Questions for Rebecca

Hey everyone

This thread is dedicated to your questions for me personally. But before you post... please recognize that this website has grown very popular and attracts 10,000+ visitors every day. As it's just little old me behind the site, it's not realistic for me to answer all your questions one-on-one.... plus, many of the questions I get are along the same lines and have already been answered. So, get an answer immediately (and save me a heap of time) by following these three steps before posting a new question:

1. Search the forums for the basic keywords that relate to your question
2. Read my lucid dreaming FAQ at: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-faq.html
3. Browse my lucid dreaming archives at: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-blog.html

If you're still stuck and desperate to ask something about lucid dreaming, post your question on this thread and I'll get back to you when I can. Please phrase your question as clearly and succinctly as possible to help me understand exactly what it is you want to know about, otherwise if I don't understand you I may not be able to help.

Bear in mind that sometimes it takes me a few weeks to get through the backlog. If you want a quick response, consider posting your question in a new thread in the relevant forum category. This encourages more discussion from other members, many of whom are experienced lucid dreamers. (I am by no means a lucid dreaming guru - I'm flawed, like everyone else. I even make mistakes of my own. So don't live and breathe on my advice, nor hold me responsible for what you do with it. Also, I'm not a doctor or sleep specialist, so I won't offer any medical advice. This is just my humble personal opinion.)

UPDATE - SEPT 18 2012 - Whew! Just worked through a huge backlog of questions and answers. I realize some of them are rushed and can only apologize, but have tried to add useful insight where I can. As I am about to have a baby any day now and go on maternity leave, I am temporarily locking this thread so I don't accumulate a bazillion queries while I'm off! Rest assured, it'll be back up again when I'm back to work and have more time to dedicate to your lucidity questions. Thanks everyone.

:D

Hey all

**This thread is dedicated to your questions for Rebecca. **

(That's me.)

I set this up because I notice a few of you addressing me directly in your posts and asking questions. I don't mind this at all - it's a great way to meet readers one-on-one and provide personal advice.

However it's difficult for me to keep track of individual requests across the board - the reason is quite simply that there are now nearly 2,000 posts in this forum and I know I haven't read them all. So if you feel like you're left hanging, it's because I haven't had time to read every post, I'm not ignoring you.

While I will continue to check out all the categories frequently and take the time to read and answer the most compelling questions, it's unlikely I will read every single post because there aren't enough hours in the day.

So if you have a question for me personally, please post it here and I will try my best to answer you in good time. Soon, you may find your question is already asked and answered here, so this will cut down on me repeating myself.

It may also pay to read my Lucid Dreaming FAQ on the website, which answers many common questions: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-faq.html

Thanks for posting your additional questions here. By the way, I am loving the new forum community we have built in just a few short months and I truly appreciate all your input!

Sweet dreams 8-)

PS - I am by no means the most expert lucid dreamer ever. There are members of this forum who totally outrank me in terms of lucidity experience. So I'm more than happy for them to answer questions in this thread too (you know who you are) just to help elucidate things for beginners.

Hey Rebecca. A couple of days ago I (think) I had a lucid dream. I could remember it very vividly and all but when I was in there, it felt like I was just going through the motions. Like for example, I was in another room of the house and I look outside and it was very bright and sunny. I could see people moving and things like that but I felt like I couldn't exactly control anything. I felt like I was going through the motions and I was just watching my dream self do whatever happened. Maybe even just knowing I was dreaming but just watching the dream unfold and not have any control whatsoever. It didn't last too long (maybe like 5-10 minutes; couldn't really tell). It was extremely blurry and I felt like I wasn't in my dream body. If this is what you would call entering lucidity (from what I've read, it feels like how you're feeling at this moment very real etc). I had another lucid dream (my first one) and it was exactly like the one I had a few days ago. I bought the lucid dreaming mp3 but I still have yet to become completely lucid while falling asleep with it.

Thanks in advance, Rebecca. :D

Hi Steven

Sounds to me like you were only partially lucid. So you had a sense that you were dreaming, but all the cool stuff was missing (vivid sense of self awareness, clear senses, clarity of vision, and control of the dream).

I just wrote an article on common mistakes and this is a classic problem among beginners, but easy enough to resolve. Check out #5 (Dream Stabilization) in my list of hurdles: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/10-mistakes-made-by-beginner-lucid-dreamers.html

I hope the answer there enables you to have greater lucidity in your next lucid dream. ;)

Tried sleep paralasys last night. Felt like my body was covered in clay and I could feel my eyes darting around behind my eyelids. No WILD though. What should be done during sleep paralasys to induce a first WILD.

Hi Rebecca. Have a few questions:

• How long should I try a technique before trying a new one? 6 month?

• Do you know any free downloads (no virus) for Brain Waves and Binaural Beats? The best one? (I think I'll buy your fast track soon. In my autumb vaccation, in october, maybe :) )

Thanks. :D I'm still trying to get a LD, and I don't give up.

Have nice dreams!

