Originally Posted by Wanderlust:
Haven't had a chance to try it yet, will try tonight. Is a fan okay in the background? I find it makes it easier to sleep.

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It is okay as long as it doesn't interfere. Typically though, the quieter the room is, the better it is. As you go through the cycles, your attention shifts from the external senses to the internal ones. For example, the external sounds may become quieter, while the noises in your head becomes more obvious. When this happens you know you are getting deeper into the "state". If there is too much external noise, then you may not be able to shift your focus away.  

Just had my first ever LD with this method after about a week of attempts. At least, I think it was this method.

I woke up from a dream into an FA. I typically RC when I wake up but I missed it in the FA because my attention was kept on somebody who had woken me up. After a few minutes, I walked upstairs into the bathroom and turned on the light, but nothing happened. I tried it again, and still nothing happened. It immediately clicked in my head to do a nose RC and I could breathe! I was so excited that I panicked so I tried to grab on to the first thing I could to help stabilize the dream which happened to be the person who woke me up and followed me to the bathroom. The dream faded before I could reach her and I woke up in SP trying to breathe really heavily for about 2 seconds until I came to my senses and realized I just need to stay calm.

It was one heck of a night in general. On average I record about 1 dream a night with poor-good quality. This night I recorded 5 dreams and 3 of them with incredible vividness and quality. Here's my night recap::

Spoiler for Sleep Recap:
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9:50 pm: Take an allergy pill, B6, and slam 2 glasses of milk and half a glass of water. Set alarms for 2:30 am (4.5h), 4:00 am (6h + 30m WBTB), and 6:30 am (8h) (Working on increasing my DR so it helps for me to wake up during or right after REM).

10:00 pm: Fell asleep.
12:15 am (2.25h): Woke up. No dream recall.
12:20 am: Fell asleep.
1:40 am (~3.5h): Woke up, recorded a dream of poor quality and length.
1:50 am: Fell asleep.
2:30 am (4.25h): Woke up to alarm. No dream recall.
2:35 am: Fell asleep.
3:10 am (~5h): Woke up, recorded a dream of great quality (2 full notebook pages of block text written as short-hand as possible, took me so long to write I reset my 4:00 alarm to 4:30). I had to urinate really bad at this point, and I even did so in the previous dream successfully. I waited to go to the bathroom until 4:30 in case I had another dream where I'd go to the bathroom so I told myself to RC the next time I do.

3:35 am: Fell asleep.
4:30 am (~6h): Woke up to alarm. No dream recall. WBTB for 20 minutes while reading DJ.
4:50 am: SSILD 5 cycles, achieved trance but was wide awake for 5th cycle. Laid in bed for 25 minutes before trying again.

5:15 am: SSILD 4 cycles, achieved trance but still couldn't fall asleep. Laid in bed for 20 minutes before trying one more time.

5:35 am: SSILD 3 cycles before roommate wakes up and makes a ton of noise upstairs. I give up, curse the method and start thinking about not trying it ever again, put earplugs in and try falling asleep. (At this point I haven't slept for more than a few minutes in over an hour)

5:55? am (~6.5h): Woke up and recorded a dream of great quality but the dream was pretty short. Just tried falling asleep like normal again.

6:15 am: Fell asleep (I know I fell asleep after 6:10 cause I called my roommate and she told me that's when she left).
6:30 am (~6.75h): Wake up from FA LD! Great quality and decent length, although lucidity itself only lasted about 4 seconds. I also recorded another dream before the FA of poor quality.
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I don't get it. The last few times I've tried, I simply haven't been able to do it. My mind wanders restlessly from topic to topic, and won't do the technique for very long. I can do maybe 1 1/2 cycles before my mind begins to wander, but I'm still wide awake.

What can I do? Is it just my mind is all screwed up? (That wouldn't surprise me, honestly. I do have severe depression. Maybe that has something to do with it.)  

1. I always sleep 6 hours before waking up and doing stuff for a few minutes. I was told this is ideal for this sort of thing.

