I can't wait for next month.

Well here is my DJ Entry give it a read when you get a chance.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Awesome dream Xanous! That was quite an epic journey of stabilization and control. I love how Sivason's dream yoga is working for members. It seems like everytime you remembered to meditate in the LD, it helped you.

I know what you mean about sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not. For me, once I get to the vibrations stage, I'm home free as far as a WILD or DEILD. But I'm not always graced with these vibrations, so then I just have to keep my fingers crossed for a DILD. It's interesting though, reading about your transitions. It's cool seeing similarities in these stages between myself and other members.

And I promise I'll come up with something less morbid for next month's TOTMs  ::chuckle::  But then October.. that's another story muahahaaaa.

----------


## Xanous

> Awesome dream Xanous! That was quite an epic journey of stabilization and control. I love how Sivason's dream yoga is working for members. It seems like everytime you remembered to meditate in the LD, it helped you.
> 
> I know what you mean about sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not. For me, once I get to the vibrations stage, I'm home free as far as a WILD or DEILD. But I'm not always graced with these vibrations, so then I just have to keep my fingers crossed for a DILD. It's interesting though, reading about your transitions. It's cool seeing similarities in these stages between myself and other members.
> 
> And I promise I'll come up with something less morbid for next month's TOTMs  But then October.. that's another story muahahaaaa.



Thanks! I know... I'm trying not to use the vibrations so much as a necessary thing. I have had a few times where I watched HI form a dream non lucid. I am trying to figure out why sometimes I do everything right but I won't hit SP and other times it's almost immediate. Maybe when I don't SP I can use HI to get there? I usually just pass out if nothing happens within a few seconds though.

And thanks about the TOTM lol. I don't why I can't make myself want to do surgery. I watch some pretty gory stuff and think some crazy crap up. Maybe it just seem too real.  :wink2:  Maybe by October I can get over it. I will try.  ::D: 

Oh and I began to use the meditation thing during the day for practice. I have found that it can also help me calm down when I get negative emotions like frustration or anger. I am going to continue to develop that.

----------


## Wurlman

Very nice work man about what's ur average dream recall a night?

----------


## Xanous

> Very nice work man about what's ur average dream recall a night?



Thanks. I haven't thought much about it. I guess it depends on if I am trying to DEILD. The most I have ever had was 11. But usually its around 4.

----------


## Xanous

I just thought I'd mention that the SP transition was much smoother last night. My dream body was able to get out of bed just as if I was awake. I realized that I have the power to visualise any environment I desire. next time I will pre determine where I want to be and see how that goes. My house is geting boring.  :wink2:

----------


## Wurlman

Lmao that's bad add if ur starting to get bored u have must b kicking some ass! Hows the newborn?

----------


## Xanous

> Lmao that's bad add if ur starting to get bored u have must b kicking some ass! Hows the newborn?



I'm getting more frequent.  maybe 2 - 4 a week. mostly DEILD. so naturally I SP out of bed.  ::D: 

No baby yet. Still in labor. were just chillin in the birthing room.

----------


## Xanous

> I kept this religiously for about a week with great results last weekend. I have been tapering off too much the last few days and totally forgot the basics (RareColas post reminded me of that) I am going back to this starting now. If anyone sees anything I need to improve on here I would love the advice. Thanks!
> 
> *Lucid Dreaming Routine*:
> 
> 1) Morning Wake Up RC to check FA. (I almost always forget until I've been up for a while)
> 
> 2) During the day Practice RRC but not to the point of mental exhaustion. Quick hand or nose RC If I see anything that is odd or rememinds me of lucid dreaming.
> 
> 3) Evening Waking Journal. Record highlights of the day. Find a few minutes to practice dream yoga meditation.
> ...



Ah I need to get to some sort of routine. The baby is sleeping longer and my recall is getting better but I haven't got lucid since the TOTM. I'm feeling stress because I should have had another one since. It's been a full week. I guess I should just relax and hit at if from another angle. I have been so focused on DEILD and WILD but I just haven't been able to pull it off. I'll have to find out what I'm doing wrong. I guess until then I will focus more on DILDo and MILD. But DEILD is my favorite.

I just feel like I hit a roadblock. If anyone has suggestions that would be great. Thanks.

----------


## Kaenthem

> DILDo



this is wrong on so many levels,on a more serius note,if you feel that you are in a middle of a dry spell,this tech helped many,maybe it will help you




> Dry Spell Killer: The Actor's Technique
> For anyone experiencing a dry spell or having trouble achieving lucidity for the first time you can try this simple "mind over matter" technique. I use this to help break out of dry spells and I generally suggest it to others who are experiencing dry spells. I think it will also help first timers achieve lucidity. Basically here it is...Upon laying down to sleep you need to alter your state of mind. Basically, act as if you are an expert/experienced lucid dreamer and you know 100% that you will have a lucid dream. Don't only say/think to yourself that you will have a lucid dream, but truly 100% believe that you will achieve your goal easily. The best way to describe this "state of mind alteration" is to compare it to acting. Many actors and actresses "get into character" for their particular roles. They will spend several days (or even longer depending on the actor/actress) acting as if they are a completely different person to better prepare and play their role. Basically, you are trying to "get into the character" of an experienced/expert lucid dreamer. You could even go as far as getting into the character of "The Best Lucid Dreamer Ever." The idea is to fall asleep knowing and expecting yourself to become lucid, because you have done it millions of times before and it is easy for you. If you can do it correctly, and truly convince yourself that you will achieve lucidity, than it will greatly raise your chances of success. During a dry spell, I do this for as many nights as I need to break it. I usually am able to overcome my dry spell the very first night trying. Make sure that if you do not succeed, that you stay "in-character" and tell yourself/convice yourself that last night was a fluke and there is no way you won't become lucid the next night. You would be surprised how well this simple method can work. All it takes is a bit of "acting" !



this is KingYoshi's tech not mine,but it worked for me so....

----------


## Xanous

> this is wrong on so many levels,on a more serius note,if you feel that you are in a middle of a dry spell,this tech helped many,maybe it will help you



Someone else started that and it stuck. Can't help it LOL.

That seems like a smart method. I think I'll give that a try.

Also I was thinking about how I DEILD. I realized that I just wait for SP and when it doesn't come straight away I give up. Maybe I will focus on visualization next time and not so much on the SP as SP is only noise anyway.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> Ah I need to get to some sort of routine. The baby is sleeping longer and my recall is getting better but I haven't got lucid since the TOTM. I'm feeling stress because I should have had another one since. It's been a full week. I guess I should just relax and hit at if from another angle. I have been so focused on DEILD and WILD but I just haven't been able to pull it off. I'll have to find out what I'm doing wrong. I guess until then I will focus more on DILDo and MILD. But DEILD is my favorite.
> 
> I just feel like I hit a roadblock. If anyone has suggestions that would be great. Thanks.



Everyone hits ruts. But the avid lucid dreamers always come out of it, true story. I don't see anything wrong with hitting at it from another angle. Unless you were a super green newbie, I say there's nothing wrong with taking focus off a technique that's not getting you results right now, and focusing on another one. If for no other reason than taking pressure off yourself in regards to one particular area is often the best medicine.





> I will focus more on* DILDo*



LOL?! Was that a typo, or did you make an enemy of someone on staff and receive a naughty edit  ::chuckle::

----------


## Xanous

> Everyone hits ruts. But the avid lucid dreamers always come out of it, true story. I don't see anything wrong with hitting at it from another angle. Unless you were a super green newbie, I say there's nothing wrong with taking focus off a technique that's not getting you results right now, and focusing on another one. If for no other reason than taking pressure off yourself in regards to one particular area is often the best medicine.



Thanks OB I was going to PM you. So what's normal then? I guess its normal to fluctuate? I don't think anyone LD's EVERY night but that's the goal right? 

I've thinking about it and I really got away from my routine. Then there's the many sleep interruptions at night because of the baby. I had lost almost all recall because of it but I'm getting it back now and putting more effort in my DJ. I don't know... I had that really successful TOTM and then nothing its annoying. . I think I had put a lot of pressure on myself and it was counterproductive.

I got back to my routine today and I feel more confident. So I'm just going to DILD it up and save the DEILD and WILDs for the weekends. Unless I just wake up and it just happens. It's not something I can force. 





> LOL?! Was that a typo, or did you make an enemy of someone on staff and receive a naughty edit



LOL no. I listened to those getlucid guys for like 2 days straight. They got to me. lol but they are soooo funny.


BTW areyoume I just couldn't do that Actor's Tech. It's just not for me. I'm not good at lying to myself. LOL

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> Thanks OB I was going to PM you. So what's normal then? I guess its normal to fluctuate? I don't think anyone LD's EVERY night but that's the goal right?



Definitely, and therein lies the contradiction. Even an olympic runner doesn't hit his top speed at every race, or every practice.. but it's always the goal to reach or surpass it. I don't mean to say it's ok if you don't always reach your goals, as long as this doesn't hold you back from trying again. I think it's important to keep that balance in mind at all times: remember that fluctuations are normal, and that it's normal for everyone to not succeed 100%.. but also remember to keep at it and never give up, surprises are around every corner. Literally actually haha!

----------


## Xanous

That's good advice. Nope not going to give up. 

I realized today what it was I was missing. I hadn't been working on my self-awareness as much. I knew there was something missing or doing wrong and I just couldn't put it to words so I rambled on hoping it would click. I reread Sageous' intro to his class and I realized it where he talks about the fundamentals of lucid dreaming as a 3 legged stool. The dreamstate, memory, self-awareness. I got so caught up in techniques that I forgot the fundamentals. So today instead of the tech I am going to continue developing my self awareness. I have also come up with some methods that might help it along as well. I guess lucid dreaming isn't always about getting lucid it's about self discovery and the higher self...It's a lifestyle and a journey.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> I guess lucid dreaming isn't always about getting lucid it's about self discovery and the higher self...It's a lifestyle and a journey.



So incredibly well said.

----------


## Xanous

Had a WILD nap today. It was a very low level LD and went to FA. At least I got lucid and pulled off a WILD. So yay!

----------


## paigeyemps

AWWAYEA! congrats  :Rock out:

----------


## Xanous

I almost DEILD last night but I got excited in SP again and ruined it.  :Mad:  idk why I started that!  It's really pissing me off. I got to figure out a way to detach a little more.

----------


## Xanous

I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD

Autosuggestion DOES work because I believe!

I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD
I will lucid dream tonight and not get excited when I DEILD

----------


## paigeyemps

Yes!

----------


## paigeyemps

Heads up: It's almost October! I suggest making a new list of monthly goals you want to achieve, as well as reevaluate your DJ for possible new dream signs or any realizations  ::D:

----------


## Xanous

Epiphany!

I went on a 10mile bike ride today and thought a lot about lucid dreaming and what I told CanisLucidus. I got to a point were I was really struggling on one particularly nasty hill. My heart rate went way up and my breathing got fast and heavy. My mind started freaking out with racing thoughts. Like "_OMG this is tough. It sucks. I can't make it. Maybe I should get off and walk_" I immediately saw a connection with this and lucid dreaming. So, I decided to use my calming mediation like I do in my lucid dreams. I knew I could not calm my breath or heart rate but I could calm my mind. So I did that. I let my breathing and heart rate go wild but my mind was focused and calm. I concentrated on just the pavement as I continued to peddle. I noticed the rough surface, the tiny peddles, the cracks in the asphalt, ect. I remembered that the best way to forget about something it to think of something else. The ride to the top of the hill became almost effortless and before I knew it was coasting down the other side. 

So the main thing I realized was maybe I should not worry about getting excited with my heavy breathing and heartbeat. Trying to control it only put focus and attention to it and make me more awake. I don't even know why this became an issue for me. Maybe I read something or heard something someplace?For all I know I did that all the time anyway. Its all mindset, focus, and awareness. The rest is just noise. On the next hill I did the same thing but more defined. Focus on the road, keep a calm mind, and ignore the noise. I really think this will work on my next DEILD/WILD.

Another thing. I started a mantra while riding the last half. "The next time I am dreaming I will know that I am dreaming" I fell into a sort of motion trance and begin to see words in large white letters "Remember" and "Tonight" appear in my minds eye. My mantra changed into "The next time we are dreaming we will know we are dreaming." I got a vision of myself merging with the subC version of myself and we became one. It was fascinating and exciting. I cannot wait to dream tonight.

Well that's my thought for today.  ::D:  hopefully this will be useful to someone.

----------


## paigeyemps

That's really great, Xanous! That's why I love LDing so much, because it can have a positive effect on your waking life and normal activities as well. Another great thing it has helped me with is the awareness. Now, when I listen to lectures, the info gets absorbed so much better, kind of life how I practice awareness for LDing. Yours is a pretty good example of how our LDing practices can benefit us in the waking world too. Thanks for sharing  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Yes exactly! Its really cool when you realize that there is more to it than dreaming.

----------


## Xanous

> Heads up: It's almost October! I suggest making a new list of monthly goals you want to achieve, as well as reevaluate your DJ for possible new dream signs or any realizations



That's always a good idea for everyone. Here's mine:

*Dreamsigns In Oder of Most Frequent*
Superpowers
Beach/Ocean/water
Strange things in SKY
Wife
Parents/House
Food - eating/cooking/ect.
Electronic Gadget Failure
Exes
Ghost/Demons
Zombies
Skyrim
About Lucid Dreaming

*GOALS:*
**Spiritual/Transendance:*
**Talk to my higher self
**Talk to God or a version of God

**Normal:*
**Get back to at least 1 ld/week
**Transform into a vamp
**TOTM
**Improve superpowers
**Orbit earth
**Meditate while lucid

**Non Dream*
**Meditate more
**Dream yoga 1x day
**Increase/Maintain RCs and Awareness

----------


## CanisLucidus

> Epiphany!
> 
> I went on a 10mile bike ride today and thought a lot about lucid dreaming and what I told CanisLucidus. I got to a point were I was really struggling on one particularly nasty hill. My heart rate went way up and my breathing got fast and heavy. My mind started freaking out with racing thoughts. Like "_OMG this is tough. It sucks. I can't make it. Maybe I should get off and walk_" I immediately saw a connection with this and lucid dreaming. So, I decided to use my calming mediation like I do in my lucid dreams. I knew I could not calm my breath or heart rate but I could calm my mind. So I did that. I let my breathing and heart rate go wild but my mind was focused and calm. I concentrated on just the pavement as I continued to peddle. I noticed the rough surface, the tiny peddles, the cracks in the asphalt, ect. I remembered that the best way to forget about something it to think of something else. The ride to the top of the hill became almost effortless and before I knew it was coasting down the other side. 
> 
> So the main thing I realized was maybe I should not worry about getting excited with my heavy breathing and heartbeat. Trying to control it only put focus and attention to it and make me more awake. I don't even know why this became an issue for me. Maybe I read something or heard something someplace?For all I know I did that all the time anyway. Its all mindset, focus, and awareness. The rest is just noise. On the next hill I did the same thing but more defined. Focus on the road, keep a calm mind, and ignore the noise. I really think this will work on my next DEILD/WILD.



This is a really outstanding post.  I've even bookmarked this one.

This approach makes so much sense.  I've even found that this is the best way to get to sleep -- deep breaths, focusing on nothing but breathing.  Everything else is just, as you say, noise.  The worst thing in the world to do is toss and turn and fret about not being able to sleep.  Focusing on the problem can make the problem so much bigger.

I have the feeling that this advice (or advice much like it) applies over and over again in lucid dreaming.

While I feel that I've picked up the basics behind meditation just by incidental exposure while studying lucid dreaming, is there one particular source or practice that you've found worked best for you?

----------


## Xanous

Thanks! It was just some thoughts I had. I really find that if I try to focus on my breath I feel like I can't breath. It's strange. And I have no special meditation technique. I just do the basic idea of clearing my mind and relax. (I should probably develop it though) There was one thing I used to do that was similar to the 61 point relaxation I can't remember exactly what it was... Some audio thing I downloaded.  Sometimes I do a shortened version of that.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

You two guys have the best workbooks I swear. I love reading about your brainstorms and ideas. That bike-ride reference was amazing Xanous. I was JUST riding my bike today, and I couldn't get up one hill. I got off and walked it lol. But you know, I remember being engulfed by my comforter in one lucid dream, and rather than fretting over it and wasting all my lucid time and energy, I just ignored it and walked out the bedroom door and it vanished. I need to do the opposite and ignore my discomfort on my next bike ride lol. But wow, what perfect timing to read your post, because I JUST had that issue with biking up that hill.

That might be useful for my lucid vision problem too. If other tips and tricks don't work, I could try focusing on one of my other senses until it comes back. This is great stuff guys, what inspiration!

----------


## Xanous

Synchronicity.  ::D:

----------


## paigeyemps

Ohey! Congrats on breaking your dry spell!  ::banana::   ::banana::

----------


## Xanous

Thanks! It was very anti-climatic but it was still nice. Now I can move on. lol. I did think to try TOTM but failed.

----------


## paigeyemps

That's still nice, at least you got the chance and remembered right? I wish I'd have one soon. The tasks are really awesome!  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

OK so I had a really long post typed but my cats are going nuts and caused the power cord to my laptop to come unplugged. BLEH! It's been a really bad morning already.

Basically, What I was wanting to say is this: I think I will need to put WILD/DEILD on hold for awhile except for the occasional WILD attempt on the weekend. I still think I need to practice but expect to fail. MILD and DILD will be my main concentration until I can sort out why my DEILD is broken.

What happened was this morning I sort of accidently DIELD into SP. Very normal for me. It's my main way to get lucid. BUT ever since the wildly epic Cretaceous TOTM I get so freaken excited. My breathing/heartbeat gets fast. I know this is bad so I end up focusing too much attention on controlling my breathing that I wake up too much and lose it. Sageous is trying to drill it into my head that all noise is to be ignored and he is right, but when you have had so many DEILDs the same exact way over and over its hard to change. I know that I have bypassed SP a few times but I didn't know it until after the fact. It's funny because I used to find myself in SP not so long ago and I would freak out because I didn't understand it. I would fight it so hard but I would be stuck in it for a long time before I could wake up. So either I need to fight against SP like I used (just a little)to or try not to care when it happens, or try to bypass it completely. I am not sure but it's frustrating. I miss SPing out of bed and trying to stabilize and find away out of my house. It's always a fun challenge.

Anyway, I get so incredibly pissed off when I fail now. To the point that I could not go back to sleep and got up an hour and a half early. Bullocks! I am going to to have to take a step back and chill a little because the amount of frustration is beyond what it should be. I am really juiced about the TOTM but maybe I should let it go this month, and Matte87's competition for that matter. I mean I will try if I get a chance but I really want to work past this issue.

So my main tech will be MILD and DILD. I took some time and searched how to DILD for fun. I found out about VILD which is a type of MILD but more deffined. I am really jazzed to try it and I'll focus on this before bed, during WBTB and after any other awakenings (May trigger DEILD but oh well).


So new routine:

RC when I see these dream signs: any family member, when I look at the sky, when I use my phone for any reason, or anything odd in general.
Remember awareness a few time a day. I'll not try to do it as much a I have. I think my brain gets tired lol.
Meditation/Dream Yoga when possible. Alone time is an issue.
Day journal every evening regardless of recall. I think it helps awareness and trigger lucidity.
Bed time 9PM
VILD before bed and after any awakening
WBTB 3:30ish
VILD or WILD only on Saturday mornings
And of course always record DJ notes on phone.

----------


## Xanous

Bout to be late for work. I just wanted to add a thought. I breifly looked over old LDs. Looks like DILD is my main LD after all so no worries, Im golden. I just have a lot of DEILDs afterward and rarely do I DEILD/WILD alone. Plus I wrote someplace that I just waited SP out. HMMMMM. OK I remember that. How to beat the excitement? Think of something else? Perhaps. This requires more thought. I remember in the past I would hit a block like this and my life was so stressfull already that I would quit. Not this time. This time I'll work through it. Gaaa! I need to leave. Stupid have-to-go-to-work.  ::D: D

----------


## CanisLucidus

This sounds like a great plan!  From your description, it does seem like you're feeling amped up and excited, which I guess does make WILD a tricky pain in the ass to attempt.

So is the main motivator for suspending your DEILD practice to just save yourself some frustration?  How about just using DEILD as a quick "Hail Mary" any time you happen to wake up from a dream that you still remember?  Just give it like 30 seconds before giving up to go take a leak?  It's such a _quick_ technique, unlike WILD, that at least you don't risk much of your time.  I guess for me it's easy to let it go because my percentage with DEILD has always been so low that I can't get too upset about it.   :smiley: 

VILD sounds interesting.  It's quite similar to MILD in many ways.  I didn't realize how much MILD was based on visual incubation until I re-read Laberge.  It seems like the main difference between MILD and VILD is that with VILD you are building a completely new dream scene of your choosing and sticking the reality check in there.  (With MILD, Laberge recommended using your most recent remembered dream, which is what I've been using.)

Sounds cool.  I'm just doing a lot of MILD these days so don't be surprised to find me looking over and stealing ideas from you.   :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

> This sounds like a great plan!  From your description, it does seem like you're feeling amped up and excited, which I guess does make WILD a tricky pain in the ass to attempt.



Yes I went back into my DJ and I will looks at my workbook later but I recorded failing a few months ago because of excitement. So, I got around it once I can do it again.





> So is the main motivator for suspending your DEILD practice to just save yourself some frustration?  How about just using DEILD as a quick "Hail Mary" any time you happen to wake up from a dream that you still remember?  Just give it like 30 seconds before giving up to go take a leak?  It's such a _quick_ technique, unlike WILD, that at least you don't risk much of your time.  I guess for me it's easy to let it go because my percentage with DEILD has always been so low that I can't get too upset about it.



Yes I was just surprise at how upset I was. I figured it wasn't worth it. Now that I have calmed myself, I can't just not DEILD because, like last night, it is spontaneous...a lot. I do like your "Hail Mary" idea and perhaps that was the approach I took before. I will give it 30 secs and if it happens great but if it doesn't then whatever. I think that it was happening more frequently that I wanted to master it. But focusing on it too much destroys it completely. 





> VILD sounds interesting.  It's quite similar to MILD in many ways.  I didn't realize how much MILD was based on visual incubation until I re-read Laberge.  It seems like the main difference between MILD and VILD is that with VILD you are building a completely new dream scene of your choosing and sticking the reality check in there.  (With MILD, Laberge recommended using your most recent remembered dream, which is what I've been using.)



I visualize loads of stuff fairly easily at bedtime so this shouldn't be too difficult. I actually wrote up a fake dream full of details that I will post in my DJ later. I thought it would solidify it in my mind. I am really going to give this my full attention for awhile. I will post results.





> Sounds cool.  I'm just doing a lot of MILD these days so don't be surprised to find me looking over and stealing ideas from you.



That is what Dream Views is for. The sharing of ideas so that we all benefit. Steal away. I do the same.  ::D:

----------


## OpheliaBlue

I'm finally catching up on reading your workbook Xanous. I feel your frustration, and I wish I could magically fix this for you. I don't think there's anything wrong at all with taking a step back and letting the DILDs do their thing. I've taken tons of breaks and sometimes it's a good thing!

However, if you were to give DEILD another shot in the near future, and you find yourself in SP but getting too excited again, what if this time you tried to focus on the back of your eyelids, incubating a scene in your mind and waiting for it to appear there. Then once it appears, open your eyes and then try to move and see where you are. A variation of this has been working for me lately whenever I hit a similar rut with the vibrations.

Just my thoughts of course, and I like CanisLucidus' "Hail Mary" idea as well. And even though it may seem like sometimes that DEILDs and WILDs are sooo much more controlled approaches over the other types, the truth is, the proper conditions prior to can be just as random and spontaneous, like you said. At least for me and many others I talk to about it. Whichever way you go, VILD, DILD, MILD, WILD/DEILD, or all of the above, we got your back. I really feel you're just going through a lucid metamorphosis, and I'm excited to see what comes out of the cocoon!  ::mrgreen::

----------


## Xanous

> I'm finally catching up on reading your workbook Xanous. I feel your frustration, and I wish I could magically fix this for you. I don't think there's anything wrong at all with taking a step back and letting the DILDs do their thing. I've taken tons of breaks and sometimes it's a good thing!
> 
> However, if you were to give DEILD another shot in the near future, and you find yourself in SP but getting too excited again, what if this time you tried to focus on the back of your eyelids, incubating a scene in your mind and waiting for it to appear there. Then once it appears, open your eyes and then try to move and see where you are. A variation of this has been working for me lately whenever I hit a similar rut with the vibrations.
> 
> Just my thoughts of course, and I like CanisLucidus' "Hail Mary" idea as well. And even though it may seem like sometimes that DEILDs and WILDs are sooo much more controlled approaches over the other types, the truth is, the proper conditions prior to can be just as random and spontaneous, like you said. At least for me and many others I talk to about it. Whichever way you go, VILD, DILD, MILD, WILD/DEILD, or all of the above, we got your back. I really feel you're just going through a lucid metamorphosis, and I'm excited to see what comes out of the cocoon!



LOL yeah when I have something to say, I like to post, work it out, get opinions, let someone else learn from it.  ::D:  And thanks what you said is really encouraging. I like the eyelids. I remember before it got easy the first time, I used to focus on the top of my head. Either way would be a good idea. I think I had a similar thought back in my epiphany post where I said the best way to forget something is to focus on something else, but for some reason I totally forgot about it. Also, its good to remember we all get into ruts, so thanks. I think you are right about the metamorphosis. I am just going to take a chill pill and let it play out. I really want to give a WBTB VILD/WILD attempt tonight. I usually give up if it doesn't happen in about 30 minutes. Other than that its VILD with any eye out for DEILD opportunity. Because even if I screw it up I still get to learn from it.

