Thread: CanisLucidus' Workbook

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Thanks!!

I think you're right on with your thoughts on DEILD. When you hop from lucid to lucid, you do take that greater sense of awareness and usually much sharper dream recall. Recalling my non-lucids always seems to take a few seconds of pondering and almost "copying" the experience back into my short-term memory. With lucids, it feels like it's already there.

I find that your advice to "not think too hard" applies to so many situations in lucid dreaming. I don't know if it's the same for others, but just the thought of having a lucid dream can make my heart pound. Like right now! There it goes! This is fun but not exactly what I need "in the moment". What worked for me with DEILDing was allowing myself to gently fall back into my imagination and slip back into sleep. It's like you said -- you don't think about doing it. You have to just do it.

Let's hope practice makes perfect. Many thanks for the advice.

I definitely agree. I always seem to have my lucid dreams when I'm not really expecting to have them and it just comes naturally. If I start thinking about the whole thing too much, I fail.

Originally Posted by RareCola

I definitely agree. I always seem to have my lucid dreams when I'm not really expecting to have them and it just comes naturally. If I start thinking about the whole thing too much, I fail.

Yeah. In many ways, it's a fine line. On one hand, overthinking, worry, and obsession are detrimental to the lucid dreamer. On the other hand, knowing and expecting that you can and will have lucid dreams is something all the top-notch dreamers have in common.

I'm still a novice, but as best I can tell it's the difference between quiet confidence and fretful obsession. As I gain experience I'll probably be able to slice it more finely than that, but for now it seems like a reasonable goal post to shoot for.

I attempted the Task of the Month last night in lucid dream #15! It was a failure but I did at least see the ocean from afar. I also managed to slowly float up for the first time (rather than jumping around like The Incredible Hulk.) Trouble is, the wind just started blowing me around!

This is the Dream Journal entry.

Technique Update
The past few days I have been trying a new technique. I've given SSILD a good run and it's gone well but I am interested in exploring my own ideas. These involve learning to recognize when I am using my imagination. This is a combination of:

1. All Day Awareness
2. Recognizing when I engage my imagination or slipping into some sort of waking reverie. "Take control" of these experiences as one would a lucid dream.
3. Oreoboy1996's Daydream Awareness Technique, which involves visualizing the LD you wish to have when falling asleep (as well as other times throughout the day.) You behave just as you would in an LD. Very fun technique.

I'm on my fourth day of attempting this technique and I'll continue it for a minimum of two weeks. (Much longer, I expect, because this approach is a lot of fun.)

Dream Goals Accomplished:
-Float to a great height gently rather than jumping

Goals for September:
-Complete a Task of the Month. (Either is fine but "Cretaceous" sounds like serious fun.)

What an interesting approach to awareness. I'd love to see the progress on this.

I caught sight of my feet last night in a dream and briefly became lucid when I saw that they looked purple and distorted, almost as if they were afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. I got excited and woke up in less than 3 seconds, though, so not really a proper lucid dream. I attempted a DEILD (holding the image of my crippled troll-feet in my mind) but just couldn't fall straight back asleep.

I had a second crack at a DEILD when I woke up from another dream w/ full recall and closed eyes. I had a very vivid (if somewhat boring) image to hold in my mind but was again just a bit too "amped" to fall asleep fast enough.

So close!

Lucid dream #16 last night!

The good news is that even though I got kicked into darkness the moment I became lucid, I was able to eventually thrash my way out into a legitimate, high-def dream scene. That's been a source of trouble for me recently, so this was a satisfying step forward. (Even if I did have to rely on Julia Roberts to bail me out!)

The bad news is that I got very, very excited to be lucid and couldn't seem to control my natural reactions to this excitement. I suspect that this is what led to the dream's ultimate collapse. When I woke up my pulse was significantly elevated and I could feel blood pumping hard through my carotids. I think that I really need to work on maintaining my Zen once I break into lucidity. I've got some learning to do here.

Here's the entry with more detail of what I experienced: Alone in the Dark - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

And yet another close call for attempting Task of the Month... I was literally right over the water! Ayiee! Soon. It shall happen soon.

Cool dream! And congrats on lucid #16

I'm shocked that this is a dream and my vision immediately goes black. I start rubbing my hands together, determined not to let this go. I test my dream body in a variety of ways to keep myself tethered to the dream: I rub my hands over my elbows, flick my teeth with my fingernail, lick my arm, flex and prod at my muscles, slap myself in the face.

I laughed so hard at this. Mainly because I've been there myself

I wonder: why'd I lose this one? Simple excitement? Succumbing to a false sense of urgency? Or is this all just Julia Roberts' fault? Advice welcome!

