Need help from experienced dreamer

[ChaseBlackwell44]

Hey everyone! So, I've only been activly attempting lucid dreamining for about three weeks, and as far as I remeber, I have never experienced a lucid dream in my life. That being said, last night before going to sleep, I attempted a WILD technique where you count to yourself, "One, I'm dreaming...Two, I'm dreaming" and so on. I made it to around thirty-eight and lost the ability to conciously focus on counting anymore. More or less a minute after I stopped counting, I found myself gaining conciousness while my body went to sleep. The feeling was exhilerating and my heart raced while I counted excitedly, "Seventy, I'm dreaming!...Eighty, I'm dreaming!" When I calmed down a few seconds later, I found myself facing a darkness filled with low-level geometric visions. Being concious, I attempted to look down at my hands, but nothing appeared. Approximatly thirty seconds within this state, the geometric images began to fade and I gave up and drifted off to sleep. I don't have a specific question, I would just like someone with experience to analyze the situation and tell me what happened and what I should do next time to possibly initiate a lucid dream. Thanks!

[phoenelai]

Hey everyone! When I calmed down a few seconds later, I found myself facing a darkness filled with low-level geometric visions. Being concious, I attempted to look down at my hands, but nothing appeared. Approximatly thirty seconds within this state, the geometric images began to fade and I gave up and drifted off to sleep. I don't have a specific question, I would just like someone with experience to analyze the situation and tell me what happened and what I should do next time to possibly initiate a lucid dream. Thanks! First off welcome to DV. I'm not going to comment on your technique there's no right or wrong answer. What I can tell you is that you're on the right path, especially when you saw the HI's (hypnogogic) images or what you called low level geometric shapes. HI' can assist in WILDS or wake induced lucid dreams. Keep focused on those images they can become very real and you'll realize you're in a dream.

[seeker28]

I am not an expert on sleep stages, etc. But to me it sounds like SP (sleep paralysis) with HI (hypnogogic imagry). SP is a safety mechanism our body uses to make sure we don't get up and act out our dreams. Basically it keeps our body in bed during sleep. HI is the images and sounds (sometimes) that go with SP. SP occurs when we first fall asleep, and sometimes (like when you WILD) it can occur while we are still aware. From what I understand VERY FEW people enter an actual dream state immediaty after falling asleep for the night. Generally the first dream will occur after a while (I can't remember if it is an hour and a half or what). So attempting to WILD before you've had any sleep usually will not be sucessful. That is why a WILD is done part-way through the night or during a nap. You were sucessful at staying aware and getting through SP, so you should have good luck with WILDs in the future. Next time get some sleep before trying to WILD, or WILD during a nap. Good Luck!!

[phoenelai]

I am not an expert on sleep stages, etc. But to me it sounds like SP (sleep paralysis) with HI (hypnogogic imagry). SP is a safety mechanism our body uses to make sure we don't get up and act out our dreams. Basically it keeps our body in bed during sleep. HI is the images and sounds (sometimes) that go with SP. SP occurs when we first fall asleep, and sometimes (like when you WILD) it can occur while we are still aware. From what I understand VERY FEW people enter an actual dream state immediaty after falling asleep for the night. Generally the first dream will occur after a while (I can't remember if it is an hour and a half or what). So attempting to WILD before you've had any sleep usually will not be sucessful. That is why a WILD is done part-way through the night or during a nap. You were sucessful at staying aware and getting through SP, so you should have good luck with WILDs in the future. Next time get some sleep before trying to WILD, or WILD during a nap. Good Luck!! Very much agreed with Seeker! My WILDS are middle of the night (3AM) gets some sleep wake up after 3 hours or so then focus on the HI's and try to WILD if you choose that technique. At the beginning of the night you're body is too tired and will just knock out for a couple of deep sleep periods or NREM. Later in the morning hours you'll be more alert and on a lighter sleep ready to ride the waves of conciousness.

[Robot_Butler]

It sounds like you were so close. I would agree with Phoenelai and Seeker. It sounds like your technique worked really well, but you didn't have any dream to enter. Thats probably why you ended up in that amazing trance like state with the geometric shapes. If you try that same technique after a couple hours of sleep, your body will be close to a REM period, and you can wind up in a dream instead. You said you've been trying to lucid dream for a couple weeks. Have you had a chance to check out the tutorials section? http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...splay.php?f=25 There are a few good guides (that I suspect you've already read) on WILD techniques, and some information on how Wake Back to Bed Works. There are lots of experienced dreamers around, so I doubt you'll have a hard time finding help. If you do run into any questions, feel free to send a PM.

[ChaseBlackwell44]

Thanks for all of the responses, they were very helpful! So, I attempted a WBTB this morning. I went to sleep at 1:30am and woke up at 8am. After that I stayed up, ate breakfast, and went back to sleep around 9:30. I entered sleep paralysis, it was my first TRUE time doing that, the feeling is unmistakable, and intense to say the least. I stayed calm though, and entered a dream about with me and my dad. The dream quickly erupted into an argument and him slamming me up against a door (lol)...I got so frustrated that I began using an invisible hammer to destruct the door. However, as soon as I did this, the dream went away and it was just me and the hammer not really destructing anything...just emulating the feeling of swinging a hammer. I quickly twirled away into another dream. This time, I began to envision a dream body, and the images of the dream began to appear. I focused on the dream body and the next thing I knew I was in the body looking at a room (not my room) filled with vivid, Lego-like colors (Lego red, yellow, etc.) Outside of the window, I saw a police SUV drive by. The dream quickly began to fade, and despite my best effort to rub my hands together, I woke up. Any thoughts?

[phoenelai]

Really great success on that one. Way to go! You've got all the ideas in place to continue great lucids.

[Robot_Butler]

Holy smokes, that went well. My only advice would be to do it again! Nicely done with the twirling and the dream body switching. Seems like you are doing well remembering all your tricks in the dream.

[ChaseBlackwell44]

Alright cool...so this was lucid right? I had no control and couldn't even make my body move or anything. Pretty cool experience nonetheless.. Do they get easier?

[Robot_Butler]

The more familiar you are with the weird feeling of being lucid, the easier they get. Thats a pretty good one for your first successful WILD. It sounds like you got a good feeling for that vague inbetween sleep and waking stage. Did you maintain awareness while you were dreaming of your dad? Or was it only after you found yourself alone with the invisible hammer? You twirled to another dream, so I'm assuming you were lucid at that point at least.

[ChaseBlackwell44]

No, I was not concious. Well, maybe slightly subconciously concious if that makes sense. The hammer is what makes me think that, I guess. But the real conciousness came in the transition to the lucid type dream. During the first dream with my dad, there was a digital clock in the living room and I wish I had reality checked with it, especially considering it's not there in real life

[luciddream]