Thread: Transition changes

The first WILD I had involved a rather frightening transition, with intense vibrations and a sound like a train was about to run me over. The next time, the vibrations were a little less mind-shattering. With each successive WILD, the vibrations I felt got less and less intense, until it was only a light tingling in my spine. Occasionally I'd see some vague flickering lights on my eyelids, and once I heard whispering. Then last night, I had a string of DEILDs, and none of my transitions had vibrations. I'd just relax, think about my previous dream, and I'd feel...it's hard to describe. Sort of floating, kind of separate. But all very mild and kind of relaxing. I kind of set my room as my entering environment, and after some time, I just opened my eyes and did a reality check, and was in.

So my question is this: is the transition always the same for you, or has it changed drastically over the course of your WILDing?

I never experience SP at all or any other of that freaky stuff lucky for me . My last WILD, I got tiny vibrations but nothing more than that. I do a V-WILD so i'm constantly visualizing something or a dream scene and then eventually I'll transfer over to a dream.

Interesting.

I only started trying to WILD a few weeks ago (though I've dabbled in other lucid dreaming techniques on and off for years). At first, I had very intense hypnagogic hallucinations, mostly auditory. A swell of electronic, machinery noises. This, accompanied with a surge of energy felt through my body, reoccurred a few times through the night. Each time, i thought I was entering a dream but opened my eyes to see my room, didn't even bother a reality check. The next attempt, similar, but less intense hypnagogia. Still no successful WILD. Finally a couple nights ago even less intense hypnogagia but I felt different. I opened my eyes and just knew I was dreaming this time. I felt both heavy and weightless at the same time. I got up, knowing I had to be in a dream. I struggled walking at first but eventually the dream scape formed around me.

I will say, I was trying harder early on in my attempts that were unsuccessful in the WILD, but they did produced very intense hallucinations. When I actually succeeded in the WILD, I wasn't trying as hard. I changed sleep positions a couple times and didn't focus so much on not moving. The WBTB circumstances were a little different as I had naturally woken up after only a few hours from a dream, then laid back down without trying to stay up. Whether there is a direct correlation there I don't know, I haven't nearly enough experience to conclude that for myself. I know each person is different.

I think there is a correlation, though as you say, everyone's different. I had about three months of unsuccessful trying before my first WILD. I think since most beginners don't have experience to draw on, they don't know what to expect and a lot of times end up making the same mistakes. Translating from text to real experience is tricky at the least, especially when you're new and excited and want to start dreaming.

I never really did WBTB, but an alarm did wake me up. Then I would lie on my back (because I had read that was the most successful position) and started counting breaths or something. Each feeling would be carefully analyzed for signs of SP or HI. I would get so uncomfortable, though, that I would end up losing sleep and rolling over to sleep normally. One night I kind of lucked into my first WILD, which also happened to be a nightmare! That set me back awhile. But I've learned a few things since then. One is what a lot of guides say but too many don't--you can't be completely aware and conscious like you expect. You have to fall asleep to some extent to get to a dream. Another, more recent development, is that I can only WILD on weekends. It's just something about my sleep schedules, but when I tried during the week I would get needlessly discouraged.

Right now, my WILD strategy relies heavily on DEILD, which I think is really the way to go, but WILDing lets you initiate a string of dreams. Basically, after I wake up, I'll try holding still and remembering if I was dreaming. If not, or if I get uncomfortable, I'll just move and fall asleep normally. I can either WILD or DILD after that, then when I feel the dream fade I'll wake up and have a truly amazing string of dreams.

Originally Posted by sanctum

The first WILD I had involved a rather frightening transition, with intense vibrations and a sound like a train was about to run me over. The next time, the vibrations were a little less mind-shattering. With each successive WILD, the vibrations I felt got less and less intense, until it was only a light tingling in my spine. Occasionally I'd see some vague flickering lights on my eyelids, and once I heard whispering. Then last night, I had a string of DEILDs, and none of my transitions had vibrations. I'd just relax, think about my previous dream, and I'd feel...it's hard to describe. Sort of floating, kind of separate. But all very mild and kind of relaxing. I kind of set my room as my entering environment, and after some time, I just opened my eyes and did a reality check, and was in.

So my question is this: is the transition always the same for you, or has it changed drastically over the course of your WILDing?

can you please tell us what you do to gain consistansy?

what do you put your attention and focus on while your relaxing? do you get mind chatter while your trying to relax?

thanks

I actually don't have a set WILD technique. What I've learned is that it's useless to try to WILD during the week. Durin the weekend, though, I have a near 100% rate of success. The alarm wakes me up (I have a short alarm so that I don't have to move to turn it off). I try to think if I wa just dreaming, so that I can try to induce a sort of DEILD. The first time, I kind of WILDed by accident--I sort of lucked into the right level of awareness. As I kept WILDing, I realized this "luck" happened nearly each time (I guess I found the sweet spot in my sleep schedule). So I don't actually think about anything specific. In fact, it's almost like the transition "wakes me up." But each time is definitely a WILD.

I hope this makes sense it's a little hard to explain.

Here's an update from last night:
First, I think I have actually found a technique for consistency. If I start imagining a situation, the images will slowly start to "take over" (so that I'm not consciously controlling them) and it'll morph into my transition.
Last night's WILD was another first in transitions: voices! In the scenario in my head, I was surrounded by a bunch of people. They started talking really loudly (I wasn't in control at this point) and all of a sudden the images faded and I was in my bed. But I could hear what sounded like a crowd of people shouting over me, along with vibrations as intense as the first time I had them! Very strange. I guess I just have to wait and see each night what the transition will be.

As I continue my attempts to WILD, the HH's seem to be waning in their intensity, but has led to more LD's. Instead of the loud machinery noises and wave of energy I'm instead hearing a gust of wind swoosh over me, while feeling a tingling sensation as if I'm going numb. More often than not it stops and I do a RC and I'm still awake. But, a couple times I've lost consciousness but awoke in a dream knowing that I was dreaming without needing any RC. And one time a couple nights ago I had some strong HI that turned into what technically could be called a LD, but even though there was a sequence of events and I was completely aware, it just felt different. Then I came out of it and continued to WILD.

I'm still trying to figure out what works best for me. Its a little frustrating that I can't quite follow through on what I believe to be experiencing as the transition stage, even though I've still eventually ended up in LD's. I've only had one successful WILD as I see it where the transition worked and I went straight into a dream. The others I seem to black out (I see another thread is made specifically about this) and find myself in a LD with awareness from the start.