OK, here's my question:

When trying to WILD, sometimes I keep feeling myself jolt back to alertness, much like if I were sitting in some boring lecture and trying not to fall asleep. Does this mean anything? So far I've never succeeded in getting into a dream, nor have I ever fallen asleep while trying (I'm one of those people who NEVER falls asleep unintentionally, and is jealous of how easily other people fall asleep). I haven't gotten as far as full sleep paralysis either. I hear that not everyone feels that, but in my case at any moment, although my body sensations are fuzzy and my limbs are heavy, I'm still aware of the exact position I'm lying in. I just lie there, getting occasional random and fleeting images and memory impressions until I get bored or have to get up to go to the bathroom. I'm not really sure whether my problem is not concentrating enough, or maybe trying too hard to stay awake (even though I'm not really trying consciously), or something else. I'm having fun experimenting, but not sure what my strategy should be or what else I should try.

Worldenterer1 wrote: Tried sleep paralasys last night. Felt like my body was covered in clay and I could feel my eyes darting around behind my eyelids. No WILD though. What should be done during sleep paralasys to induce a first WILD.

Once you achieve sleep paralysis you are very close to a lucid dream, as your body is well on its way to falling asleep - and in your example it sounds like you started going into REM too.

At this point I would vividly imagine a dream scene I wanted to enter, then start inducing kinetic sensations. Imaging riding a bike or swimming or running through your dreamscape. This helps switch the mental focus from your physical body to your dream body.

Otherwise you can separate your awareness from your physical body as it lies in bed (often called an OBE, although may just be a variation of the WILD).

Frequent OBers recommend floating up, sinking into the mattress, rolling or swinging out of your body. Your awareness moves off in a dream/spirit body. It takes practice though. My preferred route is to "teleport" straight into the dream visually, otherwise it can get confusing trying to transfer your awareness from a physical body to adream body -- when both are just lying in bed.

Mewie wrote: Hi Rebecca. Have a few questions:

• How long should I try a technique before trying a new one? 6 month?

• Do you know any free downloads (no virus) for Brain Waves and Binaural Beats? The best one? (I think I'll buy your fast track soon. In my autumb vaccation, in october, maybe :) )

Thanks. :D I'm still trying to get a LD, and I don't give up.

Have nice dreams!

How long it up to you. I would expect most people do experience their first lucid dream in days or weeks. Six months sounds like a long time if the technique is fruitless for you. So mix them up. Try self hypnosis for two weeks. Then try WILDs for a couple of weeks. There's no formula, but a couple of weeks - practicing every day - seems like a good basis.

Of course there are some underlying techniques you should always practice, such as dream journaling and nightly meditation/incubation. Reality checks are also an easy pay off.

Sorry I haven't tried any free brainwave entrainment downloads. Most sites like that seem a bit spammy so I don't bother with them. The FAST TRACK contains no brainwave entrainment, but does use self-hypnosis, music and guided meditation to induce lucid dreams.

alpacatackler wrote: OK, here's my question:

When trying to WILD, sometimes I keep feeling myself jolt back to alertness, much like if I were sitting in some boring lecture and trying not to fall asleep. Does this mean anything? So far I've never succeeded in getting into a dream, nor have I ever fallen asleep while trying (I'm one of those people who NEVER falls asleep unintentionally, and is jealous of how easily other people fall asleep). I haven't gotten as far as full sleep paralysis either. I hear that not everyone feels that, but in my case at any moment, although my body sensations are fuzzy and my limbs are heavy, I'm still aware of the exact position I'm lying in. I just lie there, getting occasional random and fleeting images and memory impressions until I get bored or have to get up to go to the bathroom. I'm not really sure whether my problem is not concentrating enough, or maybe trying too hard to stay awake (even though I'm not really trying consciously), or something else. I'm having fun experimenting, but not sure what my strategy should be or what else I should try.

This sounds like a hypnic jerk (described in Inception as "The Kick" which brings you back to reality). I think it's a glitch in the onset of sleep paralysis, or maybe the brain "just checking" to see if it's working. It may also be a dream body movement which escapes the paralysis and affects your physical body. I get this occasionally as I'm falling asleep and starting to dream, and always involves falling off the kerb! My brother says when it happens to him, he's also walking along the street and dreams of falling down a manhole. Amazing how the mind/body co-orindate to synchronize our experience.

You're getting there with WILDs, as you describe the hypnagogia and memory impressions which mark the onset of the dream half-sleep state. If your body can't shut down it may be hindering you, so my suggestion is to avoid all stimulants after 3pm (coffee, tea, coke, etc) and exercise during the day so by night time your body is thoroughly exhausted. This will help you relax your muscles. Your mind is already there and you could enhance it further by visualizing your dream scene and getting lost in that. You should shift your awareness away from your body and to the internal realm. I have found that brainwave entrainment is really good for this - particularly the Astral Pojection MP3 which I use for WILDs: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-mp3.html

Thanks! It's good to know I'm kind of close. After reading another tutorial I realized I may have been trying too hard to stay awake. But the crazy thing is that last night, after falling asleep fully intending to just wake up in the morning, I woke up just as I was entering sleep paralysis...I'm thinking it must have been just before my first REM phase since it was only around 1:00. It felt like the blanket was peeling away inch by inch...really weird! I wasn't even having any other hallucinations but I was so freaked out that I was about to that I couldn't let it finish! This is why so far I've only been practicing during naps since it seems less scary during the day :-P But I realized that if my brain could manage to wake me up while entering SP without even trying, I'm pretty sure I could learn to do it on purpose as well. That would shortcut the whole relaxation phase and make things MUCH easier.

