Matt1's Workbook

[Matt1]

My name is Matt and I am from the Midwest United States. From time to time (maybe a couple times a year) I've had dreams where I spontaneously realized it was a dream, but much to my disappointment, woke up almost instantly as a result, mainly from excitement. It didn't bother me, I figured it just was not possible to be in a dream and know it was a dream for any length of time. Then, after another of such dreams, I did more reading about lucid dreaming online, and decided to give it all a try. So I started regular reality checks and dream journaling, and got my 1st lucid dream a couple of weeks later. I pursue this hobby because I think it is a great way to make use of time (sleeping) that otherwise would go to waste, unconscious. But mainly, it just is amazing to explore and manipulate a world that is entirely the simulation of the mind. There is nothing like it. I have had 16 lucid dreams so far. The first 3 I got with experimenting with MILD when getting myself woken up by alarm, and the 13 since then have all been DILDs from doing SSILD cycles (and, often, a MILD mantra) when woken up by alarm during the night. I have lately been experimenting with DEILD and/or a quick WILD when very sleepy during the night, I just started this so no success, yet. What I struggle with and have tried to fix: -Length: I have not had any lucid dreams longer than 5 minutes; most are a lot shorter. I rub my hands together intermittently when I remember, but this doesn't always work. I have thought of continuously feeling the dream environment nonstop, but have not tested this yet. -Impulsiveness/failure to remember goals: Often when I get lucid, I get distracted by the scenery or dream characters and fail to even do basic stabilizing. I end up running around and forgetting most of my goals, which typically results in a very short dream. Even if I do stabilize, I often forget my goals. -Noticing details/recall: Not really a big deal, but all of my lucid dreams seem very immersive and real, but when I wake up, I find I cannot remember a lot of the details unless I specifically noted in my mind what I saw. My idea to fix this was to go slowly and mentally take note of more things in each place, but I often am too impulsive and forget to do this. -Control: I really haven't tried much in the way of dream control, so I don't know how it goes for me. Generally my approach has been to examine and interact with what is already there, or to explore around. I did successfully summon my cellphone once however (by looking around where it would be in real life). I would like to get better at dream control however. I believe that is everything I was supposed to put in the intro to my workbook. If you have any questions feel free to ask! I look forward to the class.

[dutchraptor]

Right, the first lesson is up, you can get started whenever you are ready

[Matt1]

Got my first WILD last night! I used FILD as an anchor and transitioned into the dream seamlessly and quickly. Unfortunately I did not do any stabilization and woke up from trying to move or open my eyes or something. But there is potential there for that method I think. I've always been good at falling back asleep quickly, trained from hitting the snooze button a few times before actually getting up. Account: 17th Lucid Dream Next time though I really want to fall backward and then try going through a wall. I don't know if I will find the proper creature needed for task #3, so we will have to see about that one. That kind of thing rarely shows up in my dreams.

[dutchraptor]

Great work The falling through the wall task is definitely a good one to start with, I used to have a lot of problems with it but once you get good at it, it really boosts your confidence and it feels great. Remember to keep this as your no.1 goal for when in a lucid.

[Matt1]

NOOO! The week is over already and I only got the one really short LD! Although last night I did plug my nose and inhale, but that dissolved right while I was doing it before full lucidity. I think I only caught myself waking up. Should I figure on trying the same goals again this week? My sleep schedule was less than ideal this last week, should be better this week though.

[dutchraptor]

Keep focusing on the same goals. Just keep trying, hopefully you will get there

[Matt1]

