Thread: Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD)

Hello.

This is my first post in the forum. Today was my 52nd day in my dream journal since I started my attemps in LD. I had a good LD in my day 13th day with WILD (but a little short) and another one really short. Since then, no more LD.

I started trying SSILD 11 days ago, without any ressult. I have read all the post in the thread, but I don't know why I dont get any results. I have tried all your ideas and solutions.

Normally I go like this:
-I try to have dinner soon, at 8.00 or 9.00 (in Spain that's soon)
-I go to sleep 10.30 / 11.00
-I wbtb at 3.30 / 4.00 go to bathroom, walk al little bit about (5 / 10 min)
-I do the cycles, fast cycles and later slow cycles. Sometimes I have dificulties for finish the 4th and sometimes I do 6 or more. But normally I try to stay at 4.
-I am pretty sure that I didnt have any FA.



Sometimes I fall asleep soon, but other times, after the cycles its difficult to sleep. I try to find a good balance for the time in the wbtb.
But I think that I did it ok sometimes, and no ressults.

Normally I wander a lot and forget the technic and I have to start again the last cycle. I would say that I dont get any wierd sensations and I dont get any trance state.
On the other hand if I try normal WILD, I get all those weird feelings.

I will continue trying this techinic because I like it. But I dont know what I am failing at.

Thank you.

NOTE: I am sorry for my english

EDIT: I re-readed the tutorial and made a little attemp for a nap. I realised that when I focus on vision and hearing, I do it too strongly. Even if I think I am relaxed I make little bit of tension in the eyes muscles and muscles around ears. I have tried to relax completetly my faces muscles and I think thats going to be an important factor. But I find difficult to relax completely my eyes, I still make little movements, especially when I change from sense to another one.

¿any tip for the eyes?

Originally Posted by vuduchild

But I find difficult to relax completely my eyes, I still make little movements, especially when I change from sense to another one.

¿any tip for the eyes?

Little movements of the eyes are fine if you don't become concerned about the little movements. If you become concerned about moving them that can throw you off course. Perhaps practice relaxing your eyes during the day in a seated or laying position...you can even do a few cycles to get the feel for it when you have your full mental faculties (during the middle of the night when they can be a little weak for most people, but that is when you need to do the actual cycles of course). Are you still actively working on LD fundamentals during the day? You may have been more active doing that early on when you had your success. That can help with your overall mindset going into these cycles and on into the dreams. By the way, my success rate seems to be higher when I have trouble going back to sleep (eventually getting back to sleep and either DILDing or WILDing). The success rate is lowest when I go to sleep too quickly not finishing the cycles but it has worked that way as well.

Hello.

Thank you for your response. Actually, with this I realised that I have an eye relaxation problem. Even when I got to sleep and dont try LD. I think its because I spend a lot of time with the computer and that stresses my eyes. Only for closing the eyes I make effort. And some times if I try to relax the eyelids I open my eyes not wanting to.

But when i do the wbtb I find easier to relax my face and eyes. I think its a good thing to have discover this because now I find more relaxing all the SSILD cycles. And now I have new hopes for this technic.

At the beginning when I started LD, I was much more motivated, but if you dont get good results regularly its difficult to maintain this motivation. Is for that I like this technic.

I will tell you if I get some good results.

Thank you.

Not good results so far. I will try in my natural sleep position. And maybe I take a rest, maybe I am a little bit obsessed.

One question: If I wake several times in the night, can I make SSILD every time?

I have not read this entire thread so forgive me if this has been asked before. Has there been any discussion on the quality and length of the LDs produced by this method? Reason I ask is, quite a few posts mention only very brief LDs. Personally after trying this for 2 nights, I got an FA on the first night, and a very short low-level LD the second night. I am just wondering if the LD quality and length is affected by this method and if so, can this be improved with a lot of practice.

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working. I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

Originally Posted by vuduchild

One question: If I wake several times in the night, can I make SSILD every time?

It is better for any awakenings after ~4.5 hours of sleep and I believe the author suggests a different procedure for subsequent awakenings where you just imagine your head sinking back into the pillow (or body sinking into the bed)...but I have used it on more than one awakening.