hey rebecca, im only 13 but i really love everythin to do with dreams, i am slowly but surley having mire and more vivid lucid dreams but every time i know im dreaming i cant seem to do anything to control it, be it fly change scenry makw things appear use powers, i cant do anythin just wonder round aimlessley. i have read your tips on hwo to control them but they dont seem to be working. any more advice you could give me ? It would be a great help :)

Dreamer117 wrote: hey rebecca, im only 13 but i really love everythin to do with dreams, i am slowly but surley having mire and more vivid lucid dreams but every time i know im dreaming i cant seem to do anything to control it, be it fly change scenry makw things appear use powers, i cant do anythin just wonder round aimlessley. i have read your tips on hwo to control them but they dont seem to be working. any more advice you could give me ? It would be a great help :)

If you feel your lucid dream is still out of control I suggest:

• **Increasing your lucidity and self-awareness in the dream. **This will enable you to think clearly, stay calm, perceive everything, and stay in the moment without losing lucidity. The best ways I find are to rub your hands together, do basic math, recall what day it is, recall your lucid dream intention, do a reality check, etc.

• Do simple things first. You may not be able to perform amazing feats straight away if you aren't used to the lucid experience. So try simple things first, like exploring the scenery around you, examining objects up close, talking to dream characters, looking in mirrors, etc. This may also beef up the clarity of the dream, leading to more wild things like conjuring up new characters and flying high over the city.

Also remember that lucid dreaming does not have to equal dream control.

Many lucidity experts recognize that the "wish fulfillment" of lucid dreaming is just the beginning.... There are many other exciting applications that don't involve dream manipulation. So my final tip is...

• Being a conscious observer. Why not ask the dream to show you something really amazing? Or ask a dream character to tell you what part of your psyche they represent? Or ask the dream specific questions about your life?

The amazing thing is, you will be able to take these answers direct from your subconscious, with a clear level of conscious thought! It is like a "live" dream interpretation session, and you can ask more questions as you go. I have had many stunning experiences this way, without any "dream control" whatsoever.

I want to thank you for your forum... this is an awesome place to learn and share. I am a late-comer to lucid dreaming... I'm 59. Wish I had known about this earlier. I did have a couple semi-lucid dreams awhile back (last 5 years) on my own when I dreamed was in a dark alley with some bad dudes... the fear shocked me into a semi-lucid state... I knew I was dreaming and took control and just destroyed them! So when I heard about LD I figured I'd be a good candidate. I've had 4 in the last 4 weeks so I'm getting the hand of it I think/hope. Had a great one last night. When I had my first "really" lucid dream a couple weeks back, I woke up at 1:30am and could not get back to sleep I was so pumped up! It is virtually impossible to explain to someone who has never experienced it.

And hence my question... do you encounter many who just cannot believe this is true, and think you are nuts? My own family has a hard time believing, and even if they do sort of believe, they don't really "get" it. You can't without experiencing it. If they got it, they would be trying to do it! But most of them just think it's like dreaming and no big deal... why waste the time? I'ts like trying to make a blind man understand what seeing is like! Ever run into this or are all your friends and relatives into it?

Hello Rebecca, Is there any advice that is the most effective in your opinion? I know people may induce Lucid Dreams diffrently, but I have been trying for a while so if you have any advice that would be great :D thanks!!

I have a little question conserning ricola good-night tea, do you think it will make it easier or harder to have a LD?

rothgar wrote: And hence my question... do you encounter many who just cannot believe this is true, and think you are nuts? My own family has a hard time believing, and even if they do sort of believe, they don't really "get" it. You can't without experiencing it. If they got it, they would be trying to do it! But most of them just think it's like dreaming and no big deal... why waste the time? I'ts like trying to make a blind man understand what seeing is like! Ever run into this or are all your friends and relatives into it?

Yeah it's amazing how some people get the wrong end of the stick! Usually they just don't know enough about it and assume it's paranormal, New Age, or all in the mind (so to speak!!)

I actually get this question most times when I fall into conversation with strangers. It goes like this...

"What do you do for a living?" "I run a few websites." "Really! What are they about?" "Well my biggest one is about lucid dreaming?" "What's that?"

Cue my explanation, which starts small and simple but you know when you're talking about lucid dreaming, it can never be left at that.....

Most intelligent people have lots of questions and keep probing, so I'm very happy to explain what it is in detail, how it works, how you can benefit from it, etc. I stress how different it is from normal dreaming and what scientific evidence there is to back it up. Of course, I can talk about it all day....

And quite a few people already know about it and even have lucid dreams themselves (but never really called them lucid dreams, it was just something they chanced upon naturally).

Some people just say "ooo-eerrr... spooky!" and don't really want to know more, so I don't even try. I consider it my "job" to educate people in lucid dreaming... but not if they don't want to be educated!

You're absolutely right you do have to experience it yourself to start to appreciate it. Although for some reason, even before my first lucid dream, I knew there was something special and different about this state and that it would feel like another world entirely..... which it does. :D

jmol wrote: Is there any advice that is the most effective in your opinion? I know people may induce Lucid Dreams diffrently, but I have been trying for a while so if you have any advice that would be great :D thanks!!

I get asked this all the time! So I revamped my article on "how to have lucid dreams" and at the end you'll see I included the best methods which work for me personally. This doesn't mean they'll work best for you personally. But people wont stop asking. So, I give you this. :D

http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/how-to-have-lucid-dreams.html

Jenny Helen wrote: I have a little question conserning ricola good-night tea, do you think it will make it easier or harder to have a LD?