----------


## Xanous

Well I am feeling better about things. I had a WILD and did the TOTM. I am not sure but I don't think there was any SP maybe it was really mild. I do know that I had strong HI and I totally formed a dream from it. That was a first for me. So I feel pretty good about that.  ::D:

----------


## paigeyemps

Aww nice!! Congrats Xanous  :Party: 

It's really really cool being able to form and enter your dream, and knowing you're conscious and awake the whole time!

----------


## Xanous

Yeah its just the SP has been throwing me off lately. But I guess I am learning to get around it.

----------


## paigeyemps

> Yeah its just the SP has been throwing me off lately. But I guess I am learning to get around it.



Ahh, I don't think I've had true SP during my WILDs lately. But I do get really loud auditory hallucinations. All the banging and screaming and dragging soun are really creepy, but kinda cool too. :3 It's really hard to convince myself they're not real.

----------


## Xanous

> Ahh, I don't think I've had true SP during my WILDs lately. But I do get really loud auditory hallucinations. All the banging and screaming and dragging soun are really creepy, but kinda cool too. :3 It's really hard to convince myself they're not real.



Good God! What? lol. Bad neighborhood?

----------


## paigeyemps

Nooo haha I meant the banging and screaming ARE the auditory hallucinations hehe  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

I am posting from my phone so I hope this looks right. I just had some thoughts. 

VILD

VILD is having and effect on my dreaming. The first part is blank but I remember walking into my bedroom and seeing many family mostly my wife's side. They were all there but didn't give me a lucid party. My dead grandfather was there as well but I didn't DILD. I later wanted to sleep and tried to WILD in the dream and had really odd SP. It felt like my whole body was jerking and twitching. I got up because I thought everyone could see me and I was embarrassed.

Attention focus

I DILD but let it go because I was so focused on a task. In waking life I hate interruptions so it carried over in my dream. I should work on this in waking life. Perhaps interprions can be useful.

----------


## Xanous

I didn't have the greatest of nights last night. My recall was fairly low for some reason and my awareness was way off. I just felt too mentally tired to even make myself record dreams during the night. I attempted VILD and a DEILD but I had no focus. Maybe a night off was a good thing. 

Short goals for next lucid:

Make black fire in my hands.
Speak to my higher self.
Headless TOTM.

----------


## Chimpertainment

Xanous, 
The VILD technique seems to be working somewhat with my dreams. It didnt work the way I expected but I think it could work as a really effective tool for incubation. I will be using it in the coming days so ill keep you posted.

----------


## Xanous

> Xanous, 
> The VILD technique seems to be working somewhat with my dreams. It didnt work the way I expected but I think it could work as a really effective tool for incubation. I will be using it in the coming days so ill keep you posted.



Very cool. I was briefly lucid the 3 nights I really concentrated on it. And got the basic TOTM the first night. Although, I should mention I had a moderate amounts of alcohol those nights so that might be a factor. It didn't turn out the way it was in my VILD but I did get some elements in my non lucids. How many times do you go through the dream? I only do it like 3 or 4 times and then I get bored. I am going to try and make an effort to double that tonight. Though I am not sure if counting would be a distraction. Also, how much detail do you put into it? I think of it like I am recalling a dream so I try to put act much detail without trying too hard. 

Yeah for sure let me know if you get any new results. I'll keep you updated on my progress and we can compare notes.

----------


## Chimpertainment

I try to go through a couple times, fleshing things out each time. Ya know, adding detail and such. Doing it some more will give me the opportunity to exercise that passive creation as well. I think that will really help.
Awesomeness!

----------


## Xanous

I don't have much DV time tonight but I wanted to update a bit. I am getting bored with VILD. Last night my mind wanted to wonder too much. Face come easily during HI so I always end up just picturing all the faces of friends and family telling me that I am dreaming. Also, I kept day dreaming about what I want to do in my next lucid, conjuring dark black fire. I had a dream about a sword like this awhile back and I have been fascinated with the concept ever since. I can't even find a google image to do it justice. Anyway, VILD gets so boring after a while that I kind of reluctantly do it. I figure that's not helpful.

So tonight I will give it a break and focus on DEILD and hope that SP does not excite me like a teenage boy in a Victoria's Secret store. Usually I mantra at bed time and WBTB to wake up after a dream and hold still. I usually remember but almost always lose recall. I am ok with that if I gain a lucid. At any rate I need to get my DEILDing back on track and I figure its worth the practice. I always feel DILDs are just to chancy. I feel like I roll dice each night hoping for snake eyes.

Anyways, I'm done for the night. I got my girls to spend time with then it's bed time.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Good luck with the DEILD, Xanous! Or whichever way gets you lucid.

(don't forget the PB! I got mine out and ready to go  ::mrgreen::  )

----------


## Xanous

So I had a few ideas while cycling today. BTW that does wonders for a bad mood.  :smiley: 

Firstly, I get really bored with constant RCs and RRC Awareness. I decided to add to the mix. I am sure someone does it already but I thought about practicing dream control during waking life and see it anything happens. I quickly found that it's a great way to use my imagination and be a more entertaining RC.

Second, I was thinking about the "uphill meditation" I mentioned in an earlier post. I realized that I do better staying calm under stressful, frightning and/or difficult situations better than I do with things that excite me in a more positive way. I need to learn to curb my emotions in all things.

How does this apply to dreaming? I am still having issues with vibration excitement. I am getting better but its still a problem. The thing is this SP vibration used to spontaneously happen to me when I was a teenager and continued into adulthood. It was a frightening experience and I thought something evil had control over me. Which let to demonic posession dreams and things of that nature. Later, after discovering lucid dreaming, I learned that this noise, the paralysising vibrations, could actually be ridden out and become a gateway into a lucid dream. I quickly learned to just relax and let go. Over time I began to enjoy the experience and look forward to as I knew I could easily enter a dream. On top of that DEILDs could be done almost on command if I could time it right upon wakening. This was very exciting and I was WILDly successful (get the pun? eh never mind).

Because of this I have the exact problem with SP vibration but in reverse. Sageous tells me its just noise and I guess I am gradually learning that. But can I beat the excitement the same way I beat the fear? Sure, but the real question is how?

Lastly,  my routine is changing with this line of thought. I will continue various awareness, rc, rrc, waking dream control and mix it up to keep in fun and interesting. I think I will drop the V/MILD and hope for the randon DILD. But my main focus will be WILD/DEILD until I beat this. It may take me few weeks/months/years whatever but I will do it. The quest for lucidity is a life long en devour and I will try to not rush things. I think once I get over this hurdle a door will open up to new and exciting things in the dream world and possibly the waking world.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that with everyone and also log it for my own records. And of course I am always open to constructive criticism and ideas. :Cheeky:

----------


## paigeyemps

Hmm, what things do you do specifically for the dream control RCs, if I may ask? That's a neat idea  :smiley:  I do some "magic RCs". I try to shoot fireballs out of my hands, or make thinfs levitate for reality checks. You're right, they are way funner than normal physical RCs!

As for the WILD sensations (i got the pun btw ha-ha), Sageous is correct. I used to think of my vibrations as SP aspects too, but soon realized they were just..sensations as I'm falling asleep. I'm guessing the excitement during the vibrations wakes you up? Not sure if this will help, but when I start getting those sensations, I try to visualize and focus on the dream more than ever, because I find that if I focus on something mental, the physical is slowly drowned out. The more I think about how I feel about the sensations, the more I get "awake" so to speak.

Woopteedoo! I'd follow you on twitter, but I don't use it anymore haha c:

----------


## Xanous

> Hmm, what things do you do specifically for the dream control RCs, if I may ask? That's a neat idea  I do some "magic RCs". I try to shoot fireballs out of my hands, or make thinfs levitate for reality checks. You're right, they are way funner than normal physical RCs!



More like expectation. I expect something or someone to appear behind a tree. Or I look into the sky and expect a UFO to fly out of the clouds. Mostly just things I know work because it has happened in a dream before.





> As for the WILD sensations (i got the pun btw ha-ha), Sageous is correct. I used to think of my vibrations as SP aspects too, but soon realized they were just..sensations as I'm falling asleep. I'm guessing the excitement during the vibrations wakes you up? Not sure if this will help, but when I start getting those sensations, I try to visualize and focus on the dream more than ever, because I find that if I focus on something mental, the physical is slowly drowned out. The more I think about how I feel about the sensations, the more I get "awake" so to speak.
> 
> Woopteedoo! I'd follow you on twitter, but I don't use it anymore haha c:



Yes it wakes me up. I haven't had strong vibrations in awhile but when I get there I plan to do what you suggest. Then again sometimes I get no vibrations and that really throws me off. This morning I re-entered a dream but was non-lucid because first of all everything went white instead of black and then there were no vibes at all. I was really trying to stabilize the LD but I lost my focus really fast. I guess you have to be ready for anything! Like Mad Eye always said, "Constant Vigilance!"

----------


## Xanous

Alright, so I am getting back to normal. Chimpertainment and I talked about incubating the sky dream sign last night in chat. So during my WBTB I wanted to WILD but I sort of turned it into M/WILD. Sageous' class teaches about mantras in WILD and I usually exclude it but this time I thought about the sky for a while and used the mantra "Look at the sky" then I went to counting (thanks paigey). I got to 10 on the third time. I guess I failed the WILD part but I found myself doing a water color painting of the sky. Of course the paint didn't cooperate but it was a really cool and vivid abstract painting in the begining. A dim memory sprang up that I was WILDing and now "I am looking at the sky" I hit SP and thank God I was calm for once. I transitioned out of my body and became lucid. It wasn't the best of lucids but I did get to try some dream control methods I read about. I will do a proper blog in my DJ later today.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Hot damn, that is one exciting post!  There's a whole bunch of good stuff in here that I want to unpack.

First of all, of course *congratulations on the lucid* via M/V/WILD/whatever you did there!  You kind of had elements of everything going on and the whole thing sounds like it worked great.  I know that VILD was partially working for you to incubate bits and pieces in your dreams but it seems like this technique got you the closest yet.  Do you think it's because you incubated something that is a usual dream sign for you?  Or do you think it's down to something else mechanical that you did here vs. when you were using VILD?  Edit: You mentioned that Chimpertainment had the idea of incubating the dream sign and I know that he's been having good results with dream incubation lately.  I'd love to hear his thoughts.

I'll also need to re-read what paigeyemps suggested about counting during WILD.  I've been using counting to try to fall asleep as fast as possible with my MILD mantra still going.  It's interesting that the same technique can work both for going to sleep and maintaining awareness during WILD.

I also like that even though awareness wasn't perfectly preserved during WILD, enough of you was still there to hit the mnemonic trigger you needed to regain your lucidity.  This seems like a great way to get the best of the numbers game we're playing in trying to give ourselves as many opportunities as possible to become lucid.

Looking forward to hearing more about this LD!

----------


## Xanous

Well Thanks! I don't have time right now. We got church, but I will answer that later today when I get a chance to make a proper DJ entry. I just got notes on my phone for now. I will have to digest everything that happened and get back to your question.

Anyway, I wanted to add that I was able to do the exact same thing for the second time this morning. While I was posting my son woke up and I was up with him about 3 hours or so. It took me awhile to go back to sleep. My wife interrupted me once. I was able to go back into SP using the same tech but I don't remember and non lucid incubation I feel like something triggered it though. I had an ass ton of vivid HI all the time I was just going through scenes of the sky until something got "REAL" then it threw me into SP. I DEILD chained a few times and was able to avoid a FA. The LD was weak but I was trying new things so it wasn't a waste. When I woke up for real I smiled at her like an idiot and she looked at me like I was crazy. I had to explain myself. We got to talking and she said it was only 20min that I was laying there since she talked me. I think that is a good sign that it was WILDish at least.

----------


## Xanous

I just now posted a very thorough account in my dream journal if you want to check it out.  :Cheeky:

----------


## SpaceCowboyDave

Read your DJ, you're kickin ass.

----------


## Xanous

So true. HAHA!

----------


## CanisLucidus

I put more detailed comments on your DJ entry, but I want to say again this was some great DEILD work!  What a night.

I am going to give some serious thought to your "jiu-jitsu" style of using DEILD to just roll with awakenings without wasting a bunch of energy resisting.  I fight awakenings like I'm wrestling a bear and then when I do wake up, I have the heart rate and breathing of... a dude that's been in a wrestling match with a bear.

I'm more convinced than ever that you _have_ to keep DEILD in your repertoire.  The mindset you've been searching for is back.  Very good!!   ::goodjob::

----------


## Xanous

Thanks. Yeah, I will try to stabilize with all my might, but sometimes you just know you are waking up and you can't stop it. Its best to relax and wait it out. Those FA's are damn convincing though. Anyway, whatever I did, I am very pleased I can get through the SP vibrations again. I think I just kept telling myself that it wasn't a big deal and it finally sunk in.

----------


## Xanous

So my recall is way down. Seems like when I wake up and start remembering the dream I get too sleepy and fall back to sleep before I can record anything. For some reason I have been really struggling to recall my NLDs. I have to think backwards from the last thought, emotion, or image and really dig at it. I should probably start up the waking journal again. It's really effective, but I don't like taking the time because it can get boring. 

Also my WBTB have been getting up, going to the bathroom, maybe a B6 and/or glass of water. I lay down and do my mantra incubation a few times with minimal visualization and the next thing I know its alarm clock time.

I think I am just too tired. I didn't exactly get enough sleep last weekend. The baby is sleeping through the night now with is awesome, but I haven't been getting to bed early enough; plus we are up an hour early now. 10PM - 5AM when we are used to 9PM-6AM Hopefully I can adjust or just get to bed earlier.

It's good for me to pinpoint problem areas or I start thinking that I am losing my dream abilities. HA! Nope its just lack of sleep, but it's all good.

----------


## paigeyemps

Ahh yes probably just sleep deprivation. If it persists any further, I suggest taking a day off from any dreaming-related attempts. It's always good to let the body adjust and do its thing when it needs to. Also, most people get instant lucids on the most unexpected times!  ::D:

----------


## CanisLucidus

Yeah, I think you're exactly right.  I've been under 7 hours for a few nights in a row and like you, I can feel it catching up to me.  I don't know what your experiences are like, but virtually all of my lucid dreams are during the longest stretch of REM during the 8th or 9th hour of sleep.  If I miss those, my chances of lucidity and vivid recall are much lower.

If you can't quite face the waking journal right now, one substitute that works all right for me is to frequently review the previous hour or two during the day.  Whenever it occurs to me, I'll quickly run through an ultra-fast daydream of what I did the last couple of hours.  This has tended to help my dream recall a bit and it has the added bonus of potential getting you lucid if the habit occurs to you in-dream.

Another happy thought that melanieb mentioned to me once is that when you go through a time where your sleep schedule is irregular, when you finally get that good night's sleep, you might experience some sweet REM rebound.  She actually considers her irregular sleep schedule an _asset_ for her lucid dreaming, a positive attitude that I found remarkably comforting.

----------


## Xanous

> Ahh yes probably just sleep deprivation. If it persists any further, I suggest taking a day off from any dreaming-related attempts. It's always good to let the body adjust and do its thing when it needs to. Also, most people get instant lucids on the most unexpected times!



It's not a bad idea to take a break once in awhile. 





> Yeah, I think you're exactly right.  I've been under 7 hours for a few nights in a row and like you, I can feel it catching up to me.  I don't know what your experiences are like, but virtually all of my lucid dreams are during the longest stretch of REM during the 8th or 9th hour of sleep.  If I miss those, my chances of lucidity and vivid recall are much lower.



I think mine come more anytime after the 4th hour, but the chances get higher later on for sure.





> If you can't quite face the waking journal right now, one substitute that works all right for me is to frequently review the previous hour or two during the day.  Whenever it occurs to me, I'll quickly run through an ultra-fast daydream of what I did the last couple of hours.  This has tended to help my dream recall a bit and it has the added bonus of potential getting you lucid if the habit occurs to you in-dream.



That's a great idea! I think I'll start that. It's just the writing-it-all-down part that kills me so the day dream thing might be more tolerable.





> Another happy thought that melanieb mentioned to me once is that when you go through a time where your sleep schedule is irregular, when you finally get that good night's sleep, you might experience some sweet REM rebound.  She actually considers her irregular sleep schedule an _asset_ for her lucid dreaming, a positive attitude that I found remarkably comforting.



Yes, she mentioned something like that in chat. She said to get only 5 hours for a few nights and then sleep in the next. I can see how that works. That reminds me, I was listening to EWOLD on my phone. (I have this app that reads text. It's a bit robotic but it works) I realized how much information I forgot. LaBerge says if you normally sleep 8 hours; wake up at 6 hours, stay awake for 2-3 hours. Then, got to sleep for 2-3 hours. He says this extended WBTB really increases the chances of lucidity exponentially. I think that might explain Sunday morning's easy WILD. So yeah, irregular sleep can be taken advantage of. That IS comforting.  ::D:

----------


## Chimpertainment

Irregular sleep is always good to keep your mind guessing. It probably raises awareness instinctively simply for the habit. I remember getting my first WILD during a nap. Then again, ever since I tried to take a nap, it hasnt worked. So there is the big expectation thing raining on the parade again. 
Whatever sleep schedule you have, that in dream awareness remains a number one need.  :Party:

----------


## Xanous

This is kind of where I am at right now in my lucid dreaming progress. I can't complain too much but I see a lot of room for improvement. I am sure I forgot some thing and I probably have a ton of typos so bear with he here.  ::D:  I may revise when I get more time.

*TECHNIQUES AND SUCCESS/FAIL*

*VILD* - low success. Dislike. Some dream incubation but its boring. May try another time.

*VMWILD* - (...These acronym are getting ridiculous  ::roll:: ...) Mix of VILD MILD and WILD. Had great back-to-back success Sunday morning. First was DILD to DEILD chain. Second straight WILD to DEILD chain. This works best on the weekends with lounger WBTB. Exact method. Visualize a dream sign and set an appropriate mantra. For example a dream sign is seeing strange things in the sky. So I will visualize skies with strange things. Then mantra, "Look at the sky." After some time that feels appropriate, I will take my awareness down just a notch and count 1-10 repeatedly and focus on relaxing more and more every cycle while holding some awareness.

*SSILD* - Tried for the first time lastnight. Beginning bedtime was just practice. Woke from a dream early with great recall.
WBTB was a little more difficult. Couldn't get comfortable. Eventually stopped and fell asleep. Had DILD but failed DEILD to excitement and FA.

DILD from SSILD and some NLDs - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

*DEILD*- SP sometimes causes excitement. I thought I was over it but last night was a problem. Although other times I chain like a pro. Need to find out the reason for excitement and solve it or learn to ignore it. Also notice DEILD is more difficult after a NLD than a LD.

*WILD* - 50 - 50 success rate. Depends on a lot of factors. Takes a lot of focus. Easy to fall asleep. The upside is chance of DILD increases exponentially. Sometimes hit random SP after loss of awareness. Other times no loss of awareness goes straight to SP. Other times there is no SP just HI that gradually become more real.

Daytime practices - Do a mix of RCs, Reverse RCs, Senory awarness, Dream control practice, Day recall. CanisLucidus gave me the idea of day recall. The waking journal was getting too cumbersome. So he suggested that every two hours or so just quickly day dream back to what happened so far. I have been doing this each break time at work and at random times at home. I think it is working out for me so far.


*GOALS*
Have at least 1 LD per night on the weekends
Have at least 1 LD every Wednesday.
Try to relax a bit every Sun,Mon,Tues,Thurs, night. Maybe no WBTB just try for DILD.
Find ways to make the dream last longer.
Try lucid precog.
Speak to my higher self.
solve lighting issues
ignore excitement SP
Remember to watch for FA
Element manipulation
General dream control

----------


## VictoReverie

No more acronyms please!  :tongue2:  Lighting issues seem to be a big issue for me as well. Sucks to be in a completely black or even dark/unclear dreamscape. It seems to be both a blessing and a curse to be able to use so many different techniques to get lucid :S

----------


## Xanous

I think I may try this tonight with Alarm Clock Plus for android. I can set the alarm to stop after a few seconds that way I wont have to move.

----------


## Xanous

The timer method almost worked for me. I didn't get enough time to sleep to do a proper WBTB. I see potential in this though.

Also, I haven't meant to have any precognitive dreams but it seems I did... sort of.

I had a dream about Alice Cooper and the floor rotting and bugs.
Then I watched Dark Shadows unplanned. These elements where in the movie.
Coinsidence?

The other dream about the hospital. My son fell to the floor.
Then last night he he kicked and rolled off the couch while I was making a bottle. He was totally fine just cried until I picked him up. And I almost had a heart attack.
Another coincidence?

----------


## CanisLucidus

Good luck with the timer method!  The sound appears to be jacked up on my computer, which I'm 99% sure is somehow the fault of my baby son.   ::D:   I'll have to watch this later and see what it's all about.

How are you employing this in a way that doesn't make your wife want to throw you out the window?

----------


## Xanous

> Good luck with the timer method!  The sound appears to be jacked up on my computer, which I'm 99% sure is somehow the fault of my baby son.    I'll have to watch this later and see what it's all about.
> 
> How are you employing this in a way that doesn't make your wife want to throw you out the window?



Well, I was actually interested in making my own lucid sleep mask with the blinking lights. I got interested in it again from reading LaBerge's book. I found a few leads but stumbled upon this video and saw it as something I could do now but had the same idea behind it... sort of. 

Basically it works off the principle that when you set your alarm clock at a certain time each morning you tend to start waking up before the alarm. They say your body doesn't like being jolted awake this way so your subconscious tries to avoid it. There was some extra info in there they talked about like stop, drop, roll, whatever, OBEs. Bleh. I should probably find out what they are talking about but I feel like I've done enough of this that it would just be garbage info. I know people call what I do with WILDs and DEILDs, OBEs but I'm pretty sure it's just lucid dreams. Anyway, the info that I wanted was the times for setting the timer. I think it said to go to bed at 9 and WBTB at 4:30 then fall asleep at 5:15. Then you have timers that wake you at 8min, 4 min, 8min, 12min, 16min, 20min, 20min, and then about six or so 6min intervals.

I had a VERY vivid dream during the first 20min and almost DEILD after the timer. But I could not sleep after that and then my wife's alarm went off at 6. My problem was I only got 3 hrs sleep before I WBTB (had baby duty) and I could not make myself get up for it. But I did roll with the timers and I have to say there is something to it.

I used the same alarm on my phone that I use for WBTB. That app I have is really handy. The phone vibrates under my pillow and my wife has no notice of it. For the timers I am able to select "auto-disable" and how long I want the alarms to last. I had them all vibrate for 5 and then auto-disable. That way it woke me but I didn't have to move a muscle. Tonight I hope to get more sleep and I will try this but at 3 secs each. I feel like the 5 secs woke me up too much.

----------


## Wurlman

Interesting ill try this tonight as well

----------


## Xanous

> Interesting ill try this tonight as well



Cool let us know how it goes.  btw they have a mp3 that does this for you. I just don't do well sleeping with headphones and noise is not an option for my wife. I have to admit it would be easier if I could get used to headphones.

EDIT: Ah they have a separate pc, android, iphone, java apps as well. I had to give them my email though.  :Sad:

----------


## Wurlman

It seems I don't notice the vibration I'll try again tonight but with multiple alarms set back to back

----------


## Xanous

> It seems I don't notice the vibration I'll try again tonight but with multiple alarms set back to back



Cool, Wurlman. I'd like to see if it actually works and if its consistent. I have my doubts at this point.

I should update on this. I did it two nights in a row and I think it really effed my internal clock up. Or maybe it was that with a combination of a shortened sleep schedule. Anyway, I find that that alarms made me too awake. The first night I had very brief SP and then was wide awake halfway through. The second night I was jolted awake on the first alarm and had a hard time sleeping again. I had to turn it off. I may try again this weekend IF I get a chance to sleep late.

For now I'm just sticking to the very basic of basics except I am starting to incubate precognition dreams. I didn't WBTB last night and I may not tonight. If wake naturally I may just move to the recliner. For some reason sleeping in that position is more likely to trigger the "OBE" type LDs which are my fav.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> For now I'm just sticking to the very basic of basics except I am starting to incubate precognition dreams. I didn't WBTB last night and I may not tonight. If wake naturally I may just move to the recliner. For some reason sleeping in that position is more likely to trigger the "OBE" type LDs which are my fav.



"Basic of the basics" sounds like a smart idea, at least for most nights of the week.  This was a cool experiment, though.  I can see how there'd be something to using these spaced alarms in order to take you in and out of light sleep.  Basically just repeatedly trying to tee up that prime DEILD state.

I'm interested in what approach you're using to incubate precognitive dreams.  Hey... what if that "clairvoyant" that your wife tried to hire in your dream was... *you!*  Dun dun DUNNN!!

----------


## Xanous

> "Basic of the basics" sounds like a smart idea, at least for most nights of the week.  This was a cool experiment, though.  I can see how there'd be something to using these spaced alarms in order to take you in and out of light sleep.  Basically just repeatedly trying to tee up that prime DEILD state.
> 
> I'm interested in what approach you're using to incubate precognitive dreams.  Hey... what if that "clairvoyant" that your wife tried to hire in your dream was... *you!*  Dun dun DUNNN!!



 ::laughhard:: ^^

I apologize to everyone for my inactivity. Things have been crazy, busy, and hectic around here. I just haven't got the chance to get online much. And I haven't been able sleep late for awhile (I'm lucky to get 8hrs) so the timer thing is bad for me right now. My lucid rate has dropped so I'm just mostly focusing on day time awareness which, of course, can be full plate on its own. I really think that is the key to it all anyway. You won't get far without strong awareness practices. The other night I missed a dream sign that I have been trying to incubate all week. I saw it and noticed it but I didn't pay attention to it. I woke feeling like a moron but I realized I had been slacking on the awareness.