2 Week Summary (hopefully I followed the format the way I was supposed to) Task no. 1 & 2 Analysis of week[s] I got lucid twice these weeks and was on the verge of lucidity another time. The first dream was a WILD and I apparently didn't stabilize and it ended quickly. The second was a false awakening DILD and went quite well, and was stable and I accomplished my goals, and would have lasted longer had I not been woken by my own alarm! Otherwise I need to put more effort into recall and also finding the right balance between sleepiness and being awake for WILD and SSILD, which balance changes from night to night based on how behind I am on sleep, etc. Dream in which task was completed Once out of bed, I run right through a wall next to the door, which is on the wall perpendicular to the wall it is on in reality. I pass through like it doesn't even exist. On the other side is an identical wall a few feet away, which keeps repeating each time I pass through, although with a slight variation in how far away the next wall is. While doing this I remember that this was one of my goals for my next lucid dream, so I do it a couple more times. I then move on to my other main goal, of falling backwards, and then instead of passing through a wall again, I turn to the right a little into what seems like an empty room, but I don't look around. I let myself fall backwards, which I do until I hit the carpeted floor (like my bedroom which I started in) and stop suddenly. It doesn't hurt at all, but I 'wake up' in bed. Full dream account: 18th Lucid Dream Self reflection I wasn't as mindful during the tasks as I ideally would have been, but I think what I did still shows that I trust that the dream is safe, as I never really knew what was on the other side of the next wall, nor what was behind me when I fell. Plus I had to trust that falling backwards wouldn't hurt in any real way. I do think I was less nervous than before in the dream about what might be around, and it seemed pretty stable.

[Matt1]

Week Summary (well, a little over a week, oh well) Task no. 1 & 3 Analysis of week I only got this one lucid dream. Otherwise, I need to take more time on recall. I spent most of the week trying, and failing, at a technique I am experimenting with involving WILD practicing causing DILDs, but I fell back asleep quickly a lot, so that didn't work. I still think it has potential, but I still need to do the proven techniques. Dream in which task was completed Later I am in the kitchen. I remember my goal to break things of value. Other people are here and I tell them what I am going to do. They don't really want me breaking anything, and I remind them it is a dream. I then begin breaking various vases and plates that are in here. I throw each one on the floor, and part of it breaks realistically, but the largest portion remains unbroken. I pick up a brown one and they want me to skip that one, which I do, and I say that I skipped it just in case I am sleepwalking, although I don't really believe that is a possibility. I move on to my next goal of burning something of value. My memory of this part is not too good, but I am in the basement trying to burn something in the water heater burner. Other random burners fire out of the pipes near here. After this I am not sure what I should do next. I remember the third goal of driving around and smashing things, but I know attempts at driving a car ruined previous lucid dreams (twice). But it is all I can think of, so back upstairs, I go out to the garage while feeling in my pocket for the keys. I slightly feel what seems like the key ring, but I cannot make them appear. ... I finally did it! I back out of the garage and drive straight into the street. The street is not like any specific street in reality. It is wide and has highway lines painted on it, but the lines angle in and out, like there were turn lanes and so forth. The acceleration is unrealistically fast. I slow and turn right. I smash into a few objects, and I also smash into another car, with no damage or impact felt by me. Full dream account: 19th Lucid Dream Self reflection This dream seems to have lasted pretty long, so that is a real improvement. Additionally, control was better than many past dreams since I remembered all three tasks and successfully attempted all of them. I am not counting the burning task as a success, as I do not recall what I put in the fire and was doing it more or less mechanically. The others, through, I knew that I could only do it because it was a dream.

[Matt1]

I've had one lucid dream since my last post, but it was short and I didn't remember any goals. I will post an account later. I am still trying for week 3 goals, but this is a tough week for me. Thanks for your patience.

[dutchraptor]

Hey man how you doing with the week three tasks? Have you got to try any of them yet?

[Matt1]

Thanks for all the help in the course. I did succeed in doing 2 out of 3 tasks for week 3, and was thinking about week 4. But life just got so hectic, I've backslid quite a bit in my lucid dreaming efforts. I have benefited greatly from what I did so far in this course, and I had a couple lucid dreams that were getting quite long and stable, outpacing my dream recall a lot. So I will continue to look back here, but I will have to stop progressing on the course. I need to bring back my recall and heighten my dream awareness once again. But thanks so much for what I have done so far.

[dutchraptor]

No problem man. Good to hear that you improved your stability Thanks for taking part, hope it helped in the long run