Thread: I've only ld'ed without a reality check.

Did you have any subsequent thought to back up "I am dreaming!"? Or were there any preceding thoughts at all, such as "Wasn't I in bed an hour ago?" or "How did I get here?" You mention seeing all white. . . During the dream, did you associate this at all with "I am dreaming!"?

It could be a spontaneous fluke, which isn't unheard of.

I've had lucid dreams without reality checking to; I just knew I was in a dream. Maybe you're being more aware of your surroundings or something like that in real life. Sorry, that probably wasn't much help.

Originally Posted by Abra

Did you have any subsequent thought to back up "I am dreaming!"? Or were there any preceding thoughts at all, such as "Wasn't I in bed an hour ago?" or "How did I get here?" You mention seeing all white. . . During the dream, did you associate this at all with "I am dreaming!"?

It could be a spontaneous fluke, which isn't unheard of.

Well, I wanted to explain this but didn't want to make the post unnecessarily long, about seeing white and thinking "I am dreaming." The two happened at the same time - the everything-becoming-white didn't make me think I was dreaming, just as thinking that I was dreaming didn't cause everything to go white. They just happened together, which to me means they're related. It could be a dream sign for me going lucid, since it's happened twice out of three lucid dreams, but I brought it here for everyone else to help me with because I had no preceding thoughts. I didn't think anything just before it outside of what I was thinking in the dream.

In terms of subsequent thoughts, the most recent event of lucidity came in the form of the white surroundings and "I am dreaming", but right after I asked myself in my thoughts if I was asleep, or just awake, with my eyes closed. Everything remained white. I tried to convince myself I was still asleep, despite how life-like it felt, but couldn't hold the connection long enough to do anything in the dream, and woke up.

I'd like to think it's isn't a fluke, simply because I've had two identical experiences this way, and of all three, none were provoked. I think the first experience I ever had was a MILD, since I don't recall actually having a dream just before seeing the white and going lucid, but couldn't hold that connection long enough, and woke up from that.

Originally Posted by sora12

I've had lucid dreams without reality checking to; I just knew I was in a dream. Maybe you're being more aware of your surroundings or something like that in real life. Sorry, that probably wasn't much help.

Any input is appreciated, don't apologize for making an attempt! I've been thinking about sleeping and dreaming and lucid dreaming like no other since I first learned about it on the 3rd, so I'd say that my consciousness during dreaming could be improving.

None of my lucid dreams have been from reality checks. I can always just tell when I'm dreaming. Some methods are just easier for different people I guess.

I tend to use reality checks to just support a conclusion that I'm already dreaming. It's always something else that makes me suspect or even fully believe I'm dreaming. DILDing without reality checks is not weird, though - I've done it, and sometimes just thinking about the concept of lucid dreaming in any form is enough in itself to induce a DILD.

I usually go lucid without a RC too. I just get a "presence" when I go lucid. hahaha.

Originally Posted by innerspacecadet

I tend to use reality checks to just support a conclusion that I'm already dreaming. It's always something else that makes me suspect or even fully believe I'm dreaming. DILDing without reality checks is not weird, though - I've done it, and sometimes just thinking about the concept of lucid dreaming in any form is enough in itself to induce a DILD.

So, what you're saying is what I'm experiencing is just some type of DILD that doesn't have an easily identifiable trigger? And yes, I've succeeded in a MILD once, which I've been practicing since that seemed to be the closest to what I've been able to do so far.

And to everyone else, thank you for all your comments and shared thoughts/experiences, I don't feel like I'm doing something wrong anymore.

I've had around 12 good lucid dreams. I'd say about 10 of them didn't involve any reality checks whatsoever.
It's a feeling that comes on like a hard cough or a sneeze, you feel something rising in you. Then BAM! you realize, "Hey I'm dreaming, duh."

The white flash didn't induce his dream. The white flash usually happens after you realize you are dreaming. The white flash, and the amazing feelings always happens when I start to go lucid.

Originally Posted by Motumz

The white flash didn't induce his dream. The white flash usually happens after you realize you are dreaming. The white flash, and the amazing feelings always happens when I start to go lucid.

Correct, it just happens at the time of realization.

Originally Posted by Clyde Machine

So, what you're saying is what I'm experiencing is just some type of DILD that doesn't have an easily identifiable trigger? And yes, I've succeeded in a MILD once, which I've been practicing since that seemed to be the closest to what I've been able to do so far.

Yeah, I'd say it's probably a DILD without an easily identifiable trigger. Sometimes I forget what my trigger was by the time I wake up from the dream, if not earlier. In fact, I find it almost weird that I was pretty much able to remember the trigger of every full-length DILD I've had since I started hanging around here again. My vague memory tells me that more often than not I forgot the trigger back in the day.

Originally Posted by innerspacecadet

Yeah, I'd say it's probably a DILD without an easily identifiable trigger. Sometimes I forget what my trigger was by the time I wake up from the dream, if not earlier. In fact, I find it almost weird that I was pretty much able to remember the trigger of every full-length DILD I've had since I started hanging around here again. My vague memory tells me that more often than not I forgot the trigger back in the day.

Well, that provides further insight and reassurance for me, though I'm not convinced I'd forgotten what trigger it was for each LD; I remembered two of those three incidents with very vivid clarity.... I suppose I should collect more data on how I LD (meaning I'll need to LD more this month) so I can further investigate.

Originally Posted by Moose

It's a feeling that comes on like a hard cough or a sneeze, you feel something rising in you. Then BAM! you realize, "Hey I'm dreaming, duh."

Exactly. It's feels a bit like adrenaline rush or a sudden rise in testosteron level.

Originally Posted by yonjuushichi

Exactly. It's feels a bit like adrenaline rush or a sudden rise in testosteron level.

You know, I kinda know what you're talking about - the first time I LD'ed, it was very short, but I knew what it was because of the feeling. Here's the bit in my DJ about it:

"...I recall seeing white everywhere - and instantly recognized I was dreaming. When I did, I had a sensation of having pressure from the atmosphere around me relieved, and I opened my eyes from realizing I wasn't awake."

I know exactly what the OP is talking about. I don't have a single LD that was triggered by me RCing. I do RCs to check to make sure it's a dream after I become lucid, but I just "know" that I'm dreaming when I'm in a LD.

I don't get any "BAM!" moments either. I don't think I've ever remembered what happened before I became lucid. It is usually a seperate, broken dream. I'll just all of the sudden be there... and lucid.

Well, after a little research I did yesterday and just last night, I've just experienced a typical DILD, so I appear to be doing things correctly.

Thanks for all the comments, everyone! Good luck LD'ing, I just had the best LD I've ever had last night, along with attempting (and maybe completing) my first TotM!