I've never heard of this and haven't used it myself. However I see no particular reason why it would enhance lucid dreaming. One review online said it contained a lot of sugar, which seems like a bad thing to consume before bed (it'll give you energy... and turn straight to fat). Not sure if that review was genuine though.

If you post the ingredients list I'll see if anything jumps out at me. There are some substances that will help you lucid dream. For instance, the old wives tale that cheese before bed causes nightmares is partially true... it can make your dreams more intense because of the tryptophan which normalizes sleep patterns.

"Ingredients: sugar, dextrose, orange flower extract (2.2%), lemon melisse, lime blossom, hops blossoms, lady’s mantle, honey, caramel sugar, citric acid, natural aroma (orange, mandarin, grapefruit, lavender"

I have been lucid dreaming for a week or two now and i'm using the MILD mostly.For some reason i have only had lucid dreams every other day not using the CAT at all.Why every other day?

Jenny Helen wrote: "Ingredients: sugar, dextrose, orange flower extract (2.2%), lemon melisse, lime blossom, hops blossoms, lady’s mantle, honey, caramel sugar, citric acid, natural aroma (orange, mandarin, grapefruit, lavender"

I don't think any of these ingredients are known for increasing dream recall / intensity / lucidity.

If you find the tea does have any effects on your dreams, let us know!

Centaron wrote: I have been lucid dreaming for a week or two now and i'm using the MILD mostly.For some reason i have only had lucid dreams every other day not using the CAT at all.Why every other day?

No reason I can see -- probably coincidence.

Only sleep cycle interference - like the CAT method - has this sort of effect normally.

Hi, i discovered this Lucid dreaming today, it seems amazing! but i do have some questions: First, how long dose it take to have a Lucid dream? Second: Is it really that real? like people says it will? Third: Do you have to have a real good memory or some other advantage to have Lucid dreams?

Jackop195 wrote: Hi, i discovered this Lucid dreaming today, it seems amazing! but i do have some questions: First, how long dose it take to have a Lucid dream?

Experts agree that, with daily practice, it usually takes anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks to have your first lucid dream. Some people have one the first night they find out about it. Some people can take 1 or 2 months to learn. It really depends on your existing dream recall & intensity, skill and commitment.

Jackop195 wrote: Second: Is it really that real? like people says it will?

VERY. If a regular dream is kinda fuzzy / distant / inconsistent, imagine your awareness rushing into your body, having 360 degree awareness, being able to pick out any detail you focus on, being able to feel physical sensation equally as vividly as real life... that is the kind of clarity you can expect from a fully lucid dream. Anything short of that is caused by partial or semi-lucidity, so you need to increase your level of conscious awareness further to heighten the experience. A lucid dream is like no other experience, it's rich, buzzy, unlimited, exciting... reality can actually be quite boring in comparison when you think about it. 8-)

Jackop195 wrote: Third: Do you have to have a real good memory or some other advantage to have Lucid dreams?

Dream recall is important, but that can be learned. I believe everyone is capable of lucid dreaming with practice. Other important skills (lessons) you'll learn for lucid dreaming include: visualization, self awareness, and the ability to enter altered states (meditation).

Heyy Rebecca, I'm one of the newest members, andd newest to trying to become lucid, Anyways, TO MY QUESTION.! I was wondering, do you know how I can make a semi lucid dream to normal lucid dream, that and how can I tell the difference.? Thankyou for taking the time to readd this question :)

Hay Rebecca, i am from india i just found about LD a month ago and igot 3 or 4 LD, and i want to boost it to maximum so i desided to buy your fast track but the problem is i dont have a credit card and i am a student, i have the mony for fast track but not for a credit card they are asking for a minimun 25000 RS of transaction in a month which is nearly 500$ that is impossible for me. Can u help me with this. Is there anyother way to buy your fast track, if there is please reply this question. Thanks....

Hey, thanks for doing this, I just have a simple question, I think. Actually I'm asking for advice, what is your best advice for silencing your inner mind monologue..? I just can't get my selfish mind to stop talking to itself, and from what I've read, it is important to do so. Thanks!

Hi Rebecca,

i really love your website, it's SO informative and i've made this far just from visiting this website! the thing is, sometimes i feel so dizzy whenever i become lucid. before i realized that i was dreaming, it all feels so normal. but just when i realized "oh i'm actually lucid!" suddenly i would feel super dizzy, and i couldn't concentrate on doing my goals. shouting "clarity now" or "i'm lucid and the dream is vivid" doesn't work. it has actually happened to me 3-4 times for these 2 years, but i realized the pattern (maybe): sometimes this happens in the first cycle of dreaming (and i use WBTB method). for example this morning i dreamt that i was cooking with my friend and i remembered i want to do lucid dream. then i realized it's a dream. i became lucid AND dizzy. after that i woke up, sleep again and had another lucid dream but didn't feel dizzy. it's not my belief that i will become dizzy whenever i'm lucid, but it's really disturbing.

oh right, and sometimes i have trouble with talking/shouting (but i don't feel dizzy). it's just my voice won't come out even to demand clarity.

do you have solutions for these 2 problems? thank you so much! :)

Hello Rebecca,thanks for the great website.I had a question regarding your experience with the Calea Z capsules from I AM SHAMAN. Is this product generally safe to take,without any bad side effetcs and what has your experience been like with using them. Thanks for your opnion,Stefan.

