Okay. I've been "intending" my ass off, yet no lucidity for a couple months now. For the last 2 or 3 weeks, I've been "napping" at 4am, reading about dreams (currently a book on spiritual work with dreams, and another book on Lucid Dreaming) on lunch and in evenings, reading and writing on this forum, doing reality tests around 10x / day, recording dreams at 4am and at 6am. I mean, if I absorbed myself in dreams any more than I am, I think I would be a dream!

Aside from working, that necessary evil, my focus has been very much on dreaming.

So, what am I doing wrong? I refuse to give up, cause I know this dry spell can't last forever, but I'd sure love to know what I'm doing wrong so I don't have to wait through the next year for my next lucid dream...!

Stephen B.--I am convinced you are a genetic mutation predisposed to lucid dreaming, so your suggestions may or may not be relevant. ½J However, I always enjoy your posts, so I'd love to hear if you have advice...

Later, Jason

I had a dry spell of almost a year and a half, followed by two lucids so far this year. Dry spells do happen, but there is always hope.

So, dream on! J

Hello-

I just wanted to say that I fully intend to start at least one new topic, probably about my difficulty opening my eyes during lucid dreams, but I'm having a TERRIBLE dry spell right now, and nothing seems to be helping. I'm doing regular reality checks all day every day, reading past lucid dreams before I go to sleep at night, wearing my NovaDreamer AND practicing MILD, and...nothing. Which brings me to a point I've wanted to mention...as I've been perusing l.d. message boards all over the internet, I keep seeing people complain that they have to work, and they don't have enough time to really put any effort into it. Well, I don't work, I have all the time in the world to put as much effort as I humanly can on it, but that DOESN'T GUARANTEE SUCCESS, and I am living proof. Mike, my "better half", suggested maybe I'm trying to hard, but I have to wonder, when it comes to something like this, that requires rather intense effort, how can one "try too hard"?

In any case, I didn't want to start any new topics until I have something new to report...maybe posting this message will help. Oh yes, did I mention I keep having dreams where I tell other dream characters that I "keep having dreams just like this"?

ARGH!!! 8(

Michelle

Michelle, I feel like you do sometimes in relation to not getting results from all your hard work. I say look at the big picture. It doesn't have to happen today......but IT WILL!...David

David -

Thanks for the advice - IT WORKED!!! Ever since I read that, I sort of changed my little mantra to myself, to something along the lines of, "I might have a lucid dream tonite, I might not, but it WILL happen!" and it worked, I had one this morning - short but sweet. I've passed your advice along to some others, hope you didn't have it copyrighted! 8^)~

Thanks TONS!!!

Michelle

I could use some help. This is my first post here. I joined the lucidity institute a little over a month ago. I have been religiously keeping a dream journal for over a month, with dream entries every night and sometimes 3 or 4 a night. I have been noting and categorizing dreamsigns and doing reality tests several times a day and incorporating my dominant dream sign categories into my reality tests. I am also putting serious efforts into MILD excercises. A week ago I finally had one brief moment of lucidity, perhaps 10 seconds or so and the exitement of it woke me up. I was unsuccessful in my attempt to spin and remain in it.

I have since had no other lucid experience. Admittidly, I am feeling a bit frustrated and sometimes wake up in a dream and question why I am not ever checking my dreamstate during the dream. A few days ago, I got so worked up about having a lucid dream and going over MILD excercizes while going to sleep that I induced virtually a whole night of insomnia. Obviously, not much dreaming happens on a night like this.

Does anyone, please, have any pointers? Anyone had a similar difficulty in the learning phase that could shed some light on this or give and good advise? I would appreciate it very much.

Sincerely, Rodger

Wow! Good news, I think. I had a number of dreams early this morning, capped off by one at about 6:30am which I think was lucid. I say, "I think" because this dream had some strange aspects that perhaps some of you could help me get a grasp on. I had set my wristwatch alarm to wake me at 6:00am, in hopes of waking me in a dream. This is a pretty normal time for me to be dreaming and I do this sometimes. I awoke when the alarm sounded and realized I had been dreaming, but could not immediately recollect the dream content, though I tried calmly for several minutes. Then I went through the MILD excercises, using a dream from a few nights ago as the role playing scene, as I began drifting back to sleep. Soon, I was having a very vivid sexual dream, but I was in a strange state, that is, I was not really in a deep unconscious sleep, rather it was a light morning kind of sleep and I was conscious of the fact that I was sleeping "lightly", if you will. I was aware that I was dreaming and aware that I was in a light sleep. It was as if I entered the dream aware, or "lucid" from the outset. At first it seemed not to be a dream at all because I was not certain I was really asleep, but the images became so real and clear that I know it was not a daydream, for I never daydream this vividly. I did not take control and manipulate the dream very much, but rather stood by and watched it take it's course. When it became very erotic, I took stronger notice of the fact that it was a dream and marveled that this was taking place, but I think this increased attention triggered my waking because I immediately began losing touch with the dream imagery and became more aware that I was lying in bed and actually awake now. I tried spinning to get back into the dream, but was no longer in touch with my dream body. Instead, I think I was trying to spin my physical body and this was not effective. At one point during the beginning of awakening I was covered by a sheet in the dream, and realized at the same time that it was the sheet on my bed.

