Originally Posted by harries:
Alright so far iv tried this 4 times and have had a lucid twice. ON both successful attempts, when i tried SSILD, i did it laying on my back, (i always sleep on my side). So when im trying to go through the cycle my body just wants to go to sleep, and thus on the last cycle i start getting a excitement feeling in my chest (Because i knows im going to roll over and sleep). So i would suggest doing this in a position which you don't normally sleep in. Ill post my results after 10 more attempts.

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I think holding the elbow upright while lying on your side is also a good alternative to avoid falling asleep.  

Something I'm considering doing is preparing half a page or so of text, and then when I wake up to perform SSILD, I'll put the light on and read over this sheet. It'll basically just have some of my goals and intentions etc on it, as well as things like reminders to watch out for false awakenings etc. I think this may help me to become just alert enought to finish SSILD without falling asleep prematurely, and has the added benefit of reaffirming goals for when I become lucid.

Originally Posted by Shantak:
Performing it in one position and then rolling over sounds good, I didn't know if it was allowed or not, guess I can only try.

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I believe this is encouraged - step three of the official tutuorial says this:

"Return to bed and lie down in a comfortable position, preferably different from the one you usually use. This is to prevent you from falling into sleep prematurely"

020307020305000103é0901: Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD) Official Tutorial  

I've been trying SSILD for months and have maybe only gotten 3 total lucid dreams. I feel like it's because I cant seem to get myself to do the same general number of cycles every night. Sometimes I'll do it, but then some nights I'll only successfully do the cycle only once. Is this affecting my SSILD success?  

Ok I've pretty much figured out a way to do about the same number of cycles each night. But now I'm wondering how long do the cycle effects last if I did them right? Meaning how quick do I need to fall asleep in order for it to work? It usually takes me 30 minutes to fall back asleep when I get up in the middle of the night  

Originally Posted by Aremus:
Hello,

I'm new in this forum, and wanted to write my experience.
I've been trying for this week the SSILD technique with no luck.

I've been waking up after the 4 hours of sleep, the first day wasn't very sleepy as the next days. That day i tried the cycles. Started to feel very relaxed, then when i finished the cycles, it took me several times to sleep. Didn't get any LD.

The next days has been very different. For example today. I woke up after 4 sleep hours, then got up for 5 minutes, but felt very sleepy. But better than the days before. So i got back to bed to start the cycles. It started well, but this has been happening a lot. I do the cycles, when i start with the sight, i start to drift away in my mind, then when i realize i'm drifting away, i try to repeat the cycle or going to the next one, i start but then drift away again. But i don't fall asleep. Today i did a quick ones because of this issue, then do the long ones, but didn't feel relaxed, so i let my self sleep with no result.

Any suggestion on what could i do to accomplish this?
Thanks in advance!
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The second try sounds like you were doing the technique correctly and getting the desired results. When you begin to drift in and out, chances are you are already in a trance state and very close to being in a dream. You could be already in an FA too! I suggest you do a couple more cycles with longer durations for each step and see if you experience any strange sensations. If nothing occurs, then simply do an RC, stop, and fall back to sleep quickly.  

Originally Posted by CosmicIron:
We do not know why exactly SSILD works. One user pointed out that the method shares some resemblance with the self-hypnosis method introduced by Betty Erickson, wife of the late Dr. Milton H. Erickson. Another theory is that by repeated stimulation of the various senses in a trance-like state, we incubate our mind and body into the right condition suited for entering a DILD, WILD, or OBE.

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Looks to me like SSILD is a very clever exercise for turning up awareness at a time when it would normally be shutting down. When the timing is right, the increased awareness as the body falls asleep, serves as a natural bridge to a successful DILD or WILD.

If that is the way it works, the trick would be getting the timing right.

And wouldn't increased awareness be the opposite of a hypnotic or trance state?  

Thought to give SSILD a go this afternoon, so I set the recliner to nap position and went at it. Cycled through maybe a dozen times with nothing happening. Then I'm interrupted when my dog starts going bonkers, barking at the front door. I assume it's the UPS guy, so I get up and go to the door. I open the door to find a giant black bear eating from a bowl of dog food somebody left on the porch. The bear looks at me and growls. I think, "oh shite"!  I try to close the door, but I'm too late. The bear lunges at me... at which time I wake up in the recliner. Whew!  

