Reality checks are only used at more "opposite" ends of the lucidity spectrum?

**Puffin** · 10-01-2011 01:45 AM

I've had a good number of LDs, and throughout my practices I've realized something about what I do after after becoming lucid. What happens next usually depends on how aware I am in that particular dream. This isn't for all my lucids, but probably a good chunk of them.

In the first scenario, I become lucid, but I'm only semi-lucid. In other words, I'm not fully realizing the extent of being in a dream; I'd guess I'm around 50% aware compared to waking life. I say that I'm dreaming and am pretty conscious, but I don't remember the "need" to do an RC; I don't end up doing one and I simply go right into dream activities.

The next scenario involves me going lucid and being more aware, having about 80%+ of my awareness in waking life. Again, I don't do an RC because even though I'm much more conscious and should be telling myself to do one, I don't even think about doing one. It's as if I'm 100% certain that I'm dreaming right off the hop, even though I should have the clarity of mind to check and "make sure".

In both scenarios, I know that I'm dreaming but I don't think to do RCs in order to confirm this. When I'm in between the two scenarios in terms of awareness, though, that's when I often feel like I have to check.

Does anyone else experience something like this? I think it's rather interesting.

**faceonmars** · 10-01-2011 02:03 AM

RC's are only an option. If you don't need them, why worry? These days, when I do RC in a dream, I find myself 'gravity checking' (AKA How high can I jump?) Most times, however, I just become aware due to some outrageous event that could only occur in a dream.

**Kona** · 10-01-2011 05:45 AM

I experience this a lot Puffin. A lot of my LDs I have had are sort of like your 50% awareness thing. I find it kind of annoying and I sometimes don't even count it as a lucid dream.

**Puffin** · 10-01-2011 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by faceonmars

RC's are only an option. If you don't need them, why worry? These days, when I do RC in a dream, I find myself 'gravity checking' (AKA How high can I jump?) Most times, however, I just become aware due to some outrageous event that could only occur in a dream.

Yeah; I agree, but I don't really "choose" not to do them; I just don't.

I'm finding this incredibly frustrating, but I can't seem to really put into words what occurs during these dreams. It's like I know I'm dreaming, and have a certain type of mental clarity, but lack another type; it's the voice in the back of my mind that says "I might not be dreaming".

Originally Posted by Kona

I experience this a lot Puffin. A lot of my LDs I have had are sort of like your 50% awareness thing. I find it kind of annoying and I sometimes don't even count it as a lucid dream.

I'm not the only one?

I still count most of the semi-lucids I have as, well, LDs, because the reality checks may only be ignored due to a lack of logic or something else. As long as I don't act totally stupid and am close to being non-lucid.

**Kona** · 10-01-2011 06:21 AM

I sometimes tend to act stupid and actually a lot of the times I think dream characters are real people in my dreams and that I shouldn't embarrass myself in front of them. I tend to dip in and out of lucidity but I am getting a lot better at keeping awareness now. It's awesome that I'm not the only one too haha.

**ZoeE** · 10-01-2011 06:43 AM

Do you feel as if some part of your consciousness decided to "believe" it is a dream, and then you were aware of being semi-lucid? Does it lack the thrill of genuine discovery?

I have that feeling. Caveat: I have not had many lucid dreams at all, but the last one was of this quality. It doesn't contain the excitement of gaining real lucidity, but a kind of pretend lucidity, a substitute, an almost dream-dictated lucidity. Which of course is not the trick of it at all. It is almost as if the dream itself is playing a trick on you, getting you to think it is the experience of lucid dreaming when it is a hyped up proxy.

It is a funny thing to share consciousness with unconsciousness.

**Puffin** · 10-01-2011 06:49 AM

They're definitely real LDs, not the "fake" kind in which I only act aware. In the dreams described I become lucid normally, with a sudden onset of genuine surprise and consciousness, and I can feel myself in the dream. All my lucids are like this, but the two specific types of dreams I spoke about in the OP don't involve me caring to do a reality check, because I automatically accept that it's a dream. I consciously know this, but I'm wondering, especially with a higher level of awareness, why I don't think to RC.

**ZoeE** · 10-01-2011 08:40 AM

Ah, thank you for clarifying.
I am just getting acquainted with, and learning about, these distinctions.

When you say it is interesting, which it undoubtedly is, do you incline to be disconcerted about your dream-self's lack of impulse (not lack of discipline, noted) to RC? I understand there is frustration, but only on waking and recall, yes?

**Choi** · 10-01-2011 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by ZoeE

Ah, thank you for clarifying.
I am just getting acquainted with, and learning about, these distinctions.

When you say it is interesting, which it undoubtedly is, do you incline to be disconcerted about your dream-self's lack of impulse (not lack of discipline, noted) to RC? I understand there is frustration, but only on waking and recall, yes?

I would say that reality checking is just a way to learn how to be aware. When you pracctise during the day to do reality checks, you start to associate this action with awareness. I used to count my fingers and see that I had 7 fingers on my hand I just said "Oh just like in the Bruce Almighty movie haha". It was not until I had recalled my dreams a lot and felt the difference of the real world (conscious thought) and the dream world (subconscious thought) that I started to become aware and "really" lucid.
So the awareness of the "state" is the important step, you don't even have to reality check, although it's a good tool.

For example how many of you have become lucid just because of you "felt" it was a dream?
I guess many of you would say yes, anyway you will soon have this experience too.

And to answer you ZoeE:

I haven't had a real full lucid dream where I go and explore adventures and all that fancy stuff either.
So far I have just been in different places and explored them, although I have been fully lucid in those moments. (Feels like reality)
But to kind of motivate you.. Stephen LaBerge, Robert Waggoner, Michael Raduga, etc. It took them YEARS to learn how to attain lucidity and then it took them even more YEARS to learn how to maintain that state perfectly.
Unfortunately it's not something that another person can explain to you how to do, you just have to keep pracctising and get experience and build your own knowledge. It took Robert Waggoner 25 years to learn it... Although he didn't had all the help that you can get here.

I have only pracctised for 2 years and I am already starting to learn how to maintain the state perfectly, and I can stay without stabilising. It's not about that, for me anyway. It's about maintaining the subconsious or dream focus, not by the objects or senses, by the way you THINK.
Hard to explain but that's how it's like for me. Now you have to discover how it is for YOU.

Although I still use stabilisation techniques sometimes, because it's a good association technique.

**Dawnseeker** · 10-07-2011 09:43 PM

In my latest two lucid dreams (a significant part of my LD's :p) I experienced the same thing. I just knew I was dreaming and didn't RC. The anoying thing is that I cannot recall how I figured out I was dreaming. one moment I'm just part of dream and the other moment I'm aware of that I'm dreaming and it is almost as if I knew it all along and only "played" that I didnt know
very weird... but that is what makes dreaming fun

**lawilahd** · 10-08-2011 07:16 AM

I get the same or similar thing happening to me sometimes, as sometimes the dream is just so obviously unrealistic that when I become lucid its like whats the point of RC'ing, other times the dream may not be so unrealistic like it may be something thats physically possible happening but unusual and I do a RC to confirm.