Hi Rebecca,

I've been using the WILD method almost every night with success about 1/3 of the time. This morning did not work, but one thing I noticed was that I ended up having what felt like light sleep during the time I was trying WILD and although I seemed to maintain awareness, the dreams had a movie-screen 2 dimensional quality to them. At one point I was lucid, but I wasn't really "in" the dream, just watching it and I tried but it was not possible to go into the dream. In the lucid dreams I've had, you are just there, not watching and trying to figure out how to get in. It seems like there are different depths to dreams that go all the way from flashing images to real places where you are just there. You have to maintain awareness, but I think we can keep ourselves from going into deep sleep which I think I'm doing sometimes. It also feels like I didn't get enough sleep. Just wanted to see of you're familiar with this problem. Thanks.

Hi Rebecca! I've just discovered lucid dreaming and find it amazing that anything like this is possible! and I've spent a majority of my day today reading all the articles your site has to offer, and find myself with just a few unaswered questions: When you manifest someone into your lucid dream does your consious dream involving them become their unconsious dream? do they remember anything you talk to them about in the dream or any actions exchanged between you? I'm sure I'll think of more questions, but right now I'm so starstruck that such a thing is possible that I can't think properly. I'm 14, the same age you were when you first discovered it, so you can probably understand the utter stage of amazement I'm in right now! Thanks for the info. :)

Hi rebecca. Im 14 and about a week ago i started to try and learn about lucid dreaming. i kept saying to myself "am i dreaming?" and things like that, but nothing happened except a normal dream. i wrote it down. i tried it again,but looking at my watch. Again, nothing happened except from a normal dream which i wrote down. i will try using the mild technique but do you have any good beginner tips for that would be really useful because it it slightly annoying i haven't had one yet. Thanks! also, if i got into a lucid dream using the mild technique, would i always need to use that technique to get into a lucid dream?

Hi Rebecca, My question is: Is there such thing as Fake Lucid Dreams, I mean like dreaming of having a lucid dream, yet not actually becoming Lucid.

(I made another post explaining my so called Fake lucid Dreams on the Beginners page if you could answer that. :) )

hi Rebecca, last night was my second try at lucid dreaming, i was listening to some brain wave frequencies that are supposed to help induce a lucid dream, i didnt lucid dream but i did however feel a light shaking, it was like either I or my bed was shaking, what was this feeling? is it a sign that im close to getting to a lucid dream? also i was using the MILD technique. Thanks for taking the time to read my post^^

ThreeStarE wrote: Heyy Rebecca, I'm one of the newest members, andd newest to trying to become lucid, Anyways, TO MY QUESTION.! I was wondering, do you know how I can make a semi lucid dream to normal lucid dream, that and how can I tell the difference.? Thankyou for taking the time to readd this question :)

Ah yes this article has the answer: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/how-to-stay-lucid.html

R99 wrote: Hay Rebecca, i am from india i just found about LD a month ago and igot 3 or 4 LD, and i want to boost it to maximum so i desided to buy your fast track but the problem is i dont have a credit card and i am a student, i have the mony for fast track but not for a credit card they are asking for a minimun 25000 RS of transaction in a month which is nearly 500$ that is impossible for me. Can u help me with this. Is there anyother way to buy your fast track, if there is please reply this question. Thanks....

If you have a PayPal or ClickBank account you can pay through them (and PayPal should allow you to pay by debit card too). Sorry but these are the only methods I can offer of secure money transfer for your own protection.

Austin wrote: Hey, thanks for doing this, I just have a simple question, I think. Actually I'm asking for advice, what is your best advice for silencing your inner mind monologue..? I just can't get my selfish mind to stop talking to itself, and from what I've read, it is important to do so. Thanks!

The short answer is to focus... and practice ;)

Sometimes it can be deceptively easy, other times it can seem damn near impossible. When I am overthinking (that's the noisy ego talking) I find it helps to go on a guided visualization first which draws my attention to one specific task. Then that relaxes me enough to do a silent meditation with no distractions.

Brainwave entrainment is also a fantastic aid for beginners. http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/brainwave-entrainment.html

fistania wrote: Hi Rebecca,

i really love your website, it's SO informative and i've made this far just from visiting this website! the thing is, sometimes i feel so dizzy whenever i become lucid. before i realized that i was dreaming, it all feels so normal. but just when i realized "oh i'm actually lucid!" suddenly i would feel super dizzy, and i couldn't concentrate on doing my goals. shouting "clarity now" or "i'm lucid and the dream is vivid" doesn't work. it has actually happened to me 3-4 times for these 2 years, but i realized the pattern (maybe): sometimes this happens in the first cycle of dreaming (and i use WBTB method). for example this morning i dreamt that i was cooking with my friend and i remembered i want to do lucid dream. then i realized it's a dream. i became lucid AND dizzy. after that i woke up, sleep again and had another lucid dream but didn't feel dizzy. it's not my belief that i will become dizzy whenever i'm lucid, but it's really disturbing.

oh right, and sometimes i have trouble with talking/shouting (but i don't feel dizzy). it's just my voice won't come out even to demand clarity.

do you have solutions for these 2 problems? thank you so much! :)

When you say you feel dizzy in your dream, is this an actual sense of movement, like you could fall over? Or does the scene just look fuzzy? What levels of awareness do you have of your dream body?