The curious thing about this experience was that upon awakening, it took me a little while to realize that this was indeed a lucid dream. Perhaps this was so because I was not at first convinced that it was a dream at all, it seemed too much like I was awake or aware of being half a sleep. The convincing factor, however, was the vivid aspect of the imagery and the fact that I awoke with an erection from the dream stimulation.

Would you guess that this was an example of a WILD dream, falling asleep consciously, that LaBerge speaks of?

Thanks in advance for any insights any of you wish to share.

Warm regards, Rodger

Hi Rodger!

Your experience sounds very much like the kinds of experiences I've had. I too have wondered about whether such experiences counted as WILDs or not. The problem I have had is that most of the time, in order to get a stronger sense of being fully in the dream, I feel I cannot try to manipulate it too much. But the longer I let go, and simply let it take its own course, the greater that chance that I will lose lucidity. Conversely, the more I try to control the dream contents, the less real it seems. It seems that entering a WILD is a very fine art in lucid dreaming. But I agree that the degree of vividness of imagery can be very high, even when you are not completely convinced that you are in a full-blown dream state.

I think the most convincing cases for a WILD are when (1) the imagery is completely vivid, (2) the scenes have some sort of coherence (i.e., they are not just unconnected hypnagogic images), and (3) the dream characters act on their own, without you consciously deciding what they will do (though, obviously, at an unconscious level, your mind is calling the shots). I've only had a few cases that met all these criteria and lasted very long. But it is definitely worth keeping at it. Clearly, if one can develop the ability to enter a full-blown WILD at will, one can become a true master of lucid dreaming!

BTW, for other discussions on this very topic, see the thread under "Maintaining Lucidity Without a Dream Body" and another thread, which I cannot find anymore, "Crossing the threshold of WILDs'". Does anyone know what happened to this thread (or am I just unable to find it?)?

Lucid Dreams!

Les

Help! I have been reworking the Lucidity Course after a few years sabatical from lucidity, and I've been at it for a week now. The last few days, I have noticed myself totally ignoring the NovaDreamer Dream Alarm and Wake Up alarm, AND I have had NO dream recall! Noooo! Should I take a break or something? It's only been a week, though. :(

Suggestions Welcomed!

Dear Ryan,

If you've been away from focusing on lucid dreaming for a while and back at it for only a week, I wouldn't panic just yet. It may take your "awareness" muscles a bit of warming up in order start seeing the NovaDreamer cues again, and the same goes for dream recall. As for sleeping through the alarm, do you feel you've been getting enough sleep lately? And have you tried adjusting the ND settings?

I'd venture to guess this is just a re-adjustment phase. In the meantime, your re-working of the Course should help expedite a return to lucid adventures.

May you soon catch lots of Qs in your Zs, Keelin

I'm a new member, feeling frustrated because I've had only 2 lucid dreams since starting just over two weeks ago. After reading the comments, I'm now telling myself to "get real lady".

Joan Relke (Australia)

I'm a very new member (started July 10) and am feeling frustrated because I've had only 2 small lucid dreams since starting the course. After reading your comments, I'm now telling myself to "get real lady". I think the course materials set up false expectations. I'm doubly frustrated by my partner, who regularly has lucid dreams without trying and doesn't give them much thought. He has had one nearly every night since I've been talking about it, writing down my dreams, keeping charts, asking myself if I'm dreaming, and generally behaving in a silly way. I do the work and he has the lucid dreams! He's more interested in waking than sleeping life, except for the very deep symbolic dreams, which he says are too deep for lucidity. I wonder if such a sense of detatchment can contribute to greater frequency in lucid dreaming? It certainly works for him.

Thanks for the support, Stephen. Since my partner thinks I'm a bit nuts, and most of the time I do too, it's good to know that someone out there doesn't. I'll let you know if your predictions come true. In the meantime, I will continue to read all your contributions.

Hi;

I'm an old member but first time posting. I've had lucid dreams in the past, but never that long. I've heard it said that it gets better with time. Well, after over 3 years it is actually worse. I remember having 18 lucid dreams one month(although in all of them I woke up pretty fast) and that was maybe 8 months after I started.

Now, 2 and a half years later than that, I can't even have one lucid dream in two maybe 3 months. If I get one it is a miracle. And I still have that problem of waking too fast.

Also, 3 years I've had the Novadreamer(I also own the PEST, Dreamspeaker, and SuperNova) and I had only one lucid dream with it. Imagine that.