Originally Posted by skywatcher

I have not read this entire thread so forgive me if this has been asked before. Has there been any discussion on the quality and length of the LDs produced by this method? Reason I ask is, quite a few posts mention only very brief LDs. Personally after trying this for 2 nights, I got an FA on the first night, and a very short low-level LD the second night. I am just wondering if the LD quality and length is affected by this method and if so, can this be improved with a lot of practice.

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working. I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

I used SSILD during most of my successful LD attempts so it was used way more than a couple of times, but I think it was only one piece of the overall puzzle for me. It can bring on FAs but I don't think it shortens the length of your LDs as I find varying lengths and think that you just need a stabilizing technique if you are finding them too short...just one opinion though.

Originally Posted by vuduchild

Not good results so far. I will try in my natural sleep position. And maybe I take a rest, maybe I am a little bit obsessed.

One question: If I wake several times in the night, can I make SSILD every time?

I have posed that question and i think cosmiciron's answer was like « yes, most definitely»

Originally Posted by skywatcher

I have not read this entire thread so forgive me if this has been asked before. Has there been any discussion on the quality and length of the LDs produced by this method? Reason I ask is, quite a few posts mention only very brief LDs. Personally after trying this for 2 nights, I got an FA on the first night, and a very short low-level LD the second night. I am just wondering if the LD quality and length is affected by this method and if so, can this be improved with a lot of practice.

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working. I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

As folgelbise said, both quality and length are variable, not only with SSILD of course. After the problem of induction, it's the second one for most people. So it's only natural you are facing it

As to the second question, i can only tell about my experience. It works regularly for me, but i only do SSILD with the purpose of WILDing, which is something that has a more linear learning curve

Originally Posted by VagalTone

After the problem of induction, it's the second one for most people.

Agreed

As to the second question, i can only tell about my experience. It works regularly for me, but i only do SSILD with the purpose of WILDing, which is something that has a more linear learning curve

Agreed, it can be different for WILDs. The first 50 or so times I used it for DILDs and then I started finding myself retaining awareness into the dream and getting some WILDs. I am not sure when I would have started trying WILDs without SSILD. I feel you still need strong day time practices in order to make the most of the technique. Wow, 34 pages of this thread...

Thanks VegalTone and fogelbise for your replies. I was surprised at the low quality and short length of my LD with this method so I was hoping it was not something intrinsic to this method. In the past, my LDs were longer and I had much more control. But, I am just getting back into LDing after a year of not trying so I suppose I just need to shake the dust off a bit and work on stabilizing the LDs. I'm glad to hear you are having quality LDs with this method; it gives me hope for trying to use this method.

I've tested this method for a week now and thought I would post the results.

3 DILDs in three mornings out of seven.

The reason it's interesting for me is because I rarely have DILDs, maybe once every few years which peaks my interest in lucidity again. The last few months I have had the occasional DEILD but that's it. I tried to WILD pretty much since I joined this site, every night, but only managed a few times so gave up.

The lucids I had were very clear, but not hugely long, perhaps because I had been dreaming for some time. The last one I managed to boss my DC's around, which I didn't know was possible!

I'm really curious as to why this method works. I tend to use it with a vague mantra of look, listen, feel, otherwise I fall asleep too fast, but mantras never worked for me in the past.

I'll keep testing this in case this was a fluke, but so far so promising.

Might I be failing because the timing? I mean, I always get awake naturally during the night several times. Is it possible that it is better to interrupt a REM cycle with an alarm and later try the ssild?

Originally Posted by vuduchild

Might I be failing because the timing? I mean, I always get awake naturally during the night several times. Is it possible that it is better to interrupt a REM cycle with an alarm and later try the ssild?

I have always managed to do it after natural awakenings.
It should be fine if you use the recommended timing.

Originally Posted by skywatcher

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working. I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

I use it sporadically now. It's no miracle technique for me. About three LDs max from it, I'd say. It can increase my dream vividness and continuity but even that effect seems to have worn off a lot.

Ive tried this technique and the first night i tried, it worked (realised i was dreaming) so i will definitely pursue this technique further. However, since then ive struggled to find the balance between being too awake and consequently taking ages to fall asleep again, or being too sleepy, and struggling to do the cycles properly. What are your thoughts on this cosmic iron?