For now I'm going back to more traditional MILDs during the week and WILDs on weekends and that "Hail Mary" DEILD once in a while. I'll WBTB when I feel like I can handle it. Keeping it simple and relaxed seems to work best for me. I guess sometimes I get wrapped up in looking for that one thing that will do it for me every time that I forget the basics. Shame on me! Although, I am doing some subliminal stuff starting tonight that I found on youtube. Call it a lazy MILD if you will  ::D:   but really its just a 10 min thing so it shouldn't be very intrusive.

regardless, my recall has been holding at 2-4 per night except last night. For some reason both dreams were so odd and abstract that I lacked words to describe it so I really didn't feel up to writing in my DJ. That's another thing. I haven't had time to post to my online DJ and my offline one is just bullet point type notes. I think I am getting my dream signs and such from them but it's not the same as writing out all the little details. I hope to do better this weekend but maybe it's not that big a deal.

As for the precog, that's still in its infancy stage and I'm still working that out with paigeyemps. But getting lucid would be the first step. I am, however, keeping an eye out for those non lucid precogs. Also, maybe I *did* incubate something with the "clairvoyant" in that dream. I had not thought of it until I read your post. Interesting. I need to be more vigilant. It seems my incubation ability is getting better. It won't be long until I trigger another LD this way.  ::D:

----------


## paigeyemps

I think I've been having some interesting dreams. Still trying to work out how to ask the dream though  I asked a DC what would happen the next day but got no reply.  ::D:  I'm doing mantras now for remembering what to ask, so I am more productive when I start dreaming. 

Seeya!

----------


## Chimpertainment

What..when...where...how...why...

What is in store?

You never know how long you may have to wait for a pre-cog to happen irl...my most accurate pre-cog was 3 years before the event took place. I probably wouldnt even had remembered the dream but i had told a friend about it so the memory was pretty solid. Funny thing about pre-cog is that you wont know until it has already happened. Sounds fun  :-)

----------


## paigeyemps

Haha cool! It's nothing major really. Just some similarities like micro-deja vu moments.  ::D:

----------


## CanisLucidus

> I apologize to everyone for my inactivity. Things have been crazy, busy, and hectic around here. I just haven't got the chance to get online much. And I haven't been able sleep late for awhile (I'm lucky to get 8hrs) so the timer thing is bad for me right now.



Nothing to apologize for, man!  I'm not going to lie, we missed you though.  But in the life of the family man, there are gonna be some gaps during which that man just cannot get online.   :smiley: 

Your experiments and plan of action both sound great.  It's always wise to make sure your practices take a shape that fits harmoniously with the rest of your life.

Ah yes.  I also watched that episode of Grimm.  And the attack on that show was _way_ worse than what happened to me in my LD!  Yikes.

----------


## Xanous

I had some weak ass LD precog attempt. It was sort of on accident and on the fly. Still Interesting.

Lucid?, Romney, Five Thirty Room, Semi-lucid semi-precog - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## Xanous

I don't know if you can truly call this a lucid dream. It was like I was in a dream but I felt my body in bed still after some playing with some intense HI. It was like being in a dream but being awake too. Almost like a trance. Has anyone done this? I am counting as an weak LD because it was so different. 

Anyway, I spent some considerable amount of time talking to the dead. Very STRANGE stuff. I think the next time this happens I will try for some precognitive information.

She Doesn't Trust You, The Voice In The Void - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

BTW I forget how reading over past DJ entries and old LDs can really boost confidence. I think I will spend some time before bed doing this tonight and maybe every night. Sounds like some good medicine.

EDIT: I went way back to all my recorded dreams and did some backups and a little reading. I counted 89 LDs that I have recorded since my join date. The count would be way higher but I have had so many periods where I took long breaks from lucid dreaming. Anyway, it's nice to actually have a somewhat accurate number to go by. I know there are a few that I never recorded but that's ok. It was also fun to notice some things that I had forgotten. There are many things I that I accomplished and lessons that I have learned ... and relearned. I need to examine things a little closer. I am just glad a have a long record to study.  ::D:

----------


## Xanous

So I unintentionally had a WILD and DEILD chain at the beginning of bed time. I just sat in a white void with strange thoughts and emotions. No actual dream scene formed but I am calling it lucid #90. 

Lucid #90 The White Void - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## paigeyemps

Congrats! And it happened at the beginning of bedtime too, kickass!

free muffin for you!  ::muffin:: 

(sorry i'm running out of bananas  :tongue2:  )

----------


## CanisLucidus

It sounds like you have had an amazing couple of days, Xanous!  This weekend's been totally insane so I've had virtually no DV time.  I'm very excited about your two most recent DJ entries, though, so I'll swing back around tonight or tomorrow and comment.  You have some unbelievably cool stuff going on!

Let me also congratulate on compiling a full LD record!  That is a great thing to have.  Mine is much punier than yours but it's a source of great inspiration and enjoyment for me, not to mention a great learning tool.

Okay, gotta hop, but just wanted to give you the big  ::goodjob::  on all this latest stuff!

----------


## Xanous

I got lucid #91 this morning with WBTB SSILD. It was very brief which was disappointing. I don't know why they have been so sort lately. It's *not* due to excitement. Maybe I'm just tired. 

Several dream signs slapped me in the face and I became aware and used dream control to solve a problem.(Japan, Daughters, Brass instruments, Church, Car falling apart.... I have a lot of dream signs!) Were was no "AHAAHAH YES I'M DREAMING" moment. More like "Oh yeah... dream control... yea I guess I'm dreaming." I was already feeling the dream fade before my lucidity so I just tried to go with the plot and see where it would take me. No luck. I should have stabilized and DEILD. Oh well. It was still fun. I will post DJ this evening.

Anyway the point is; I am keeping up with SSILD for sure. Or at least have it ready in my arsenal. It's really great for during the week because it does not take too much of my sleep time away from me. If anyone hasn't tried it yet they should.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> Anyway the point is; I am keeping up with SSILD for sure. Or at least have it ready in my arsenal. It's really great for during the week because it does not take too much of my sleep time away from me. If anyone hasn't tried it yet they should.



Congratulations on the lucid!  I'm glad to hear that the tech is working so well for you!

I'll occasionally have trouble where I either fall asleep after 1 cycle or at the other extreme, become a bit too amped after finishing 5 and have to work a bit to fall asleep.  That has generally made me use SSILD if I hit a perfect WBTB time and I'm in the mood for it.  It sounds like you don't tend to have this problem, though, which is great.

----------


## Xanous

Well I don't know. That nREM WILD (Cosmic Iron seems to think it was nREM) was because I was too awake but I guess it worked out. I mean that was the blandest WILD ever but it was cool to have the experience. I can't wait to do a longer WBTB this weekend and try using SSILD to WILD.

----------


## Xanous

I got #92 and #93 this morning after WBTB 400MG B6. I got a SSILD DILD first and then the ever rare active WILD. Active WILDs are when you WILD straight into the dream using only HH/HI and there is little or no SP. It really cool when I do this but it takes a lot of finesse and patience. The higher dose of B6 made me really restless after the DILD. I tossed and turned some and had to really force myself to be still and focus on the Hypnagogic State more and my body less. I did try to use HI to precog but I could not make it form and trying to hard is counterproductive. Anyway all this ended up being a good balance because I was so sleepy already but the B6 made all the energy go to mind power. It did take a good while because I was crossing back and forth between "Oh I'm dreaming" and "no this is just HI". Eventually the dream got more and more real. I think what finally did it was, I began to observe a conversation between two DCs from my childhood. I found it very amusing and wanted to see what would happen. I was lucid the whole time but after the female DC walked away that's when I interacted. I will do a full DJ entry this evening I just wanted to get these thoughts down before they faded.

Another thing, I have been forgetting my lucid goals that I so badly want to accomplish. My LDs this morning were awesome but I am disappointed in a way that I got so wrapped up in the dream and didn't do what I had set out to do. It's ok I suppose. Just interesting that I can get the lucids but have so little focus.

One more thing. It's important to note that I have been focusing as much as possible on awareness during the day. There is always a direct correlation to how much I practice awareness and how many LDs I have. Never slack on awareness people!  ::D:

----------


## paigeyemps

Amen to your last sentence. I find I often have an LD boost (or if not, vividness increases) on days I go all out on my awareness practice.

congrats on the lucids!  ::banana::

----------


## Chimpertainment

xanous, do you find its better to focus on the HH/HI, SP, or the Dream State when attempting a WILD?

----------


## Xanous

> xanous, do you find its better to focus on the HH/HI, SP, or the Dream State when attempting a WILD?



It all depends on how awake I feel. It goes better if I don't over-think it. Most of the time I have to wait for SP. Other times I see really strong HH from the start and I just follow that until it becomes more and more real. I am getting better with the HH part and for some reason that allows me to skip over the SP feeling. 

I suppose to answer your question, what do I *focus* on? I would say HH/HI because if I really focus on SP, it goes to crap pretty fast. SP is just a mile marker for me or a signal to get up. Nothing more really. Also, I guess I don't focus on the dream state much until things feel really real. If I do it too early I snap back to my physical self and it feels like a set back in my progress.

That gets me thinking. The difference between the two types of WILD is really odd. If I WILD into SP then I have the more OBE type LD. If I WILD into HH then its more of a normal LD. I am just now really starting to analyise the two and understand why they are so different. I am not sure I believe OBE's are actual out-of-body but I can see why people do believe in it. I have looked back at my own body several times and it was unnerving. I just don't do it anymore because I always slam back in and have to start over.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Damn good post Xanous, you covered alot of great stuff. Like not focusing on SP in particular, and how different transitions lead to different types of LDs. I'm going through this myself, such an interesting process of discovery.

----------


## Xanous

I had a ton I wanted to say this morning but I don't have the time now. But, I wanted to real quickly say I learned a few things last night/this morning. I am really starting to learn that visualization is a great tool. Last night I used a modified form of SSILD to WILD. I did it once at the beginning but fell into a complete non lucid dream. It was literally after being in bed only 10-15min. I was shocked and I only woke up because I started snoring. The feeling was like a Nonlucid WILD or WID? or WINLD? Anyway, I later flunked WBTB and totally passed out but later woke from an interesting dream 20min before the alarm get up and start your day alarm. I knew I didn't have much time but I started thinking about the previous dream and noticed that I was back in it but only partially. I get this state a lot. 

It's what I am going to start calling the half-dream. It's like being deep into HH/HI daydream but still in your physical body and not totally in a dream. I don't know if anyone else gets this but I do. It's really fun because I get to test out a lot of dream control and get a feel of things like how a dream RC should feel ec t ect. It is a dream for all intense and purposes but not at the same time. Its really hard to describe. Help me out anyone?

Anyway, I was in the half dream and I happened to look at the sun. It was bright and looked like it does when you stare at the sun but it didn't hurt. So I lost focus doing this and woke up to the alarm remembering something about eating a snake raw. 

The point is I am going to explore this more from now on. Hopefully I can master this and be DEILD WILD champ. We shall see. 

Sorry again if I neglected to answer workbooks tonight. With voting and diner and running errands and now we have to drive to Carthage to get the wife a new phone as hers died and I hope to sleep sometime soon. Bleh always something  :wink2:

----------


## OpheliaBlue

A nonlucid WILD haha. You know, I've been getting what I call a WILD/DILD hybrid, because the inititation is the same as a WILD with vibrations and all. But then I go into a nonlucid for a few seconds, then I get lucid. So whatever. I think I get what you're saying though. There's so many phases and gray areas in between being awake and being in a dream (lucid or non). It makes sense that you could lock into place in any one of those levels and experience it.

What you described as the half dream sounds alot like when I start out a lucid dream in my bed the WILD way. I still feel like I am in my bed, in exactly the same place and position as when I went to sleep. I just manage to get up and do other stuff. So maybe it's not the same thing you're saying. Maybe it's like the beginnings of a DEILD. I know I've experienced tons of different sensations visually and aurally when transitioning between dreams. Blah blah? Read my mind.

So you getting her an iphone?

----------


## Xanous

I think what you are describing is what I was getting. And yes, there are a ton or gray areas. No iPhone. LOL. She's happy with a cheaper Android.

----------


## paigeyemps

Guess whaaaaat!

I got an interesting precog dream, I think. I'll put it in the weekly report  ::D:  I'm quite excited!

----------


## Xanous

> Guess whaaaaat!
> 
> I got an interesting precog dream, I think. I'll put it in the weekly report  I'm quite excited!




Cool. I can't wait to read about it. Sorry, I haven't been very focused on it. I'm still trying but I have not got anything. I've just been really tired.

----------


## Xanous

So last week was tough for me. I have been very tired and with little mental focus. I have found my daily awareness routine to get mundane and lacking effort. I also have been mildly sick off and on. I haven't kept up much with recording dreams like I should. Yes I take a few notes during the night but I didn't post to my DJ much. My WBTBs have consisted of turning off the alarm and rolling over to pass out again. I am not too upset about this I realize that its just life and it will pass. I really just think I have just been too tired.

I was pleased that I got to sleep in this morning with no baby to deal with. It was a well needed break. again I blew past my WBTB alarm but later I focused on WILD. I had a semi-lucid dream where I knew I was dreaming but didn't know I was dreaming. As much as I want to I can't count this one. 

I also had another half-dream where I met a shape shifting woman who was trying to guide me into the dream. I totally blew it. I think I will attempt to find her again tonight.

I did the B6 thing again. 200MG at bedtime and 400MG at WBTB. I think the effect may be wearing off but I DID have some very interesting dreams. Unfortunately I only recorded a few. I think maybe I should stop the B6 for awhile.

My dreams all morning were very sexual as well. I think it distracted me quite a bit and ruined my semi-lucid as well as the half-dream. I don't understand were that came from. I am not lacking in real life.

Tonight, I need to a more proper WBTB and actually stay a wake a little longer and really get a clearer more focused induction plan. I have been way too lazy!

Even-though I was not lucid I found my dreams to be interesting this morning - Sexual Tendencies - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## CanisLucidus

Yeah, those times when you're going through several persistent stresses, even minor ones, can leave you without the energy to focus on dream life.  Sometimes it just happens and like you said, it _will_ pass.  Often doesn't feel like it at the time, but it really is true.   :smiley: 

And man, when you're tired, it's just so easy to blow through the WBTB time.  When you're that tired, it's probably the best option.  Especially if you're feeling that tired on 200 mg of B6 at bedtime.  Even 100 mg of B6 at bedtime left me much more awake when WBTB time hit.





> I am not lacking in real life.



LOL.  Now _that's_ a thorough update!

----------


## Xanous

> LOL.  Now _that's_ a thorough update!



Well... LOL. I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I didn't understand it where it was coming from. Its a huge distraction and I'd like to be past that in my dreams. 

I think you are right about the B6. Maybe I was just so tired that it didn't effect me. I think when I am that tired I shouldn't be even trying WBTB anyway.

----------


## Xanous

Just a quick thought on caffiene.

This morning I was enjoying my usual cup. I notice that before coffee, I felt alert and rested and wide awake. After coffee, slightly irritable and my mental clarity vanished.

Then I found this post: Caffeine: The Silent Killer of Emotional Intelligence - Forbes
Pay special attention to "The Ugly: Sleep" sleep section.

I decided I will stop all caffeine. I will be difficult at first but worth it. While considering this I remembered the last time I quit the caffeine. It was back in August. My dreams were a thousand times more clear and I had a lot more LDs. This may be the mental block that I have been feeling in my mind but trying to ignore. This morning is already too late and I usually don't have ANY caffiene after lunch anyway but starting now I will do my best to cut it out.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Wow, that's an amazing article!  I'm sure that a lot of normal folks would read that section and not worry about losing a little "REM sleep", but the thought makes my blood run cold.

I only have a couple cups of green tea a week and a nightly serving of dark chocolate with Wife, but even this I'm reconsidering after reading this article.  I'll have to check the caffeine content on each of these.

So are you going to be cutting out caffeine and backing off of the B6 at the same time?  Both at the same time might make your results less clear-cut and "scientific", but I can't think of a good way around this problem...  ::hrm::

----------


## Xanous

Good point about the B6. Hmmm. That made me think and do a little research. This website has some interesting information. I think I have been over doing it in that regard. I may continue with just 100MG B6 if at all.

----------


## Xanous

Well I wasn't going to update anymore but weekly but a few things happened to me that got me excited.

First of all, I just met another living flesh and blood human being that was a practicing lucid dreamer. No offense to you fine people but online is so much different than real life. I was really shocked to find such person, having grown up in a Pentecostal home and living in the Bible Belt Mid-West! I was kind of awkward as I am not used to talking to people about lucid dreaming, much less a stranger. There was so much more I wish I had said but I did point him to dreamviews. I forgot to tell him my online name. DOH! Ah well maybe I will run into him later. So that was pretty cool anyway and it was all because I was reading Robert Waggoner's book while donating plasma!

Second, I got through chapter 7 of RW book while I was there. He described a dream that he blelives was not a lucid dream but something else. What he described was much like my begining of the night WILD I had Lucid #90 The White Void - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views. 

He talks about a conference were he heard Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a Buddhist lama from the Bon tradition of Tibet who had just written The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep.:
"He also noted that with many years of training and experience, the yogas of dream and sleep may "ultimately lead into one another," if the lucid dreaming practice is "fully accomplished," and result in an experience of the "clear light." Unlike a lucid dream, which has a subject and object, in the clear light experience, "the recognition of pure awareness, the clear light, by awareness itself." He emphasized that in the clear light experience, there is no subject/object duality or sense of self; rather, the ever-present essential, innate awareness appears. Ultimately the common goal for those who go deeply into either dream yoga or sleep yoga would be to experience the clear light."

I did lose all sense of my self in the essence that I thought I was someone else. Or is that the same thing? Close to it, I suppose. I hope to repeat this now that I know what was going on. Yay Buddhists!

Third, Last night I forgot that my WBTB alarm was set so late and I got up naturally to go pee. I did my duty, canceled my alarm, and plopped back to bed. My WBTBs on a work night are always this short. I jumped straight into SSILD and after a few rounds I took note of all 3 senses at once, similar to some dream yoga exercises I dabble with. I got straight into the half-dream and I visualized myself walking. It got more and more real and SP took me over. I later blew it with a false awakening but that's ok. The point is, I had almost quit on SSILD but I love it again now.  ::D:  I think it works well because you focusing your senses the dream and makes you more aware as you fall a sleep. I know that seems like you are paying attention to the "noise" but I think its not the same here. Or perhaps, we are looking for noise. In any event it works when the timing is right. There is no black and white here. Just infinite shades of gray. To think otherwise might be slightly arrogant.

Lastly, Caffeine, B6 and Apple Juice. I slipped up and had a few sips this morning. I am so addicted again I got all emotional about wanting some coffee. Sad I know. But I think I did well. I am also stopping the B6 until the weekends only. I did drink apple juice last night and had really poor recall until after my mini WBTB.

----------


## CanisLucidus

How cool that you met another lucid dreamer.  Outside of everyone here on DreamViews, I have only one friend that lucid dreams (and I feel pretty lucky to even have one!)  That'd be great if your blood-donating buddy finds his way here.

I have the same view of SSILD's mechanism that you do (although I am keeping an open mind as far as what's actually going on.)  It seems to me that SSILD is simply a way of getting your awareness revved up as you fall asleep.  Perhaps it activates part of the brain that's typically less stimulated while you're sleeping.

When you think about it, SSILD seems most like a "super WBTB" than any specific DILD- or WILD-specific technique.

Also, I completely agree that you should explore further in your NREM dream experience.  (In due time, of course -- no need to rush the super-advanced experiences.)  That is pretty amazing stuff and certainly a unique way to enjoy an LD.  I'm still firmly in the phase where I treat lucid dreaming largely as the world's most fantastic amusement park.  (My personality makes it unlikely I will every truly _leave_ this phase.)   :Cheeky:

----------


## Xanous

There's nothing wrong with making it your personal amusement park. But I have reached a stage were while that is still fun and exciting its really not all that fulfilling. I enjoy having flappy wings for bragging rights and prestige but I'd rather pursue my own goals and and expand my limitations in my own way. I want to delve deeper, like Rober Waggoner did.  ::D:

----------


## Xanous

I wasn't going to post this because it was pretty non-eventful but I think it is interesting that it was at the beginning of night and only a few minutes into it. I don't know if it was the apple juice, or the SSILD, or just being really tired but strange things keep happening when they shouldn't.





> *Lucid #94*
> 
> I layed down and did a little SSILD pre sleep while my wife was feeding the baby next to me. I almost immediately found myself in a short hazy and fuzzy LD. I thought about this a lot to make sure it wasn't a half-dream or HH/HI. I am pretty sure it wasn't but it was a poor quality dream. 
> 
> I am sitting in a folding chair. There are rows of them around me. The chairs are full of old people. I am trying to go to sleep in the chair. I begin to get worried that the people around me will think I am crazy especially when I fall over asleep. I was really emotional about it then I realize it was a dream and it didn't matter. I am shocked at this and that's when I open my eyes fully awake and notice it had only been minute or two. I suppose I should have done an RC to be sure but it was pretty solid.

----------


## Xanous

I cleared my mind while on a bike ride today and did some thinking about my routine/tech. When I take my past LDs into consideration, I think these combined methods highlight my better LDing capabilities. A lot of times I forget my routine and techniques so during the night it becomes unclear what I was planning to do. I find it helpful to do a new write up ever so often.

*Tweaks*

SSILD tweaked:

Instead of just cycling, I am going cycle each one until the visuals get strong. If I am extra sleepy I plan to begin trying to use some mantra until the HI gets stronger. Most of the reason I fail is because I pass out too fast. 

Then I will focus on all 3 at once. This tends to send me into the half-dream quickly. 

Once in the half-dream I will carefully interact with the dream until it becomes stable and realistic. 

SP The vibrations or REM Atonia may start at this point. If that happens I will focus on exiting my body by imagining my feet floating up and over the side of the bed. Once connected to the floor, I'm always in. The last time I did this it failed. Not sure why because this is always a solid exit method for me.

So at the beginning of bed time I will do the SSILD tweaked until I'm either lucid or I pass out or just end up spending too much time. I don't expect much but giving my recent experiences, I think it is at least work a shot and some great practice time as well. At the very least it will prep my brain for the rest of the night.

ALWAYS WATCH FOR FA. RC and test reality after doing ANY induction and thinking you failed. I don't always remember this.

WBTB: 
Only to get up and pee and return to bed. I want to wake naturtally with no alarms for a while. On the weekends I will have a more prolonged WBTB session. Once back into bed then I'll repeat SSILD tweaked

Random awakenings:
I will begin to treat each awakeing is a chance for DEILD. If DEILD doesn't happen right away then will I take time to record the dream and THEN quickly do SSILD tweaked. Hopefully if I fail DEILD, I won't just fall into a NLD and skip the rest. Also, I realize that my recall may drop by failing DEILDs this way. If I don't record them in the night I tend to forget.

Awareness:
If I fail all the above there is always and increased chance for DILD. So, of course I will continue my awareness practices to the best of my ability.
RRC then sensory. Random RCs/dream control, watching for dream signs

Aids and other things:
B6 - only on the weekends
Coffee - Still trying to wean myself off caffeine
Alcohol - only one night/week if any
Apple juice - I am not sure its helpful. I may alternate days.
Melatonin - seems to cause vivid dreams but give how tired I've been, I am putting that on hold.

----------


## Xanous

Well my tweaks worked out nicely. Lucid #95 was a OBE style DEILD from a non lucid using SSILD tweak and  some new stuff I created on the fly. I will post all the details in my DJ later.

btw I may not be so ready to delve deeper. My subC is a bitch. LOL. And something like OpheliaBlue's SP demon came for a visit but I was able to ignore it with disbelief and it vanished. Actually the sensation helped me out.

EDIT: http://www.dreamviews.com/blogs/xano...tempt-1-40780/

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great stuff.  I love the thoroughness of this plan.  Writing it all down should not only help sharpen it in your mind but also help so much when Future Xanous needs to look back and learn from all the stuff that Past Xanous tried before.

To make sure that I understand your tweak, you will simply perform SSILD cycles until your HI picks up, and _then_ you will constantly try to experience all 3 (sight/sound/touch) sensations at once?  That about right?

Sounds like it's working well already... congratulations on the LD!

----------


## Xanous

> Great stuff.  I love the thoroughness of this plan.  Writing it all down should not only help sharpen it in your mind but also help so much when Future Xanous needs to look back and learn from all the stuff that Past Xanous tried before.



Exactly  ::D: 





> To make sure that I understand your tweak, you will simply perform SSILD cycles until your HI picks up, and _then_ you will constantly try to experience all 3 (sight/sound/touch) sensations at once?  That about right?



Right again. Then I try to keep it going until it turns into a WILD.

----------


## Xanous

It might seem a bit silly but I made a chart showing the number of nights for each day of the week per month that I have been lucid for 4 months. I didn't include the number of LDs in a nights just the number of nights.



I wanted to remind myself of the frequency of LDs in the past and present. Sometimes I get disappointed if I feel like I haven't LDed enough. Truth is, I have been pretty consistent with the exception of September. September was as nasty dry month after a huge success.

My SSILD tweaked hasn't worked out so well the past few nights but from looking at my chart it seems that most of my LDs are on the weekends to Monday. Save for the few scattered during the week it looks like getting enough sleep has been the biggest help for me. I actually have been getting more sleep lately but not like I'd like. 

I plan to continue the same SSILD tech for a while longer. I have had zero caffeine today so we will see how that helps.