Joseph

Joseph, I just read something interesting that the Dalai Lama said on dream yoga. If your sleep is too heavy for you to become conscious of your dreams, eat less and lighter food; if your sleep is too light and you wake up too easily, thus preventing consciousness of dreams, eat heavier, oiler food. I had much better, more frequent lucid dreams for two months following a private retreat. Now my dreams are muddy and lucidity eludes me. Thinking of what the Dalai Lama said, it is true that following my retreat I kept to a light diet, but am now back onto my usual evening pig out. Well, back to the light diet for me just to see if it works. Perhaps it is something for other frustrated non-lucid dreamers to try. At worst, you can only feel better even if lucidity does not return

Joan

Hello, My name is Travis, I'm just begining to enjoy the forum here, and this is my first post.

Joan, I can relate to your frustration of obtaining lucidity and I've had plenty of dry spells over the last 7 years. I have found that when I am trying too hard to find lucidity in my dreams, I run into all sorts of obstacles. It's like I'm pushing on a door with all my strength, trying to get through until I am completely drained, only to find out that the door opens inward. When I am frustrated about not being able to lucid dream, the frustration keeps me from doing it.

Thank you Travis. Since I'm just new I'm not sure what to expect and value the contributions of older members. My frustration is that having lucid dreams brought me to the Lucid Dreaming Institute in the first place. Now that I'm here, I'm as muddy as a pig pen. No doubt trying too hard, as you say. However, I am being compensated by the interesting activity of recording my turgid dreams and amused by their tricks to keep me non-lucid -- such as calling emergency on a dream phone to save a baby who's stopped breathing and actually dialing the right number which is answered by, "Emergency". And then giving the house number once and having it confirmed by the dream mother with the dream baby. I also witnessed what otherwise would be a horrific nightmare, only to have my non-lucid mind interpret the scene of stabbing, decapitation and rolling head as a TV show. How awful, I dream thought, that kids have such easy access to such violence. Before starting the Lucid Dreaming Course I had a lengthy lucid dream in which I turned the dream imagery into a TV program in order to stop waking up. My dream mind seems to be trying to tell me something about the techniques I am now using.

At the moment I'm pursuing information on dream yoga. Perhaps a more "mystical" or spiritual, less clinical approach to lucid dreaming might work for me. I am approaching the exercise where I'm expected to stand on a chair for 5 minutes! Even alone, I would be too embarrassed to do that. If anyone out there has something to say about dream yoga, I'd love to hear. Perhaps the frustration line is not the right place, so I'll watch out for something under another topic.

Hi, Joan - where are you getting this information on dream yoga? I read a book on that subject a few years ago, but I don't recall anything like that! It might be interesting to read something new on the subject...I might even be willing to stand on a chair for 5 minutes, if that's what it takes! (but only when I'm alone) :)

Adastra, two books have been recommended to me: Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (1988) The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep (Snow Lion); and Nankhai Norbu (1997) Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light (Wisdom Publications). A search on the Net should bring up more and Amazon.com lists several. Also a recent book featuring the Dalai Lama has some good bits in it on Dream Yoga: "Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying: An Exploration of Consciousness with the Dalai Lama", edited by Francisco Varela (Wisdom Publications, 1997).

Several of the concentration/relaxation exercises in the Lucid Dreaming Course are taken from Dream Yoga, but not the one where you stand on a chair for 5 minutes.

The Dalai Lama talks about developing the "dream body" (other books might as well), which might interest you, Adastra, because of your experiences in trying to control your dream body, ie opening your eyes etc. I've had both lucid dreams and OBE's and the experience of the body is so different in each that I am inclinded to conclude that the experiences are quite different and that the body in the OBE's may be the dream body the Dalai Lama is talking about.

Perhaps I should not be putting this contribution on the Frustration Board, but my increased interest in dream yoga does stem from my frustration in trying to induce lucid dreams through what I feel are nearly mechanical devices: reality probes, filling out charts, counting dreams (lucid or not), doing the 4 useless things (or is it 5?). Previous to my getting involved in the Lucid Dreaming Course, I had been using a technique which involved nearly hypnotic exercises taken from dream yoga. I was getting results and now I'm not. Different strokes for different folks, perhaps.

Joan

My first decent lucid dream in 2 months! I attribute it to the higher pillow I started to use 3 nights ago in order to easy a painful shoulder. The Tibetans recommend a high pillow (without cramping the neck) as it produces lighter sleep and leads to more frequent lucidity. So maybe it works.

Joan

Last night i had my best lucid dream ever in 5 years of trying, I think this is due to the fact that i had a nap in the evening. i fell asleep at 9pm, woke up an hour later and then watched tv (in a sleepy daze) for another half an hour,i then went to bed and thought about lucid dreaming and found myself entering the dream state. I floated up out of bed but then woke up, so i tried again and found myself floating up to the ceiling, i then floated around the room for a while before floating back into bed.

Has anyone else found that having a nap in the evening is a good way to lucidity? I am sure this would be a good way for those of us who cannot take a nap in the morning.

Naps are a great way to increase lucid dreams.

