Lucid Dream at last, false awakening, was it real?

[MarvinBarrow]

Hi All... After Reading Carlos Castaneda's 'Art of Dreaming' and Robert Waggoner's 'Lucid Dreaming' and several weeks of desiring to lucid dream (after a lull of several months where no lucid dreams happened) finally something initiated one in the early hours this morning. I have some questions/ideas: Some basic elements of what happened. When I realised 'this is a dream', I tried to manipulate the dream, i.e., attempting to fly, lift up or bend the scenery, but nothing happened. So started getting annoyed but remembered to 'calm down' or the dream would end. once I calmed down, everything blacked out and I couldn't see anything though my eyes were wide open, but I was still conscious (I remember thinking about what I read in Robert Waggoner's book about vision black-outs while lucid, also mentioned by Castaneda I believe, so I didn't panic) Then I thought 'maybe I'm just awake but fooled into thinking this is a dream' (I really felt awake), until I noticed that I could feel my body moving about on the bed, but it but I knew the 'dreaming Me' wasn't in bed; although I could feel the body moving I knew I wasn't in there sleeping (very weird, but that's what the thought felt like). Then Tried to Look for my hands (as in the Castaneda books) but although I raised them to my face, could see nothing due to being visually blacked-out. Tried to create some 'proofs' while lucid so when I would awaken I would know I had been lucid (when the false awakening occurred, the proofs were there) On false awakening forgot to reality check, but stood there in the bathroom looking for proof of lucidity and thinking about posting on Dream views. ... then I had the 'real' awakening... I was left wondering what the hell had happened.... was I lucid? was it really a false awakening? it was very confusing... the first thing I did was begin writing a journal, oh and of course, I checked for the proofs I had created whilst believing I was lucid, and they weren't there (I expected to see the word 'View' written in pen at the bottom right corner of the bed; it was there after the false awakening....) and where does one go from here? I have tried to manipulate the dream in the past, but to no effect and notice I get upset and immediately awaken. Also noticed that maybe in the last 5 lucid dreams I had in several months, there are ALWAYS false awakenings, and when I initially starting getting lucid about a year ago, those first dreams ended with 'real' awakenings not false awakenings... what's changed? I will take a look around the forum areas, but this was a little unnerving so I wanted to get it off my chest with others who must had had these odd experiences, just so I know I'm not completely crazy out of my mind (yet) P.s. to top things off my clocks are all wrong today, like even though it is 4pm now in the UK, the internet shop computer I am working at says 8pm, and my Ipod clock says 12:00pm WTF???? (sitting here thinking is this real?)

[ParanoidLlama]

I was left wondering what the hell had happened.... was I lucid? was it really a false awakening? I'd say that you certainly did have a lucid dream and a false awakening. Though when you blacked out your lucidity started slipping away because of the vividness, you were overwhelmed by it. I have tried to manipulate the dream in the past, but to no effect and notice I get upset and immediately awaken. When attempting to control a dream, you have to really expect it to happen. Like expecting to feel food in your mouth when you put it in. Or feeling water when you start drinking. It may not have to come as naturally as those, but something close to that. Of course, that'll require some work. Also noticed that maybe in the last 5 lucid dreams I had in several months, there are ALWAYS false awakenings, and when I initially starting getting lucid about a year ago, those first dreams ended with 'real' awakenings not false awakenings... what's changed? I'm not really sure, but I don't think there's really any pattern in false awakenings. These could have been just chance. Though I'm probably wrong.. P.s. to top things off my clocks are all wrong today, like even though it is 4pm now in the UK, the internet shop computer I am working at says 8pm, and my Ipod clock says 12:00pm WTF???? (sitting here thinking is this real?) Even though none of us can say for sure, you're definitely not dreaming .

[MarvinBarrow]

thanks for the prompt reply ParanoidLlama; Yep, hopefully in future i can stay calm enough to stay completely lucid... this is the first time I blacked out in a dream and remain conscious of it... i think you are right about dream control, maybe i'm trying too big and not believing in the ability... I'm trying to behave like 'Neo' or something, twisting reality with my hands, then when it doesn't work, disappointment, perhaps i should just start with something really ordinary.. Anyway, glad you responded, helped reduce my anxiety a bit; have been reality checking since early afternoon after being totally baffled.