I'm thinking a combination? Like, succumbing to the false sense of urgency caused you to get too pumped and woke you up. I've been talking to alot of members about stress and worry in lucid dreams. I think too much negative thinking can cause a lucid dream to go non lucid, or one may even wake up prematurely. Not that your sense of urgency was negative per say, but I'm wondering what the effects are on lucid dreams when the dreamer gets too caught up on any one thing. Especially when a sense or feeling of failure arises from it. I haven't researched this fully, because it's something I just noticed with my own dreams. Just something to think about.

I keep running, wondering whether I need to try something drastic to change things in my favor.

I'm thinking yes to this, especially if similar things like this happen again. It seems like sometimes even a simple change of focus is helpful. I read an article recently about how changing focus in a lucid dream helps sustain it. Might be a useful thing to have on hand when a dream gets stuck, or too drawn out on one theme. I hope I'm wording this ok. Anyway, I'll see if I can find that article.

Originally Posted by OpheliaBlue

I'm thinking a combination? Like, succumbing to the false sense of urgency caused you to get too pumped and woke you up. I've been talking to alot of members about stress and worry in lucid dreams. I think too much negative thinking can cause a lucid dream to go non lucid, or one may even wake up prematurely. Not that your sense of urgency was negative per say, but I'm wondering what the effects are on lucid dreams when the dreamer gets too caught up on any one thing. Especially when a sense or feeling of failure arises from it. I haven't researched this fully, because it's something I just noticed with my own dreams. Just something to think about.

I'm thinking yes to this, especially if similar things like this happen again. It seems like sometimes even a simple change of focus is helpful. I read an article recently about how changing focus in a lucid dream helps sustain it. Might be a useful thing to have on hand when a dream gets stuck, or too drawn out on one theme. I hope I'm wording this ok. Anyway, I'll see if I can find that article.

All right, many thanks for the feedback! It's like you say, positive or negative, any focus on just one aspect of the dream is bound to yield a lack of control. In this case, if I'd been paying some additional heed to my emotional state, there's a good chance that I'd have recognized my "whee! lucidityyyyy!" excitement was getting out of hand. That moment where I found myself slightly confused as to what to do probably pushed me over the edge.

As for changing focus, I know exactly what you mean. It's so easy to get caught up in the currents of the dream world. I imagine that it takes loads of practice to sense when you're being pulled under and know that the dream will wait until you have things sorted out. Very easy to forget that by definition you are the protagonist and the story's going nowhere without you in it.

I really appreciate the advice!

Last night was lucid dream #17! Very short (just over a minute) but high clarity.

The dream felt very stable but unexpectedly blew up when I walked through a doorway. Strangely, this was a doorway out of a glass building through which I could clearly see a street scene, so the next scene should have been all ready to go. (I can still clearly imagine what it looked like.) I had a high-ish heart rate upon waking so found myself unable to DEILD.

While the early ending was a bit of a surprise, this was still great. Vivid detail, a calm mind, and very high awareness. I even remembered that it was later in the morning and I should thus be in a nice, long REM cycle.

This is the actual dream: Doorway Troubles - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

To address the door thing, my plan is to:

• "Practice" going through doors during my waking LD exercises.
• Try using RareCola's technique of bringing a DC along with me through a transition as an "anchor".
• Not get overly concerned. A door is still just a door and a little practice will sort this out.

Of course, these are just the approaches that occur to me. As always. I welcome any additional suggestions or ideas.

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

The dream felt very stable but unexpectedly blew up when I walked through a doorway. Strangely, this was a doorway out of a glass building through which I could clearly see a street scene, so the next scene should have been all ready to go.

That was a mean thing for your subconscious to do lol!

To address the door thing, my plan is to:

• "Practice" going through doors during my waking LD exercises.
• Try using RareCola's technique of bringing a DC along with me through a transition as an "anchor".
• Not get overly concerned. A door is still just a door and a little practice will sort this out.

Of course, these are just the approaches that occur to me. As always. I welcome any additional suggestions or ideas.

Those sound like good plans to me. I've been thinking about the RareCola's anchor idea as well, now that you two have been talking about it. I wonder if it would help me see better. Anyway, let us know how your plans work!

I had a great night of dreaming last night, hitting lucid dream #18!

This one's a personal milestone for me and my time in the class. It means that fully half of my lucid dreams (9 out of 18) took place since joining the intro class just a few weeks back. I'm insanely grateful to all of the teachers and students here for all of your help, advice, and community. Can't overstate what a difference this has made. OpheliaBlue, RareCola, paigeyemps, Xanous... I've gotten a lot of great advice and stolen a ton of great ideas from you and many others. Thank you all for making the second 9 feel so easy and fun.