I have to say I've not experienced this personally so I may not be able to help... but it could just be a need to increase lucidity / self-awareness. Start to raise your awareness in the waking day (some call this "lucid living") and this will help raise the clarity of your dreams overall.

If you can't talk in your lucid dreams, just aim to THINK the words as hard as you can. Talking out loud just cements your will - really it is your willpower that initiates dream control. So if you can't talk it's not a problem. Try other non-verbal techniques too like rubbing your hands together.

If the dizziness is a real problem I would suggest sitting down and meditating in the dream, or focusing your awareness on a single close-up object like your palms or a leaf. If things are overwhelming you then narrowing your focus may help. Tell me if I'm completely off track here and you mean something else.

AegmosTrip wrote: Hello Rebecca,thanks for the great website.I had a question regarding your experience with the Calea Z capsules from I AM SHAMAN. Is this product generally safe to take,without any bad side effetcs and what has your experience been like with using them. Thanks for your opnion,Stefan.

I find it safe with no side effects for me personally. However everyone is different and like any herb or supplement, occasionally reactions can occur. If you're concerned, just take a small dose to start and if it affects you negatively, stop using it.

I have written about my experiences of Calea Z here: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/calea-zacatechichi.html

lucidinthe sky wrote: Hi Rebecca,

I've been using the WILD method almost every night with success about 1/3 of the time. This morning did not work, but one thing I noticed was that I ended up having what felt like light sleep during the time I was trying WILD and although I seemed to maintain awareness, the dreams had a movie-screen 2 dimensional quality to them. At one point I was lucid, but I wasn't really "in" the dream, just watching it and I tried but it was not possible to go into the dream. In the lucid dreams I've had, you are just there, not watching and trying to figure out how to get in. It seems like there are different depths to dreams that go all the way from flashing images to real places where you are just there. You have to maintain awareness, but I think we can keep ourselves from going into deep sleep which I think I'm doing sometimes. It also feels like I didn't get enough sleep. Just wanted to see of you're familiar with this problem. Thanks.

Yes I believe so... When I fall asleep consciously, but without a specific dream scene set up for entry, my mind starts to vaguely dream (non-lucidly) on its own.

At this point I am just phasing in and out of awareness, at serious risk of dropping off to sleep for real, and often I only know about the fleeting images when I regain consciousness a second or two later, and have a memory impression of dreaming. I think this might be a similar state to microsleep, which also happens more when you are sleep deprived but aren't allowed to sleep (or are stopping yourself, because your're trying to WILD).

I agree there are many layers to evolving a dream from scratch and the more you get to know these, the better you can understand how the WILD process works. Sounds like you are doing great though ;)

dreamer45 wrote: What is the Best position in Wild?

I find lying on my back is ideal, so that no part of the body can have blood cut off. More info at: www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/best-sleep-posture.html

In the case of a DEILD (which is a type of WILD) just stick with whatever position you wake up in.

polkadotboat wrote: Will the Gateways of the Mind Conference ever come to America?

It's hopeful! They are just starting out and if this event proves to be a success they do plan to go international.

fistania wrote: Hi Rebecca, i'd like to ask you some question.

is it possible to discard our bad habits with lucid dreaming? if it probably is, how do you think i should do that? for example, if i have a bad habit of stealing something (just an example!), will it do if i meet with my "stealing urge"/"part of me who loves to steal" and 'kill' them? or maybe just transform them into a form of child? or maybe if i give love and show some compassion, will it stop or will i become 'accepting' to that part of me? or should i just talk to them about it (i think it'll need some time in the dream)? i don't think to ask question such as "why would you steal?" implies here, since the bad habit is not stealing or something that needs a deep reason.

ah yes! you can use "smoking addict" for example, since it doesn't need any deep reason to do it. and if possible i'd like to avoid using the method that 'kills' my self ^^;

thank you :) sorry if i'm missing something here

Yes I think it's totally possible if you work at it. Like therapy in the waking world, lucid dreaming offers therapy in the dream world, dealing with the problem at the root cause.

I was a smoker for several years and never thought to use my lucidity to quit! I wonder if anyone is willing to experiment with this for us...?

croonerkid01 wrote: Hey Rebecca, this morning i got up walk to my bedroom door and then woke up in my bed so i thought i must of been dreaming. So then i got up and open my door again and then woke up once again in my bed this repeated 4 more times after that i just gave up it was quite scary it was like i was trapped in my room but luckily my mum woke me up haha. I think it might have been because i had a lucid dream last night and i went to sleep quite late so my body must have been tired so even though im thinking of getting up my body refused to.

I think it was a false awakening but it happened 6 times and probably would have been more if i tried to get up again.

What would you say this was?

Definitely sounds like a false awakening to me. Next time you get trapped in this loop (or any time you wake up), try to remember to do a reality check. A really good, definitive one. And really question whether you're awake or not and don't let go until you can prove it on several levels. Multiple false awakenings can become very confusing but once you conclude you must be dreaming, it can lead to a great vivid lucid dream. More info: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/false-awakenings.html

BtheDestroyer wrote: Rebecca,

Is there any way to implant, remove, or change a memory in your subconcious through a lucid dream?

if so, how?