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, although I have been reading the forum for several months now .
I became interested in lucid dreaming about 8 months ago without much success. I tried different techniques, but until Two weeks ago I had only 5 LD, 1 min each. Two weeks ago I learned SSILD and since I had five additional LD and dream recall improved dramatically! (love you Cosmiciron!!).
Without a doubt I'm going to practice this technique.
One problem, I'm not sure its even related to the technique, my LD are very short, ten to fifteen seconds! It's so frustrating. I read the guides on the stabilization but still no improvment.
Do you think my problem is related to SSILD ( had much longer dreams when Dild) ,I'd love to hear your opinions,
thanks.

Originally Posted by Elrond

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, although I have been reading the forum for several months now .
I became interested in lucid dreaming about 8 months ago without much success. I tried different techniques, but until Two weeks ago I had only 5 LD, 1 min each. Two weeks ago I learned SSILD and since I had five additional LD and dream recall improved dramatically! (love you Cosmiciron!!).
Without a doubt I'm going to practice this technique.
One problem, I'm not sure its even related to the technique, my LD are very short, ten to fifteen seconds! It's so frustrating. I read the guides on the stabilization but still no improvment.
Do you think my problem is related to SSILD ( had much longer dreams when Dild) ,I'd love to hear your opinions,
thanks.

SSILD is known (in my opinion) to give very short lucids. But if Cosmic keeps using this technique, there must be more to it. You could try to PM him, maybe?

Also, welcome to Dream Views!

Originally Posted by AstralMango

SSILD is known (in my opinion) to give very short lucids. But if Cosmic keeps using this technique, there must be more to it. You could try to PM him, maybe?

Also, welcome to Dream Views!

thank's
sure hope ill be able to have much longer dreams with ssild, i love this technique.

Originally Posted by Elrond

thank's
sure hope ill be able to have much longer dreams with ssild, i love this technique.

Not sure if CosmicIron will be back. I have had long LDs (and many medium length LDs) the same night I used the technique. I think it just takes most people time and experience to increase their average LD time, regardless of the technique.

Originally Posted by LFairweather

Ive tried this technique and the first night i tried, it worked (realised i was dreaming) so i will definitely pursue this technique further. However, since then ive struggled to find the balance between being too awake and consequently taking ages to fall asleep again, or being too sleepy, and struggling to do the cycles properly. What are your thoughts on this cosmic iron?

That is something that takes trial and error (and struggle for some including me early on) to find that balance. The good news, and others have confirmed this, is that when it does take longer to get back to sleep, the odds of having an LD go up...assuming that you stay on track and don't get frustrated and assuming that you do get back to sleep of course.

Originally Posted by fogelbise

Not sure if CosmicIron will be back. I have had long LDs (and many medium length LDs) the same night I used the technique. I think it just takes most people time and experience to increase their average LD time, regardless of the technique.

Whoa, really? I thought it gave short lucids for some reason haha. So it's not the technique but it's the other factors, like stabilisation and awareness?

Just had a false awakening after trying this last night.... I love this technique because it always produces some sort of result for me.
I dont usually have any false awakenings so that was a new experience for me.

Originally Posted by AstralMango

Whoa, really? I thought it gave short lucids for some reason haha. So it's not the technique but it's the other factors, like stabilisation and awareness?

Sorry, I just saw your post AstralMango...yes, that is definitely what I think. Of course if you have that idea already lodged in your subconscious then you might be better off using other methods that you find successful. Good luck!

Originally Posted by LFairweather

Just had a false awakening after trying this last night.... I love this technique because it always produces some sort of result for me.
I dont usually have any false awakenings so that was a new experience for me.

Nice, and with practice, you can catch the false awakenings, you can turn them into lucid dreams!

I've always wondered if, when it takes you ages to get back to sleep after SSILD, it's the WBTB that's led to success rather than SSILD technique.

Originally Posted by Elrond

thank's

What the bloody hell has that word got an apostrophe on it for?

Originally Posted by Bobblehat

I've always wondered if, when it takes you ages to get back to sleep after SSILD, it's the WBTB that's led to success rather than SSILD technique.



What the bloody hell has that word got an apostrophe on it for?

maybe, although that doesn't explain the results when you fall asleep really quickly.

Originally Posted by tofur

maybe, although that doesn't explain the results when you fall asleep really quickly.

Yes, I know. That's a different matter.