Thread: What happened? Post Your WILD Attempts, Good or Bad, Here

Originally Posted by Taffy

I was really bored, at about 2:50 PM, so I decided to give WILD a go, even thought it wasn't the optimal time for it. You can do WILD during a nap, right? Anyway, I laid there for about 20 minutes, but there were too many noises and distractions in my house to concentrate, so I gave up. I'm going to try legitimately tonight, though, with a WBTB.

Well, at least it was on your mind, Taffy! It was good that you gave up quickly, because, given the circumstances -- no prep an attempting long after your last sleep cycle ended -- a successful WILD likely wasn't in your stars.

Good luck though with the well-planned and well-timed version tonight!

So i tried to WILD today about 10 minutes after i woke up since i was still a bit drowsy (not WBTB, just waking up for the day). I'm not sure it was a very good time for it since i heard you should attempt WILD either during WBTB or during an afternoon nap a while after you've awakened for the day. Anyways i started out by getting comfortable on my back and saying my mantra "I am lucid, the world is vivid"(too long?). After about 5-10 mins of laying still i started to feel my legs and my arms tingle and after a while longer they become heavy and numb. Soon i start to feel multiple sensations. I felt things like i was about to start floating and every now and then i lose concentration and start to daydream. When i do i start to hear this ringing, or maybe more of buzzing in my ears. Whenever i feel these things i always snap back into attention but i get too excited because i feel like I'm about to enter SP and the feeling ends up going away.

I probably did multiple things wrong, first of which was the time of the attempt. I was a bit drowsy but i think i still may have been too awake to try this.

Anyways thanks for reading, any suggestions you could give would be greatly appreciated

^^ Yes, you may have done a few things wrong, kmrada, but at least your heart was in the right place, and that's half the battle!

First, yes, your timing may have been off, because you really want to ave some "sleep" left in you when you attempt WILD (hence WBTB). For the same reason, attempting WILD in the afternoon is not the best idea, simply because you might have trouble getting to REM.

Next, that is a pretty hefty mantra, but if you split it by saying "I am lucid," on your "in" breath, and "The world is vivid" on your "out" breath, it ought to work fine. Also, be sure that all that means something specific to you -- it is a little general.

Finally, and I suspect most importantly, you seemed to be paying a bit too much attention to the "noise." All those physical sensations are just distractions, just things that go on every time you go to sleep at night; try to ignore them, and try also to remember that SP is just another noise, another distraction, on the way to your dream -- it is not a thing to be entered.

You might consider reviewing the sessions of my course, especially the "Timing" and "Notes About the Noise" sessions; they might help.

Good luck!

Thanks for the helpful suggestions Sageous! I'll take in everything you said and review your sessions then make a more prepared attempt when time allows.

Well I am not sure if it is a WILD or a DEILD ,but for the first time I was able to go from wake state to dream state while being aware. So I WBTB 3 times this night (and morning ). The first time was something like after 4 hours I guess and I didn't even remember any dream at all (maybe just a fragment) , the second was something like after 5-6 hours and I am not quite sure about the last one. So at the last time I woke up after a short lucid dream . I decided to change my position and after moving a little between my back to my side I found a position I was comfortable with and stayed with it. I affixed my mantra : "know where you came from , and where you are going" (in my language it is quite shorter) to my breath (the first part on the inhalation and the second on the exhalation). I remember having a little itch ,but I decided to ignore it. Now that was the first part. On the second part I completely ignored everything around me. Maybe 'ignored' is the wrong word since it was more like I didn't care. My mind was completely blank without any inner monologue or random thought and my focus on anything around me was finally almost an absolute zero (credit for Sivason's diffuse vision). Even though, I knew I was there , I knew I existed through the whole process (I guess the RRCs payed well ). Now I didn't get much HI at all ,but I remember hearing HoN's music like before the battle starts (HoN is an online game that I play ,similar to Dota). Then I was sitting near a computer that didn't belong to me talking to a friend who snubs from computers about playing a video game. It was not really a high quality lucid dream and I even lost lucidity later after a false awakening and a RC which for some reason didn't work , but it is fine since I got what I wanted. I am not sure if it is a WILD or a DEILD since the time I waited seemed to be quite short so I am not sure if it just seemed that way or maybe it really was short. I also maybe exaggerating since I was conscious I was there so my mind was not completely blank ,but it kind of felt this way so in my term it was almost empty.

Hey so i thought about what you said regarding me paying too much attention to the physical sensations and i thought to change my mantra to "I'm in control" to remind myself that everything I'm experiencing is normal and a product of my mind and body. Let me know what you think!