I expect that your nap lasted around 90 mins (probably a little shorter)colin, enough for one sleep cycle to occur -

You probably woke before or during an REM period - from your reported drowsy waking state it probably indicates that you woke before.

This period of wakefulness before returning to sleep and focusing your mind on the intention to lucid dream - allowed for you to enter REM sleep directly with a more aware mindset than normal.

The principle is that if you wake before entering REM and then focus your intention to get lucid - the chances are that when you return to sleep you will enter almost directly into REM sleep and perhaps a lucid dream.

I have had many Wake Initiated Lucid Dreams this way.

As for whether it is better in the evening or the morning well the two are quite different.

The evening nap (before real sleep) is a way to bypass a sleep cycle as to enter REM directly.

With the morning nap (after a full nights sleep) it is the nap itself when REM occurs.

Morning naps seem to be better geared towards lucid dreams if only because morning REM periods are generally longer in duration.

Generally most of us dont have the time during the week to have morning naps - so if you find evening naps are good for you then experiment.

Good luck and sweet dreams

Thanks Daniel for your quick response, i was begining to think i was the only person in the UK with any interest. Good to see you have a web site & will be visiting it often.

I have tried just about every technique there is to try over the last 5 years but the results hardly justify the effort. My goal is to have Lucid dreams at will, as you do. Any advice?

Thanks

Colin

The best advice i can give on achiving "at will" lucidity is to truely believe that it is possible - it sounds ever so simple but really it was the most important hurdle i ever faced. Of course if you have had trouble having lucid dreams it is hard to convince yourself that it is easy.

Another important trick is what i call the "doubt factor" - when performing a reality test/state check most people assume they are doing it whilst awake they use a state check to test if they are dreaming (and if it doesn't work you are obviously awake)- I did this for years, once i realised that if I added the "doubt factor," that is whenever i state check to assume first that i am dreaming and use the test to prove that i am awake (rather than the other way round)- this works much better, if you do a state check in a dream and are assuming that you are awake first, you are likely to draw the conclusion that you are awake (if you are not thourough). By turning this on its head even if you do not state check thoroughly you will realise that you are dreaming - because you havnt proven yourself to be awake.

So simply - whenever you feel the need to state check/reality test do not assume you are doing it from the waking state - assume you are dreaming and testing to see if you are awake - only when you can prove you are awake be satisfied - if you do not prove that you are awake you must be dreaming.

The best reality test is not to ask yourself "am i dreaming?", instead "am i awake?".

(obviously you use a standard state check to prove your awake eg."reading text" test.)

It is amazing how easy it is to overlook this reversed state check. I hope its been usefull.

By the way I run lucid dream workshops in the UK (devon).

My sympathies to my fellow frustrated lucid dreamers. I have been attempting to have lucid dreams at will for almost six years and I still have only sporadic success.

I think I will get the hang of it for a while, but then I go through a blackout phase, get discouraged, and halfway give up. Inevitably, I get the urge to try again.

I manage three or four lucid dreams a month. I've tried everything I can think of. I've had the most success with what Daniel talked about in the previous post - reality checks and believing I can do it. But like he said, it's hard to convince yourself of that when you're not doing it.

I'm not going to give up. I will keep napping and testing and dreaming until I can do it. For now it's just comforting to read these posts and know that I'm not the only frustrated one.

Still trying,

Chad

It would be interesting to know, how long it took (for those lucky enough) before they could have lucid dreams at will. Did they have years of frustration as we do, or was it something they found to be quite easy. did it just happen all of a sudden? or was it a gradual increase over many years. Please let us know your experiences.

Many thanks

colin

Hi Colin,

A few years ago, I had similar experiences with "evening naps" leading to Wake Initiated Lucid Dreams (WILDs). I'd fall asleep on the couch for an hour and then go to bed, where I'd lightly rub my husband's back while he read for awhile. I'd be in a very relaxed state, but the motion of my hand and the light in the room were usually enough to keep me from falling asleep, so I would have a chance to focus my intention to enter dreaming with awareness intact. Although this worked on several occasions, I still find early morning naps even more conducive to producing WILDs

As for lucid dreaming at will: Personally, I've found motivation (having a specific goal in mind) to be a very key factor. In reflecting back over the years, I believe my first intentional lucid dreaming experiences were inspired by a desire to explore the unlimited freedom of dreamland with a dream version of someone I knew in waking life. This was many years ago, before I'd ever read a book on the subject or heard the term "lucid dreaming". Over time, it has become easier to maintain the focus and intention necessary to lucid dream at will. Perhaps this just has to do with becoming familiar (and confident, as Daniel suggests) with what it takes to get there.

May you be whole-heartedly inspired! Keelin

Please take 15 seconds time and fill out the Lucid-Dreaming-Questionnaire at http://beam.to/lucid

Why?