2. Maybe what I took away from that is that I'm looking for results too hard.

Last time I tried this, I was wearing earplugs because it was an afternoon nap and people were milling about and there were sounds all over the place. I noticed I paid a lot of attention to my breathing. Is that okay?

It's just extremely frustrating. I'm using this technique to try and produce OBEs. I tried Raduga's methods for over a year with almost no success, and I've been doing this for a few weeks now and I haven't had any success. I find I do a bunch of cycles, then fall asleep and nothing happens.  

Originally Posted by CosmicIron:
You summed it correctly -- you are trying too hard. You shouldn't pay attention to ANYTHING! Stay as comfortable as possible, allow your mind to wander. If you wake up without success, don't despair, just keep doing more cycles till you fall asleep. Repeat this and you will have success.

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Still nothing. Last night I noticed that when I'd hear a sound or see something very briefly, it would catch my attention, then disappear shortly afterwards. What is this a sign of?  

I tried the following steps, and I can say I'm not really disappointed. I went to sleep at ten, woke up at two and even though I was VERY tired I tried my best with the cycles. I think I did four of them before I felt sluggish, and not really able to concentrate on anything but sleep anymore. So I went to bed, and instantly it felt like I was falling through my bed, or getting extremely light. I felt as if I might have an OBE, due to the way my body felt. It was the strangest feeling I've ever felt, then I fell asleep. I don't believe I had a lucid dream, because I can't remember it to well. And if I did have one, I'm sure I would remember it right? But it was weird once again, my dream self was having lucid dreams inside my dream! (dreamception?) And my dream self was bragging about it in the dream about how the technique worked. It was so strange, but I am definitely not disappointed even if I didn't have the lucid dream! I'll be trying this again tonight, thanks!  

Originally Posted by TofuBitz:
I tried the following steps, and I can say I'm not really disappointed. I went to sleep at ten, woke up at two and even though I was VERY tired I tried my best with the cycles. I think I did four of them before I felt sluggish, and not really able to concentrate on anything but sleep anymore. So I went to bed, and instantly it felt like I was falling through my bed, or getting extremely light. I felt as if I might have an OBE, due to the way my body felt. It was the strangest feeling I've ever felt, then I fell asleep. I don't believe I had a lucid dream, because I can't remember it to well. And if I did have one, I'm sure I would remember it right? But it was weird once again, my dream self was having lucid dreams inside my dream! (dreamception?) And my dream self was bragging about it in the dream about how the technique worked. It was so strange, but I am definitely not disappointed even if I didn't have the lucid dream! I'll be trying this again tonight, thanks!

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It is quite common... basically it's an LD which is followed by a False Awakening, or an LD that is launched from an FA. Either way, it is a lucid dream by most accepted standards. When you had the weird falling sensations though, you were extremely close to having a genuine OBE while being full conscious. Next time when this happens just relax and go with the flow.  

Originally Posted by TofuBitz:
Will do! I'm going to try again tonight, I'll post the results.
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Well, last night it didn't work at all. I didn't even have any weird feelings when going back to sleep, so I think I might know what the problem was. How conscious/awake do I need to be for the exercises to do what they need to do? Because I was barely aware or conscious when I did them last night, I barely knew what I was doing except for the senses practicing. Right when I was done, I was sound back to sleep within a minute.  

Originally Posted by CosmicIron:
If you find it hard to complete the first two cycles then you are simply too tired to make it work. On the other hand, if your mind does not drift after four cycles then you are too awake.

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So, to clarify, if I feel like I am not falling asleep after 5 cycles (which is how it usually is for me), should I continue with the cycles? Also, I tend to feel uncomfortable at the end of the 5 cycles and have to roll over, meaning I basically don't get to sleep for a long while.

EDIT: By the way many thanks for always helping and replying on your threads here and on LD4all!  

Hi CosmicIron.

I was wondering if you would consider writing a new SSILD tutorial? Now you have many more people's experiences (including successful and unsuccessful attempts!) that have improved the technique.  

I registered just to post in this thread and say thanks! I have been trying to lucid dream for only three weeks or so, and had my first lucid dream ever last night thanks to this method.