Failed WILD attempt this morning, think I got close again because I experienced the onset of sleep paralysis but I just ended up falling asleep, I went to bed quite late last night so I think I was just too tired.

Although, I did wake up after a really crazy non-lucid and managed to achieve not one, but two DEILDs. My first time having multiple lucids in a single night and first successful attempt at DEILDing out of a non-lucid. Wrote more about it here: 26th June 2012 - Eighth & Ninth Lucid Dream [DEILD Chain] - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Last night, I'm certain I was close. Laid down after a 20 minute WBTB (writing down dreams) and layed there for about.. 20 minutes. I remember feeling an odd warmness spreading up my left leg, and also some other small sensations (not vibrations though) like heaviness. But then I got to the point where I thought, "Gosh I wanna move so bad. I hate staying in this position. I wish I could move my neck a little, and swallow, and move my feet a little so it's in the coolness.."

And then my stubbornness took a hold of me and I got up.

And then I totally regret it the next morning.

Originally Posted by Beefer

Well I am not sure if it is a WILD or a DEILD ,but for the first time I was able to go from wake state to dream state while being aware. So I WBTB something like 2-3 times this night (and morning ). The first time was something like after 4 hours I guess and I didn't even remember any dream at all (maybe just a fragment) , the second was something like after 5-6 hours and I am not quite sure about the last one. So at the last time I woke up after a short lucid dream . I decided to change my position and after moving a little between my back to my side I found a position I was comfortable with and stayed with it. I affixed my mantra : "know where you came from , and where you are going" (in my language it is quite shorter) to my breath (the first part on the inhalation and the second on the exhalation). I remember having a little itch ,but I decided to ignore it. Now that was the first part. On the second part I completely ignored everything around me. Maybe 'ignored' is the wrong word since it was more like I didn't care. My mind was completely blank without any inner monologue or random thought and my focus on anything around me was finally almost an absolute zero (credit for Sivason's diffuse vision). Even though, I knew I was there , I knew I existed through the whole process (I guess the RRCs payed well ). Now I didn't get much HI at all ,but I remember hearing HoN's music like before the battle starts (HoN is an online game that I play ,similar to Dota). Then I was sitting near a computer that didn't belong to me talking to a friend who snubs from computers about playing a video game. It was not really a high quality lucid dream and I even lost lucidity later after a false awakening and a RC which for some reason didn't work , but it is fine since I got what I wanted. I am not sure if it is a WILD or a DEILD since the time I waited seemed to be quite short so I am not sure if it just seemed that way or maybe it really was short. I also maybe exaggerating since I was conscious I was there so my mind was not completely blank ,but it kind of felt this way so in my term it was almost empty.

Great work, Beefer; way to hold everything together! I would say that this was a WILD, because DEILD doesn't involve fully waking up, or shifting positions, or mantra. The real point here, I think, is that you kept your priorities straight and were rewarded with a LD... hopefully the next one will be a better time for you!

Originally Posted by kmrada

Hey so i thought about what you said regarding me paying too much attention to the physical sensations and i thought to change my mantra to "I'm in control" to remind myself that everything I'm experiencing is normal and a product of my mind and body. Let me know what you think!

That's a good mantra, as long as you don't find yourself arguing with it when the "noise" threatens your control!

I have been following this thread for a little while, however I have not 'signed up' for a full committal to the course due to personal reasons at the moment. I have made a copy of the notes Sageous made and been doing a WILD routine for the last week or two (as a sort of 'relaxation exercise') after WBTB to give me a chance of a DILD if you know what I mean. So Sageous, I hope you don't mind me 'earwigging'. (An old CB phrase!)


(Extract from today's journal - 26th June - whilst still fresh in my mind.)

Basically I had less than 6 hours sleep today as I had to get up really early at 5.50am this morning. (Note: That is usually my WBTB starting time!)

I finished what I had to do as I had to do some travelling, etc. this morning. I feel really tired. After a spot of lunch I feel really sleepy, up to the point where I’m virtually nodding off in front of the TV.

Spoiler for WILD description on retiring at 1pm:

I retire to bed just after 1pm in the afternoon where I lie on my back still fully clothed with my head on a raised pillow, close my eyes and attempt a WILD by not moving, repeating a mantra “re-lax” as I breathe in and out in time. Later I change this to on the breath in, namely “I’m”, followed by “dreaming” when I exhale.

I’m met with my usual frustrations after half an hour. I don’t feel as sleepy as I did. I do experience dream snippets and HH which distract me from repeating my mantra. After 40 minutes to an hour after I did break the cardinal rules by moving a few times, but there was no problem as I wasn’t experiencing any sort of paralysis so I wasn’t ending the ‘spell’. I just simply closed my eyes again, carried on and stayed still, etc.