In this forum are postings saying that people tried to have lucid dreams for a long time (with changing intensity), but did not really succeed (the same with me). This gave me the idea to put up lucid-dreaming questionnaire. I hope that it will give us all a profound evaluation of whether lucid dreaming is a great thing to be learned by anyone or a thing only some experts can deal with, but that produces frustration for many others (like slim-fast-diets in a women's magazine. :-))

Thus, please support my questionnaire!

Dear Moski,

From personal observations over the past several years, it appears to me that lucid dreaming is indeed a learnable skill and not restricted to any elitist group of "experts". My opinion is based mainly on the results I've seen first-hand at Lucidity Institute's annual Dreaming & Awakening workshops. There are usually about 25 participants varying widely in personality, age, careers/education, and previous lucid dream accomplishment (often including some who have never had a single one). I believe the post-workshop questionnaires have indicated that nearly every participant has had at least one lucid dream during the training program.

And even though I've had many a lucid dream over the years, the journey of learning how to have them more often and at will continues. I too have my frustrating phases. What I find most helpful is to have the incentive of a definite, pre-determined goal -- beyond getting lucid! -- so that awareness that I'm dreaming becomes the natural state I need to be in in order to accomplish my desired task. I've also found chapter three in "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming" (which describes the role of prospective memory) to be particularly helpful.

If you could be more definite about what approaches you have tried, it would be easier to offer some specific suggestions, if that's ultimately what you would like.

Wishing you the sweet surprise of a spontaneous lucid dream, Keelin

Dear Moski and fellow - sometimes frustrated - oneironauts!

I don't claim myself to be a natural born lucid dreamer. And the first three decades of my life are showing a rate of 1 (ONE) spontaneous lucid dream, must have been, when I was ten years old. But I claim myself to be a seeker, since I was born. And it has been the inner world, where I sought and hoped to find. I kept the memory of this one lucid dream over years. Lucid dreaming is extraordinary. All these years I knew, that there is something GREAT waiting for me. Again and again over the years I remembered this dream. I have been keeping a day and dream diary, since I was fourteen. Inspired by Ouspensky I tried to have lucid dreams, but didn't succeed this time. More than fifteen years later I read a book by Stephen LaBerge. And I resolved to have another try on this subject. For nine month I worked very hard. My (non lucid) dreams said: too hard. I think, I was too much engaged. But at least it worked!

The effort of learning lucid dreaming can never be greater, than the reward to be gained!

I think, the reward is the chance to consciously discover a greater, wider world. The reward is to get in closer contact to yourself, maybe to your highest self or whatever you believe in. The reward is more light, increased awareness, more joy, more flexibility in my whole life. In my language I find more poetic words to describe the wonderful experience of lucid dreaming and lucid being. In the process of learning lucid dreaming I discover myself. I find new borders, new ways to cross them, new seas, new islands, new thoughts, deeper emotions. All this happend in the time before my first (intended) lucid dream last year. I think, this process is a reward in itsself. This process has the power to change your daytime habits of perception and action. Sometimes it is very important to dissolve from a situation. But the first step is to realize: "Something is odd." Or: "Astonishing emotions!" Now I have got the chance to take a different view and maybe to act more conscious and peaceful. It is the same in day and dream: Awake! I still have to find my own way to increase the LD frequency and to prolonging LDs. I find the variety of technics offered by the Lucidity Institute very helpful. And I am sure, that everyone, who sincerly practices this technics will - sooner or later - be able to have lucid dreams at will.

Keelin's hint is very helpful. These days I have set my goal to meet my dream - teacher in LD and to ask him/her what I am to learn.

This kind of adventures are waiting for everyone.

Now it's time to go and practice, what I have prayed.

CU in LD

Yours

Ralf

Hello there fellow dreamers!

I became interested in lucid dreaming about six months ago. Early on in my attempts, I had two lucid dreams that were brief but sweet. In one, I was being chased and had to escape under a quickly closing garage-type door. I suddenly realized I was dreaming, and that I could fly! I flew under that door just in time, then up up into the sky... it was the most exciting thing!

I just bought a Nova Dreamer, and have used it three nights now. The first night, I lay awake all night waiting for it to flash. I got no sleep! The second night, I took the wonderful advice of leaving the mask turned off, but wore it anyway to get used to the feel. (I can't remember who posted this advice... but thanks!) I turned it on halfway through the night and had the most amazing experience! The flashing woke me, and I found myself floating in the most fabulous energy field, and I was filled with utter peace and bliss... it was awesome!

But here's my problem. It seems that the mask either doesn't get my attention, or when it does it wakes me up completely. I'm in a dream, and I see the flashing, and I say, "oh there's the mask, I guess I was dreaming." But then I can't get back into the dream! I just fall asleep, until the next time the mask wakes me up. I don't know if spinning would help, because at that point I'm really awake. Any advice?

Thanks!

Kristina

Hi Kristina,

Don't think I can help you because I'm having similar or worse problems.

