Thread: WILD Problem

I've been practicing WILD's lately, and I've been able to get into SP faster and faster. However, one thing I notice is that once I get into SP, I find it extremely difficult to control my thoughts. I keep on thinking about what's going on in my head and trying to keep my mind clear, and eventually, I just drift out of it, back to reality. Is there any way to help keep my concentration? I got really close to having one last night, my room was just coming into view in the dream and then I just faded out of it. Any help?

Hey Truffles, well may i ask a question that could be why you drift out of SP, when you are in SP do you conscioussly think about it and think to yourself "i'm in SP!!!" because i read somewhere on here that consciouss thought of being in SP can sometimes make you drift out of SP, if its due to this i can only suggest that you concentrate your thoughts on something else. If its not due to being aware of SP then you probably need to set a concrete goal or objective to focus on whilst in SP, for example, when attempting, remind yourself why you are doing it and when in SP just focus on becoming lucid and controlling your dreams, picture that feeling in your mind and focus on it, not too hard or you will lose SP, just keep your mind fixed on it, if you find your mind wandering then just simply clear your mind of everything and start again on concentrating, it should get easier and then take it from there when you get to HI. I hope things go well!

I used to have the same problem as you.

Then I bought a clock. Get one of the ones with a second hand that tick. You can pick them up for about a fiver. Just listen to that and think tick-tock with every second. It focuses your mind well.

WILDing takes an extreme ammount of mental control. if you cant keep your mind clear, then during the transitional phase you will probably get swept away by the dream and wont have a lucid. at least, thats what happens to me when my mind wanders.

Originally Posted by goldney

I used to have the same problem as you.

Then I bought a clock. Get one of the ones with a second hand that tick. You can pick them up for about a fiver. Just listen to that and think tick-tock with every second. It focuses your mind well.

Excellent idea! I used to have a clock like that, but it drove my friends crazy during sleepovers so we took it down. Thanks for telling me this, I think it'll help me a lot tonight! Thanks everybody else also!

Truffles, as so many people have questions just like yours, I've put together my own WILD tutorial based on a posting I did in back in August of 2005. It's posted below.. I hope it helps:

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For me the hardest part of WILDING is keeping my mind occupied on things that won't keep me wide awake (worries, projects, etc.) but on things not so boring that I fall asleep!

To help keep your mind on mundane things instead of things that will keep you awake.. try counting "1-I'm dreaming, 2-I'm dreaming, etc." or use what I call the alphabet method:

I'll think of the letter "a", then picture my picking an apple from a tree (or simply picture an apple), think of the letter "b", then picture a balloon floating on the wind (or simply picture a balloon), etc. until "z" and then start at "a" again picturing something different.

I think it's ok if your mind wanders as long as every so often you bring it back to lucid dreaming (i.e., ask if you are dreaming or state "I am dreaming.. this is all a dream").

I then relax my eyes and my body by slowing my breathing. I mentally talk to my subconscious asking for its help with realizing when I am dreaming so that I can become lucid. I ask for help in reminding me to do reality checks and for help remaining within the dream until I wish for it to end and for help in remembering my experiences.

I continue my breathing until my mind starts to drift and I try to think/direct it to only positive thoughts. I also try to envision/daydream something tactile.. such as horseback riding.. i.e., feeling the reins in my hands, the wind on my face, my legs gripping the saddle, etc. Heck now that I type this, I think next time I'll envision myself playing jacks (throwing the jacks on the ground, tossing the ball in the air, scooping up a jack or jacks and then catching the ball).

NOTE: You also want to say to yourself, "I am dreaming.. this is all a dream" while becoming involved with the daydream.. this way hopefully you will realize you're dreaming if your mind falls asleep along with your body.

If all goes well (and I don't just totally fall asleep), I feel a familiar "shift/falling" sensation and I wait until I feel it ONCE MORE and then I roll on my right side. I seem to fall asleep only I immediately sense that I'm dreaming and do a reality check (be it plugging my nose and seeing if I can breath or looking at my watch twice and seeing if the time changes).

If the reality checks fail, I know that I am dreaming!
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Thanks for the great reply Clairty, but it's not that I can't think about lucid dremaing. I can't stop thinking about it when I'm in SP, I keep on checking where I am in it, etc. Therefore, I keep waking up.