I start to get more dream snippets but I develop an annoying cough. I move again, clear my throat and think of giving up completely. However I shut my eyes and get on with it once more.

This stage (well after an hour) was the most interesting. I’m more relaxed and suddenly I feel the SP like effect kicking in, a sort of tingling going up my body. My feet and lower limbs feel like they are ‘floating’, then I feel heavy. The HH in my head becomes intense. I see blue light star type spots (like the Van Gogh) pictures. I notice that I find it really hard to breathe, up to the point where I cannot breathe. I see slight wavy lines of light interspaced with dots (on the right side of my field of vision - in my head) that seem to pulsate. I start to wonder if I’m going to have a stroke or something, although I didn’t panic as such - these were some of the (conscious) thoughts running through my head at the time.

I don’t ‘see’ no dream coming. I move my right hand and one of my feet whilst thinking to myself that it will end, but I can still feel the effects. It feels a bit OBEish although I’m probably thinking it. I then move my legs off the bed like I would do in real life. Everything seems normal as I do this. I’m feeling a bit groggy, feeling half - asleep as I open one of my eyes wondering about what had just gone on.

However that must have been a false awakening, although I had been completely taken in by it.

I must have been still laying on my back, on the bed still when I did have the lucid dream. I remember seeing about 2-3 pigeons perched outside my bedroom window view. One was on a small tree or bush on the left where the fence is. This is a familiar scene just like in real life, except with a slight twist. One of these birds was in the garden or on the garage. I go to grab a folded up newspaper from off the TV. I seem to struggle as I can’t reach it properly at first. I go to open my window to shoo them off. As I do so I notice the plaster under the window inside has ‘blown’ due to dampness getting in. (It had been raining earlier in real life but my interior wall is fine.) The plasterwork looks really damp, shiny and looks like it has been painted a yellow colour. I think this is ‘odd’ but think nothing really of it. However then I notice how short or small I feel. I seem to be about 3 feet in height. I’m looking up, trying to open this window and I can’t reach the handle properly. It is a REALLY strange feeling to realise this happening as I thought to myself that I’m dreaming. I do a palm RC check which is a bit unconvincing. I walk by my wardrobe as I do the two finger nose pinch RC where I can still breathe which convinces me totally.

I must wake up straight after just before 3pm trying to contemplate what had actually gone on in the last two hours.

It is a small possibility that I simply ‘fell asleep’ and actually dreamt the later WILD stages? However it did seem ‘real’ and it was the furthest that I had ever got on an attempt, along with the FA in the middle and the LD in the end, as a standard DILD.

I'm sorry for the TL;DR text, hence the spoiler, but I like to explain 'how I got there', etc. I like to show the math as well as the answer!

Originally Posted by RareCola

Failed WILD attempt this morning, think I got close again because I experienced the onset of sleep paralysis but I just ended up falling asleep, I went to bed quite late last night so I think I was just too tired.

Although, I did wake up after a really crazy non-lucid and managed to achieve not one, but two DEILDs. My first time having multiple lucids in a single night and first successful attempt at DEILDing out of a non-lucid. Wrote more about it here: 26th June 2012 - Eighth & Ninth Lucid Dream [DEILD Chain] - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Here's the thing: you had a Lucid Dream! How you got there doesn't really matter; just that you arrived. And, since DEILD is a form of WILD, you sort of succeeded at WILD after all.

Bottom line: Your intentions, expectations, and general desires drove you to success -- not the technique! So all the stuff you did to prepare for your initial WILD attempt stayed with you until you had a successful DEILD (from the more difficult starting point of a non-lucid, no less! I personally would not call that a failure.

Originally Posted by Sydney

Last night, I'm certain I was close. Laid down after a 20 minute WBTB (writing down dreams) and layed there for about.. 20 minutes. I remember feeling an odd warmness spreading up my left leg, and also some other small sensations (not vibrations though) like heaviness. But then I got to the point where I thought, "Gosh I wanna move so bad. I hate staying in this position. I wish I could move my neck a little, and swallow, and move my feet a little so it's in the coolness.."And then my stubbornness took a hold of me and I got up. And then I totally regret it the next morning.

Sydney, maybe you should take some time during waking life to find a position that you can comfortably sustain for a long time. Do a little experimenting simply by holding still in a few different positions to find the one that "holds still" longest before your body gets anxious.

Welcome, RobStar!