I woke up in the middle of the night naturally, and started cycling through these steps. I definitely lost focus a few times, and at one point I had a sudden flash of an image of a salad bar in a restaurant (I don't even know!). Then I felt those vibrations people talk about from the WILD technique - holy hell, that was amazing! But it only lasted a second or so. Then I tried plugging my nose and I could breathe through it! I tried to move out of bed but it was very difficult to move. Eventually I did get up, and I looked back to see if my real body was still in the bed (it wasn't) and went to the bathroom. I tried to make it so that when I opened the bathroom door I would be somewhere else, but that didn't work either. The bathroom did look weird though, it was in the middle of being renovated and had bookshelves full of young adult novels in there. I definitely did the rubbing hands thing, and also plugged my nose again just to make sure. Then I just kinda woke up.

I tried to do it again since I didn't have to get up at any particular time today but I was too excited from the dream to fall asleep again.  

So anyway thank you for this! What an amazing feeling. The most exciting dream I've ever had about going to the bathroom.  

Originally Posted by Histopotomus:
I registered just to post in this thread and say thanks! I have been trying to lucid dream for only three weeks or so, and had my first lucid dream ever last night thanks to this method.

I woke up in the middle of the night naturally, and started cycling through these steps. I definitely lost focus a few times, and at one point I had a sudden flash of an image of a salad bar in a restaurant (I don't even know!). Then I felt those vibrations people talk about from the WILD technique - holy hell, that was amazing! But it only lasted a second or so. Then I tried plugging my nose and I could breathe through it! I tried to move out of bed but it was very difficult to move. Eventually I did get up, and I looked back to see if my real body was still in the bed (it wasn't) and went to the bathroom. I tried to make it so that when I opened the bathroom door I would be somewhere else, but that didn't work either. The bathroom did look weird though, it was in the middle of being renovated and had bookshelves full of young adult novels in there. I definitely did the rubbing hands thing, and also plugged my nose again just to make sure. Then I just kinda woke up.

I tried to do it again since I didn't have to get up at any particular time today but I was too excited from the dream to fall asleep again.  

So anyway thank you for this! What an amazing feeling. The most exciting dream I've ever had about going to the bathroom.

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A bathroom full of porns? Wow, if that's not exciting then nothing else is, LOL. Congrats!  

Originally Posted by Bobblehat:
Hi CosmicIron.

I was wondering if you would consider writing a new SSILD tutorial? Now you have many more people's experiences (including successful and unsuccessful attempts!) that have improved the technique.

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Yes I've been thinking about that all the time... and that simply tells you how lazy I am, LOL.  

You just ignored me and my question?
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But seriously, could you please answer it? :
Originally Posted by WDr:
I'm thinking about combining this technique with a three-seconds alarm going of at night. Why/why not? Is it important to hit a REM period or something?
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Question for cosmic iron:

If you do SSILD in the night, go to sleep, have an LD then wake up again but want to try for another LD, should you:

A: Just go back to sleep again normally (after doing your DJ etc)

B: Do SSILD cycles again (after DJ)

C: Something else  

Woop. I tried this for 4 nights and nothing happens. I do the cycles, go to sleep, and just have vivid dreams.  

Decided to continue on with the method .  

Originally Posted by Hunterkiss:
This technique is correct, but I don't think CosmicIron should take credit for development of it. I see CosmicIron on pretty much every LD website. On ld4all this guy says his first lucid dream was in April, 2012.. I'm sure he has done studies like he claims but makes himself out to be more experienced than actually is. No offense towards CosmicIron, just thought I would put it out there. Thanks for the tutorial though.

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I'd like to ask you to quote the exact phrase which supposedly is from me that says I had my first LD on April, 2012. The SSILD technique first appeared early last year on the Chinese forum "Baidu Tieba", and was posted by my Chinese online alias "宇宙之铁＂which is the literal translation of "Cosmic Iron". The first version of English translation of SSILD was published on August last year on DV under the title "A Practical Recipe for Inducing LDs and OBEs". It was later refined and renamed to SSILD and was posted first onto LD4all while DV was recovering from the hacker attack. I have no idea where you got your "facts"... You probably meant no offense but this is nonetheless an accusation based on false facts.  