For whatever reason, lately when I try this technique I just can't fall back asleep

Even if I do it when very tired, maybe I need a good wake back to bed  

I've been attempting SSILD recently because of someone's suggestion and it seems pretty cool.  I've only tried it for two nights so far and even though I haven't had any lucid dreams last night I remembered a lot of dreams much more vividly than usual.  One issue I have though is that I'm not very good at falling asleep quickly.  Does anyone know how much of a negative impact this has on the effectiveness of the method?  Also is it possible to do too many cycles?

Edit.
I was also wondering if opening my eyes was fine during the cycles for a little bit.  

This method was definitely effective for me. At a certain point my mind started to drift off when I would focus on a sensation, and I would find myself momentarily in a lower stage dream. First I felt myself driving, though I could hardly see where. Then I was running through the dark when suddenly I found myself standing in a lounge-like room fully lucid. Unfortunately the dream only lasted what felt to be twenty seconds.  

Hey everyone, quick question.  I am back into LD'ing.  I am currently sticking with MILD until it works fairly regularly.  I have found that with me I get most lucids after I have woken up in the middle of the night then get my mind back on lucid dreaming again for a bit.  I have had success with WBTB and MILD in the past.  Waking up, writing my dream down, going over it then thinking about my goal for my next LD really gets decent results.  I think this is why SSILD would work well for me, getting up after some sleep, write down any dreams I can remember then going for a SSILD attempt.  I just have a slight problem.  I fall asleep EXTEREMELY fast.  I have tried staying up for longer but then I find I can't get back to sleep for another 45 minutes or so.  When I attempt SSILD I can do maybe 1 - 2 cycles and I'm either asleep or I find myself drifting and can't keep going.  Any advice would be appreciated  

If you fall asleep quickly, I'd recommend trying lots of DEILDs and WILDs.   Super combo strategy: always try for DEILD after waking up.  If after 2 minutes you don't make it back in, set intention for MILD, and try to fall asleep holding on to some awareness (WILD).   Should result in the most LDs....I'm going to be trying this approach but must be careful because there's a threshold level of alertness after which it takes me a while to get back to sleep...  

Just did a proper SSILD attempt about 2 hours ago.  Had a really vivid FA.  That's the first FA I can remember in quite some time.   Hopefully I'll learn to catch these.  

Hello.

This is my first post in the forum. Today was my 52nd day in my dream journal since I started my attemps in LD. I had a good LD in my day 13th day with WILD (but a little short) and another one really short. Since then, no more LD.

I started trying SSILD 11 days ago, without any ressult. I have read all the post in the thread, but I don't know why I dont get any results. I have tried all your ideas and solutions.

Normally I go like this:
-I try to have dinner soon, at 8.00 or 9.00 (in Spain that's soon)
-I go to sleep 10.30 / 11.00
-I wbtb at 3.30 / 4.00  go to bathroom, walk al little bit  about (5 / 10 min)
-I do the cycles, fast cycles and later slow cycles. Sometimes I have dificulties for finish the 4th and sometimes I do 6 or more. But normally I try to stay at 4.

-I am pretty sure that I didnt have any FA.
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Sometimes I fall asleep soon, but other times, after the cycles its difficult to sleep. I try to find a good balance for the time in the wbtb.

But I  think that I did it ok sometimes, and no ressults.

Normally I wander a lot and forget the technic and I have to start again the last cycle. I would say that I dont get any wierd sensations and I dont get any trance state.

On the other hand if I try normal WILD, I get all those weird feelings.

I will continue trying this techinic because I like it. But I dont know what I am failing at.

Thank you.

NOTE: I am sorry for my english

EDIT: I re-readed the tutorial and made a little attemp for a nap. I realised that when I focus on vision and hearing, I do it too ly. Even if I think I am relaxed I make little bit of tension in the eyes muscles and muscles around ears. I have tried to relax completetly my faces muscles and I think thats going to be an important factor. But I find difficult to relax completely my eyes, I still make little movements, especially when I change from sense to another one.

07any tip for the eyes?:  

Hello.

Thank you for your response. Actually, with this I realised that I have an eye relaxation problem. Even when I got to sleep and dont try LD. I think its because I spend a lot of time with the computer and that stresses my eyes. Only for closing the eyes I make effort. And some times if I try to relax the eyelids I open my eyes not wanting to.

But when i do the wbtb I find easier to relax my face and eyes. I think its a good thing to have discover this because now I find more relaxing all the SSILD cycles. And now I have new hopes for this technic.

At the beginning when I started LD, I was much more motivated, but if you dont get good results regularly its difficult to maintain this motivation. Is for that I like this technic.

I will tell you if I get some good results.

Thank you.  