Originally Posted by RobStar

It is a small possibility that I simply fell asleep; and actually dreamt the later WILD stages? However it did seem real; and it was the furthest that I had ever got on an attempt, along with the FA in the middle and the LD in the end, as a standard DILD.

Sadly, it is more than possible that you just dreamt the later WILD stages ... also, that brief gap in awareness ("I must have been lying on my back, etc") just before the pigeons hints that this was a DILD -- which of course is not a bad thing.

I read your entire post, and it looks like you made a good effort, and had all the pieces in place ... so I guess that your mind rewarded you with brief lucidity even though your body refused a WILD.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the reply Sageous. Thanks for reading my post.

Like you say I don't think it was a 'pure' textbook WILD, probably far from it, but it was an experience. I'm about 80 to 90 percent certain that I went through the transition stages, rather than dreaming it all. However like you say it's best not to concentrate on them.

The only way to prove it to myself 100 percent is to have another go!

Yes I also agree on the DILD explanation due to having the FA beforehand. However if I had not followed up with another RC then it would have been another FA as I was in my bedroom.
I would say to anyone who has 'bedroom' type dreams to try and do some form of RC check as you never know.

I think that I have learnt alot about myself from this, and previous attempts. I feel that I have broken down the mental barriers, etc. I think the key is not to give up and not force the issue. The mantras help also.

Thanks again.

Hi Sageous and fellow students

I did two WILD attempts: One this night and one the night before.

First:
Went to bed at 11pm and woke for WBTB at 2am. I was sitting up in bed while writing in my journal and then went to the toilet. I set my intention and lay down in my favourite sleeping position and started reciting my mantra in my head. But I think I only managed to say it 4-5 times and then I was asleep. (Then I had a nonlucid where I was trying to WILD while walking with a super marked trolley. And then I had a nonlucid about trying to convince a friend to do a WILD with me and we had to wear bicycle helmets. And then I had a nonlucid about all the WILDs I had been during this night). I woke again at 4am and decided to give it another try. I felt more awake this time, after using half an hour on DJ'ing, but again I fell asleep almost straight away.

Second:
I decided to try a new WILD while laying on my back so that I would not fall asleep so quickly (I never sleep on my back). I went to bed at midnight and woke for WBTB at 4am. This time I didn't get out of bed and I didn't remember any dreams to write down (which is rare for these night awakenings) but I sat up in bed for a while doing some stretching. I sat intention and then lay down on my back and started reciting my mantra just like yesterday. Again I could only say it 4-5 times before loosing it, but instead of falling asleep I jerked awake. I'm not sure if jerk is the right word to describe it, 'cause it wasn't a movement. Maybe I just forgot to say my mantra, without falling asleep, and then I suddenly remembered that I was suppose to be concentrating and started the mantra again. Or maybe it was like when I drift off while meditating and it feels like a suction in my stomach and then I realise that I'm meditating.
For some reason it was really hard to do this (like I really wanted to sleep but weren't allowed to even though I was trying to fall asleep) and I had a sore throat that suddenly felt much much worse than it did during the day, so after about half an hour I gave up and rolled over to my side to sleep.


This made my wonder: Which position is best? The one in which I normally fall asleep and in which I can barely keep awake for 5 seconds after laying down (on my side)? Or the one in which I have troubles falling asleep (on my side)?

I definitely have problem with concentration and awareness (I don't need you to tell me that ) but at least, to look at the bright side, my recall was better than usual. That's something, I suppose.

^^ Those were both fine attempts, Strit. Though you didn't get lucid, those dreams about being lucid (I hate it when that happens!) are sure signs that your head is in the right place. Also, it was good to see your mantra doing its job in your second attempt. Aside from what you already pointed out -- that you still need to work on concentration and awareness (definitely the hardest bits), it seems you're on the right path.

Which position is best? Honestly, you'll need to do some experimentation for yourself, because everyone is different. I've found that WILD's work best for me when I'm on my back -- though I have to keep my head turned to one side to avoid snoring. The sleep yogis (did I already say this?) suggest that women could also sleep on their left side (with their left hand under their head, right hand on hip), if that matters. Also, though you should try a few sleep positions, you might start out by working from the position in which you most easily fall asleep -- that would shorten the difficult parts of WILD, if you can learn to maintain awareness.

I didn't actually dream that I was lucid, maybe that was unclear. I just dreamt about unsuccessful WILD attempts

So what you're saying about positions is that the fact that I normally fall asleep very quickly is actually to my advantage in a WILD, if I can just keep aware?

Originally Posted by Strit

So what you're saying about positions is that the fact that I normally fall asleep very quickly is actually to my advantage in a WILD, if I can just keep aware?

