主题:Should I Move On To Another Technique? Ld4AllI've been trying to have a lucid dream for a year now, and I've tried a lot of techniques, trying to at least get each one to induce a lucid dream.
Well, that isn't the case. I've been trying to do MILD consistently for two months now, making sure I'm doing the technique properly and not getting too "obsessed" with LD'ing.
I also keep a dream journal and my recall is great.
Should I move on to another technique? Is it possible that MILD does not work for me? It seems like the BEST fitting technique for me. I've tried re-working it, taking a short break, moving on, and then coming back to it but to no avail.
I mean, I'd LOVE to be able to do WILD, but I'm not so sure I should be focused on a harder technique when I can't even do the "easiest one."
Can anyone tell me what's wrong? Any advice? Any help of any kind would be GREATLY appreciated.
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
WILD is in no way hard, I would give it a try. With your dedication you would probably get WILD easier.
Current LD goal(s): Master lucid dreaming
If you have an odd habbit of waking up in the middle of the night without an alarm I'd suggest the WBTB strategy, it rarely lets me down.
Current LD goal(s): A man in a white room, very long dreads, he resembles me..He knows somethin..
Quick little fact... most people do wake up after there sleep cycles but forget it. That's about 5-6 times if you get a healthy amount of sleep!
I charge a cookie for every fact....
Current LD goal(s): Master lucid dreaming
GnarGnar wrote:
Quick little fact... most people do wake up after there sleep cycles but forget it. That's about 5-6 times if you get a healthy amount of sleep!
I charge a cookie for every fact....
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5-6 times waking up in the middle of the night...? And here... *Hands Gnar a cookie* Samoa girl scout cookies are amazing
Current LD goal(s): A man in a white room, very long dreads, he resembles me..He knows somethin..
Thanks all for your posts.
I don't wake up in the middle of the night without an alarm. Sometimes I set one for 2:30 AM, which I've found to be the best time to attempt a WBTB.
WBTB with MILD has also failed.
ARGH! I'm trying to not let it get to me but this is kind of frustrating!
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
One thing that helped me with MILD was doing it during the day. I would literally repeat the mantra "in x hours, I will know that I am dreaming" at different points throughout the day and then constantly while going to sleep. It helped quite a bit, actually.
Current LD goal(s): Defeat Xander in our lucid duel!
Thanks Rhewin.
Yeah, I had thought about saying a mantra throughout the day. I wasn't sure if that would ruin a later MILD attempt.
I'll definitely make sure to try that. I've already been trying to say a mantra throughout my day today. Hopefully it works out okay for me.
Thanks!
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
Supposedly, with MILD the last thought in your mind before falling asleep should be your mantra. Many people then repeat the mantra over and over and over, which may lead to mixing up words or even not falling asleep. This was the case with me, so I do MILD by repeating my mantra 3-5 times, focusing on the meaning and then I just clear my mind and relax. With a clear mind, the last thought will still be the mantra . If I start getting distracted and random thoughts pop into my head, I just repeat it, ending with a blank mind. Just in case you want to try it
Thank you mattias.
Haha, yes, I do want to try it. Although I have to ask, how do you personally clear your mind? It seems every time I try to do it my mind wanders anyway and I end up falling asleep. I start thinking random thoughts.
It seems hard for me to clear up my mind, but I would like to learn how.
I think that might be my problem! Thank you for your reply!
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
Yes, with any technique, knowing how to clear your mind is very helpful! I still have trouble myself, most people do . Trying some meditation really helps, it's just practice, really. And remember that there's nothing wrong with your mind wandering, it's a natural thing. But when you are trying to stay aware fro a WILD, for example, a clear focused mind can make all the difference. So when your mind wanders, and you notice it, just gently bring your attention back to the mantra/clear mind. No need to feel bad about it, even if it happens a lot.
Plus, when this approach to MILD works best for me is when I have quick wake ups in the morning and would normally fall asleep quickly. In these moments my mind doesn't get much time to wander .
Sorry to hijack the topic, but how do you "gently" bring your mind back from wandering? Whenever I realize doing so, I automatically snap back into reality and it makes me more awake.