----------


## CanisLucidus

That actually doesn't seem the least bit silly, particularly considering how informative this was for you.  You really do seem to cluster around weekends and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, like you said, it's largely down to just getting plenty of sleep.

Those eleven lucids in October were a sweet rebound after September!  Looking back on September, did you go dry right after hitting that epic Task of the Month entry in the Cretaceous?  Did you ever come up with a final theory on what was fouling you up?

----------


## Xanous

> That actually doesn't seem the least bit silly, particularly considering how informative this was for you.  You really do seem to cluster around weekends and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, like you said, it's largely down to just getting plenty of sleep.
> 
> Those eleven lucids in October were a sweet rebound after September!  Looking back on September, did you go dry right after hitting that epic Task of the Month entry in the Cretaceous?  Did you ever come up with a final theory on what was fouling you up?



Thanks it does help I will probably do that every month but wont post it. 

Yes, right after the Cretaceous dream I went dry. I thought about it and I think there are a few reasons for going dry. A small part of it was that I got over confiedent and relaxed a lot on my daily awareness. The main though, was I had that dream right at the end of being off work for 12 days straight. I took off when my son was born and though my sleep patterns got a little crazy, I didn't have to get up early for work. So I was still well rested. Then, if I remember correctly, when work started I had to adjust to lack of sleep and having to work plus all the other things that go along with having an infant in the house.

Bottom line: It's my sons fault. I blame it all on him. HAHA! But he's so worth it.


BTW I had Lucid #96 this morning. It was brief and uneventful but still a great experience in mastering certain techniques. I think for now on I will probably only post lucid dreams and keep the non-lucids offline. Unless they are funny or worth sharing I'll keep them to myself.

----------


## paigeyemps

Gratz, Xan! (and yeah, totally blame the baby!  :tongue2:  )

----------


## Xanous

Well the DJ went down again sometime between the time I started typing and the time I hit submit. All that typing gone forever! Bullocks! I guess I will just enter a short version here. This is a good lesson to do it all offline first and then copy/paste. You never know what might happen.

On a happier note, I had Lucid #97 DEILD CHAIN OBE from a NLD this morning. It was an unsuccessful/successful lucid as it was short and mostly blind but I got to try some new things like phasing and different uses of expectation. (I couldn't phase through a door but was able to use expectation to make it disappear.) 

I had some really interesting and new things happen with sound as well. During my DEILD I heard a buzzing sound and then the alarm clock. I kept in mind that it could be fake and found out that I only had to concentrate just a little to make it stop for a few seconds. That turned out to be a great reality test and told me it was go time. At a later point I could hear the fan like it was centered the living room. This was an odd experience as the sound changed as I walked around it but I knew that in reality the fan was in the bed room with me and I wasn't really walking around it. 

 Also, my transitions from physical to dream body seem to be getting quick and effortless so that's a plus. I probably would have continued my chain but I think it was the baby that woke me. Oh well that's life.  ::D: 

The last few days have been sort of uneventful for dreaming. I have had to really work on my dream recall with mantras and I have had to really step up efforts for daytime awareness. For some reason I have just been sleeping so heavy during the night and haven't had a DILD in a long time. There were a few nights that I was almost certain that I was lucid but I just could not remember it no matter how hard I tried. Lucky for me I can still DEILD and WILD.

----------


## paigeyemps

Well done, Xan!  ::banana:: 

And NOUUUUUU!! The baby AGAIN?! Tsk tsk. Time to get rid of it. MuhahaHAHAHAHAHA  ::evil:: 

Jk, we <3 your baby too

----------


## Xanous

Haha very funny paigey. LOL.

BTW am I the only one with forum issues? I am barely functioning here!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great job not getting fooled by the fake alarm clock!!  I totally fell for this once and woke myself up from a perfectly good LD.  It's good that you didn't caught the way that I did.

And I'm glad to hear that your DEILD roll is getting so smooth now.  My failure to DEILD this month in spite of my best intentions has been humbling, so I have an extra appreciation for your skills and progress here.

----------


## paigeyemps

Nope, you're not the only one with problems  :Sad:  Been having a hard time trying to find ways around things that are not working for me. 

:'(

----------


## paigeyemps

Nope, you're not the only one with problems  :Sad:  Been having a hard time trying to find ways around things that are not working for me. 

:'(

----------


## Xanous

I didn't get to update over the weekend so here's a quickie. 

Recall Issues
I guess I am in the same boat as some of you others with the recall. For whatever reason its been relatively low. A few nights have been nothing at all and other have been 2 or 3 during the last REM cycle or two. It seems like the first of the night is a blank. I know a few reasons for this. It was a busy holiday with my side of the family and yesterday we had my wife's family for Thanksgiving. So much cooking and cleaning bleh. Other issues have been lack of sleep and it seems that my favorite lucid aid (alcohol) has been decided not to do anything for me but make me forget my dreams. Also I just haven't kept up with my DJ like I should. I recorded them on my phone but never really typed anything up.

Aids
I plan to start up a mango experiment instead of the B6 (thanks RC via CL). I don't know if it matters but I got a fresh mango as well at mango juice. I will test the two separately and see which is better assuming it does anything for me at all. (Apple juice had little effect). Other than that I plan to purge my system of all supplements including the day time ones.

Techniques
SSILD. I think SSILD either just stopped working or I am too tired or I have lost interest. I'm not sure which. Maybe all the above. I think the answer is to forget about it until another time. I do plan to continue my tweak version just with less SSILDness. I will probably just go straight into visual,hearing,feeling simultaneously with concentrating on maintaining awareness.

Another thing I want to start doing is setting an alarm to go off every 2 hours in order to increase my recall and induction opportunities. I tested this the other night and it didn't seem to disrupt my sleep to the point that I feel deprived. 

DILDs are almost non-existent. I am not sure why. I keep up with awareness as much as I can in the daytime. That's all you can really do.

MILDs have always been mildly successful. Rarely do I see any effect. I should look in it more.

Mantra's see to help me remember things after waking. Like recall, DEILDing, ect.

WILDs are my favorite. I think it is because I feel more in control of my success rather than leaving it up to chance. Maybe that's just my personality. I do have more success with it and I am slowly getting better at DEILDing from NLDs. My transitions always begin like OBEs. Its great but I usually struggle with getting out of my house. It sometimes becomes a huge battle to leave the house. I also struggle with blindness but I can usually use it to my advantage and just feel my way out. Once I lose focus on the fact that I am blind I usually gain sight. I plan to work on these issues thank to a few ideas I go from Paigey. Thanks Paigeyemps!

Most recent dream signs:

Trying to sleep in public places
Talking to DJ members
Being at the old building from work

Lucid goals:
Phasing
Creating light or wiping away darkness
Conversing with the dream consciousness
Precognitive information
Begin having 3/week verses the average of 2/week

By the way. I'll probably not be on much until the forum issues are fixed. I love dreamviews and everything they are tying to do but its barely functional for me right now.  :Sad:

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great thoughts and analysis as usual.  It sounds like you are heading in exactly the right direction -- keep what works, discard what doesn't, and keep your mind open.

I started reading Robert Waggoner's book over the Thanksgiving break, so I'm also getting excited about the idea of conversing with the dream consciousness.

The only additional thing that I might suggest for DILDs is consistently performing what Sageous calls "reverse reality checks".  That term never quite clicks for me but the concept is amazing.  More than anything, it's like an _internal_ reality check.  Am I me?  Does my place in this world make sense?  Those sorts of doubt lead to many (most?) of my DILDs.  Basically, throughout the day, part of my awareness practice is to ponder whether _I_ (what I'm doing, my emotional state, etc.) make sense.

----------


## Xanous

I have been trying to ramp up my awareness. I guess I get lazy with it a lot and really find it a chore. Last night I was barely lucid in a DILD (yay DILD) and exhibited some dream control. I am not adding it to my count because I never had that AH HA  moment but on a very low level I knew I was dreaming. I didn't have enough awareness to even begin to think of my goals. I just went around trying to show off my summoning skills to my co-workers until the alarm clock got me. I'll post a brief DJ entry here since I am locked out of mine still. I should also note my pre-bed food was buttermilk and hour prior and then coconut juice just before laying down. I focused on dream recall and remember I am dreaming with a mantra: "I will remember my dreams and remember I am dreaming." The effect: I woke up every 1 hour to every 2 hours with a dream fresh on my mind.

dreams
1. fragment about minecraft. I was breaking down blocks of the dream world reality
2. fragment about CanisLucidis. We talked about how there was no more dream views and told each other our lucid dreams. I dont really remember the conversation. Then he bought me "blocks" for minecraft. (I've been addicted to minecraft lately)
3. A longer dream about zombies. I was getting picked up from a place. I am with Glenn from walking dead. Maggie was turned into a zombie. We hide in a dumpster. I made too much noise getting. Glenn yells at me about it and then a zombie comes. He sees me and says, "How YOU doin?" He sounds like Joey from friends.

Friends - Joey&#39;s "How You Doin&#39;..?" - YouTube

4. This dream was actually pretty long and it started out in a bowling alley. There was some strange things going on here. The set up was all off with only 3 lanes and there was a huge audience watching me and some other play. I would go sit in the audience when it wasn't my turn. I feel nervous and think I should have bowled elsewhere. I only get 3 turns. first was 2 pins. Second 8 pins. My sister gets a spare so I have to show her up. I get a strike on the next one. The crowd cheers and I strut around. Then there is a semi parked next to the lane and I run around it on the far side.

I see a roller coaster call the twister from when I went to Astro World when I lived in TX

[IMG]http://cache.rcdb.com/bhe402s000106pobh9o00t.jpg[IMG]

I hope I typed the code right there if not well theres the link LOL

Anyway there was some people stuck in the twisted part. There coaster had just stopped on them (This briefly happened to me in RL) I comment and they say they have been there all night. Then I fell my body lay down.

I am on the long "lay" table at work. I see my lead and hes telling me to hold still. Then a spiral thing comes at me and under my shirt. It almost catches my face and I feel pinned.

Now I am standing and my lead is upset about a screw driver. It looks like the handle had been pinched off. He tells me me that I have a bad track record. I take this meaning how I never stay true to my religious teachings from my childhood. He tells me I need to fix the screwdriver. I say nah man don't worry. I have one at home I can bring. He says ok thats fine and relaxes now.

I see a metal ingot on the floor and pick it up. I summon a second one in my other hand. This is were I become slightly aware. I laugh and decide I want show of my dream control to my lead and S at work. I walk around to different desks and workstations. I wave my hand at the first one and a third metal ingot thing appears. I smile at S and gesture. He seems slightly amused. I try it again but it only see a wavy spot light heat vapor and then nothing. I say ok I will just use expectation. That still doesn't work. I make my way to the other side when I am suddenly woken by the alarm clock. 

Sorry for the crummy post. All I can use is the "Quick Reply"

----------


## CanisLucidus

Hey, good night of dreaming.  LOL at the zombie giving you the ol' "How YOU doin?"

Oh God.  Is anything from Friends an "old man" reference now?

That's hilarious that I was into Minecraft.  I played that game for like 15 minutes and I think it must have gone over my head.  Every other lucid dreamer in the world is way into it but me.  I can also relate to having dreams that contain signs of stress about this rather painful DreamViews upgrade that we're currently enjoying.   :smiley: 

And aww, RIP AstroWorld.  A friend of mine lost his wallet on The Twister!  Cool little ride.

----------


## Kaenthem

> I have been trying to ramp up my awareness. I guess I get lazy with it a lot and really find it a chore. Last night I was barely lucid in a DILD (yay DILD) and exhibited some dream control. I am not adding it to my count because I never had that AH HA  moment but on a very low level I knew I was dreaming. I didn't have enough awareness to even begin to think of my goals. I just went around trying to show off my summoning skills to my co-workers until the alarm clock got me. I'll post a brief DJ entry here since I am locked out of mine still. I should also note my pre-bed food was buttermilk and hour prior and then coconut juice just before laying down. I focused on dream recall and remember I am dreaming with a mantra: "I will remember my dreams and remember I am dreaming." The effect: I woke up every 1 hour to every 2 hours with a dream fresh on my mind.
> 
> dreams
> 1. fragment about minecraft. I was breaking down blocks of the dream world reality
> 2. fragment about CanisLucidis. We talked about how there was no more dream views and told each other our lucid dreams. I dont really remember the conversation. Then he bought me "blocks" for minecraft. (I've been addicted to minecraft lately)
> 3. A longer dream about zombies. I was getting picked up from a place. I am with Glenn from walking dead. Maggie was turned into a zombie. We hide in a dumpster. I made too much noise getting. Glenn yells at me about it and then a zombie comes. He sees me and says, "How YOU doin?" He sounds like Joey from friends.
> 
> Friends - Joey's "How You Doin'..?" - YouTube
> 
> ...



Wow! now that's an update.I can never bring myself to write a post like this but it's certinaly good, as it help you track your progress.
About the awareness being a shore, I sometimes feel that way but I quickly remember the awesome things this little exercise can do, it's benefits really worth the effort that you put to it.
It seems your DR is doing well, which is always good. I laughed so hard when I read the "How YOU doin?" part from your zombie dream.
Keep on dreaming !

----------


## Xanous

tl;dr - 1) Sleep schedule is still a little whacked. 2) I still want to continue with SSILD and I need to review my tweaked posted (3) Caffeine, black coffee to be exact, helps increase my dreams and recall much like B6 used to. Like any lucid aid, I will refrain from doing it every night or the effect will stop and/or I will become dependent on it. 

I didn't have any more lucids yet. I'm a little bummed. I think a lot of it is still my sleep schedule. Some nights will be ideal nights and others we will only get 6hrs. I need 8 - 10! Ah well that's life.

I had an interesting night last night. I did a mini WBTB. I thought about stay up later but just didn't want to. (I think tonight I will put at least 30min in) I tried something a little different. I know I was giving up caffeine but I soon gave up. I didn't cut my intake way back though. So that was good. I have experimented with caffeine before since I tend to be a heavy sleeper. It has been a nice lucid aid in the past but the results were just a hit and miss as the B6. So I got to thinking. I know caffeine does things to REM cycles but the B6 seems to act like caffeine for me. Well during my WBTB I had a cup of coffee made. It was cold so I chugged it and went back to bed. I gave SSILD try but feel a sleep fast.

My recall boomed after that. 6 dreams and 1 fragment. That still doesn't beat my record of 11 dreams but it was way better than the 1 - 2 dreams and fragments I have been having. I tried WILDing after every awakening but even with the coffee I quickly lost awareness and entered a NLD. Later I was able to hold it longer and had some interesting half dreams but was too awake and rested to go any further. 

One half dream I was trying to interact and make it more real by doing a simple action. I rubbed my hands together like the stabilizing technique. My hands were skeletal and when I looked them over and wiggled my fingers I could hear a hollow bones knocking sound. I enjoyed it almost as any LD which woke me up some. I find these half dreams so interesting. In my mind I am vividly lucid dreaming but I am just as aware of my physical body and I am now. It get me excited because it only takes one step further and I am fully dreaming but sometimes that one step is so difficult. I hope that the more I do this the easier it gets. This whole half dream thing is relatively new to me.

BTW I log on everyday and try to post in my DJ to avail. How long has it been now? A week almost? I find this incredibly unacceptable. I don't understand why there was no back up system in place in case the upgrade went to shit. There, I had to complain now it's out of my system.  ::D:  Lollipops and rainbows.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Yeah, I think it's like you say -- it's all about the sleep.  You just don't pull down nearly as many or as long periods of REM if you're getting only barely enough sleep to recover.  Without all of that nice REM, you can still succeed, but you're just playing with way worse odds.

To some degree, lucid dreaming is a numbers game.  The more skills and awareness you can bring in, the more consecutive, rich REM you can experience, and the more dialed in your brain chemistry is at the right moment, the better chance you'll have to recognize that you're dreaming or slip directly into a dream.  I know that LD is still possible with bad sleep, of course, but it's kind of like drawing an inside straight.  IMO.

Cool experiment with the caffeine!  This probably worked so well because you've spent quite a lot of time in caffeine withdrawal.  I feel like I heard about a strategy like this at some point in the past... something about habitual coffee drinkers stopping for a while, then suddenly reintroducing it...?  If I run across it again I'll let you know.

Like you, I'm bummed about the DV difficulties that we've been having lately!  Stranger still is how everyone seems to be having different problems.  Some people can't post to Dream Journals but can comment (you, Ophelia?)  Some people can post to DJ but can't comment (me.)  Some people can't PM.  (You and Ophelia?)  Anyway, I do see them fixing things in some places, so I'm hoping for the best!

----------


## Xanous

I agree with all you said. And I have read a thread about caffiene withdrawl inducing lucid dreams. Im not sure it was so much withdrawl because I only went a few days totally without but I did cut back so maybe.

----------


## Xanous

Only 6 LDs for November  :Sad: 

I feel like a dry spell is forming but lets hope not.

I am experimenting with caffeine and melatonin for a few nights. I will post if anything comes of it.

Still having recall issues. Its like all I can remember are vague images and emotions like I was just stuck in HI/HH the first half. I have been getting better dreams of course later in the morning but I rarely get to enjoy long mornings anymore.

I have been focusing on DILD hopefully pre WBTB. It used to happen to me regularly. After WBTB I focus on WILD/DEILD
SSILD less frequently

Last night I over did the caffeine and I have been up since 3:30AM. HA! REM rebound?

December Goals:
TOTMs - Make it snow is first, Then Aurora Borealis or both at the same time!
Phasing
Element Control - Mostly fire
Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
10 LDs

Helps:
Review past LDs - confidence!
Awareness
Various aids
Review basics
Be on DV more!
Day/night time affirmations/mantras


BTW I cleared as many settings as I could in my control panel including avatar and profile pic. For some strange reason I now have DJ posts and DJ comments, and I can PM. I'm super happy about that! Maybe that will help some of you as well!

----------


## Xanous

I barely remember a DILD from last night. I think I was on some sand blocks like in minecraft. I was doing something with my hands. Manipulating the environment. That's all I can remember. I know I didn't remember any goals and I must have just barely been lucid. I had more in my mind about it when I woke up but I was super tired at that moment and just thought I would remember. The thought of having to wake up enough to write it down was too much for me.  I hate it when that happens.

BTW this was after I WBTB when I gulped a mouthful of strong cold coffee. I was trying SSILD but I pass out after one or two rounds. It looks like I need to work on memory skills. How many LDs have I forgotten? I did happen to recall 7 dreams last night. It seems like the more I recall the more difficult it gets to write stuff down. I think a lot of it during the week it that I know there is an alarm clock set and I only have so much time to sleep so I tend to rush things. I can't wait for the weekend!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Congratulations on the DILD!  That Minecraft sure does infiltrate a lot of lucid dreamer's brains.   :smiley: 

If you pulled down six LDs in November, you can't be _too_ dry.  From what I see, the biggest headwind for you right now is your sleep schedule.  I've gotten into this mode before where recall is a little rough and I'm always kind of tired, never waking up before the alarm, etc.  The thing that always seems to fix it is getting to bed really early one night.  Basically as soon as the kids go down, get chores done as fast as possible then get straight to bed.  Man on a mission.  I seem to have great recall either that night or the next, especially when I fuel it with some kind of lucid aid like a couple cups of apple juice.

Definitely review those past LDs.  If it were me, I'd be reviewing that September Task of the Month pretty often and reflect on how awesome I am.  Remind yourself what you can do with a little sleep in the tank.

If you do choose to use any SSILD, one thing I've done lately that helped me is that I do the first two rounds quite fast.  Perhaps 3-4 seconds per sense.  That way I usually get through at least those two and I kind of get primed for the forthcoming rounds and tend not to just zonk out instantly.  After the first two fast rounds, I've done three "normal" rounds, then try to get to sleep ASAP.  Of course, I'm strictly using it for DILDs so you might need to approach it differently.

----------


## Xanous

That's good advice buts its not so always so easy getting to bed early.  :Sad:  I guess I should try. I still like SSILD its just the zonking out too fast that gets me. I think we talked about this before but I always forget the important stuff. I'll keep in mind the quick rounds before I do longer ones. I think my issue is that I get too caught up in the imagery and think that I can visualize a WILD but it doesn't always work out that way.I am actually trying to increase my DILD and not work on WILD so much because WILD can take a lot of time. Time that I don't have during the week. Knowing that I don't have the time almost always makes me fail because I want to rush things along so much.

I forgot to mention a few other significant dreams this morning. One was I that my desceesed grandparents where *Back* and living at my house. They were thinking about renting a house across the street from me. At the end I realized they are actually dead and became semi lucid but got caught up in all the emotional bull crap and woke up.

The other I almost DEILD. I remember all of the slipping back into the dream and actively engaging it. Its strange to recall a non lucid waking to dream DEID. It was a fun an vivid dream but I'll save it for my DJ.

I think it was the small amount of caffeine that kept my awareness up after my WBTB. I won't do it every night though because I am not sure what it does to my sleep quality. It may actually be wise to take a few nights off from all of it and just sleep.

----------


## Xanous

Got lucid #98 between snooze alarms this morning. Finally a proper DILD! And I sort of accomplished a lucid goal: Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
I asked a woman to tell me somthing important. It was garbage at first but I was persistent. She ended up telling me that there was nothing because I was perfect already. BAHAHAHAHA! Thanks SubC I love you too!

Lucid #98 The Woman in Pink Scrubs - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## CanisLucidus

LOL.  Nice dream!  I'm glad that you finally coaxed your subconscious into saying something to you.  And who knew it'd be something so flattering??   ::D: 

I am really trying with this whole "Garguyal" thing, but I don't have any idea what that could mean.  Your subconscious telling you that you're perfect sounds pretty darn good to me.  If there's one entity in the world you'd want to sure likes you, it's your subconscious.   :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Maybe her dad was Gandolf? She did say I had it wrong. Haha!

This dream set a great mood for me today. I feel on top of the world. :-) I think if I were to find a message here it would be to love myself. It's a good reminder. I have been struggling with problems at work and have been kind of down about it. Maybe this is what it was all about?

----------


## CanisLucidus

> This dream set a great mood for me today. I feel on top of the world. :-) I think if I were to find a message here it would be to love myself. It's a good reminder. I have been struggling with problems at work and have been kind of down about it. Maybe this is what it was all about?



I have decided that this dream is awesome.

It's one thing for a schmoe like me to tell you to "be happy with who you are", but to get this message _from the subconscious itself_ is pretty dang cool.  This dream is making me want to read more Robert Waggoner!

----------


## Xanous

Thanks CL. I need to finish that book myself. I only read half of it and then stopped.

BTW I just had lucid #99. It was actually 2 LDs in one dream but I think counting it as one is better in this case. I failed the Northern Lights TOTM and I may had made it snow but I can't remember that part clearly. The amazing part was that I actually WILD from a non lucid dream. How about that? HA!

This time I MADE myself do a full 30 min WBTB. I spent the time reading past LDs. I took a little coffee and went to SSILD. I was too awake after 15 min so I took 2MG melatonin and, for the hell of it, 200MG B6. I haven't had night time B6 in awhile so I threw that in for a little extra. I went back to SSILD and quickly fell asleep. The next thing I knew I was in SP.

Lucid #99 December TOTM fail - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## Kaenthem

Congratulations on lucid 98 and 99 Xanous. only one LD and you'll have 100  :Oh noes: 
Your failed TOTEM attempte dream was very nice, doing a WILD in a dream must've been great, you'll get it next time  :smiley:

----------


## CanisLucidus

Awesome dream, man!  Congratulations on the LD.  Dang, son, you are climbing up on triple digits!  You friggin machine!

Hmm, it seems that the very latest DJ entries _once again_ don't let me comment (argh!!) so I'll just post my comments here.

Yeah, I agree that you almost certainly did the TotM in that first part.  I know what you mean about wanting to be _totally sure_ about the circumstances, though.

I found it really cool how in the non-lucid part of the dream you were feeling super-confident, thinking about having LDs 3 nights in a row.  That confidence helps a ton with success, IMO, so it's cool that your subconscious served it up here.

The LD itself is great too.  I love that sense of peace and exploration like what you described here.  Are the dogwoods there in waking life as well or was that purely a construct of the LD?  The details in this one were great... toes curling over the step when you prepared for take-off.  _I freaking love lucid dreaming._

----------


## Xanous

Thanks too the both of you. I really hope lucid #100 is epic or meaning full!

Yeah CL I have been doing daytime affirmations  to build my confidence. I agree that is  big part of it.

My greatest lucid sense seems to be mostly physical. Most of my daytime sensory awareness is physical as I am usually busy working.  This one was exceptionally physical though. I love all the little details that makes all seem so real!

And no those dogwoods do not exsist in my yard. It was a nice surprise.

It seems like the theme is pink the last two days. Interesting. Also someone at work made an odd comment at work about me being pink. Coincidence?

----------


## paigeyemps

Congrats Xan!  ::D:  I'm excited about your 100th! I wonder what it'll be  ::evil::

----------


## Xanous

::breakitdown:: I achieved my 100th lucid this morning.  ::breakitdown:: 

Lucid #100 Toilet Dreamsign DILD - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I was hoping for something a way more epic but I had interruptions beyond my control. Still, this is my 4th night this week which is really awesome. 

It seems a SMALL amount of coffee and melatonin at the end of my WBTB period is a really effective aid when used with SSILD. Sunday night I drank way too much coffee never got back to sleep. Monday night I drank less and took melatonin. I only had some lucid fragments. But Tuesday,Wednesday, and Friday nights were a total success. I took Thursday night with no real WBTB or aids. It's good to just rest. 

Also this lucid reminded me why we keep dream journals and note dream signs! It's very important for DILD!

edit: testing edit

----------


## paigeyemps

DAN DAN DALANDANNNNNN!!