I have recognized one cue in a dream...but it was actually the dream alarm. I was filling a bottle with water, during a false awakening during the night, and the water shimmered and sparkled brightly in the dark. I became lucid, but the lights continued to get brighter and faster until i woke up...and recently I realized that the cue was actually the dream alarm.

I totally sleep through the cues, and I am LUCKY if the dream alarm wakes me. I'm a very heavy sleeper. Anyone have any tips on making your sleep lighter?

The best way I know is to sleep on my back, but since this keeps me up most of the night its real tough.

Dream on, Tom

Well Tom, I guess I have no advice for you either! Last night I slept like a brick. The mask cued me 21 times, and I don't remember seeing it even once. I only remember the tiniest dream fragment from this morning, and I usually remember between 2-5 dreams per night. Pathetic! I think the mask causes heavier sleep in itself. Maybe some caffeine before bedtime? Advice, anyone???

Dear Kristina, dear Tom

Your experiences are not new to me. In my first nights with SND I had some lucid dreams. But no cued LD. But in the next nights the frequency decreased to zero. I think, the brain gets used to the flashes. I remember some dreams with incorporated flashes. They didn't lead to LD. Although I looked for lights as a dreamsign in waking life, I didn't succeed. After this experience, I haven't used the SND for some time, because work devoured my concentration. Lately, I'm on the run again. I continue going through "A Course in LD". And I experienced my first cued LD.

My advice is: Look for lights and flashes during daytime and practice RCs. Just like recommended in the course.

Recognize the light!

Hi Ralf and Tom,

I tried my own advice last night, and I drank a cup of full-strength tea before bed. It made it a bit harder to fall asleep, but I put the mask on and meditated and worked on "raising my energy" for about an hour.

The mask cued me 21 times last night, and I saw several of them! Each time it woke me, but not completely like before. I slept much more lightly than I have been lately. I had a semi-lucid dream! The mask woke me mid-dream, and I said, "oh there's the mask, I'm dreaming," and I continued the dream! The dream only continued for a short time after that, but I'm very encouraged by this result!

I will definitely be having some tea again tonight!

Oh, concerning RC's: I've been reality-checking my fool heart out. I have notes posted to myself, I always look at my hands to see if they're melting, and I even have my husband asking me if I'm dreaming!

Good luck to you both! Keep me posted.

Kristina

Hi all,

I am very new...and I'm still working on remembering one dream each night....the first step in the program. I'm frustrated because even the dream alarm doesnt seem to wake me....Two days ago i slept for 14 hours because i vowed that I am GOING to remember a dream every night, and if i wake up without that, i go back to sleep. Luckily, having my own business I can make my own hours.

Well, it worked, of course, eventually, and now I really have to start looking for lights in the daytime--(I haven't made that a habit yet)...I had a great dream where we had nitroglycerin powder and we mixed it into a fish tank full of water...because we wanted to soak things in it and make them explosive...well I didnt read the directions and instead of two teaspoons i put in half the bag, so i was afraid to even go near it. As a test i threw a rag into it and on contact it blew a bright flame straight up through the ceiling....

Then I was too cautious to do anything else, and basically, though, if i had been questioning lights during the day, that would have led to lucidity, i'm confident.

I am not losing confidence. I'm very excited about this.

Good luck y'all? Tom

OK, today I'm frustrated. Last night, I took my ND out of the drawer, gently, and I heard a "pop." One of the batteries had popped loose, and it reset my customized settings. Aaarrrggg!!!

Anyway, all sleep and no play last night. Even with a cup of caffeinated tea, I'm sleeping like the dead. Darn!!!

Hello everyone: I know I've been frustrated lately by not having a lucid dream, in not just several months, but 1-2 yrs. at least! Then other times lately, I just can't remember my dreams, then I have to ask myself sometimes(kind of kidding like):Am I brain dead? or Dream dead?? Still, I try not to force it too hard on myself and lucid dreams will come in their own time. Right now my main objective is remembering my dreams each night, then next, seeing what my dream signs are. My work schedule now doesn't allow me to do the morning nap times, which they say are best for lucid dreams, I've tried that and it didn't work. I have a Nova Dreamer and it seems like a neat nifty electronic device, but I find it uncomfortable in wearing it. I may still try using it again when I get the urge for a morning nap when I'm off from work. I sure wish they made a subliminal persuasion tape of lucid dreaming. Those types of tapes work well on me. Dr.Stephen Berges trans-induction tape is nice, but I think I get closer to a dreaming or lucid dream state, if I listen to it,in the daytime and fall, asleep in a nap, then later on listen to it again after having 1-2 cups of coffee. At a night times sleep then I would have dreams or maybe a lucid dream. I try to read anything I can get my hands on in learning lucid dreaming. Better luck on having lucid dreams to us all.!