Originally Posted by Hunterkiss:
Apologies. Just realized it says "from @lago" but on the left it says cosmic.iron. Then I realized they all say that because that is who started the thread not the replier.

"From @Iago
04-01-2012

First LD!

I set up an alarm before going to bed, and when I woke up i tried SSILD. It worked, I think I fell asleep during the last cycles. In the dream, I was at an English school (not native here) which my uncle works for as a teacher, in other city. I pinched my nose and noticed I could breathe. I yelled from joy and excitment, I can't remember the words exactly, and started jumping. However, I couldn't transform the dream the way I wanted, I tried to change some girl's face which I had never seen to someone's I used to know, and I began looking for a WritersCube's clock, none succesful. Suddenly I was home, in the city I live, and there were two strange people, one of them related to previous dream events, but I didn't care about the other. The enviroment wasn't vivid, it was fading out. I thought I would really find the dreamclock when my alarm started IRL. I started rubbing my hands, and yelling "I want to stay!", but I woke up anyway. Think it was better that way, because the lucidity would fade out and it would turn to a normal dream again. Now in my memory it looks like a normal dream, but I'm sure I got lucid. Low lucidity. Next time I must remember to take a look at my enviroment, and ask for more realism."

My mistake. I also read another thread about how this is similar to "Indirect Techniques" but I read your reply/explanation. You can never be too sure if someone is professional or not on the internet haha. Regards.

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Apology accepted, and thanks for the clarification  

Originally Posted by Hunterkiss:
Question, are you supposed to do the cycles until you kinda lose focus and fall asleep unintentionally? or do 4-5 cycles and then try to fall asleep (get into a new postion, etc.)?

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I have been trying this for like three days and had 2 LDs one night 1 another. It is impossible to say that this was what caused it because I just jumped lucid randomly in my dream, but it seems like it did.

Also. I have been doing it planning on doing it like four or five times, but normally forget about it after two cycles. When I remember to do it I just restart.  

Definitely gonna try this!

I'll post the results. Hope I get a LD  

I have had many WILDs and DEILDs but I seem to have trouble during my work week. I think I will give this a go tonight. I have done similar things before on my own but this is more defined. It should be a cinch. Thanks.  

I have had some success with this method. I got a DILD the first night. I don't understand why this work but it has so far.  

Originally Posted by psychoTR2:
Okay, I was going to try it last night, but I ended up sleeping through the whole night. But, I'm gonna try it tonight, I got an account at textmemos.com because it was the only way I could have an alarm that only lasts a few seconds and doesn't require me to get up and turn off (thus spoiling the method with rational thought), and set it to text me at 2:30 am. Wish me luck

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If you have android this will do all you need. Alarm Clock Plus  

Originally Posted by psychoTR2:
Can't afford it, I've got a 30 dollar Motorola phone.

Anyways, so I took a nap at 5:30, had to explain to my dad why I was, since it's not something I usually do. I tried SSILD beforehand, but I wasn't getting tired, so I used a isotone for sleep. I had a dream, but it wasn't lucid, nor an OBE. But, I did wake up at midnight, almost 7 hours later! So I had a deeper sleep for some reason. I had woken up pretty much completely before I thought to do SSILD, and I figured I had spoiled my chances of that working by doing so (had I?), I decided to do a WBTB with isochronic tones, but was unable to sleep with my headphones in. So, I took them out and went to sleep normally, still trying SSILD. I didn't wake up untill 6:50, a few minutes ago. Still, a deep sleep, but nowhere near lucid. I will note, though, that the dreams I've had were more vivid than I've had in a while, and they apparently lasted longer. But, I find myself still unsuccessful with the methods I've tried. Is the fact that I mix methods not gettting me an LD, does it sound like I'm trying too hard?

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If you can't fall back to sleep then you are trying too hard. Provide me with more details on how you actually performed the technique so I can help you analyze.