:bananas:

Yayyyy happy 100th!!

----------


## paigeyemps

Ah damn, banana, not bananas.

 ::banana::

----------


## Kaenthem

Congratulations Xanous! it's time for some  :Rock out:  :Rock out:  ::banana::  ::banana::  ::banana::  :Rock out:  ::banana::  ::banana::  ::banana::  :Rock out:  :Rock out: 
and paigy, you can edit posts by right clicking on the edit button. That worked for me so.....

----------


## Xanous

> Congratulations Xanous! it's time for some 
> and paigy, you can edit posts by right clicking on the edit button. That worked for me so.....




Holy crap you are right! It works for the other buttons like "reply with quote" as well! Thanks!

----------


## Xanous

I had lucid #101 and #102 (both DILDs) last night and this morning.

Lucid #101 Penis Chop & #102 Flying With My Wife / TOTM Fail - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

There's not really anything new to say but maybe a few things:

101 was pre-WBTB which is rare. I was actually scared lucid in that one. I was desperate for away out! 

I'm still doing WBTB with coffee. This time I didn't feel the need for melatonin and the dream was longer and more vivid. I forgot to do SSILD this time. I just felt super confident that I would have a lucid dream and when to sleep. 

102 was another Aurora Borealis failure but I got to go adventuring with my wife this time. Which was really cool. Also, I had issues flying so I pretended that she could fly with no problem and she pulled me up as a way to jump start myself. It was super effective.

December Goals:
TOTMs - Make it snow is first, Then Aurora Borealis or both at the same time!
Phasing
Element Control - Mostly fire
Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
10 LDs - 6 so far

----------


## Kaenthem

The penis chopping dream is utterly hilarious. It's a good thing you became lucid. And then flying with the help of you wife. I'm sure you'll get the northern lights!
Keep on dreaming!

----------


## Xanous

Pulled off both basic TOTMs Woot woot!
Lucid # 103 Jingle Bells in the Snow TOTM - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

December Goals:
TOTMs - Make it snow is first, Then Aurora Borealis or both at the same time!
Phasing
Element Control - Mostly fire
Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
10 LDs - 7 so far

----------


## CanisLucidus

First off, *congratulations* on 100 lucid dreams!!   :Party:   You are running really hot right now!  It's awesome that you've found a recipe that works so well for you... making time for a really serious WBTB and getting that perfect balance of technique/brain chemistry/attitude... the whole thing is working really well.

I can't comment on any of your Dream Journal entries, but I will say that I'm pleased that you didn't meet your "100 lucid dreams" milestone with the one where the Klingon was trying to chop off your weenie.   ::lol:: 

I love that you pulled off the TotM, too, but my favorite of these may be the #102 "fail" where you got to take your wife along with you.  Those are just amazing.  DCs of loved ones are just so intricately crafted.  They're like your mental models of the people you care about and I find that they are unbelievably realistic and fun to have around.  The best part was where you couldn't get your flying to work right and you made her pick you up.  Love it!!

You are in a great phase right now, and all I can say is congratulations, and _keep this up!_  You really have it dialed in.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Congrats Xanous! I love how you accomplished 2 tasks in one dream, but you had the wherewithal to remember a 3rd. That must mean your LDs are pretty long too.

*CL:* What if you tried clicking the "Go Advanced" button when replying to a DJ?

----------


## CanisLucidus

> *CL:* What if you tried clicking the "Go Advanced" button when replying to a DJ?



Yeah, the crazy thing is that on most DJ entries, I don't even have a box to write comments in, a "Post Now" button or a "Go Advanced" button.  _Old_ DJ entries have them, some newer ones have them, but the vast majority have nothing.  I've cried about this on the bug reports thread but haven't really ever gotten a clear idea of what the deal is (or if anyone else really experiences it besides me.)

"Go advanced" works great for normal posts, though.  That's what I'm using to catch my mistakes before I screw everything up.  Editing posts with right-click is a huge help, too.  This DJ comments thing is a persistent problem, and I'm very, very rarely to leave a comment anywhere.

Like right now, for example, I'd be congratulating you on breaking your dry spell, and abusing every silly emoticon that I could find.  Maybe throw in a party hat.  But now I'm forced to do this in inappropriate places, like Xanous' workbook.

Speaking of which...  ::banana::  Congratulations on breaking your dry spell!!   :Rock out:   ::bowdown::   ::muffin::   :Party:

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Ah ok, I see what you're saying. I will look into this, as I am having DJ banter withdrawals  :tongue2: 

Anddd, I'm done cluttering your workbook Xanous. SO now I gotta say something about you:

_Xanous, Xanous, Xanous,
You're never ever heinous.
You lack boringness and grayness,
Kuz you're the opposite of plainness._

 :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

> Ah ok, I see what you're saying. I will look into this, as I am having DJ banter withdrawals 
> 
> Anddd, I'm done cluttering your workbook Xanous. SO now I gotta say something about you:
> 
> _Xanous, Xanous, Xanous,
> You're never ever heinous.
> You lack boringness and grayness,
> Kuz you're the opposite of plainness._



HA! I love it!





> Congrats Xanous! I love how you accomplished 2 tasks in one dream, but you had the wherewithal to remember a 3rd. That must mean your LDs are pretty long too.



Thanks. Yeah it didn't feel all that long but, I guess if it was long enough to fit all that in, then it wasn't all that short.





> First off, congratulations on 100 lucid dreams!!   You are running really hot right now! It's awesome that you've found a recipe that works so well for you... making time for a really serious WBTB and getting that perfect balance of technique/brain chemistry/attitude... the whole thing is working really well.



Thank you. I am really stunned that I was lucid every night (except Thursday) for an whole week. I feel like I am cheating by using such an effective lucid aid but really, I guess I'm not. I mean if someone finds something that works then why not? I actually felt a little doubtful when I went to back to sleep this morning. I felt like there was no way I could keep getting lucid but I did. So I'll enjoy it as long as it last though I may need to take a few nights off soon. WBTB means loss of sleep time and usually I can't go back to sleep after a lucid until I post or record it and by then it's time to get ready for work. 

Someone on DV once said she felt guilty for having a hot streak. I know what she means now. I know it can be frustrating when I get dry and struggle with lucidity and I see someone else is having tons of lucids. But it is also can be really motivating and I look at what they are doing right so I can step up my game a bit. I hope that it motivates others because I really don't post to brag but to help other learn if they read it. OK maybe a little bragging. I just hope I can keep it going or can stop/start when I want. 





> I can't comment on any of your Dream Journal entries, but I will say that I'm pleased that you didn't meet your "100 lucid dreams" milestone with the one where the Klingon was trying to chop off your weenie.



OMG no kidding. That one was the worst lucid ever!





> I love that you pulled off the TotM, too, but my favorite of these may be the #102 "fail" where you got to take your wife along with you. Those are just amazing. DCs of loved ones are just so intricately crafted. They're like your mental models of the people you care about and I find that they are unbelievably realistic and fun to have around. The best part was where you couldn't get your flying to work right and you made her pick you up. Love it!!
> 
> You are in a great phase right now, and all I can say is congratulations, and keep this up! You really have it dialed in.



I know what you mean. That was a real breakthrough moment for me. My dream wife usually argues with me and tells me stuff like "I am wasting my time" or "this dreaming crap is unhealthy". But in real life she's not like that all. I don't know where it was coming from but I learned to just say "Well, you're not real. So bye".  Anyway, it was really awesome I go to take her along and actually have her help me get over a mental block so I could fly. So, even-though I failed TOTM it was still a success that opened a door to a whole new experience. I know I kind of down-talked TOTM before, but really, these tasks are great way to stretch your mental boundaries and learn a lot of new and exciting things in the dream world.

I LOVE IT!

----------


## Xanous

> Yeah, the crazy thing is that on most DJ entries, I don't even have a box to write comments in, a "Post Now" button or a "Go Advanced" button.  _Old_ DJ entries have them, some newer ones have them, but the vast majority have nothing.  I've cried about this on the bug reports thread but haven't really ever gotten a clear idea of what the deal is (or if anyone else really experiences it besides me.)
> 
> "Go advanced" works great for normal posts, though.  That's what I'm using to catch my mistakes before I screw everything up.  Editing posts with right-click is a huge help, too.  This DJ comments thing is a persistent problem, and I'm very, very rarely to leave a comment anywhere.
> 
> Like right now, for example, I'd be congratulating you on breaking your dry spell, and abusing every silly emoticon that I could find.  Maybe throw in a party hat.  But now I'm forced to do this in inappropriate places, like Xanous' workbook.
> 
> Speaking of which...  Congratulations on breaking your dry spell!!




I have the same exact issue BTW.

----------


## Xanous

December Goals:
TOTMs - Make it snow. Sing a carol. Aurora Borealis.
Phasing
Element Control - Mostly fire
Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
10 LDs - 8 so far
_NEW_ Find and enter the TARDIS. Use it to travel.

----------


## Booney

What's the phasing goal about?

----------


## Xanous

I know for a fact that was lucid pre WBTB but I can't really remember it. I suspect I found the TARDIS and ended up in my childhood with my father. All I can remember is just flashes images and emotions. 

Didn't have a lucid after WBTB. I know why. I am super wore out from the constant WBTB and loss of sleep. Plus I went back to bed with the wrong mindset. I had no confidence and a lot of negative emotions and racing thoughts. That's what I get for reading workbooks instead of past LD's. hehehe. Oh well. 

I think a break is in order until the weekend. No WBTB or aids. I'll just focus on recall as that seems to be a problem now.

----------


## Xanous

> What's the phasing goal about?



I get trapped a lot in my LD's especially OBE style lucids. So I want to learn to past through doors and walls as an easy way to get outside.

----------


## Xanous

I had a mostly blind DEILD chain this morning but the physical sensations were *amazing*. 

Physical Sensations Lucid #105 - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

December Goals:
TOTMs - Make it snow. Sing a carol. Aurora Borealis.
Phasing
Element Control - Mostly fire
Speak to the dream AND get a coherent response.
10 LDs - 9 so far
NEW* Find and enter the TARDIS. Use it to travel.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Love that dream, man!  I've still never eaten any dream food (or had anything good to drink, either.)  What a great use of a dark scene too!  Man!  Just imagine, okay, I'm in the dark eating delicious food or drinking some amazing beverage out of the back of my hand.  I'll keep this in mind because I've been in the dark a number of times and while I _can_ sometimes find my way out maybe 1 out of every 3-4 times, this is a whole other direction to explore.  Why get so hung up on visuals unnecessarily?

It also strikes me as a great opportunity to speak to the dream.  Why not?  What's there to lose?

I also like that you use your wife's alarm as a DEILD alarm.  That is a really smart way to handle it.  One day a week Wife gets up at the butt-crack of dawn to go for a super-long run and the alarm is going off at 5 am.  It makes me so incredibly sad.  I kinda wake up and have all kinds of trouble getting back to sleep with all the activity that's going on.  But I should try just holding still, not feeling sorry for myself, and just think of it as *my* DEILD alarm.

----------


## Xanous

Yeah sometimes fighting it just wakes me up so I work with what I get. Its fun to just go with the dream once in awhile not worrying about any task. 

That's a great idea using that time to talk to the dream I wish I had thought of that!

I think you should use that 5 am alarm as DEILD time if you can. Turn it into a good thing and not feel sad.  ::D:  It rarely works for me but sometimes I get lucky.

----------


## Xanous

I have been out of town and finally got last night's lucids posted. The fractal rainbow demon showed up again and scared the hell out of me. In the other one, I tried speaking to the dream and asked what the dream represented but the DCs got really weird and tried to run from me with no answer. Still, it was a fun night.

#106 The Demon Returns - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

#107 Nervous DCs - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

So, I feel like I am at a point of being able to have a lucid at will. (At least for now) Some nights I purposely don't want to have one and other nights I know the right things to induce one with near 100% success. Yes, it does involve coffee as aid. People may have differing opinions about that but I'm fine with it. I will probably stop posting here so much now unless I just have a huge crazy transcendence like experience or other breakthrough. Thanks everyone.  ::D:  

Time to dream it's late!

----------


## CanisLucidus

> So, I feel like I am at a point of being able to have a lucid at will.



*Awesome!*  Did you ever think you'd type that sentence?  What you just said is what I've long hoped to one day be able to say myself.  I'm not there yet, but hopefully one day!  Here, enjoy a dancing muffin to go along with that cup of coffee:  ::muffin::   And hey, check out what you said two weeks ago:





> I feel like a dry spell is forming but lets hope not.
> 
> I am experimenting with caffeine and melatonin for a few nights. I will post if anything comes of it.



My oh my, how things change.  So... anything ever come out of that caffeine and melatonin experiment?   :Cheeky:   I was already thinking about rotating in your caffeine method at some point, but now I feel _really_ pumped about trying it.  If you don't mind, I wanted to make sure that I understand the approach.

1. Fall asleep at night w/ no particular lucid aids.
2. WBTB for 30 minutes after 5-6 hours of sleep.  Drink half a cup of cold coffee (LOL, gross) and take ~2mg melatonin.
3. Perform standard SSILD, fall asleep for DILD or attempt WILD.  (Both seemed to work, with DILD perhaps your more common outcome?)

Potential side effects: Dreams where Klingons try to lop off your wiener with a meat cleaver.

So is that about right for a description of the method?  Very, very interesting stuff.  Would you mind telling me how whether the coffee is instant/brewed/whatever and maybe what the brand is?  It'd be cool to get a read on how much caffeine you're consuming.  (At half a cup, it's got to be no more than 50-75 mg, I'd think.)

Caffeine has three mechanisms of action that seem relevant to me:
1) Caffeine acts as an adenosine antagonist, meaning that nerve cells will fire at a higher rate.  That ought to make you more aware.
2) Effect #1 causes the pituitary gland to release adrenaline.  This should improve concentration, focus, and memory during the dream.
3) Caffeine slows dopamine reabsorption, causing dopamine levels to climb.  This should increase feelings of confidence and motivation, ideal for improved dream control.

What do you think?  Plausible explanation for why it works so well?  Lately I've been really thinking about green tea as a possible lucid aid, as it is a great source of L-Theanine, which tends to make you feel calm and alert (ideal for creating a quiet mind when falling asleep.)  Green tea is a little low in caffeine, though, so it might be like 3 cups to get the same caffeine that you're getting.  An LD wouldn't be as much fun if I wind up wetting the bed in the middle of it, heh heh heh...  But still!  WBTB green tea is something I'm very interested in as a lucid aid as well, particularly after all of the success you've had w/ caffeine by other means.

Congratulations again!  I'm really excited for you.  To your continued success!   :Party:

----------


## Xanous

> *Awesome!*  Did you ever think you'd type that sentence?  What you just said is what I've long hoped to one day be able to say myself.  I'm not there yet, but hopefully one day!  Here, enjoy a dancing muffin to go along with that cup of coffee:   And hey, check out what you said two weeks ago:



No and I am really hoping I don't put my foot in my mouth but I've done it for 2 weeks straight with awesome success. Of course I took a break in there to rest. I hate to say it but last night was the first failure but I know why. Maybe I was over confident but I feel lucid dreaming is half confidence and greatly increases your chances of lucidity. Anyway, I got to sleep way late last night and did WBTB at my usual time. So less initial sleep. I should have waited but I know my son usually wakes about 5:30-6:00 and I was afraid that he would interrupt my dreaming. I didn't stay up but for a few minutes and then I just passed out not even trying any induction. So yeah. But I did have a huge recall boost after that. I guess I was just too wiped to really be lucid.






> My oh my, how things change.  So... anything ever come out of that caffeine and melatonin experiment?    I was already thinking about rotating in your caffeine method at some point, but now I feel _really_ pumped about trying it.  If you don't mind, I wanted to make sure that I understand the approach.
> 
> 1. Fall asleep at night w/ no particular lucid aids.
> 2. WBTB for 30 minutes after 5-6 hours of sleep.  Drink half a cup of cold coffee (LOL, gross) and take ~2mg melatonin.
> 3. Perform standard SSILD, fall asleep for DILD or attempt WILD.  (Both seemed to work, with DILD perhaps your more common outcome?)



Yes that's about right. But the idea of my WBTB was 2.5 to 2 hours before wake time. I don't always WBTB for 30 but that's the best time for me. I try to resist melatonin because it seems my dreams become less vivid. I usually take a B6 with it to try and counter that. That part is still experimental. Also, once in awhile I will try to repeat that white lucid WILD I had at the beginning of sleep a while back. I'll just give it a good SSILD/WILD attempt just for the fun of it but I almost always pass out like and sleep like a rock. Hasn't happened yet but I'd love to revisit that. Oh an I forgot to mention that I have been taking 5MG Melatonin about 30 before bed. I don't know if that has any effect but maybe.





> Potential side effects: Dreams where Klingons try to lop off your wiener with a meat cleaver.



Haha actually that was pre WBTB. So no. The worst thing that will happen is you never get back to sleep. Enter melatonin.  ::D: 





> So is that about right for a description of the method?  Very, very interesting stuff.  Would you mind telling me how whether the coffee is instant/brewed/whatever and maybe what the brand is?  It'd be cool to get a read on how much caffeine you're consuming.  (At half a cup, it's got to be no more than 50-75 mg, I'd think.)



Well my methods of measurement are crude heehee. The coffee is just Great Value brand brewed. Actually my coffee maker broke so I have just been putting half a baby formula scoop full into a large mug of hot water and letting it set when I go to bed. Then during WBTB I strain it and drink a few mouthfuls (about half a regular sized mug). I have no idea the how many MG of caffeine it is. I have been wondering that myself. I think the amounts will be different for each person. Too much and you stay awake!





> Caffeine has three mechanisms of action that seem relevant to me:
> 1) Caffeine acts as an adenosine antagonist, meaning that nerve cells will fire at a higher rate.  That ought to make you more aware.
> 2) Effect #1 causes the pituitary gland to release adrenaline.  This should improve concentration, focus, and memory during the dream.
> 3) Caffeine slows dopamine reabsorption, causing dopamine levels to climb.  This should increase feelings of confidence and motivation, ideal for improved dream control.
> 
> What do you think?  Plausible explanation for why it works so well?  Lately I've been really thinking about green tea as a possible lucid aid, as it is a great source of L-Theanine, which tends to make you feel calm and alert (ideal for creating a quiet mind when falling asleep.)  Green tea is a little low in caffeine, though, so it might be like 3 cups to get the same caffeine that you're getting.  An LD wouldn't be as much fun if I wind up wetting the bed in the middle of it, heh heh heh...  But still!  WBTB green tea is something I'm very interested in as a lucid aid as well, particularly after all of the success you've had w/ caffeine by other means.



That sounds like a good explanation to me! Of course, it will not do anything for you without daily awareness practices and a good induction tech but I don't need to tell you that I'm sure. I think you should give the green tea a try since that is what you are used to drinking anyway. I can't wait to see the results!





> Congratulations again!  I'm really excited for you.  To your continued success!



Thanks! You're always so thorough and sharp as a tack. It seems that you always point out things that the OP never even thought of.  ::D:

----------


## CanisLucidus

> I try to resist melatonin because it seems my dreams become less vivid. I usually take a B6 with it to try and counter that. That part is still experimental. Also, once in awhile I will try to repeat that white lucid WILD I had at the beginning of sleep a while back. I'll just give it a good SSILD/WILD attempt just for the fun of it but I almost always pass out like and sleep like a rock. Hasn't happened yet but I'd love to revisit that. Oh an I forgot to mention that I have been taking 5MG Melatonin about 30 before bed. I don't know if that has any effect but maybe.



Yeah, that all makes sense to me.  Melatonin is of course great for helping you get back to sleep but also probably suppresses REM for a while.  Melatonin has a short half-life but 5mg is also a pretty hefty dose.  So I'd estimate that you have a hefty REM rebound building up in the later phases of sleep.  Of course, the life of the family man dictates that you don't always _get to_ the later stages of sleep.   ::D: 





> Well my methods of measurement are crude heehee. The coffee is just Great Value brand brewed. Actually my coffee maker broke so I have just been putting half a baby formula scoop full into a large mug of hot water and letting it set when I go to bed. Then during WBTB I strain it and drink a few mouthfuls (about half a regular sized mug). I have no idea the how many MG of caffeine it is. I have been wondering that myself. I think the amounts will be different for each person. Too much and you stay awake!



Cool, thanks for the info!  Back of the envelope, we could say that a cup of the brewed stuff is 100-110 mg of caffeine.  So you're consuming perhaps 50-55mg of caffeine?  Maybe 75mg tops?  Energyfiend says green tea has 25-40mg per 8-ounce glass, so 1-2 glasses might be perfect.  And with the L-theanine the green tea contains, much less (or even no) melatonin might be necessary for sleep.  Considering that I almost never consume caffeine, 1 glass might be ideal for my own first experiment.

So is this all of the caffeine you consume?  Other than this, have you given it up entirely?  Since caffeine tolerance is such an individual thing (and changes readily over time), all of these numbers are just for estimation purposes anyway.

BTW, energyfiend's "Death by Caffeine" calculator says that drinking "*104.76* cups of coffee" in a single sitting has enough caffeine to kill the average male.  So be careful not to miscount during that WBTB!   ::D:  Death by Caffeine






> That sounds like a good explanation to me! Of course, it will not do anything for you without daily awareness practices and a good induction tech but I don't need to tell you that I'm sure. I think you should give the green tea a try since that is what you are used to drinking anyway. I can't wait to see the results!
> 
> Thanks! You're always so thorough and sharp as a tack. It seems that you always point out things that the OP never even thought of.



Thanks, brother, I appreciate that!  And I'm right there with you on the primacy of awareness practices, mindset, and a solid induction tech.  No lucid aid can do anything more than unlock _your own_ potential and maximize the training and work that _you_ put in.  I will certainly try out that green tea experiment sometime soon and post the results in my workbook!

----------


## Xanous

> So is this all of the caffeine you consume?  Other than this, have you given it up entirely?  Since caffeine tolerance is such an individual thing (and changes readily over time), all of these numbers are just for estimation purposes anyway.
> 
> BTW, energyfiend's "Death by Caffeine" calculator says that drinking "*104.76* cups of coffee" in a single sitting has enough caffeine to kill the average male.  So be careful not to miscount during that WBTB!   Death by Caffeine



Awesome thoughts. I can't wait to see your results. I may try the green tea myself instead of coffee for a few nights. I like the fact that it has lower caffeine content, making it less likely to get too much and die stay awake.  :tongue2:  I looked up the wiki entry for L-theanine and I find it an interesting thing to consider.

I do drink coffee regularly. I stopped drinking an entire pot and only have one or two mugs in the morning.

----------


## Xanous

All right so for integrity sake and my belief in total honesty. I failed again last night. I think I was a bit too hasty when I said "at will". How embarrassing.  :Picard face palm: 

The causes are my own fault. I just realized I have been really lazy with my own basic routines. I did everything right but my awareness just wasn't quite there. Close, but I didn't get it. I only had a really long and vivid non-lucid dream when the alarm woke me. Oh well, I'll just put more focus on the basics and try again. Like I said before, it's not the aid that makes the lucid happen. It's your own ability. The aid is just that; An aid.

Edit: It is possible I forgot the lucid. For some reason lucid recall has been an issue for me. That's one reason why we work so hard at recall and keeping a DJ.  ::D:

----------


## Booney

Just goes to show how delicate the whole aspect of LDing is. 
As for the aids, I few them as training wheels, great to get you started and to make it more easy. But in the end you want to ride it on your own.

----------


## Xanous

> Just goes to show how delicate the whole aspect of LDing is. 
> As for the aids, I few them as training wheels, great to get you started and to make it more easy. But in the end you want to ride it on your own.



It's all part of the whole package. There are many ways to lucidity. The daily practice of awareness, or keeping a dream journal, ect. could be considered an aid when you think about it. If you really "ride it on your own" then do no routine or DJ or induction and lay down to sleep with nothing but pure intent. How many luicds will come then? I don't quite see it that way but thanks. I've had this discussion before.

----------


## Booney

Well I agree, everything that helps is an aid including mantra's and DJing. LDing is hard without it if not near impossible.
If it were easy this forum wouldn't exist.

----------


## Xanous

Thank you. Sageous once pointed out that lucid dreaming goes against our nature. I have to agree with that. It is a great struggle since our natural state is being unaware and asleep. Even Tibetan monks do crazy things like sleeping sitting up in box or going on dark retreats for weeks at a time. So I try to stay open minded when some one finds a short cut even if it doesnt last we still have experienced more than most. That in its self is amazing.

----------


## dolphin

> All right so for integrity sake and my belief in total honesty. I failed again last night. I think I was a bit too hasty when I said "at will". How embarrassing. 
> 
> The causes are my own fault. I just realized I have been really lazy with my own basic routines. I did everything right but my awareness just wasn't quite there. Close, but I didn't get it. I only had a really long and vivid non-lucid dream when the alarm woke me. Oh well, I'll just put more focus on the basics and try again. Like I said before, it's not the aid that makes the lucid happen. It's your own ability. The aid is just that; An aid.
> 
> Edit: It is possible I forgot the lucid. For some reason lucid recall has been an issue for me. That's one reason why we work so hard at recall and keeping a DJ.



I've been there too! I've accepted the fact that I can't find a method that will work every single time. From my experience, I can say the best thing you could do is execute your technique to the best of your ability each time, not stressing about the result and putting pressure on yourself. If the technique is good enough, you know if you keep doing this you will get lucid sometime soon.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> All right so for integrity sake and my belief in total honesty. I failed again last night. I think I was a bit too hasty when I said "at will". How embarrassing. 
> ...
> Edit: It is possible I forgot the lucid. For some reason lucid recall has been an issue for me. That's one reason why we work so hard at recall and keeping a DJ.



