I had a lucid dream like 5 years ago, and after an episode I saw of Startrek , I decided to try it for myself...without much luck I forgot about it for years, until I had a really vivid dream the other night and decided to get intense about studying and practicing.

Over the last few nights after reading and studying what you all had to say, tips, etc...I started out with my plans for what to do.

What I have so far, and yes I did borrow this from someone else on this site I believe-

Count from 1-100, each breath in is a count, each breath out is a count.
Once I reach 100, I tell myself rocks are covering me from foot to head.
I then tell myself bags of sand are covering me from head to foot.
I then tell myself the rocks are moving again from foot to head.
I count from 1-5 and when I reach five I tell myself I will be 2x as relaxed.
Then count from 1-10 and 3x as relaxed.
Then finally 1-5 2x as relaxed.
I then tell myself all that matters is being calm, and having a lucid dream, and asking myself to question whether or not I'm dreaming.

All of this is in my head, I don't talk verbally...
Is this the proper way to do that?

I actually felt "the rocks" last night, I was amazed, I never really thought hypnosis could work on me but I felt a "constraining" feeling all over my legs and partial mid-section.

I took a nap a few hours ago and tried this, it was pretty hard with jackasses revving their Civics up every 2 minutes next to my window, but I started drifting off and having "dreams", or moreso weird pictures, small action scenes, and sounds, but I was still lying in bed and knew I wasn't technically asleep. One thing that did happen was I was "dreaming" in this semi-awake state, that my cat was bothering me and I raised my hand up to brush it aside and I woke up instantly just in time to catch my hand falling down onto my chest because I lifted it up a little bit physically without even knowing it.

Is this progress?

I'm trying to keep a dream journal but I haven't been very good at recollecting my dreams post-sleep. I have been asking myself throughout the day "Am I dreaming? Am I awake?"

Please tell me anything you feel would help me, or just general comments, I would really appreciate it!!

Thanks
Alex Anderson