Hi Fate. Thanks for posting.
Haha, you're not hijacking the topic at all!
In fact, I'm suffering from the same problem, and I was just about to ask the same question!
I think that's why my MILD failed last night. I was unable to fall asleep with a clear mind, because every time I tried my mind would wander. I'd try to clear it again but I'd be jolted awake.
It was somewhat of a paradox, hahaha. So frustrating.
Hopefully I can find a solution. I'm gonna try to keep repeating the steps, to hopefully condition my mind to just remain clear. Although I'm not sure that's gonna work.
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
Fate wrote:
but how do you "gently" bring your mind back from wandering?
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With gently I only mean don't try to force your mind to be clear or get angry about it. It's natural for the mind to wander, specially without practice, so no need to get frustrated. When you realize it's wandered, go back to MILD or whatever. When you snap back into reality, are you sure you are more awake? or maybe just more aware? I think I know what you're saying though. I don't know if it depends on the person or if it's practice. When I do this in the morning what happens is I don't even notice myself falling asleep at all. I'll do my mantras and clear my mind, relaxing. After a few seconds a random thought will pop in my head and I won't notice it at first, so I'll get dragged along and start thinking more random things, then I'll notice what I'm doing and I'll do my mantra again and clear my mind. This happens 1 to 3 times on a good day and then the next thing I know I'm in a dream and I'll recognize it. On some days my mind will be too agitated and I just can't focus and I'll repeat that more times untill I'm tired of it or I just fall asleep without the mantra in my head.
Sorry if I'm not explaining it very well. I'm not really sure what I do myself . It might not even be the best approach for everyone, but for me, when it works it works well. When it doesn't I end up getting out of the habit of doing it xD argh.
mattias, your answer was very informative for me. Thank you very much. I never got agitated over the fact that I let my mind wander, I just thought that there was a way to slowly pull the random thought back into the reality, but I see it "snaps" back for you as well.
I tried to WILD again a few days ago and I repeated the mantra for about 1,5-2,5 hours (could not measure time so I would not break concentration), to no avail. I did have some random thoughts but eventually I captured them and got back to my mantra. Eventually I just gave up. Obviously I am doing something wrong, as I have been for the past 3-4 years...
Fate wrote:
I tried to WILD again a few days ago and I repeated the mantra for about 1,5-2,5 hours (could not measure time so I would not break concentration), to no avail. I did have some random thoughts but eventually I captured them and got back to my mantra. Eventually I just gave up. Obviously I am doing something wrong, as I have been for the past 3-4 years...
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Yeah, if you're taking that long there's something wrong . Don't worry, many people are stuck there. I myself can't get a proper WILD, but I end up falling asleep . So I'm not the best person to help with WILD. One thing many people forget, though, is that to WILD you do need to fall asleep. You do it while remaining conscious, not awake. So it's a fine line . The best WILD'ers I've heard of do it by meditating. I guess thoughts (including mantras) tend to keep you too awake, but being just calmely aware might be the trick. But I guess that requires some practice Anyway, good luck!
Hmm, interesting about the meditation part. I'm unsure about the defintion, but thanks for your help. I will no longer hijack the topic.
To be honest, WILD and MILD almost never work for me. The two techniques I have had the most success with are WBTB and FILD. I actually experienced a successful only one day after beginning it.
It appears to me that you are not getting enough rest for either WILD or MILD to work. Try to go to bed one hour early, then wake up after 6 hours of sleep.
Ok, here's what you could do:
1. Before you go to bed repeat to yourself (meaningfully) 3 times that you will have a lucid dream during REM.
2. Wake up in the middle of the night (WBTB) and read about lucid dreaming for about half an hour.
3. Go back to sleep and repeat step 1.
4. Go to sleep like you normally would.
Hope it works. Cheers.
Thanks for the replies! Know that it is all appreciated!
I think I'll take a break with MILD, try SILD, and then go back at a later time.
Thank you all for your replies, you have been more than helpful!
Current LD goal(s): Question my subconscious
To Fate: Do you drink or consume cannabis on anything like a regular basis? That'd certainly mess up your chances in a BIG way - I talk from experience!