Ah, no worries.  *No* streak lasts forever, and that one was getting pretty epic.  Just think of it as a concrete reminder of what you already know: even the perfect strategy is totally reliant on your hard work and the readiness of your basic practices.





> Just goes to show how delicate the whole aspect of LDing is. 
> As for the aids, I few them as training wheels, great to get you started and to make it more easy. But in the end you want to ride it on your own.



Training wheels are an interesting analogy.  You could say that training wheels are only for toddlers and young, inexperienced children.  And lucid dreaming enthusiasts are mostly toddlers in a world full of helpless infants.   :smiley:   Most people live out their lives without ever even climbing on the bike, training wheels or no!

But I wonder whether lucid aids are more like top-grade fuel.  Ultimately, the car and driver are what win you the race.  But the best cars run better on top-notch fuel.  However, above all, the most important thing is to _always be damn careful what you're putting in your engine_.  Don't turn on the nitrous unless you know exactly what you're doing.   :smiley: 





> Thank you. Sageous once pointed out that lucid dreaming goes against our nature. I have to agree with that. It is a great struggle since our natural state is being unaware and asleep.



This topic alone (is lucid dreaming natural?) is fascinating to me.  A fellow named Roger Ekirch had an interesting theory that before the industrial revolution, most people stayed up for about an hour in the middle of the night and that this was the natural pattern of human sleep.  If so, this would mean that a WBTB was _natural human behavior_.  I'd further wager that lucid dreaming would have been *way* more common.  It's an interesting idea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep

----------


## Xanous

> This topic alone (is lucid dreaming natural?) is fascinating to me. A fellow named Roger Ekirch had an interesting theory that before the industrial revolution, most people stayed up for about an hour in the middle of the night and that this was the natural pattern of human sleep. If so, this would mean that a WBTB was natural human behavior. I'd further wager that lucid dreaming would have been way more common. It's an interesting idea.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep



Interesting! Too bad society forgot this. I'd say dream recall must have been more common. Too many people now-a-days claim they don't dream. Of course we know better. But I wonder if lucid dreams were more common then without awareness practice. Hmmm maybe.

----------


## paigeyemps

Oh cool. I do find it interesting how there are many people who always had lucids, then when they found out what it was called, etc., they stopped having them. :O i wonder what could be behind that..

----------


## Xanous

I may start a thread in another part of the forum or do a search about this one later, but I wanted to post this here first as I don't have much time. I did a 30min WBTB and used that time to meditate. I used no aids and went back to bed and did SSILD.

I had this OBE like blind lucid but at the same time I was having a non-lucid dream. I never considered this a possibility.

Lucid #108 Dual Dreams - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

----------


## paigeyemps

Holy cow! Just reading that entry gave me doozy  ::o:

----------


## Xanous

So I guess I'll update. My caffeine results are still pretty good. Sunday night I was at my sister-in-laws but I still wanted to WBTB. I had green tea made up and discretely packed away. I felt odd meditating in their living room with people sleeping on the couch and I didn't want to disturbed my wife and kids, so I just chugged the tea and meditated myself to sleep. Failure. I was super tired and had little focus. BUT This morning I missed my WBTB alarm by an hour. So when I finally got up I didn't want to spend much time on WBTB. I had coffee prepared already so I just got up long enough to drink and pee and jump back into bed and do a little SSILD. The coffee was STRONG so I took 2MG melatonin and 200MG B6 for fun. It gave me a half DILD/DEILD CHAIN OBE but it was short. I got to test some new exit ideas but it was pretty bland other than that. 

So what I found out- it seems that if I don't stay up awhile (30 Min is good) then I need stronger caffeine than green tea. If I do stay up and just meditate, then very little to none works. Maybe caffeine is just a WBTB cheat for me? All in all my success rate with caffeine is still near 100% but I still wouldn't say that I can LD at will (Don't get cocky, kid!) I may try caffeine pills if I can get the MG lower. It would be nice to know how much caffeine is the right amount. 

And once more; I don't do it every night. I'm not saying anything is wrong with it but it is much better for my sleep patterns to rest on the caffeine 3 to 4 night out of the week. A longer WBTB with meditation does fine. In fact, Some nights I don't even care to LD.

----------


## Xanous

This is a great video on meditation. I like the method its simple and effective. If you're like me you will have to ignore all the mystical stuff and look at purely from the perspective of lucid dreaming. I haven't used this as an induction tech but it seems like a great way to WILD. Other than that I use this method during WBTB and got great results.

----------


## Wurlman

Any of Jody whitelys YouTube videos really helped me on guided relaxation fOr my wbtb

----------


## Xanous

Wurlman! How the heck are you?

----------


## Xanous

I had a random DILD without really trying but I can't _totally_ remember it. I am not adding it to my count because of it. All I know is that I was in school trying to find my classroom. I saw a bunch of kids from elementary. Kids I have never even thought of since. I saw their faces vividly. I was standing outside a class but I was unsure if I was supposed to be there. I pull out my phone to see if I had a schedule on it. It dawns on me that I never had cells phone in school. (wow I feel old) I become lucid and I remember that I feel mischievous. I get some DC to do _something_ by saying something like, "Hey remember you told me earlier that you would _XYZ_?" And they were totally agreeable. I just can't remember what it was. I was excited because I heard a long time ago that this was a good way to get a DC to behave but I forgot all about it. 

Well anyway, this is a prime example why recall is #1. I have been having lucids pretty regularly this month (knock on wood) and it has spoiled me. I have put less importance on my DJ and my non-lucids. Some of it is laziness and some of it is time management but I need to try harder. I have been forgetting way too many lucids!  :Sad:

----------


## paigeyemps

Hey Xan, grats on the lucid! That DC thing sounds interesting, I'm gonna have to give it a try!

----------


## Wurlman

> Wurlman! How the heck are you?



Hey bro! Glad to see how far u have came well no point in telling lies so here goes lol I got off working nights and went to days but they still had me working about 60 to 70 hr a week then I fell off the waggon and started to smoke pot again so two months later here I am 4 days without but still working crazy hours ugh but yea it was a nice "weed" break but it's time to hop back on the road to lucidity! I've got a lot of ur DJ to read! Have a good day bro

----------


## Xanous

> Hey bro! Glad to see how far u have came well no point in telling lies so here goes lol I got off working nights and went to days but they still had me working about 60 to 70 hr a week then I fell off the waggon and started to smoke pot again so two months later here I am 4 days without but still working crazy hours ugh but yea it was a nice "weed" break but it's time to hop back on the road to lucidity! I've got a lot of ur DJ to read! Have a good day bro



Awe bummer at least you're not working nights any more. I'm glad to see that you're back. If only there was some way around the side effects of weed...  :Sad:

----------


## Xanous

So to be thorough, I had a failure this morning. I did a full 30min WBTB but only took 50MG caff and I didn't take Melatonin at the first of night. I think 100MG is better for me and I should use Melatonin at beginning if I want to WBTB Caff. I didn't take the Melatonin at the beginning because I seem to have more random DILDs pre WBTB when I don't. 

I had a nagging feeling I was lucid this pre WBTB but could only recall a non-lucid. I hate it when that happens. Anyway, no lucid with 50MG but I am surprised that I didn't have had one just doing WBTB and Meditation. I was really tired though and really didn't do a very good job with SSILD or any tech. There was a number of disturbances during this last part of sleep. The cats fighting, dogs barking, baby waking, ect.  

I had some awesome non lucid dreams though. In one of them, I phased through glass and part of me recognized this as dream control but I was too wrapped up in the emotion of the dream to care. (Self sacrifice is such a noble thing.  :Cheeky: ) I remember telling my self "_the glass is not there._" and I stepped right through. I thought, "_Hmm just like my last lucid_."  ::lol::  Non-lucid dream control is a funny thing.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great job collecting these observations.  This record keeping is so valuable for keeping straight what works for you.

What difference does the melatonin make for you?  I'd expect REM suppression and then a big rebound after your WBTB.  Is the dreaming just more intense?  Do you find that there are other effects for you beyond that?

I love how you referenced you last lucid in your non-lucid dream when you phased.   ::D:   You were definitely close!

----------


## Xanous

> What difference does the melatonin make for you? I'd expect REM suppression and then a big rebound after your WBTB. Is the dreaming just more intense? Do you find that there are other effects for you beyond that?



I'm not sure. It didn't seem to matter last night  :Sad:  But the thought was REM suppression at first and then more vivid dreams later. Maybe it doesn't matter in the case of lucidity. I may just save the melatonin for when I really need it.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> I'm not sure. It didn't seem to matter last night  But the thought was REM suppression at first and then more vivid dreams later. Maybe it doesn't matter in the case of lucidity. I may just save the melatonin for when I really need it.



It'd be interesting to see how things go with or without the pre-bed melatonin, but your current approach sounds really solid.  The REM suppression effect ought to help make sure you get enough deep sleep _and_ give you that nice REM rebound when you will be needing it.

When you say that it didn't matter last night, do you mean you didn't really get much of a boost in dream vividness from the pre-bed melatonin?  I've only taken melatonin in small doses myself, so I haven't studied in depth how readily tolerance builds up.  A cursory search didn't reveal anything alarming, though.

The thing I want to get rid of is my use of a small dose of melatonin (0.75-1.5mg) to get back to sleep after WBTB caffeine or WBTB galantamine.  It just seems like I should find a way to avoid taking an REM suppressant during my WBTB, even in these small doses.  Hopefully I can find a good way to do that.  On my next trial with green tea, I'm going to try to go with a low enough amount that I don't have trouble falling asleep.

BTW, do you drink your caffeine at the beginning of your WBTB or do you chug it right before leaping back into bed and trying to fall asleep?

----------


## Xanous

> When you say that it didn't matter last night, do you mean you didn't really get much of a boost in dream vividness from the pre-bed melatonin?



Yes. Low recall is by biggest issue. And my WBTB ritual did not produce a lucid. Other then faithfully putting me into a deep sleep, melatonin seems to be hit and miss as far as affecting my dreams. But I'm just not sure if its the melatonin or other things. I have been having some weirdness which I will explain in a bit.





> The thing I want to get rid of is my use of a small dose of melatonin (0.75-1.5mg) to get back to sleep after WBTB caffeine or WBTB galantamine. It just seems like I should find a way to avoid taking an REM suppressant during my WBTB, even in these small doses. Hopefully I can find a good way to do that. On my next trial with green tea, I'm going to try to go with a low enough amount that I don't have trouble falling asleep.



Yeah I think if you can not use melatonin it would be better. But then again it might not matter. There's so many factors it's hard to pinpoint anything... at least for me.





> BTW, do you drink your caffeine at the beginning of your WBTB or do you chug it right before leaping back into bed and trying to fall asleep?



I take the caffeine pill or drink when I am heading back to bed. Usually, when it works right, I will have a lucid 40-60 min later.

----------


## Xanous

So I just had an OBE style lucid at the first of the night again. This time is was way different. I didn't enter the peaceful white void this time. It was more of a normal WILD for me but *very* nightmarish.

I think it was about 8:00PM when I fell asleep on the recliner. I had been sleepy all day for some unknown reason and I was just done. I up about 9:00. My wife already had the baby tucked into bed and we hit the sack ourselves. I had some trouble going back to sleep. Cats kept making noise and my son woke up briefly. The last time I looked at the clock it was about 9:40. I had been really on top of my awareness all day so I decided to fall asleep with some SSILD and meditation. 

I can't remember the order of it but I soon found my self in SP. I'll post it my dream journal later but the dream was unpleasant and I could not wake myself out of it. I found myself bouncing from lucid nightmare to SP. On the third SP I wanted out but I was really stuck. I thought I would never want to use this but I remembered reading something about a month ago that said if you want to get out of SP just hold your breath for a few seconds and you will wake up. I did it. For a moment I felt like I was suffocating but too my surprise it worked! I looked at the clock and the time was 10:26PM. WTF?

----------


## OpheliaBlue

I'll have to remember the holding your breath thing. The only 2 times that I can remember being in a nightmarish SP and wanting to wake up, I was next to a sleeping someone in bed irl. So, I just mustered every ounce of strength I had to poke the person and wake THEM up so they could wake ME up. But it took a while, and I was panicky the whole time, because I didn't know what else to do. So good tip there, thanks  :smiley: 

So when you woke up and the clock said 10:26pm and you were all WTF, was it because it seemed like not enough time had lapsed compared to the dream?

----------


## Xanous

No it was because I had only been asleep like 40 minutes. I've just always been told LDing at the first of night is impossible. Just rare I guess.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Ohhh I see what you mean. I can only recall a few minor lucid fragments that occurred late at night, rather than early in the morning. But they were weird uncomfortable things.

Were you still in your recliner when you had these experiences?

----------


## Xanous

No, we had gone to bed after my little nap on the recliner. I'm sure that brief interruption was a factor in my LD. (waking from recliner and going to bed) I'm used to WBTB nearly every night so maybe this triggered something for me.

BTW I had a brief lucid this morning from one of my old techniques; Get mildy drunk and sleep late!  ::D:  Happy New Year!  ::breakitdown:: 

I tolally missed my WBTB alarm. The android device that I use for an alarm was mysteriously under the bed rather than under my pillow where I put it. It either fell or I was so out of it I dropped it and it somehow bounced and then slid. The alarm was still buzzing away 3 hours after the fact. IDK weird.  ::lol::  I did sort of have a late WBTB. Fed the baby while my wife got ready for work and it was a fitful nap as he was next to me and sporadically squirmy. We changed positions and I fell into a deep sleep after that. 

My dead grandfather was busy preparing his own funeral. I recognized the screwed logic in this and became lucid. For some reason when I try to create fire from my hands I wake up.  :Sad:  I need to talk to Paigey I think...

----------


## CanisLucidus

> BTW I had a brief lucid this morning from one of my old techniques; Get mildy drunk and sleep late!



LMAO.  Half of the people I went to college with were apparently avid lucid dreamers.   ::drink:: 

Congratulations on the lucid!  You are doing insanely well!

----------


## Xanous

The caffeine experiment continues... Just a note but it seems melatonin is almost necessary at the beginning of the night for WBTB caffeine. The only problem is that it seems the Melatonin is killing my recall as well as my chances for pre-WBTB DILDs. 

Tuesday night I didn't take melatonin as it was already late when I went to bed. I missed my WBTB and woke to go to bathroom at 4:30A. I took 100MG Caffeine and did not become lucid. 

Last night I took my usual 5MG Melatonin and this morning I missed my WBTB again by an hour. Ended up waking naturally at 4:30. I was super tired and it was getting too late for a proper WBTB. This time I doubled my caffeine to 200MG. I had a brief unproductive lucid. I really wanted to attempt TOTM. It was so incredibly vivid that I became unsure if I was awake or sleeping. I guess I'll count it but I'm kind of disappointed in this one. I Didn't Mean To Scare You - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I think 200MG is too much as it was impossible to DEILD and I ended up wide awake 30 min too soon. Also, for now on Melatonin will only be for pre-bed and when I plan to WBTB caffeine even If I have trouble sleeping after WBTB. I think with sufficient relaxation techniques and careful caffeine dosing I can beat any wakefulness.

Tonight I will break from aids and try to do a proper WBTB with meditation.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Congratulations on the lucid!  It sounds like you were disappointed in it, but it made for a really cool read.  Some of the crap you are doing when you get lucid is too funny.  Like digging around in the cat dish for caffeine pills.   ::lol:: 

So on the melatonin, are you just losing recall before your WBTB?  That would strike me as pretty normal, since melatonin ought to load you up on deep sleep at the beginning of the night.

200mg of caffeine is pretty intense, but it sounds like you can handle yourself pretty darn well.  I finally got around to watching your meditation video and may try this out for my WBTB, particularly if I am going to take any caffeine.  I chuckled when the guy mentioned that we want to be completely thoughtless and enter the "no thought state".  I should play that part for my wife and tee up an easy joke at my expense.   ::D: 

Do you just do the breathing meditation for the whole 30 minutes?  Anything else?  One perhaps silly question comes to mind: do you become concerned about losing track of time when meditating?  When I meditate myself to sleep I lose all sense of time it seems.

Edit: Like you, I've also been thinking a lot about teleportation recently, particularly with TotY requiring some serious travel.   :smiley:   I'll be working on this as well!  I still want to try to in-dream WILD my way somewhere.

----------


## Xanous

Haha thanks. No thought state... hmmm... yeah my wife may have a joke for that as well.  ::D: 

I just do the breathing meditation for as long as I can. I set a "nap" alarm on my device just so I don't have to worry about the time. I am not the great of a meditater yet so I usually lose my focus before the alarm anyway. 15-20 min tops. Also I go ahead and do the suggested sitting position with legs crossed and fingers touching thumbs so I don't fall asleep.

I need to teleport out of my house. I spend too much time escaping. Is the TOTY up yet? I'll have to check. I guess my LD this morning was an in dream WILD of sorts. I always do them accidentally. Maybe I should try it while lucid too. It might be interesting or... I might end up having a FA!

----------


## Xanous

My last two night were failed caffeine WBTB. I felt *horribly tired* and I couldn't even meditate this morning. When I went back to bed I had zero focus. I didn't even think to do SSILD. I woke up an hour later (that seems about right with the caffeine) feeling like an idiot. I had an interesting and vivid NLD so that was sort of cool. What sucks is I ended up with insomnia the last hour when I was really focused to LD.

I think maybe I should set back my WBTB 30-60 min so that by the time the caffeine wakes me its about time to get up anyway. That way there is less chance of losing sleep. But the fact that there is less time to dream may mess with me some as well.

I don't know if I can make myself but I think a break is in order.... On second thought, maybe one more WBTB caf night then break for a couple. This time I'll go for 4am rather than 3:30AM and try to get to bed early as well. I realized that since the holiday break my bedtimes have been pushed back more and more. I used to shoot for 9PM. Lately its been 10, 11, even midnight. I got to change that for sure. I've been non-lucid for 2 nights in a row ON A WEEKEND and it feels like a dry spell! I can't take it!!!!  :tongue2: 

Also I have been very lazy keeping my DJ. I've tried to make a stronger effort since yesterday. The problem is when I wake up I feel too lazy to recall the dream and even more lazy to make notes. At some point in the night I felt like I woke from a lucid but could not remember. Or at least I dreamed about lucidity. Who knows. I recorded 2 dreams last night. Better than nothing.  ::D: 

I used to be able to sleep in every weekend now its just a few precious mornings here and there. I think this is had an impact on recall and lucidity. Still I'm doing pretty damned well considering. 

If I remember correctly, I had 18 lucids last month when my goal was 10. I sort of hit my phasing goal. I seem to be able to get through glass with some effort. It's getting easier I just have to change the way I think of "solid" objects. I still can't seem to summon fire in my hands though.

This month I'll shoot for 20 lucids, TOTM, TOTY, Summon fire.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Yeah, when you're feeling that tired, it's just hard to pull off effective LD practice.  For a million different reasons.  This one gets me all the time.  _If fatigue were not an issue_, there's no question that I'd go for an LD and WBTB every single night.  But some nights I just take it easy.  I like to make at least 3 nights a week just simple sleep w/ only a low-key WBTB.  (I've found that WBTB has become pretty natural for me now, unless I'm very fatigued.)

You're right about the caffeine hitting full stride at about 30-60 minutes.  That's going to be somewhere around your peak plasma level, and after that, caffeine's elimination half-life is actually pretty high, so you'll be amped for a while.  It's hard to know just the right trade-off!  You're way closer to figuring it out than I am (since I use the caffeine slightly less frequently, and wasn't the guy who came up with it.)  I've been changing it up by using no aids most nights, then rotating in either B6, caffeine, or my once-weekly galantamine.  That keeps things interesting too.

You've got to be a bit amused that 2 days without a lucid feels like a dry spell now.   ::lol::   You are obviously doing great.  You'd probably benefit most from simply getting more sleep, but that's easier said than done.  One idea is that you could save caffeine (or whatever aid) only for nights where you will be getting a certain amount of sleep.  That'll encourage you to get to bed on time and also help keep you rested when you just can't quite do it.  The downside is that it can turn you into kind of a sleep fanatic.   :smiley: 

Speaking of that, I even got these blue wavelength-blocking glasses.  LOL.  I'll have to post a pic of these things sometime.  They are _cool_ let me tell you!   ::D:

----------


## Xanous

_(For future reference, tl;dr at bottom)_






> Yeah, when you're feeling that tired, it's just hard to pull off effective LD practice.  For a million different reasons.  This one gets me all the time.  _If fatigue were not an issue_, there's no question that I'd go for an LD and WBTB every single night.  But some nights I just take it easy.  I like to make at least 3 nights a week just simple sleep w/ only a low-key WBTB.  (I've found that WBTB has become pretty natural for me now, unless I'm very fatigued.)



Yeah that's good advice. I'm definitely going to keep it low key for the next few nights. Last night did not go well. It was pretty much a repeat of last night but It was mostly back luck. First of all, it was just impossible to get to bed before 10. Then, I set my alarm back but I forgot I had an alarm on my other device. I have two so that one can charge and the other can be in my pillow. Well, I forgot to turn the other off and It started vibrating on the night stand. I had some dream about a T-shirt that started vibrating before I woke up. LOL. 

When I got up I felt horrible. I seem to want to take a little higher dosage when I feel super tired because I have slept through non-lucid on 200MG before. So sometimes I think a higher dose might be needed. I took 150MG this morning but that was too much. I should never take more than 100MG. Maybe those mornings when I sleep through, I am so tired that any dosage wouldn't matter and I need to just sleep through. So, I think after my break I'm going to try to make 50MG work because even though most of my successes are with 100MG, I still have the issue of being wide awake after I wake up. Also, I think the dreams are probably quite a bit shorter than they normally would have been without it.

So, then my crazy ass cat and she woke me up about 40 minutes after I took caffeine. I think I was just about to hit a REM cycle when she started up. She likes to get in the window and yowl at the neighbor cats very loudly. I don't know what her deal is but I want to kill her sometimes. I had to get up and deal with it. I wanted to beat her but thought it would be more kind to just distract her buy feeding both cats. I took 5MG melatonin at that point but I could never get back to sleep. I was almost there but then it was like I could feel the chemical change when the caffeine peeked. After that my wife started snoring and couldn't turn my mind off anyway. I tossed and turned about an hour before giving up.





> You're right about the caffeine hitting full stride at about 30-60 minutes.  That's going to be somewhere around your peak plasma level, and after that, caffeine's elimination half-life is actually pretty high, so you'll be amped for a while.  It's hard to know just the right trade-off!  You're way closer to figuring it out than I am (since I use the caffeine slightly less frequently, and wasn't the guy who came up with it.)  I've been changing it up by using no aids most nights, then rotating in either B6, caffeine, or my once-weekly galantamine.  That keeps things interesting too.



Yeah so, I usually wake up naturally at some point myself. I think if I try anything it will be some B6 or maybe no aids and a quick WILD attempt or a short round of SSILD. As, you all know I'm pretty open with aids but I have to admit there is a certain amount of pride when I have a lucid with out taking anything. I think after the last few nights I may even have some REM rebound to take advantage of. 

Speaking of rotating, I will probably get some G some time soon maybe next month. That will be my Saturday night aid only. I only had a brief trial with that and now that I'm really back in the game I'd like to see what I can do with it. Before I used it when had been away and was just now starting to have a few random lucids again. God, now that I think about it, that was was back when I first realized that SP was a useful thing and not to be feared. That was only like 2 years ago. I'm not sure why I practice luicdity for a while then just give up on it. I guess life got in the way. Anyway, that's about 50% of my lucid experiences now. I'm getting really juiced to try to WILD with it. Anyway, I'll be looking over your entries again on that.





> You've got to be a bit amused that 2 days without a lucid feels like a dry spell now.    You are obviously doing great.  You'd probably benefit most from simply getting more sleep, but that's easier said than done.  One idea is that you could save caffeine (or whatever aid) only for nights where you will be getting a certain amount of sleep.  That'll encourage you to get to bed on time and also help keep you rested when you just can't quite do it.  The downside is that it can turn you into kind of a sleep fanatic.  
> 
> Speaking of that, I even got these blue wavelength-blocking glasses.  LOL.  I'll have to post a pic of these things sometime.  They are _cool_ let me tell you!



What? I get spoiled when I have a hot streak.  :Cheeky:  Anyway, that's a good idea but when I make those kinds of rules for myself I usually break them or make compromises anyway. It's better for me to keep things loose and go with what feels right for each night. But I agree, more sleep it the best thing right now. And yeah, I've been a sleep fanatic before and that's almost a lucid cock block by itself.  ::lol:: 

I've read about those glasses before. Kind of interesting. Let us know if it does anything for you. 

I keep rambling on...

*tl;dr*
So I typed all this to finally remind myself that while my WBTB caffeine method is super awesome, I have to remember that I *loose sleep* and this will eventually *wear me out* and cause a *dry spell*. I must *limit* the number of nights I WBTBC. Maybe every other or every other two? Also, never more than *100MG*.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

I know what you mean, those hot streaks turn me into a cock. I'm having a bit of a dry spell since my schedule changed. Hopefully now that the kids are back in school I'll return to "normal."

Your experiment with caffeine is interesting.

----------


## Xanous

Ah sorry to hear that. Yeah, sometimes it seems like lucid dreaming is similar to walking a tight rope. If one little thing is off balance then it all falls apart. You'll be back at it soon.

I think my problem I just get too gung-ho when I find something that works. I always want to milk it for everything I can. I must remember to maintain balance.

----------


## Xanous

I took a night off. Has some cool NLDs. The damn cats still woke me around my WBTB time. But still I got some restful sleep.