Another thing is, is there any way to change the way your subconcious thinks in the real world through one? such as changing an instinct or giving yourself a different mindset

thank you for your time, BtheDestroyer

Implanting a memory via a lucid dream... sounds like Inception! 8-)

You can re-live memories through lucid dreams, and through manipulation of the memory, end up tweaking it, just as you would by remembering something in waking life. Memory is highly subjective and not at all "photographic" or as factual as we'd like to imagine. So an re-imagining of past memories can distort them, and this is usually unintentional.

However I have never heard of anyone implanting or completely removing a memory via a lucid dream. Like a regular dream, there is no real mechanism in place for this. I don't see lucid dreaming as a backdoor for literally re-coding your brain like a computer. Although I do see it as a therapeutic tool that can help shape your beliefs and therefore behaviors. But I am not a psychologist so couldn't definitively say what's possible. Maybe in mental illness like schizophrenia this sort of thing does happen - false memories are created (for instance, not knowing what was real and what was dreamed). But I don't think a healthy mind could be tripped up like this on any meaningful level.

Your second question - changing the way your subconscious thinks - I do believe is possible, not just through lucid dreaming but through a conscious desire to change. If you are determined to be a more optimistic go-getter, for example, you surely could shape your thoughts using behavioral techniques, NLP, hypnosis, etc. And there could well be a place for this in lucid dreaming too, such as talking to your dream self while lucid and asking for this change to come about. It's an interesting area to explore and I'd encourage this in whatever way you feel comes most naturally.

However as I mentioned above, lucidity can be a therapeutic tool but is not a way to flick certain psychological switches on and off. The mind is conceptual, not mechanical, so you have to work on those terms.

joegibson12 wrote: Hey Rebecca,

Today I tried the relaxing into a lucid dream technique with some nice cricket type abience. I imagined myself in Spain with the girl I liked and slowly I noticed my body going numb (For about 6 years every few months I've been having sleep paralyse but I want to lucid dream and overcome the fear I have when I wake up like that) but anyway I told myself it's okay, your going to lucid dream just relax. So I continued to relax and was actually enjoying the relaxation, occasionally I'd open my eyes and feel so relax, just lying there. Anyway the whole Spain scenario soon died out and moved onto the hunger games for some reason and imagined myself as one of the contestants. But this time a few minutes in I heard a noise, music playing and it immediately startled me. I tried to relax and stick with it but only after a few seconds I had a shiver down my spine and forced myself to move about and said "I'm awake". So I was wondering, if I continue to stick with this technique can I overcome the fright I had when I heard that and continue to go further into lucid dreaming? I think it's because I'm so involved in my daydream and being so relaxed it catches me of guard and startles me. Any ideas on what I can do to get over this? I'd like to experience lucid dreaming and this seems to be something in the way at the moment. Thanks :)

You're doing great. I can definitely relate to this. Early in my lucidity development and while practicing OBE techniques I would get startled by noises, voices and vibrations in my most relaxed moments. These are audial hypnagogia which are simply imagined sounds coming from inside your own brain. They can be very loud and realistic which is why they're so startling! But with practice you will become used to them and they actually mark the transition state which is very close to a lucid dream. So vow that next time you hear the hallucinatory sounds just remain calm and go with it. There is nothing to fear, it's just your brain taking you to new places! Practice will make perfect ;)

Sander wrote: Guess i'll have to post my questions here, since i'm not getting much response on the topics that i create...

Ok firstly: some time ago, i woke up from a dream, fully remembering it, and seeing strange shapes appearing, changing shapes and dissappearing again. This must be hypnagogia i presume? I tried to stay calm and observe them, as i've read that this state could lead to a transition into a lucid dream. This was very hard to do, as i was having a very hard time keeping my eyes closed and my eyelids were shaking like crazy. I had to focus on keeping them closed, rather on the hypnagogia and i lost it. Can you explain what happened here?

You can't force hypnagogia and sometimes it will just disappear as you become more alert. My guess is your brain became active and you started waking up. If you have to fight to keep your eyelids shut, it's a no-go. Don't worry, you'll have other chances.

Sander wrote: Secondly: i would like some information about vitamin B6 usage to increase dream vividness. I bought some 250mg capsules and the pharmacist told me to ingest them during a meal. But i always haver dinner around 6:30 PM. Isn't it a little to early to be taking a capsule? What do you think is the best time to take one? And how about the amount? I took half of the capsule 2 times (so that would make 125mg) but that didn't increase dream vividness for me.. on the contrary, i didn't recall anything of my dreams. Should i take the full 250mg?

A 100mg supplement is a basic dose to increase your dream intensity. I haven't used B6 very much because my dreams are plenty vivid! But it is a known intensity booster so I recommend it for those who are stuck with vague dreams. As with any supplement, the dose affects everyone differently and you could play with it to find what works best for you.

How it works: vitamin B6 converts Tryptophan into Serotonin, which is what produces much more vivid dreams. So, as well as taking your B6 pill, eat foods containing Tryptophan to give it some extra fuel (cheddar cheese, chicken, salmon, lamb, eggs, white rice, flour and milk). These are best eaten a few hours before bed. It is not recommended you take more than 200mg of B6 per day. For more info see: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-b6/NS_patient-b6/DSECTION=safety

Sander wrote: Third: A question about isochronic tones. I listened to the 5 minute sample of the lucid dreaming mp3 by Meditation Power you suggested on your blog. Is this it? Or is there a large variaty of sounds that follow in the 40 minute recording? It just sounds like water flowing. If there's nothing more to it, then i could just sit by my pond while meditating.