Yes. With WILD, if you naturally fall asleep quickly, you're definitely ahead of the game! The less time it takes to fall asleep means the less time you have to work to hold together your awareness. In a sense, if you fall asleep quickly, WILD's are that much closer to you than if it takes a while. That may sound simplistic, but it is true.

Every morning at 4am, I wake up and I go back to sleep. Is there anything that can help movitate me? I never feel refreshed early in the morning, and I just go back to sleep. Am I waking up too early? It's 5 hours after I sleep, so I guess I have found a decent WBTB time.

Originally Posted by RareCola

Failed WILD attempt this morning, think I got close again because I experienced the onset of sleep paralysis but I just ended up falling asleep, I went to bed quite late last night so I think I was just too tired.

Although, I did wake up after a really crazy non-lucid and managed to achieve not one, but two DEILDs. My first time having multiple lucids in a single night and first successful attempt at DEILDing out of a non-lucid. Wrote more about it here: 26th June 2012 - Eighth & Ninth Lucid Dream [DEILD Chain] - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Damn, you seem to be good at LDing now. Last time I spoke to you properly, you had not even had a single lucid now you're 6 ahead of me. Nice

Hey guys. I had my first successful WILD last night. I have attempted it many times, sometimes getting SP but never a lucid dream.

I think I was too 'awake' before. Last night I was very tired, I slept naturally, and when I awoke after a dream, I recorded my dream in my DJ, then went to the toilet and back to bed. I lay on my side (my position of choice) and rested. While I did, I thought of my previous dream. Very soon I noticed my body was swallowing of it's own accord, but I ignored this and focused on creating a dream. However I couldn't do this, my mind kept naturally putting me in a familiar environment (a friend's house) I decided to go with it and imagine a conversation with a friend, but this quickly became a conversation I wasn't imagining, being more dream-like that I had no control over. I imagined what it would be like to touch the table / sofa etc in this dream to keep myself aware and the next thing I remember I was in the middle of the street, fully lucid.



The dream can be read in my DJ, but it was the longest lucid I have had yet, with lots of detail and control.

Fairly sure I had a WILD last night - the reason why I say 'fairly' is because of lack of recall. I do strongly remember having a high level of awareness and prior to sleeping (I woke up during the night) I was attempting to induce a WILD through tactile senses (waving my arm around).
It was a fairly short process. Upon waking, I immediately decided I'd WILD. Got comfy and started to stimulate my tactile senses. At first, I was thinking about waving a baseball bat around but decided on waving my arm. The time awake probably lasted less than 3... maybe 5 minutes.

zomfg#$*^@$&%*seizure*

I woke up this morning about an hour and a half before the alarm I set for school. I went out to walk my dog, then went back to bed to try to squeeze in some sleep before my alarm actually goes off. I decided to attempt a WILD. I lay comfortably on my side, curled up and not moving. I focused on my breathing and did my mantra along with it. I'm not sure how much time had passed but I heard this popping, then "ZZZZZWWWWWW" sound really loud, repeating in my ear. I was a bit surprised and I thought "Gaaa! Is this auditory HH?? Don't panic don't panic." so I paid less attention to it (tried to not pay attention at all, but it was really hard to ignore). Then suddenly I see an image of my room emerge right before my eyes, slightly to the left. It started out really small, and it was like I was looking through a very dark tunnel. I was really fascinated and imagined it turning into one of my classrooms, and it did! The tunnel-view image kept growing until my whole visual field was my classroom. By this time I think the buzzing sound was gone. It looked very real too! I tried to walk, but somehow I just wasn't in the scene or something. I imagined myself just "walking into" the picture, which was very hard (this is quite difficult to describe). I don't know how my dream body got there, but finally I was able to take a few steps forward slowly, and guess what. MY FRIGGIN' ALARM CLOCK WENT OFF. :'(

It was a really amazing feeling! It was the first time I've ever actually seen the dream scene unfold right before my eyes. I never even doubted whether it was a dream or not, because I was absolutely sure that a moment ago, I was still awake, and doing my mantras & focusing on my breathing. I remember everything I did from the moment I got up, walked my dog, and went back to bed. I was also conscious throughout the buzzing sound (auditory HH?) until the moment my alarm clock went off.

I got up and wrote down every detail I could remember (which wasn't very hard because it was very memorable). I went to school, not caring if I passed the exams or not. GAAA I'M SO ECSTATIC!

I'm wondering, was that indeed a WILD, or not? Either way, it was awesome!! Sorry, my excitement is very hard to contain right now