This lucid was interesting in that a very hostile DC physically came after me, looking for a fight. All ended well, though, and I was able to avoid using force. A day may come when I'll have to cross that line, but I like the idea of keeping the peace with my subconscious.

DC Wants a Piece of Me - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I've also had a great day so far IWL but the afterglow of a good lucid just seems to color everything afterward. Such a great feeling.

Congrats on #18!! I'm so glad we can help. And I'm fairly sure I can speak for RareCola, paige and Xanous as well as myself, in that it's easy to teach something when it's a subject you love. And I know I personally love to witness the progression you make, as well as the other students. It actually makes me a better LDer, I say that all the time.

Originally Posted by OpheliaBlue

Congrats on #18!! I'm so glad we can help. And I'm fairly sure I can speak for RareCola, paige and Xanous as well as myself, in that it's easy to teach something when it's a subject you love. And I know I personally love to witness the progression you make, as well as the other students. It actually makes me a better LDer, I say that all the time.

Agreed for sure!! Congrats on the awesome progress

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

I had a great night of dreaming last night, hitting lucid dream #18!

This one's a personal milestone for me and my time in the class. It means that fully half of my lucid dreams (9 out of 18) took place since joining the intro class just a few weeks back. I'm insanely grateful to all of the teachers and students here for all of your help, advice, and community. Can't overstate what a difference this has made. OpheliaBlue, RareCola, paigeyemps, Xanous... I've gotten a lot of great advice and stolen a ton of great ideas from you and many others. Thank you all for making the second 9 feel so easy and fun.

This lucid was interesting in that a very hostile DC physically came after me, looking for a fight. All ended well, though, and I was able to avoid using force. A day may come when I'll have to cross that line, but I like the idea of keeping the peace with my subconscious.

DC Wants a Piece of Me - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I've also had a great day so far IWL but the afterglow of a good lucid just seems to color everything afterward. Such a great feeling.

the way you handeled with the DC problem was plain awesome.
I also like to just "observe" things around me when i become lucid,it's just amazing how can owr brain create this alternate multisensory reality.
keep on dreaming

Originally Posted by areyoume

the way you handeled with the DC problem was plain awesome.
I also like to just "observe" things around me when i become lucid,it's just amazing how can owr brain create this alternate multisensory reality.
keep on dreaming

Thanks dude! I'm with you on the joys of "observing" in the dream world. Like in your most recent "rooftop" lucid, good awareness habit you've got from during the day carry over wonderfully into the dream itself. Details that you may have previously just brushed aside in waking life are all rendered beautifully on the dreamscape. Crazy stuff.

I got a slightly better-than-average chunk of sleep last night (about 7.5 hours) and was rewarded with a great night of dream recall (7 or 8 depending on how I count them.) It feels good to get (almost) proper sleep.

I missed out on a very obvious false awakening, too. I might post that up in the dream snippets thread, but suffice to say that I had plenty of opportunity to see through this one. These FAs are endlessly amusing but I'd still greatly prefer becoming lucid. This has been two mornings of false awakenings in a row, so I think that it's time for a new wake-up ritual.

"False Awakening" detection ritual
Upon waking, I'll perform these steps in order:
-Bring the previous dream to mind ASAP. If successful, DEILD.
-Briefly attempt to nonphysically roll out of bed OBE-style. (New experimental step.)
-Work to recall the last set of dreams. If need to pee is overwhelming, skip to next step.
-Nose pinch reality check, no matter what, before moving to get out of bed.

Goals for the rest of the month:
-Solidify new wake-up ritual
-At least 2 nights of 8 hours of sleep (tougher for me than it sounds!)
-Complete either Task of the Month

Only four (I think?) nights of dreaming left to complete Task of the Month. Tick tock.

Your FA ritual sounds good. I mostly reality check a couple times when I wake up. In my FA's, I don't know why it never occurs to me to try to recall the last dream when it's basically the second thing I do after RCing :/

Might I also suggest that upon waking up, try to feel your blanket or pillow or your bedsheet. You can just rub your hands over them or something. I had a few FAs where I did it, and it somehow reinforced my senses and made me lucid. I wonder how that would work out for someone else.

Great idea on feeling the blanket/bedsheets. I really like that. I've had false awakenings that turned into lucids where I found myself wrapped up in the bedsheets. I wound up thrashing my way out, although I've since learned that Ophelia's method of just letting them slide off is much better. This means that I clearly tend to include bedsheets in my false awakenings.

So I see two big benefits to your idea: first, it could stabilize the scene and make me lucid. Second, it could also serve as an anchor to hold me in the dream scene in case I experience any sensation of "shock" from suddenly becoming lucid. (I sometimes shock myself awake or into another FA.)