I have not read this entire thread so forgive me if this has been asked before.  Has there been any discussion on the quality and length of the LDs produced by this method?  Reason I ask is, quite a few posts mention only very brief LDs.  Personally after trying this for 2 nights, I got an FA on the first night, and a very short low-level LD the second night.  I am just wondering if the LD quality and length is affected by this method and if so, can this be improved with a lot of practice.

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working.  I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.  

Originally Posted by vuduchild:
Not good results so far. I will try in my natural sleep position. And maybe I take a rest, maybe I am a little bit obsessed.

One question: If I wake several times in the night, can I make SSILD every time?
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I have posed that question and i think cosmiciron's answer was like 00 yes, most definitely03

Originally Posted by skywatcher:
I have not read this entire thread so forgive me if this has been asked before.  Has there been any discussion on the quality and length of the LDs produced by this method?  Reason I ask is, quite a few posts mention only very brief LDs.  Personally after trying this for 2 nights, I got an FA on the first night, and a very short low-level LD the second night.  I am just wondering if the LD quality and length is affected by this method and if so, can this be improved with a lot of practice.

Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working.  I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

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As folgelbise said, both quality and length are variable, not only with SSILD of course. After the problem of induction, it's the second one for most people. So it's only natural you are facing it

As to the second question, i can only tell about my experience. It works regularly for me, but i only do SSILD with the purpose of WILDing, which is something that has a more linear learning curve  

Thanks VegalTone and fogelbise for your replies. I was surprised at the low quality and short length of my LD with this method so I was hoping it was not something intrinsic to this method.  In the past, my LDs were longer and I had much more control.  But, I am just getting back into LDing after a year of not trying so I suppose I just need to shake the dust off a bit and work on stabilizing the LDs.  I'm glad to hear you are having quality LDs with this method; it gives me hope for trying to use this method.  

Might I be failing because the timing? I mean, I always get awake naturally during the night several times. Is it possible that it is better to interrupt a REM cycle with an alarm and later try the ssild?  

Originally Posted by skywatcher
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Also, I read some people saying they could only use this method successfully a couple of times then it stopped working.  I'd love to hear reports from people who have been using this method for a while.

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I use it sporadically now. It's no miracle technique for me. About three LDs max from it, I'd say. It can increase my dream vividness and continuity but even that effect seems to have worn off a lot.  

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, although I have been reading the forum for several months now .

I became interested in lucid dreaming about 8 months ago without much success. I tried different techniques, but until Two weeks ago I had only 5 LD, 1 min each. Two weeks ago I learned SSILD and since I had five additional LD and dream recall improved dramatically! (love you Cosmiciron!!).

Without a doubt I'm going to practice this technique.
One problem, I'm not sure its even related to the technique, my LD are very short, ten to fifteen seconds! It's so frustrating. I read the guides on the stabilization but still no improvment.

Do you think my problem is related to SSILD ( had much longer dreams when Dild)  ,I'd love to hear your opinions,
thanks.  

Originally Posted by AstralMango:
SSILD is known (in my opinion) to give very short lucids. But if Cosmic keeps using this technique, there must be more to it. You could try to PM him, maybe?

Also, welcome to Dream Views!
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thank's
sure hope ill be able to have much longer dreams with ssild, i love this technique.  

Originally Posted by fogelbise:
Not sure if CosmicIron will be back. I have had long LDs (and many medium length LDs) the same night I used the technique. I think it just takes most people time and experience to increase their average LD time, regardless of the technique.

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Whoa, really? I thought it gave short lucids for some reason haha. So it's not the technique but it's the other factors, like stabilisation and awareness?  

Originally Posted by AstralMango:
Whoa, really? I thought it gave short lucids for some reason haha. So it's not the technique but it's the other factors, like stabilisation and awareness?

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Sorry, I just saw your post AstralMango...yes, that is definitely what I think. Of course if you have that idea already lodged in your subconscious then you might be better off using other methods that you find successful. Good luck!

Originally Posted by LFairweather:
Just had a false awakening after trying this last night.... I love this technique because it always produces some sort of result for me.

I dont usually have any false awakenings so that was a new experience for me.
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Nice, and with practice, you can catch the false awakenings, you can turn them into lucid dreams!  

Originally Posted by Bobblehat:
I've always wondered if, when it takes you ages to get back to sleep after SSILD, it's the WBTB that's led to success rather than SSILD technique.

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What the bloody hell has that word got an apostrophe on it for?
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maybe, although that doesn't explain the results when you fall asleep really quickly.