Dear Jeffrey,

I took me 9 month to succeed in LD. I've been frustrated, too. Today, I'm frustrated with my frequency of LD. But there are many wonderful experiences I've made on the way to LD. I've learned, that success or frustration depends on my own goals. When I started working on the 61 point relaxation exercise two month ago, it took me one hour. I have been frustrated. I set my goal to half an hour. And I did succeed. Now it takes me less than 20 minutes to relax rather deeply. I'm very pleased. What kind of goals do you set? How do you set them, how do you feel, when you reach a goal? What is the sound of the voices inside yourself, what do they say, when you, again and again, fail? I found release in talking to this voices, in giving them a body. A part of me likes to loose. A part of me likes to be small. A part of me is hanging on to the old version of how my world has to be. My way is to love these parts of myself. Love is changing everything. I found the child inside myself. And since I pay attention to it, we have a lot of fun. Everything is easier with a (inner) smile.

I wish you a successful funny way to LD.

Yours

Ralf

Dear Frustrated Friends,

Kristina's latest report (under the topic "Post Your Lucid Dreams" July 28, 2000) is a great example of how persistence pays off! Congratulations, Kristina! And thanks for including a description of the NovaDreamer incorporation ("a tunnel of light, made of concentric circles of white light"). It's always fascinating to read of yet another way in which the cue has appeared in the dreams of others.

And for those oneironauts who are caught in frustration mode -- especially those just getting used to working with the NovaDreamer -- there are more suggestions and discussions under the topic "Lucid Dream Induction Devices: The NovaDreamer: NovaDreamer Experiences" that you may find helpful and encouraging.

May your journeys be filled with (recognizable) light! Keelin

Thank you Keelin!

Yes, this lucid dream was downright awesome, and it lasted so long! Four "tunnels of light!" I have had two very brief experiences of lucidity since then (although I woke right up), and each time I notice the cue, it is always the tunnel of light. I have not yet seen the cue as anything else (not that I remember)! I always recognize it as the mask. The tunnel is quite stunning!

Just an observation: I find that my dreams during the first half of the night are SHORT. I wake up out of a dream, THEN the mask flashes. So these dreams are always less than three minutes!

Also, is it normal to be sleeping much more heavily? Maybe because the mask keeps out all light? I don't remember ever sleeping this soundly. (darn!) I'm so anxious for my next lucid experience!

Thanks for your encouraging words! Kristina

Kristina,

Speaking of sleeping soundly, my sleep patterns have been so off since I've started studying Lucid Dreaming, that it's starting to bother me. I started just sleeping later, going back to sleep after I woke up....

but then I started staying up later and later, until my bedtime was 4 am. Finally last night I never went to sleep at all, stayed up 42 hours and finally slept again, this time until 4PM, so my day is shot.

Has anyone else had these kinds of problems? I've read The Promise of Sleep, but I cant ever seem to figure out whether I have enormous sleep debt or too low, because I can sleep for 12-14 hours and it just makes me feel more and more tired....as opposed to what the book says about paying off sleep debt. I don't remember it saying anything about over-sleeping.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to regain a normal sleep cycle?

Tom

Hi Kristina,

Regarding your observation that your dreams are shorter during the first half of the night:

As explained in Stephen LaBerge's in "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming", REM periods do increase in length throughout the sleep cycle, while the time in between decreases. Taking this into account, some NovaDreamer users choose to set a long delay before cues begin so that they get an uninterrupted, restful sleep for the first half of the night. Delaying the cues until later also cuts down on the possibility of becoming habituated to the cue and saves their promptings for those longer REM periods where one has more opportunity to catch a repeated signal.

As for sleeping more heavily due to the mask shutting out external light:

Personally, I've found the mask helpful in this regard -- especially when I want to sleep in past normal wake up time -- for instance, with the "Nap Technique". Details on this highly effective technique are posted under the topic "Experiments in Lucid Dreaming". And by the way, the deadline for sending in experiment reports has been extended to September 2, 2000, so I'd strongly encourage everyone to give it a try.

Sweet dream adventures, Keelin

Dear Tom,

I'm certainly not a sleep expert, but it sounds to me as if you may have been continuing to re-set your biological clock by returning to sleep in the morning and then staying up later and later past your normal bed time. Re-adopting your usual bedtime and not allowing yourself to sleep in would be an easy fix, but of course, without knowing any other factors that may be involved here (exercise and diet, for example) it's hard to say what's really happening. If this has been going on a while, medical advice may be worth seeking.

My suggestion would be to give the lucid dream training a rest, so to speak, and get your sleeping back on schedule before resuming. Sleep deprivation is surely not conducive to any type of awareness and can be downright dangerous to yourself and those around you. The lucid dreams will be there for you -- and more easily accessible -- once you are truly well rested.

Wishing you an easy return, Keelin

PS: The relaxation techniques described in "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming" might help you slip back into an earlier bedtime.

