In the months following my joining DV, I started having some success with inducing lucid dreams, if I recall correctly I got to the point of about a solid 1 per week for a brief period. Now, this was some time ago (more than a year and a half), so I don't remember the exact circumstances, but needless to say that did not continue. I think I just started having a little difficulty with my lucids, and I had a lot else going on, such that I was gradually drawn away from it.

So, for some time now, I've been trying to break back into serious practice of lucid dreaming. I made efforts of varying levels on and off, when my interest was drawn to it, but none of those efforts ever really had the seriousness or longevity required to really produce lucid dreams. So for quite some time, I wasn't able to really get myself back into the groove, so to speak. I've been around DV the whole time, just because I love this place as a community.

Just recently, after some serious reflecting on myself regarding several different issues, I came to a decision. I realized...or perhaps remembered...that lucid dreaming was something that I really ought to have in my life. The opportunities it presents are something I can't afford not to take advantage of.

Basically, I finally realized that it was time to get off my lazy ass and do something. To feel the same passion for it I used to. I started taking it much more seriously. I bought a notebook to keep all my DJ entries together, and more recently went ahead and started an online DJ. I made sure to push myself to get entries in, with as much detail as I could recall. It started to get on my mind more often. The last few days, at least, I've started doing RC's.

After first joining DV, it took me just about 3 weeks to have my first lucid dream. Last night was about 3 weeks from when I started counting days again.

When my alarm went off at 6:30, for work (the fact that I had to get up and go right to work hurt my recall significantly), I remembered nothing. The only thing on my mind at first was the fact that I just wanted to sleep. After getting out of bed and wandering out into my kitchen, I began to realize that there was something there, in my memory, like something significant had just happened (in retrospect, a familiar feeling). I was able to remember a moment of performing RCs in a dream, and then the whole experience hit me.

I recall being in my house (I think, clarity wasn't good and location becomes a little confusing due to shoddy recall.), and something drove me to RC, just as I might when seeing something strange while awake just as an exercise. I was just able to breathe through my pinched nose, and immediately I thought something must be wrong. I double-checked with a finger count. Five...wait, was it? Even now my chief emotion was disbelief. After a few checks I tried the nose pinch again, being very careful to make sure there could be no mistake. There wasn't; I could breathe fine. I know I felt quite excited at first, but I remember holding back fairly well, despite how long it's been. Control was another story, but I'm not too concerned about that for my first lucid in so long. Failing to replicate something from the game Prototype (I've been playing it a lot lately), and now outside, I decided to fly off towards the west instead. I eventually worked up some speed and got up fairly high. What happened next I don't recall well, but I believe it ended up with me trying some various foods (pastries?) just when my lucidity started to slip (all were delicious ).

Upon realizing what had happened, I was needless to say quite excited. Finally, I've cut through all the bullshit and put myself back on that path, where I should have been all along.

Any comments or thoughts are welcome; I just wanted to both make it clear what's been going on with my LD efforts and share this experience with everyone.