Thanks, Paige!!

Also, I'm now including in my DJ entries:
-When I went to bed and woke up (thanks to paigeyemps)
-What I ate before bed (thanks to Xanous and his "vodka-filled slushie drink", lol)

I've picked up some sort of cold so in spite of getting 8 hours of sleep, my recall wasn't quite on point. I only managed to recall one dream last night and I was nowhere near lucid in it. No biggie, apart from this standing in the way of my September goals. Hopefully I can knock this thing out quick. I'll also do a waking journal today to keep my recall skills firing.

I remembered five dreams last night, so recall was much sharper. I think that the waking journal may have done the trick. These sniffles are a pain and they are eroding sleep quality a bit. But hey, if recall stays this high, you'll hear no griping from me.

I had two "close calls" with lucidity last night. The first (which I posted in the daily snippets thread) had me considering doing a reality check but then losing my nerve. Weenie!

The second "close call" was a dream where my sister-in-law and I were looking around the house for Wife. We finally found her sitting alone in a closet by herself, crying. This shocked me awake but I held on, trying to DEILD back in. I kept floating into and back out of the dream scene but I think that the dream content was keeping me from concentrating properly. Even though I knew it was a dream scene, I couldn't shut down the, "OMG, what's wrong? Was it something I did?" voice.

paigeyemps, you'll be proud to know that I remembered to count with my dream voice during the DEILD.

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

paigeyemps, you'll be proud to know that I remembered to count with my dream voice during the DEILD.

That's awesome!! How was it for you? and congrats by the way, looks like everything's going well!


Heads up: It's almost October! I suggest making a new list of monthly goals you want to achieve, as well as reevaluate your DJ for possible new dream signs or any realizations

Originally Posted by paigeyemps

That's awesome!! How was it for you? and congrats by the way, looks like everything's going well!

Heads up: It's almost October! I suggest making a new list of monthly goals you want to achieve, as well as reevaluate your DJ for possible new dream signs or any realizations

Thanks! The counting worked just fine but my emotions kept pulling me out of the dream. One second I'd be shouting numbers at Wife while she looked on, somewhat bewildered (), then I'd suddenly feel pulled back into the bed. I think it'll just take practice to chill myself out when there are emotional/excitement elements from the previous dream still on my mind. And now...

Goals for October:
-Have 6 more lucid dreams
-Complete one of the October Tasks of the Month
-Stable, sustained flight in at least one lucid dream. Not just jumping or getting blown away by the wind!

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

then I'd suddenly feel pulled back into the bed.

Ah I go back and forth a lot like this. It is annoying. I think its just that you are not really "locked in" full dream and you kind of startle yourself back to your physical body.

Originally Posted by Xanous

Ah I go back and forth a lot like this. It is annoying. I think its just that you are not really "locked in" full dream and you kind of startle yourself back to your physical body.

Whatever it is you are doing to address this, it obviously works. You had about 50 million DEILDs on your September Task of the Month, all through a bunch of either frightening or emotional dream content. That's the level I want to get to.

Maybe I just don't fight hard enough. Eventually I just sort of found myself much more awake than asleep, as if the dream finally had enough of me and booted me out.

A lot of this must have to do with mindset. How do you get a handle on your excitement/emotions/fear/whatever so that you can let yourself just get sucked back in?

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

Whatever it is you are doing to address this, it obviously works. You had about 50 million DEILDs on your September Task of the Month, all through a bunch of either frightening or emotional dream content. That's the level I want to get to.

Maybe I just don't fight hard enough. Eventually I just sort of found myself much more awake than asleep, as if the dream finally had enough of me and booted me out.

A lot of this must have to do with mindset. How do you get a handle on your excitement/emotions/fear/whatever so that you can let yourself just get sucked back in?

Oh geez. I am not sure am I qualified to answer that right now due to this infuriating dry spell. I have actually been struggling with this myself lately but it might actually do me good to think this over. So keeping a clear mind helps. I know that doing meditation during the day helps a lot. I have been having a hard time finding the time for this. Actually most of the time I take a few minutes at bed time to meditate. This is actually a great way to fall asleep so keep that in mind.

I usually am able to invoke the same calm feeling I get during meditation when I am lucid. When you are on the verge like that, you really have to detach your emotions and balance between not caring and wanting it. Then at some point you feel like you are stable or 'locked in' and it gets easier. I have to keep a check on it though or my emotions will get the best of me and I destabilize. But then again, you have to have some level of excitement or you fall non lucid. So basically its a balancing act.

Edit: Epiphany!