Frustration, Frustration, Frustration

This week I am having a serious attempt at napping, following Keelin's recommendation of getting up at 4am for 30 min so I will not worry to much about getting back to sleep. Second night:

"I am at work in a large office talking to a colleague. I turn and walk down the room. I pass a young man in smart suit, he is crying distressed. He has failed an exam (his exam was in a previous dream). Everything becomes crystal clear visually, and I realize I am dreaming. I go to a desk covered with books and papers. I am amazed by the detail I see. I take a paper and read a word "Tropic". Look away and back, seems it has not changed (this is what I recollect). Look away and back again and it says "sorry". I turn and though desperate to look around I sense that what I see is getting patchy. I feel irritated. I start to spin repeating "I am dreaming" (this is my first spin ever). I hear my voice and feel the spinning sensation vividly. Everything is black. After a few seconds I stop spinning, all is still black. I seem to wake up gradually.' I tested my state, I was awake.

After during the day, I re-read the section in Stephen LaBerge's book and his NightLight article on premature awakening. I realise I should not have stopped spinning. During the day when carrying out my tests I have been spinning for a few seconds only, didn't appreciate you have to carry on. (how do ice skaters and ballet dancers stop from getting dizzy?)

My last lucid dream was also short and faded visually and I have been worrying about this problem of awakening too early. The two lucid dreams I had which were long I jumped up and down at the beginning, but was this a coincidence? Presumably I must try not to dwell on this failure too much.

Trying to lucid dream is certainly challenging. Can anyone offer me advice from their own personal experience when novices. I desperately need some reassurance.

I am thinking not just of the premature awakening problem (which might be temporary if I look at things objectively), but how does one stay cool.

Owen :-(

PS Is premature awakening from light induced (novadreamer) dreams less of a problem?

Hi Owen,

I recommend you read what I wrote to Aleksandar yesterday, November 18th, under, Lucid Dreaming Induction Devices: The NovaDreamer: NovaDreamer Experiences.

Good luck, Nathen

Nathen,

Thanks for the advice. I had a really good lucid dream (for me) this week that I just posted, again it followed getting up for 30 minutes. It seems that I carry out all the activities that I read about. I think this is good as it prevents me waking up. I have to say though that although I remember the actions, my recollection of what I see is rather woolly except for items associated with specific activities I am carrying out, like a boat or a TV picture or a door etc. What I recollect from some non-lucid dreams seems much more vivid. However I resolved in my recent dreams to note the vividness and solidity, and I am able to recall the conclusion I came to, that is what I was looking at did seem real and solid, even though I cannot recall what lead me to this conclusion. Well I hope I am not deceiving myself.

Possibly the explanation for this is that I am focusing so hard on activities to do in the dream, so I have not yet seriously stopped to look around. Another possibility I thought about is, could lucid dreams be stored differently even more transiently in the brain at least for novices like me who as yet have little experience of the lucid state, and that my memory might improve with practice.

Regards

Owen

HI everyone! I'm new to the institute, and in fact have only very recently begun trying to get BACK into lucidity... 8 years ago I was doing it all on my own, hadn't done any research, knew nothing about it, and to make it worse, was using drugs and such as well... so I kinda lost it and got too scared and stopped, but now, I am frustrated that I can't get lucid EVERY night, and when I do it isn't lasting very long, and I'm still confused a bit when I get there, and I'm trying to remember "what am I supposed to do? Spin around? look at things? increase clarity?" etc...

Also, my major problem right now is I've gotten so excited about the idea of "getting back" that I am having trouble getting to sleep, which of course interferes with my dreaming!!!!! LOL.

Any advice on how to concentrate my attention without getting to wound-up to sleep????

James, I have had a similar problems with insomnia since starting with lucid dream induction in July.

I found at first that keeping a dream journal by my bed and writing in it woke me up and then I could not sleep. The next night, exhausted I could not remember any dreams! I have had similar problem with the MILD technique that requires concentration. Then the napping technique requires deliberate wakefulness...

From my limited experience I have found that, though I do have ups and downs, the problems have lessened over the last six months simply by my practicing and persisting and not giving up.

It has been suggested I think that insomniacs might be good lucid dreamers?! Though I consider myself a quite good sleeper, on those occasions when I have lain awake and become agitated I have more often than usual had near lucid and a couple of LDs when I have finally dropped off near the morning.

Let's face it, if you normally sleep OK, and you miss a few hours sleep one night you will make up for it the next night or nights. You cannot NOT sleep and provided you stay in bed long enough this goes for dreaming as well as non-dreaming sleep.

Owen

Dear James,

Go easy on yourself there Friend. Getting lucid every night is a pretty darn high goal you're setting for yourself! My gutt feeling is that you would do better to calm down a bit and focus more on quality than quantity for awhile. Spinning can be very helpful to prolong lucid dreams. My guess is, based on the tone of your post, that more daytime meditation and/or relaxation exercises would be quite helpful to your practice. A few deep, calming breaths when you first get lucid would probably be quite beneficial, too. It's certainly good to be interested in and dedicated to the practice, but, ironically, too much interest (pushing ourselves too hard or taking ourselves too seriously) can backfire on us.

Wishing you great peace and joy in the New Year, Nibbana