edge of lucidity

I haven't logged onto this site for so long! Anyway last time I was here the question "was this a lucid dream," (you should know why this is silly,) was asked a lot and there was a lot of confusion and misunderstanding which I decided was probably just young people. Anyway here's hoping stuff changed and that someone can relate to this or give some insight.

I haven't put much thought into LDing lately, but with summer coming I want to go hard at it, and hopefully I can have at least one lucid experience. In the past though whenever I would start logging dreams my recall would increase greatly and I would remember such unique, surreal, amazing dreams. My dreams were great memories and had some beautiful atmospheres or scenes, so much so that the fact that I wasn't becoming lucid didn't bother me. I did have one though. It only lasted long enough for me to run from the front of my house to the back, but it was so bright and so real, and cut short due to excitement. I would love to have an experience like that lasts a bit longer... The possibilities!!!

But a weird phenomena always happened when I was in that 'hunt mode' for lucid dreams. I'd always be on the verge, the very edge of lucidity. A very often occurrence in my dreams was me saying things to myself like "i'm dreaming," "i'm lucid," "i know i'm dreaming." But it wasn't a fully lucid dream, I wasn't "awake" in my dreams. I don't know if my mind was teasing me or if I actually was partially conscious but I feel like I made a wrong turn over and over, I did the reality checks right but didn't use them to wake myself up. I think once I get my recall up again I may try FILD or something simpler to just get lucid once more. But DILDing let to some confusion and torment in these weird dreams. Still though, dreams mane. Shits nice.

I don't know if you've ever heard of the "layers of lucidity", but if not, you may find it helpful. In every lucid dream you can have different levels of awareness, or consciousness if you will. Reecejones87 made a series of videos on Youtube explaining each layer thoroughly, but I can sum it up to give you an idea.

Layer 0 would include dreams which give you clues about lucidity, for instance, you may see the phrase "lucid dream" written somewhere, you may be on Dreamviews, or anything that implicitly tells you about lucidity, but you wouldn't become lucid.

A layer 1 dream would be like the one you had, in which you become lucid and immediately wake up because of the excitement.

Layer 2 lucid dreams may be what you've been experiencing, you know you are dreaming but you don't really realise what that implies, you have a low level of consiousness.

In layer 3 lucid dreams you would be a bit more aware than in layer 2, but still not able to do everything you want.

Layer 4 is the highest. In this layer you are completely aware that you are dreaming and you know perfectly what this means. The dreams are vivid and you have full control over them.

It's brief, but I hope this helps you! Keep it up, I'm sure you're on the right track ;)

I see what you mean there. I was thinking about this since I had this last night and the night before. I became suddenly aware of my tactile feeling. In my leg to be precise. And I realized I must be lucid, but I never got totally aware.
I thought this was because I didn't do a RC, but I guess even that doesn't necessarily help. If this is the layer thing you said, then what should one do to go up a layer?

For me so far, RCing gives me awareness. In dreams that I haven't done any RC, my lucidity is weak, easy to lose, and I don't have much control. When I remember, I do a couple of RCs (personally, I always do the nose-pinch and count my fingers, in case one fails) and I put all my attention to it. When I'm done, I take a moment to think of what being lucid means, like the fact that nothing can hurt you and you can confront violent dream characters and make friends with them, if you find yourself being attacked. This alone works quite well for me. To add extra vividness, I normally say the phrase "clarity now" aloud a couple of times. I once heard it worked, and for me it does. Other people say touching things helps them get anchored in the dream, but I haven't tried this.

Well, I don't know that much about stabilisation, but if I were you I would start with something like this and see if it goes well. The more aware you manage to be, the higher the level of lucidity.

To the point of almost realizing your dreaming is a buildup to the point you actually know your dreaming, its a lot easier to sit back and figure something out in a different frame of mind than it is to continue not been able to figure it out in the same frame ,,,, chill out my friend your thoughts in your dreams are yours and yours only.. you are a god , creator of everything , even a thought,,hence yours and yours only***** only you will know the truth and other peoples*****