This morning I briefly woke up at 4 and took only 50MG Caffeine (1/4 of a pill). That seemed just as effective as any higher dosage. I did some SSILD and had a brief lucid. Most of it was wasted on trying to get an RC to work right.  ::roll::  It later turned into a OBE type dream but It's ok. I learned a few things that I will try next time. It seems with the caffeine that I am very limited in my dream time before I am forced awake. If I catch on to thing early then I have a longer dream. But I suppose this happens anyway. Our REM cycles only last so long. Still I can't help but think the caffeine shortens it. I could be wrong. It's just something to consider. I just really want an epic long LD like I had in Sept!

Anyway, even with the smaller dose, I woke about an hour later feeling way too awake. I think I will stick to 50MG and if I just sleep non lucid then I was too tired anyway. Also, when I take caffeine during the week, I plan to do it at 4:30AM from now on. I usually wake 60 - 75 min later. So a 5:30-5:45 wakening wouldn't be so bed when I have to be up at 6 anyway.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Pretty cool to hear that 50mg is looking like it could be the "magic number" for you.  That's about what's in 2 cups of green tea, which just so happens to be what I'm converging on as well.

Like you, I've gotten curious about caffeine's effect on REM.  I've heard vague references to it limiting and/or shortening REM cycles, but everything I saw was quite hand-wavey.  I'll have to look into it in more detail some time in the future.  At the very least, like you say, one effect of the caffeine is keeping you balanced on the knife's edge between wakefulness and sleep.  Fruitful terrain for an LD, but also quite easy to slip too far to the "awake" side and then... there you are.   :smiley: 

I think that all of the dosage tweaking that you're doing and taking the time to space out attempts a bit is just the right approach.  This has worked very well for you!  Kudos.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> But I suppose this happens anyway. Our REM cycles only last so long. Still I can't help but think the caffeine shortens it. I could be wrong. It's just something to consider. I just really want an epic long LD like I had in Sept!



Yeah I've always been confused by how much control we have over the length of our LDs, or if the dream length is ultimately controlled by the natural length of our REM cycles. And that said, can we really control the length of our REM cycles, whereby increasing the length of our LDs?

I've never really tested these things because my LD length and even frequency still happen kinda random for me, even within the sleep schedule that's most conducive to inducing them. Sigh... so many question marks. Glad I have every night for the rest of my life to experiment on it  :tongue2:

----------


## Xanous

> Sigh... so many question marks. Glad I have every night for the rest of my life to experiment on it



Me too!  ::D:

----------


## Xanous

I know it's a little out there but I searched for something close to the demon I have encountered 3 times. It likes to pose as my wife then scream at me when I have OBE style lucids. It looks a lot like this but full of more darkness and more triangle shapes. I am curious to find out what it is about. Maybe next time, if I can handle it, I will speak to it.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> Yeah I've always been confused by how much control we have over the length of our LDs, or if the dream length is ultimately controlled by the natural length of our REM cycles. And that said, can we really control the length of our REM cycles, whereby increasing the length of our LDs?



Yes, I have wondered this exact thing too!  I know of only two methods for achieving long REM: sleeping in as late as possible, and REM rebound (either via sleep cycle monkeying, or an aid like 5-HTP/melatonin, etc.)

Cycle adjustment and lucid aids both seem like unsatisfying, rather crude answers to this question, but for now they're the best I've got.  Now all I can do is wait for Xanous to perfect his non-REM lucid dreaming techniques and put together some training materials.   ::D:

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> * It likes to pose as my wife then scream at me when I have OBE style lucids*. It looks a lot like this but full of more darkness and more triangle shapes. I am curious to find out what it is about. Maybe next time, if I can handle it, I will speak to it.



So is this she-demon at the start of your lucids, like, in your bed or in your bedroom at the start? And your OBE styles, do those start out in your normal bedroom too?

----------


## Xanous

> So is this she-demon at the start of your lucids, like, in your bed or in your bedroom at the start? And your OBE styles, do those start out in your normal bedroom too?



Yes, it is always in my bed with me. Almost all of my WILDs turn in to OBE like experiences. There was only a handful of times where I entered the dream from HH/HI and entered in a random place other than my bedroom. I am trying to teach myself to combine the two and pick where I want to "wake up" to. 

Also, since my teenage years I have frequently and randomly found myself in a SP like state. This happens more frequently when I am practicing lucid dreaming. Only in the last year or two I learned to use this to get lucid. So, the ones that happen randomly, I don't even know that I can call those WILDs but it happens a lot.

----------


## Xanous

So I had decided on 50Mg caffeine on nights I take it. I thought this was a good amount but I think maybe its not so good after all. Looking back, it seems I became lucid not because of the caff but because I did it regardless. The usual lucid/wake times are way off.  The most it did was make me restless for an hour or two and then, my REM became a bit longer. Looking at previous lds, I think 100Mg is best. 

I am now alternating caffeine nights with aidless nights. because there are an odd number of nights in a week I plan to include Friday and Saturday as consecutive back to backs. That is until my Galantatime comes in the mail. The only thing that will change is Saturday nights will be reserved for G.

 I like the wisdom the CL uses in forcing himself to have aidless lds in between. I am undecided if I will incorporate the same rules. It does seem like a good motivator at the very least.

Also, I was super close to entering a WILD from active HH/HI but my cat woke me. In fact my cat wakes me almost every time I do a WBTB. She lets out this horrible yowl. She is fixed and declawed but she wants out of the house to visit the neighbor cats. I really need to figure out how to get her to shut up for my sanity's sake. If anyone has any ideas short of shooting her in the head let me know. I am seriously considering putting her in the storage shed out back and running an extension cord to a small heater.  :Mad:  Or the bullet sounds nice too.

----------


## Xanous

So, thinking about this some more. I wonder if the caffeine as a trigger is more closely related to Yohimbine. The book I am reading says that Yohimbine's downside is that you must be naturally entering REM sleep very soon after you take it. Perhaps, on the night that I failed I simply didn't enter a solid enough dream state to be effect during the hour or so window until the time to peek plasma. I'll have go back and double check but I think that when I adjust my WBTB times it effects my failure. That makes me think that I just don't enter the dream state at the right time. At peek I seem to almost always wake up. Then, if my dosage is low enough I usually am able to drift back into some form of light sleep with little dream recall until about 1.5 to 2 hours later. Then, when the caffeine wears off, I seem to be able to have a more solid REM. I have also read that caffeine shortens your REM cycle so, if that is true then that would also explain a lot.

It was a fun little experiment but I think its time to put it aside and have some normal lucids with out aids while I wait for my next experiment to arrive in the mail  ::D: 

*Conclusion*
I'm not much of a fan of the caffeine aid as I was in the beginning. I think it is a great trigger but only sometimes does it allow lengthy dreams. There could be other factors at play that I don't know about. Also I seem to feel more tired after a WBTB caff. Most times I am wide awake after a lucid much too early in the morning. I lose about 1 to 1.5 hours of sleep during the week and that really wears me out. Adjusting my WBTB times only seems to result in failure. Still, I think it offers a different kind of lucid and it's a good aid to have around but I'll use it less frequently from now on.

This chart may look a little familiar to some of you (CL) but it was never tested in the book so here is my findings.  :Cheeky: 

Dosage: 50 - 100MG
Time to peek plasma levels: 45-60min
Elimination half-life: 5 hours?
Effect on dreams: Vividness much like B6
Effect on Lucid dreams: Helps to trigger but only in a limited time window no longer than 60min.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

> Yes, it is always in my bed with me. Almost all of my WILDs turn in to OBE like experiences. There was only a handful of times where I entered the dream from HH/HI and entered in a random place other than my bedroom. I am trying to teach myself to combine the two and pick where I want to "wake up" to.



++ double like

I'm EXACTLY the same way. I've only had a handful of successful WILDs, but in each and every one of them, I go from the vibrations, to a lucid dream that begins right where I left off when I was last drifting off, only seconds before: in my bed in the exact same position. I'm guessing that if I want to change this, I really need to focus on incubating the place I want to go, during those few seconds of transitional vibrations. Don't know if that would work for you during your SP phase, but it's all I got for now until I experiment more myself.

Speaking of experiments, good luck on your Yohimbine once it shows up!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great observations on the caffeine, Xanous!  You've done this experiment for long enough to have gathered a lot of good data.  Huge help when you're trying to draw conclusions about what happened.

The comparison to yohimbine makes a lot of sense to me.  Both affect levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline _and_ have effects on the dopamine system.  All of that helps with lucid dreaming... as long as it doesn't five you insomnia.   :smiley: 

Even if you do decide to make the caffeine something you rotate back in every so often, what's good about taking a break for it is that it resets the playing field for your next set of experiments.  This is especially true since it has detrimental effects on your sleep.  Giving it a nice break and getting some unaided LDs will put you in the right frame of mind for your next set of experiments.

And nice chart!   ::D:   Seriously, that's good data too... I had not realized you'd noticed an effect on vividness in addition to caffein's role as a trigger.  Interesting.  Looking forward to your next set of experiments!





> Speaking of experiments, good luck on your Yohimbine once it shows up!



I think Xanous may have just been comparing caffeine to yohimbine, but I could be wrong.

Yohimbine is really interesting stuff, but strikes me as a bit of a tricky substance to use.  From what I've read, there's a very fine line between the effective dose and the dosages at which side effects occur.  Considering that G+C alone has given me insomnia a couple of times, I don't think I'd be cut out for yohimbine.  LOL.

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Oh, my bad.

What the heck is he waiting for in the mail then?

----------


## Xanous

> ++ double like
> 
> I'm EXACTLY the same way. I've only had a handful of successful WILDs, but in each and every one of them, I go from the vibrations, to a lucid dream that begins right where I left off when I was last drifting off, only seconds before: in my bed in the exact same position. I'm guessing that if I want to change this, I really need to focus on incubating the place I want to go, during those few seconds of transitional vibrations. Don't know if that would work for you during your SP phase, but it's all I got for now until I experiment more myself.



I find out dream similarities fascinating. I thought it was really cool at first because it feel like an OBE/ I had fun toying with the question is it real or just a dream. But now I don't care. Its just getting annoying. I have been working on incubating or teleporting to someplace else. My progress has been slow but I think I am about to nail it. The last one I was really close. I opened my dream eyes right after the vibrations and I briefly saw a tree and bright sunlight. Then it faded and I was suddenly in my bedroom.





> Speaking of experiments, good luck on your Yohimbine once it shows up!



Oops. I didn't order Yohimbine. I was just comparing it to caffeine.Sorry, I wasn't very clear.  I actually have some Alpha-GPC and Galantamine coming.

Speaking of that. I went to bed super early last night. I was a sleep about 8:30PM. I did take a large dose of melatonin (10MG) but I just wanted to sleep. I was exhausted and felt like the caffeine had screwed my sleep patterns up a bit. I didn't care about recall or WBTB or getting lucid. I ended up waking at 2:30am for the usual restroom break. I figured since I am up and I just had a very vivid dream, I can use this as a mini WBTB. I guess it was more of a MILD technique that I used this time. I just used the mantra, "I am dreaming" and set my intentions to become lucid. I had a lucid about 4:30AM and I could not go back to sleep.

Edit: Thanks CL. I didn't see your post. The email didn't notify me of yours so I missed it. I'm glad you agree. I was unsure if my comparison was accurate or not.

OH and one more thing. For whats its worth. I still attempt WILD at beginning of sleep for the heck of it. I don't expect much but I try just in case. I went back to my tweaked version of SSILD where I focus on all 3 vs a cycle. I almost had it. I was into some intense HH when suddenly, I let out an involuntary zombie like moan.  ::lol::  It ruined the whole thing and scared me a little.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Your WILD attempts at the beginning of the night are freakin exciting to me.  I know that it's not necessarily a high percentage play, but what have you got to lose?  (Well, unless it screws up your sleep somehow.  I admit this would not be great.)

You'll solve this OBE thing at some point.  I'm sure of it.  Have you tried doing any dream incubation stuff at night?  I know that you were doing some of that for a while but it got too annoying.  I wonder if that might be worth a try on the chance that it'll put you in a new, easier location.  I remember reading in Yuschak his idea of repeatedly dropping little "seeds" of visualization and then letting them go, over and over, during WILD attempts.  I thought that sounded cool.

Congratulations on the early bed time.  8:30 pm sounds so heavenly.   ::D:   We barely had our oldest down by then last night, heh heh...

Even bigger congratulations, of course, on the lucid!  I'll check out that DJ entry here in a bit.

----------


## Xanous

Anyone planning to use supplements should first read this book. It has a very practical and safe approach to using natural supplements to aid lucidity.
Advanced Lucid Dreaming: The Power of Supplements: Thomas Yuschak: 9781430305422: Amazon.com: Books

I wasn't going to make it very public but since I posted my caffeine trials and mentioned I had G on the way, I thought I should mention that tonight I start my Galantamine experiment. As the book points out it is very easy to become tolerant and desensitized to any lucid aid. I also found this out the more difficult way with my caffeine experiments. For that reason I plan to take it slow and space it out. This shit was expensive and I don't want to waste it!  ::D:  I plan to have at the minimum 4 nights without any aids before I give it another go. And of course if I lose too much sleep or have any health issues it will come to a pause or complete stop. 

I probably wont post much of my findings here but if anyone is interested they can PM me. I am not one to make rules for lucid dreaming but I highly suggest that anyone starting out should first learn to induce lucid dreams fairly consistently without aids. It is a learning experience that, in my opinion, should not be skipped. Really, there are no short cuts.

----------


## Xanous

My Galantamine trials have been mostly successful. This weekend went badly. Mostly because I was adding to the mix and making alterations that just didn't pan out. The biggest thing with Galantamine is the temporary insomnia. If I can tough it out and remain calm and relaxed, I am usually rewarded later. 

I have decided to adopt CanisLucidus' plan to not use Galantamine until I have a lucid without it. However, because of the insomnia I only use it on the weekends now. So, If I don't get lucid until next Sunday night then I am still going to wait until the following weekend. Mostly this helps with tolerance, desensitization, and even more important, dependence.

I may still add other more natural aids to my WBTB during the week, i.e., B6, apple juice, herbal teas, ect. _maybe_ caffeine, Yohimbe bark.

I also have some Calea Z. on order but that's probably going to adhere to the same Galantamine rules.

Tonight, I plan to be less of a witch doctor  ::lol::  and start a more Tibeten Yoga, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, approach. I have been reading his book and I am intrigued by it. I don't plan to do any of the pre-bed daytime mediations. I just don't have the time or a quiet place to do this. What I am planing is the night time practice. Basically, Waking every 2 hours, changing positions, and visualizing chakra energy. I will probably work in some SSILD and some nights I will add a 30min WBTB in the middle some nights I won't. Really it's just going to be a hodgepodge of Tibetan Yoga and what I already do. I don't personally believe in _everything_ the book talks about. But, as the author suggests, we don't have to take the teachings literally. Mostly we can see it as a metaphor or a vehicle to achieve lucidity (I think he is just being sensitive to western readers) or as they see it, a preparation for the transition at death. I will post if I have any luck with it.

----------


## Xanous

I have some personal discoveries and have developed some opinions about a few things lately. Of course, I don't pretend to know everything. This is just how I see it. Disagree? I welcome an open and friendly discussion. I that's how we all learn.  ::D: 

*Dream Yoga*
Alright so I gave up on the Tibetan stuff pretty quickly. Maybe I am too lazy. Maybe I don't get it but waking every 2 hours is really tough and didn't do me much good. I have adopted a few personal things that I learned from the book but that is about it.

*WILD*
I am still focusing on WILDs. I am noticing my own person technique is getting more refined and easier. SSILD is still a hit and miss but I have refined that a bit too. It's now more of a combination between 61 point and normal SSILD. Instead of See, hear, feel, It's become more like see and hear simultaneously to what does various parts of my body feel.

I have also learned that WILD is not so much about concentration but a disinterested observing of hypnagogia. We say to ignore the noise. That is correct but we fail to mention that there must be some attention to it in order to maintain that thin line of awareness.

I stumbled across Tim's youtube videos from lucidapedia on one of areyoume's post. Thanks areyoume. It confirmed a few things I was already finding out on my own so I naturally got very excited about it.

 Advanced lucid dreaming: part 4 

*Meditation*

I also found Tim's video about mediation useful. Again it very much like the WILD. Basicly a WILD practice. Instead on concentration on thinking feeling being nothing, he focuses on being. He does a better job explaining it than me.


Advanced Lucid Dreaming Part 6


*The Memory Game*

A few days ago I was thinking about the biggest obstacle to getting lucid. It's memory and forgetting to be aware. I can spend days focusing so hard on awareness and when I sleep I miss every dream sign ever. So, I started thinking how I can fix this.

I invented a little game for myself. All I do is simply tell myself that when X happens I will do Z. For example, When I get home from work and reach my door step I will remember to say "Bananas" and do a RC. The thing and the action doesn't matter it's simply remembering to do something at a certain time.

I was a little unsure if I was on the right track until I listened to Tim's video about prospective memory. He does essentially the same thing but he sets alarm to go off at a certain time and then does about his day. He challenges himself to remember to shut the alarm off just before it goes off.

I started playing with that yesterday as 30 min intervals. I was fairly successful at remembering just 2 or 3 minutes before the alarm. It really mimicked the same kind of emotion as suddenly realizing you are in a dream. I used this mindset last night during my WILD and found it to be a huge help.

I am not trying to promote another website here but it was very encouraging to find confirmation to some things I was just discovering for 
myself.

Advanced lucid dreaming: part 5 

*OBE's / Astral Projection*

OBE's are bullshit. I have had an open mind to it being real and I know I talk about having OBE's a lot but really I have no belief in them. I simply use that label because for a lack of a better term. The majority of my WILD/DEILD have been very OBE like so that's what I call them to simplify things.

The only reason one feels like they are leaving the body is two fold. First, when you don't set up a schema or plan where you want to "wake" to, your mind simply picks the most reasonable thing. It says well I laid down to sleep in this place so it only makes sense to enter the dream where I went to sleep. I am slowly learning how to change that and pick a location.

Second, The feeling of leaving the body can simply be explained as sleep paralysis. When you are in SP you are only half asleep. You body is still paralyzedly but your brain is highly active in the dream state. So naturally there is the confused moment where your dream body is trying to get and get going but your physical body is paralyzed. With practice this transition get much easier. All it takes is a little visualization.

*Lucid Dreaming Supplements*

I had pretty good success with *Celea Z* the first time. It was a short lucid. Really a failed WILD but quickly recovered DILD. The tea wasn't too bad. I think next time I will make it a little stronger and add some B6 for vividness.
A Walmart Trip - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I'm am still taking *Galantamine* once a week every weekend. Last night I seemed to be able to beat the insomnia with a _large_ dose of Valerian Root and avoided melatonin completely. I was able to accomplish my personal goal of phasing. So I was pretty excited about that.
There Is No Wall - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Remember, LDS like Galantamine, Celea Z, ect. are not magic pills to get you lucid. They are aid only. It still takes skill and self knowledge to become lucid. So if you are still new to lucid dreaming I would suggest getting fairly good at inducing LDs on you own before you try any type of aid. Of course that's just my opinion and you won't be judged if you do.  ::D:

----------


## Kaenthem

I find Tim's idea of all the things you mentioned much more easier to understand. I've read many tutorials but Tim's are just great, I can really feel that I relate to that, and so is the case for you it seems. Happy you found something that actually benefited you reading my post  ::content:: 
Great work Xanous, keep it up!

----------


## Chimpertainment

Those are some very good points Xanous. Tim seems to be pretty well informed and experienced in the subject. There are two things I would add that may serve to broaden your perspective. 

1. 



> A few days ago I was thinking about the biggest obstacle to getting lucid. It's memory and forgetting to be aware. I can spend days focusing so hard on awareness and when I sleep I miss every dream sign ever. So, I started thinking how I can fix this.



 This problem relates to intention. I have found the strength of your intention is based in the present rather than the future. Then once the intention is satisfied(which is not always required because we can change our minds), that strengthens the intention even further.

2. It seems Tim has misunderstood meditation in a way. The practice he describes resembles descriptions of Zen meditation techniques. These generally focus on concentration exercises, I popular one being when one concentrates on the flame of a candle. The converse meditation form was developed by another Buddhist group which generally focuses on vast awareness exercises. Those are the kind that he describes in which the meditating person simply allows thoughts to arise, then lets them pass through and out their mind. This technique can also be combined with concentration techniques in beginning practices so people can get a good foundation for future practice.
What he says is basically true. There must be give and take when in transition stages. Its still true that meditation is a great help to passing through those stages. He seems to dislike meditation only because concentration is difficult. That doesn't diminish the benefits of meditation.

anyway, awesome post Xanous!  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

> Those are some very good points Xanous. Tim seems to be pretty well informed and experienced in the subject. There are two things I would add that may serve to broaden your perspective. 
> 
> 1.  This problem relates to intention. I have found the strength of your intention is based in the present rather than the future. Then once the intention is satisfied(which is not always required because we can change our minds), that strengthens the intention even further.



I'm really not understanding what you mean. Are you saying it is still just as easy to forget regardless of any daytime exercise? 





> 2. It seems Tim has misunderstood meditation in a way. The practice he describes resembles descriptions of Zen meditation techniques. These generally focus on concentration exercises, I popular one being when one concentrates on the flame of a candle. The converse meditation form was developed by another Buddhist group which generally focuses on vast awareness exercises. Those are the kind that he describes in which the meditating person simply allows thoughts to arise, then lets them pass through and out their mind. This technique can also be combined with concentration techniques in beginning practices so people can get a good foundation for future practice.
> What he says is basically true. There must be give and take when in transition stages. Its still true that meditation is a great help to passing through those stages. He seems to dislike meditation only because concentration is difficult. That doesn't diminish the benefits of meditation.



Yeah I get what you are saying. I am pretty ignorant with much of meditation but I have totally seen the benefit of strengthening concentration in ways that I hadn't realized where possible. So, I don't throw traditional meditation out completely. I was just looking at it something more practical helping specifically with WILDs and I thought what he said made sense. I really don't get to meditate that often nor have I tried his technique. 






> anyway, awesome post Xanous!



Thanks. Those were some good thoughts you offered as well. I appreciate it.

----------


## Chimpertainment

Well look at intention this way. We form habits using intention. Once they are well established habits, the intention used is most of the time pretty normal. In order to form new habits however, one usually needs more power of intention. Intention is one of the basic building blocks of lucid dreaming. Daytime exercises will serve to strengthen that intention/memory, but effort will always be necessary. Not only can you attach intention to actions like you mentioned. You can use all aspects of experience to trigger intention. Any dream sign really would work as an intention/memory trigger.

Personally, I find it essential to produce specific feelings before I go to bed that will trigger awareness in the dream state. Everyone is different though.

----------


## paigeyemps

Wooooop hello Xan, haven't had much time to keep up with your workbook as much as I wanted to  :Sad:  

Anyway, just wanted to drop by :3

----------


## Xanous

> Well look at intention this way. We form habits using intention. Once they are well established habits, the intention used is most of the time pretty normal. In order to form new habits however, one usually needs more power of intention. Intention is one of the basic building blocks of lucid dreaming. Daytime exercises will serve to strengthen that intention/memory, but effort will always be necessary. Not only can you attach intention to actions like you mentioned. You can use all aspects of experience to trigger intention. Any dream sign really would work as an intention/memory trigger.
> 
> Personally, I find it essential to produce specific feelings before I go to bed that will trigger awareness in the dream state. Everyone is different though.



That makes sense. So do you mean like a MILD technique? What feelings exactly?





> Wooooop hello Xan, haven't had much time to keep up with your workbook as much as I wanted to  
> 
> Anyway, just wanted to drop by :3



Ha! I haven't either.  ::lol::  Thanks for dropping by.

----------


## Chimpertainment

yeah, its essentially a MILD technique with a bit of a booster. I'm still working the kinks out and it seems my intention is becoming more solid albeit still spotty. 
So, the feeling thing is a bit tricky. Laberges technique mentions imagining you are lucid and feeling as if you are lucid. That is essentially what I am doing in a roundabout way. There are a couple feelings I have managed to isolate and utilize for pre-sleep MILD teks...

1. Love/Unity - While lying in bed with closed eyes, I summon a feeling of connectedness and unity with everything. This is a specific feeling I have isolated in my spiritual practice. It is the same feeling anyone would describe as love. Loving someone, something, nature, etc.. Whatever memory you have of that feeling will tremendously aid the production of the feeling while in bed since most of the time feelings arise through moment to moment experience rather than conjuring them out of thin air. 
Once that feeling has been felt, just bask in the sensation. Let it linger. While the feeling lingers, begin whatever mantra you might be using. And that is basically it. Most nights, it takes me a few minutes to get to that place, and some nights it feels impossible. Other nights it happens in a moment. 
My premise is that I have noticed that the unconscious responds to emotions and feelings more than memories. When I produce powerful feelings of intention, love, determination, or willpower, it always has an effect on my dreams. Utilizing this pervasive feeling of love can be a catalyst, or vessel if you will, for intention and will. 

2. Eliminate ALL doubt. This is much easier after that feeling of love is created but it can be done alone as well. This has been mentioned on dream views before and its power should not be underestimated. Completely convincing yourself that you will have a lucid, and you will remember your dreams is very powerful. That is, if the feeling is produced effectively, and sustained until entering sleep. Memory of past failure will always creep in, but after a good bit of practice, the elimination of the doubt will override any negative feelings. 

anyhoo...I figure dreams are basically all emotion and energy, so using the same to induce them seems logical.  :smiley:

----------


## OpheliaBlue

Boop.. I 2nd what paigey said. But I'm off for 2 days and I have a cold so I'm playing catch up.

I'm still in awe of your Angel Falls TOTY lucid, it was really cool. I was reading it at work and I laughed pretty loud at the "making out with the dream" part, and then again at the "T is for Turkey" part. I got quizzical looks from a coworker.

Anyway, TAG you're it!  ::happy::

----------


## Xanous

Ah thanks. Yeah, my stuff cracks me up too. I'm always laughing in my lucids it seems.

I guess a little update is due.

I'm still rotating lucid aids around a bit but still try for those aidless successes. I can't seem to get my caffeine success back up but I'm still giving one night a week to that. I tried Mugwort last week and had a little success. Menthol hasn't helped me have a lucid yet but the dreams are just as entertaining. I still plan to try a capsule of Yohimbe but I am a little scared of it for some reason. And of course, every Saturday is Galantamine night. I kind of threw the no-G-until-you-have-a-lucid-without rule out the window. Now it's preferred but not mandatory. It just put pressure on me and I was unable to have a LD. Really though I like to keep my LDSs to a min. It gets really easy to build too much confidence in the supplement and not yourself. It's a fine line I walk.

I've had my focus on WILD/DEILD and SSILD but the last week I started focusing more on MILD. I always turned my nose up to for some reason and barely gave it a chance. I started re-reading EWOLD and noticed the success LaBerge had with it. It was his method that helped him have LDs on demand while in the lab. That got be pretty interested and excited about MILD, really for the first time. The coincidentally a few PM's and forum conversations seemed to start focusing on MILD by surprise. Later I did we forum search for something completely unrelated and pulled up Naiya's MILD write up. She said a few things in there that really did it for me. I've only really used it a few times but my success rate seems promising.

I am still putting effort to WILD on the weekends or days that I get to sleep a little later. The only issues I have with WILD is that is seems to take more time than I have to give it during the week and I try to rush the process. I also have the random disturbances during the night that makes things even more difficult. As far as DEILD I'll always keep that trick up my sleeve. I never know when it will come in handy.  ::D: 

My recall is fluctuating for some reason. I think it's my lack of DJing the NLDs but theres always a time issue. I do at least take down some "cliff notes" upon each awakening if I can make myself. Last night I was exhausted and I just wanted a break. I only recall a brief emotion of a fragment. But that's ok. I'll focus on it the rest of the week.

I set a goal for myself of at least 10 LDs a month. I think I go it so far but I really want to push that to 15 soon. I think I am getting down the phasing thing. And now I plan to work on element control and teleportation. I have been talking to BrandonBoss about element control and I am starting to get real excited about fire bending again. We'll see how that goes.  ::D:  Oh yeah, I was really happy to finally nail down a Task of the Year. I have been trying so hard. I got close with the Rome one but thought Angel Falls would be a little easier for my first try. I think my problem was trying to straight out teleport. I notice that if I don't have something to visually ground myself the dream seems to breakup and I end up waking. I think I need to slowly push towards that and not go so fast. But of course not teleporting requires a longer dream. Stabilization was another thing that I was neglecting. I really focused hard on that the last dream with some interesting results. I'll never look at my front yard sidewalk the same again.

----------


## Xanous

Things have been a little nutty around here the past week. Lots of "stuff" going on in my life. I came down with a minor case of the blues and really was lacking motivation to get lucid. I _think_ I've about cured myself of that. We had a fun night out planned but it got cut a little short so I went on a nice, albeit short bike ride. It was long over due and always perks me up. A little cold still though.  ::blue:: 

Anyway, I noticed several houses in my neighborhood that were a part of past lucids. That house is the zombie house. That house is the September TOTM house. That house had the stupid sign. That house was a gas station. ect. It's really funny how a lot of my lucids end up with me running around my neighborhood half naked doing all sort of craziness. The great thing is it really brings that realism home to my mind. It makes me feel like some sort of transdimensional being creating mischief on the "muggles" (Those who don't know about LDing in this case) by night yet blending in with society by day.  ::lol::  It's like having secret super powers that no one knows about. I know it sounds cheesy but I love thinking that way. Needless to say I am totally juiced up now!
*
Goals*
I'm happy with 10/month. I'd like to see a lucid every other night. But really it's becoming less about count and more about quality.
Seeing how I am at 7 LD's of mixed quality already, I think I am going to shoot for a count *15/month* and at *least 5 of those being higher quality*.

The biggest thing I need to work on is stability, longevity and control. I'm really  going to focus on these 3 things more than my count. Of course, I have to have a high count to work on these things.  ::D: 

*Goals for the rest of March*
***15 LDs - current 7
***5 of 15 high quality - 2 maybe 3 fit the current definition of quality so far
***Create fire from hands
***Create the Sliders Wormhole
***Find the TARDIS and enter it
*DJ EVERY DAY*

----------


## OpheliaBlue

We're totally lucid wizards in a world of non-LDing muggles! Never forget this.

Anyway, I know what you mean about quality vs quantity. Ever since my work schedule went from 3 days a week to 5, it's been harder for me to get lucid. I don't have those luxurious 4 mornings a week to sleep in until I get lucid. But now I'm more focused on getting her done on those days that I do get lucid.

That said, 10 lucids a month is awesome.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> Anyway, I noticed several houses in my neighborhood that were a part of past lucids. That house is the zombie house. That house is the September TOTM house. That house had the stupid sign. That house was a gas station. ect. It's really funny how a lot of my lucids end up with me running around my neighborhood half naked doing all sort of craziness. The great thing is it really brings that realism home to my mind. It makes me feel like some sort of transdimensional being creating mischief on the "muggles" (Those who don't know about LDing in this case) by night yet blending in with society by day.  It's like having secret super powers that no one knows about. I know it sounds cheesy but I love thinking that way. Needless to say I am totally juiced up now!



Ha!  I love the notion of living in a world populated by "muggles".  That's very cute.  I think it's a great reminder that we _do_ look at the world differently.  When you get into LD, you find yourself naturally looking for clues that tip you off that this is reality and not a dream.  You look around, thinking how cool it'd be to fly over that bridge.  Or lift that car.  Or spew fire from your hands.  Or pull Orion's Belt right out of the sky.  Most importantly, I know that I _pay attention_ in a way that I never did when I was a "muggle".

And if you ever forget that LDing sets us somewhat apart from non-LD folk, it's easy to remind yourself of your specialness.  Just try regaling a muggle with tales of how you make tea out of exotic Mexican dream herbs, constantly question your reality throughout the day, and wake up in the middle of the night.   ::lol:: 

Great goals, and as always your lucid performance is outstanding, my man!  Good luck with the rest of the month!

----------


## Xanous

Work ruins everything!  ::mrgreen:: 
Thanks CL I love it!

----------


## Xanous

Goals for the rest of March
*15 LDs - actual 21 *new record
*5 of 15 high quality - exceeded
*Create fire from hands - done
*Create the Sliders Wormhole - done
*Find the TARDIS and enter it - not yet
DJ EVERY DAY - mostly stayed on top of it.

April Goals
Hold at 20 ish LDs
TOTM
TOTY
TARDIS

Im still rotating around SSILD, MILD, WILD. It seems I have a lot of success when I start a new tech but find that if I dont change it up every so often I fail to boredom. I really dont plan to change much this month.... Maybe just need to focus on my daytime practices a little more. I seem to be in a little dry spell. I haven't have a lucid since Sunday morning. Im going to get serious tonight!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great goals, man, and congratulations on such a successful March!





> I seem to be in a little dry spell. I haven't have a lucid since Sunday morning. Im going to get serious tonight!



And we all know what happened to this "dry spell".   ::goodjob::   Too bad you didn't put down as a goal "Jump into a giant bag of Frito's".

----------


## Xanous

April went pretty well. I'm still holding about 20 LD/month. I'd love to have a lucid every night but I'm pretty happy holding it right here.

*April Goals*
Hold at 20 ish LDs
TOTM
TOTY
TARDIS

I still haven't found the TARDIS but I got close to finding the doctor. 

*Things I need to focus on in May*

Teleporting - It seems my wormhole is failing me now but spinning has become an effective way to transition during OBEs. Perhaps I can use that to my advantage.

Darkness - My lucids (mostly OBEs) seem to have a lot of lighting issue.

Using the Void - If/when the darkness wins I can use this empty space to create a new scene.

Memory - My recall has been pretty piss poor in spite of having so many LD's. This morning was a huge struggle to recall the lucid I just woke up from but once I got it started it came easily. I do remember 1-3 dreams per night but I think I could do better. I should probably DJ more but it's hard to make time.

I plan to continue with MILD and WILD techniques. Those two seem to be the most reliable and stable.

----------


## CanisLucidus

Awesome job in April, man.  Twenty LDs!  Seriously, that is amazing.  Gives me a great target to shoot for.  It really does seem like holding it there is right for you, given that you've got a family and full-time job, and most importantly that you're having fun at this current quantity.

I'm going to have to review your famous, epic September Task of the Month from 2012.  For some reason, I keep thinking that you used the TARDIS there to get to the Cretaceous oceans.  But in hindsight, that was just a standard time machine, huh?  (Ha, "standard" time machine!   ::rolleyes:: )

I don't need to tell you that I fully support your "embrace the darkness" goals.   ::goodjob2::   Do we fear the void?  Hell no, we do not.

Have an awesome May!  I'll be keeping an eye on your experiments with spinning.  That's yet another technique that seems really viable once you shed your fear of the void.

----------


## Xanous

Well I felt like I had slowed way down on my LD's this month but I got a *total of 17*. There have been longer periods in-between LDs but I made up for it a few times by hitting 2, 3, or even 4 in one night. I'm pretty OK with that.

I finally found the *TARDIS* in one LD but it wasn't what I was expecting. Allons-y? - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

*Teleporting* is still an issue for me. I've been using crude but effective methods like jumping in car and driving until the dream location morphs into something desirable. That fine and it works but I would like something that doesn't require a device or vehicle. I want to train myself to change the scenery at will. 

*The darkness and the void* is starting to become less and less of a problem. I have been combating that in a couple of ways. The first, is when the dream gets dark I just peer into like I would if it got dark in waking life. I expect to see the last thing I was looking at and usually the lights come back on. However, I can't keep it away for good. It always comes back and I spend a lot of dream time just fighting the darkness. The Second thing I have been doing is day time prep work. I have been rebuilding my awareness practices and focusing on mostly visual sensory awareness. At night when I turn off the lights in the house I imagine everything lit and bright. Basically it's expectation. I know it's dark and I am dreaming so the dream naturally wants to be dark. These methods seem to give me less dreams with darkness but I have had an unexpected byproduct of this.

*My OBE's and WILD/DEILDs have slowed way down*. I think that by projecting my awareness out to the visual environment around me, I trained my subC to forget the second body. I wanted to test the theory so yesterday I went back to my old way of awareness and focused mostly on self awareness. Usually that means focusing on my physical body in an abstract way and I think this translates well for my WILDing style. Don't get me wrong DILD's are fine but I have been reading Robert Monroe's book and I really want to investigate this whole OBE phenomena.

So I think for the month of June I may be focusing less on TOTM and TOTY and more on OBE's and Astral Projection. I would like to prove this to myself one way or the other. If I can consistently get physical information during one of my OBE episodes from the waking world, I'll be a believer. Another thing I have been doing and will continue doing is mutual dreaming. There are a few of us that are playing with this idea and I really think OBE's and mutual dreaming could be close cousins of each other.

So this morning I went for WILD intending to OBE. I was so close. I ended up spending a very long time in the void but I realized that I was waiting for the vibrations. By the time I realized my error I think it was getting too late. Things didn't feel right for transitioning so I started rolling. I did that for about 30 seconds and everything felt good. Then moment I tried to exit I moved my physical body and the whole thing ended. I must always remember that the *vibrations are just noise and not necessary*. I forget this because the vibrations happen to me about 90% of the time. It's the 10% that always gets me. Really at this point I should have just went all visual and waited a little longer. I'm so thick sometimes.

----------


## Sibyline

17, that's a fine score! I'll be watching to see what you come up with to remedy the darkness, as I tend to have the same problem. Right now it's not really an issue, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared for winter.

I'm also interested in your OBE/AP experiment, as well as the shared dreaming. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

----------


## Chimpertainment

Some excellent stuff Xanous! Talk about some motivating experiences, nice!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Awesome month, Xanous!  I'm excited to see where your explorations take you in June.  Just please don't OBE in on me when I'm on the can or whatever.   ::lol::

----------


## Xanous

> Awesome month, Xanous!  I'm excited to see where your explorations take you in June.  Just please don't OBE in on me when I'm on the can or whatever.



Oh this will be top priority now.  :Big laugh:

----------


## Xanous

*Just a quick thought...*

I think Monroe's Technique is a good one but it seems to really be messing me up lately. I've been hitting WILD with no vibrations and I end up waisting the dream by waiting for the vibrations to happen. For me there are two types of WILD. One where the dream just forms around me and one where I go through more SP like sensations and have an "OBE". Monroe really seemed to put a lot of importance to the vibrations to the point that it makes one think the vibrations are absolutely necessary. That's really the wrong way to go about it all. It's just noise Robert! However, I like the way his technique forces focus and intention but the vibrations are not that important. I may tweak this a little or just go back to Laberges twin bodies method. Really, it's good for me to have more than one method to rotate around or I become bored with it and it loses it effectiveness. 

Also, I've been thinking about the reality of OBE's. I think there is the *possibility of gathering waking life information* from within the dream state but OBE's really just seem to be dreams to me. Even the few accounts I read of Robert Monroe's seemed to fit perfectly with what I know about dreams and contradict the reality of OBEs. I guess the illusion is just so strong for some people that they actually believe they are leaving the body. I suppose technically any non physical experience would be "out of body". but I just can't see any of this as literal. Still, I'm going to continue the card experiment for a while. I think with time I will get better at predicting the correct card. Should be lot's of fun!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Thanks, lots of good thoughts there on Monroe!  His material still sounds really interesting, even if it might challenge my preferred (dream)world-view.  So is his technique all about waiting for the experience of vibrations?  I wonder why an experience like this lends itself to OBEs whereas the more traditional WILD causes the formulation of a new dream scene.

I've _never_ experienced vibrations of any kind (at least that I noticed) and I've never WILD'ed into the same location OBE-style.  (Well, once when I WILD'ed from an NLD, but that's so weird I can't count it.   :tongue2: )

I really like your card experiment and I'm glad you're going to still do it every so often.  Even if you reject the literal  notion of an "OBE", you can still have lots of fun playing with experiments like this.

----------


## Xanous

> So is his technique all about waiting for the experience of vibrations?



Yes, It seems so. I don't know if he changes his ideas in his other book but it seems like it's all about inducing the vibrations first. He has a lot of good ideas but that part really throws me off. Lately, I've just been finding myself thrown straight into the dream vibrations or not. I think it's ideas like Monroe's that caused Sageous to really emphasizes the noise being unimportant. It's very misleading but all this was very new to the western world back then. 





> I've never experienced vibrations of any kind (at least that I noticed) and I've never WILD'ed into the same location OBE-style. (Well, once when I WILD'ed from an NLD, but that's so weird I can't count it. )



I just can't imagine this never happening. It's such a unique experience. I really hope it does happen to you at least once in your LDing career!





> I really like your card experiment and I'm glad you're going to still do it every so often.  Even if you reject the literal  notion of an "OBE", you can still have lots of fun playing with experiments like this.



Yeah the card experiment can also be used to prove weather or not information can be be gathered. I think it can as I have done it DC versions of DV people I have never seen IWL, but in my mind that's totally separate from OBE's. And of course, I do go back and forth with my belief of OBE's. I really want OBE's to be real, I just haven't seen anything to really wow me yet. Although, If I had experiences like Monroe did I wouldn't be so skeptical, but based on the number of OBE's and kinds of experiences I have had, I tend to think he fabricated a lot it to sell a book. Who can say for sure? It wouldn't be the first or the last time someone has done that. Yet somehow, I get the notion that lucid dreaming is connected to spirituality or at least activates that part of the brain and it will never cease to amaze me.

----------


## CanisLucidus

> I just can't imagine this never happening. It's such a unique experience. I really hope it does happen to you at least once in your LDing career!



Thanks.  Yeah, I'd love to have the experience.  At the same time, _not_ having vibrations proved to me beyond any doubt that they simply aren't necessary for a WILD.  Some people tend to have them, others don't, and there's just a lot of variety between dreamers.





> Yeah the card experiment can also be used to prove weather or not information can be be gathered. I think it can as I have done it DC versions of DV people I have never seen IWL, but in my mind that's totally separate from OBE's. And of course, I do go back and forth with my belief of OBE's. I really want OBE's to be real, I just haven't seen anything to really wow me yet. Although, If I had experiences like Monroe did I wouldn't be so skeptical, but based on the number of OBE's and kinds of experiences I have had, I tend to think he fabricated a lot it to sell a book. Who can say for sure? It wouldn't be the first or the last time someone has done that. Yet somehow, I get the notion that lucid dreaming is connected to spirituality or at least activates that part of the brain and it will never cease to amaze me.



It's sort of fun _not_ having all the answers.  (Which is good, because we never will with a subject like dreaming.)  Although like you I believe that OBEs are really a specialized type of lucid dream rather than a true journey out of the mortal shell, I believe that the _experience_ of an OBE is absolutely real and no doubt every bit as mind-blowing as its proponents describe.  That makes it special IMO, no matter what it "really is".

----------


## Xanous

*Monthly Update*

Well, it seems my count was cut in half (10) in June. I'm not sure what the cause was probably tiredness and stress. Think there for a while I just got really exhausted doing WBTB every night and not getting quality sleep. I took a little break to rested up and went back to the basics, re-reading some of ETWOLD and refining my techniques. Things seem to be picking back up now.

*OBE's*

I had a few OBE's and I did a little experimentation with the card trick. I think I mentioned this before but keep a playing card blindly placed in the house and if I get the chance to sneak a peak in the dream, I'll then go and check to see if I was right after I wake up. I've been way off but the last time I was really close. I think I saw 9 of diamonds when I was really 7 of diamonds. Maybe it was just luck I don't know. 

It seems to me that my OBEs are just a form of lucid dreaming and nothing more. I do think that it's possible to pull information in the dream state but its really hard to control. I have had a few encounters with other DV members in while lucid and non lucid and have found a lot of similarities in appearance and voice with out prior knowledge. It wasn't until later that I found out and was really shocked how close I was. I'll keep an eye for these thing but I am mostly discouraged from hoping that any kind of OBE or shared dreaming is actually happening though I do believe an exchange of information is possible.

*RLS*

For some reason this time of the year I deal with restless leg syndrome. I've tried over the counter drugs and supplements and some seem to work for awhile but my symptoms quickly return. I don't need to explain how annoying this is for lucid dreaming. One thing I have done last week was drastically cut my caffeine intake back and keep it to early morning hours only. For now it has made all the difference in the whole and I hope it continues. (Knock on wood)

*LDS Dream Enhancers*

I've been experimenting with various lucid aids some of them are really effective and some only work for awhile. Caffeine and mugwort used to be super effective but only seem to be dream enhancers now. Which is the way to look at it after all. I not longer expect the LDS to give me the lucid dream but only act as a dream enhancer and significantly increase my odds. I mean I've always told myself this was the way to be but the whole point of taking them is the get lucid. But now, If the most that happens are some vivid dreams with better recall then it's a win.

The best I have found are Galantamine and Huperzine-A. Though they are super effective, they do seem to desensitize me and I appear to build tolerance even with limiting use to once 1-2 weeks. I've actually been using Galantamine since January and Huperzine since March so it stands to reason that long term use would eventually catch up to me. These supplements have been great but I think it attributed to my dry spell. I began to rely too heavily on them and my techniques got sloppy and lazy. So now that I am rebounding, I think I will cut all cholinergic aids until I have 5 LDs unaided or a month has passed which ever is first. Even then I'll probably cut back on them anyway. I love the effect these bring me but I need to know that I am not dependent on them. I may add a little B6 or menthol here and there but nothing significant. I'm not knocking LDS in anyway. If a person can take them every night and still have lucids then more power to you. This is just my personal preference for now.  ::D: 

*MILD*

I am solely focusing on MILD in July and really going to work on visualization, teleportation and dream building. I like LaBerges style of MILD. I plan to build my prospective memory during the day with RC and RRCs. WBTB will be kept to a minimum only doing it every other night versus every night. On the weekend I'll have longer 30-60min WBTB and use that time to meditate or focus on dream goals.

*Darkness Issues*

I was having darkness issues but thanks to the latest podcast I really have been able to change my thinking on this. Not only is it super effective to "ignore your problems" but I have also learned a lot from observing my NLDs. These dark periods do mean you are waking up or the dream is fading. It's only a transitional phase or a slight blip in the dream. If I can build my visualization skills like I want to I'll be able to use these dark periods to transport myself to whatever location I choose. Or I can even induce the void using something similar Rare Cola's phase teleport idea. I've already made excellent progress in my latest LD. Very exciting stuff!

----------


## Wurlman

It seems u know yourself and the way u work very well! That is a very good report and I'm happy ur no not taking any supplements for awile and taking the natural route... Glad to hear ur RLS is easing that would b tough to WILD with keep up the good work bro!!

----------


## CanisLucidus

Great update, Xanous!  I think you are heading in exactly the right direction.  MILD is such a foundational technique that you really can't go wrong maximizing and honing what you can get out of it.

Taking a break LDS should be a great confidence boost.  Like you said, this is the difference between paying lip service to the fact that the LDS merely act as helpers and showing that you _truly believe_ this.  If and when you do reintroduce these cholinergic aids, you should be in an ideal neurochemical state and frame of mind to make the most of them!

In the final analysis, 10 lucids is still a great month!  Here's to an even better July!

----------


## Xanous

I guess it's ok to go ahead and resurrect this old workbook of mine. Though I've been a DV member for so long, I seem to cycle in and out of focusing on lucid dreaming. I suppose this is normal and OK, but I'm really wanting to get my motivation and inspiration back up. I guess at my age it becomes more difficult to cultivate such a hobby and most don't seem to understand the importance of dreamwork. I consider myself to be a psychonaught and lean towards Buddhist influence in my spirituality (thought I am lacking in this area as well) and I think knowing yourself and cultivation the amount of awareness it takes to become "woke" in the dream state is one of the building blocks to living life to it's fullest potential. It seems I've let a number of distractions lull me away from things that are important and it's time to step back and take a look at it. I'm really not sure where I am going with this workbook or how much I'll post here, Perhaps it's just a reason to log into DV and interact will all of you wonderful lucid dreamers again. Anyway, It's back to the basics for me!

This week I will focus on recalling dreams, making myself start up my DJ again, and logging on DV at least once a day even for just a few minutes.  I always fool myself in to believing that I'll remember the dream later or that recalling in my mind and holding the memory for a few waking hours is enough. I rarely do and it's really not.

Here we go!

----------


## NyxCC

Dude, I'm so happy to see you here and see this workbook resurrected!  :smiley: 

I was recently thinking about the times when we were all active and the many awesome dreams we had. Also, how much I've learned from you and that it really made a difference having you around when I joined DV. 

Similarly to you, I've been distracted from lding due increased workloads and I've come to the point where I feel I really miss and need all those experiences. Maybe we can make a strong support group once again and continue the exploration journey.  :smiley:

----------


## Xanous

Yay NyxCC! Missed talking to you. Yes. I need that support group. It makes all the difference in the world. 

I understand those workloads. My job schedule plus multiple things going on in my life right now has really been a drain. I think together we can push through all that. We just have to get all gung-ho again.  :smiley: 

BTW I recalled two dreams this morning which is slightly better than usual. Perhaps tonight will increase vividness and clarity.

----------


## Xanous

So this week I'm reminded of how proper sleep patterns are really a foundation to dream work. I realized that I really need to focus on getting enough sleep during the week and not just try to catch up on the weekend. My recall has been good but not great. I think I can improve there. The good news is that this morning I slept really late and was able to have a mid level LD!

*Things that hurt my sleep patterns and recall:*

*Going to bed late.* I have been working an hour overtime everyday. It's not really a big deal, but I have fallen into the habit of going in early vs. staying late. I don't always get to bed when I need to because my wife has school all day and works evenings and so getting a 4 year old to bed has been a total challenge especially since we've been living with my wife's mom since the end of June (we sold our house and are in the process of buying a new one).

*Restless legs* This is a huge one. My legs have been calm lately, but I am starting to notice certain triggers that makes it way worse. I recently had a hell week with it due to the fact that I was using a seasoning on my chicken that contained MSG. I got to thinking about it and found from others online that this is a huge trigger. It makes me wonder what else I should eliminate from my diet. I have been really trying to eat clean lately so hopefully I'll be able to keep it a bay.


*Stress* For all the reasons above! I'm trying to meditate more and stay in tune with my spirituality. It's the only thing that really helps.

----------


## bemistaken

Keep it up buddy!

----------


## Xanous

I love that quote in your sig

----------


## bemistaken

> I love that quote in your sig



Don't know if you are talking about me but this is for you (even if you are not)!  ::kiss::

----------


## Xanous

Man... I guess I really dropped the ball here. I haven't given up on my practices. I still strive for them. It's just there are so many life distractions right now. The good news is that I was blessed with a nice LD this morning, so perhaps I'm doing something right. This should fuel my motivation for the coming week.

----------


## NyxCC

Congrats on the ld man! As long as you don't forget about your desire to ld, it should be fine. Do a little something everyday to help re-build that foundation. Your subc will handle the rest.

----------


## Xanous

I tried all weekend to get lucid so I got a little help from my old friend Galantamine and scored two LDs. Still working on my practice and all that though.  ::D:

----------