This is the sound you'll hear all the way through. But if you learn how brainwave entrainment works, you'll see the water sounds you hear consciously are just to mask the white noise entrainment that's doing the real work. You won't get that effect by sitting by your pond, unless you are an experienced meditator. I recommend isochronics for people who find meditation foreign or difficult. Please read how my review to learn how isochronic tones work: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-mp3.html

Sander wrote: Lastly: When listening to the lucid dreaming mp3 included in your fast track, should i actively visualize what the narrator is saying or should i just sit back and listen to it?

Yes, actively visualize! This is how hypnosis works.... ;)

Legion wrote: Hola,

So I've been having a problem of not having any lucid dreams after my very first one ( About a month or two back? ) , I have been using MILD's but they dont seem to work for me, which brings me to my question , When attempting a WILD , do i absolutely have to do it from a relaxed state , (Waking up at like 4?) , or can i do it at the times that i usually fall asleep?

Thanks

You can attempt it any time but you'll probably find with practice that the small hours of the night are the best times. This is because your body is so deeply relaxed from hours of sleep, the hormones of sleep are released, you're about to start lengthy periods of REM (dreaming)... the conditions are just ripe which makes it much, much easier to induce a WILD. By all means practice at other times to compare the difference and see for yourself, it will give you a better understanding of what signs to look for ;)

kiuytrd wrote: Well here is something that is a bit embarassing but ill say it... Im a bit terrified of hearing things while in the hypnogogic state... I REALLY dont want to hear strange sounds... Im also afraid of hallucinating while in sleep paralasis... Im not sure WHY im afraid but i just am... What can i do to get over these fears? Im sure you might not know how to answer this and i understand. Im just looking for advice. :)

Why are you afraid of the sounds? If it's any reassurance, the sounds themselves aren't scary or fearsome - just surprising because you weren't expecting them! As a recent poster said, the sounds at first will probably startle you from the trance. And then you are awake, aware that you just heard something. It's just like waking from a dream... aware that you were just "somewhere else". Nothing to be scared of there ;)

As for visuals, I can see why this might bother you. But only some people hallucinate during sleep paralysis, and that's something you either want to explore or not. It's not something I've really had to deal with. I seem to go through sleep paralysis very quickly and often barely notice it as a physical sensation. I am already zoned in on another location in the dream world, I don't focus on my bedroom at all. The rare hallucinations that have taken place in my bedroom have not affected me because I knew I was bringing it all on intentionally and it was all just a dream. Emotionally, I've tried to be more of an outside observer during this state. Try to be detached from the experience if you think it could overwhelm you.

I know that some people do experience fearful SP hallucinations so I won't say I can guarantee your experience to be 100% positive. All I can say is don't spend too much effort worrying about what could "go wrong" when there is a chance you won't even notice it! Even if you do find you are susceptible to SP hallucinations, you can make a choice to stop inducing this state for WILDs, or you can use other people's research to deal with it - Ryan Hurd offers a wealth of info. Check out his excellent book on dealing with sleep paralysis and turning it into lucid dreams: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/sleep-paralysis-nightmares.html

tophergdavis wrote: I learned about lucid dreaming right around two months ago and have been solidly using many of the techniques taught on this website since day one, such as keeping a dream journal, multiple reality checks a day, at least one meditation a day with isochronic tones, and self hypnosis. I have tried the MILD, WILD, and the WBTB techniques, all of them fruitless. I even eat bananas, and cheese with a glass of milk and take a B-6 pill when i wake up for the WBTB technique. I'm not sure where to go from here. some people on the forums told me to slow down a bit and stop trying so hard, which I have done. Your 10 step e-course also did not get me any closer to the ever elusive LD. I feel like I have tried everything possible short of spending money on the fast track, high quality isochronic tones or calea-Z (which is out of the question due to finances). Is there any advice you can give me. I feel very stuck and discouraged. :cry:

Sorry to hear it. I'm sure it's frustrating that you put all the effort in and not got anything out yet.

This is also frustrating for me to hear too, because it's a question I can never really answer when a stranger asks me why it's not working for them. It's like saying you practice playing guitar every day and have all the books and learned all the chords but still can't play a particular song you really want to learn! But WHY!

The missing ingredient could be any number of things - for instance in this article I identify 10 common reasons why beginners fail: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/10-mistakes-made-by-beginner-lucid-dreamers.html The first four may be of particular interest. I can't predict which applies to you... but you may be able to if you look critically at your situation.

You mention taking supplements and eating dream-intensifying foods to no avail - does this mean you don't remember your dreams in the first instance or aren't having vivid dreams of any sort? This would be a major stumbling block. There is no point practicing any lucid dreaming techniques if you don't have good dream recall to start with. So that is what you should work on first.

Beyond this, being able to lucid dream is a mindset you acquire based on improving your awareness of dreams and reality. Are you improving your meditation skills to this end? Do you relish finding time to meditate? This was a big help for me. The more introspective I became, the more energy I poured into examining my dream life and exploring the sleep-wake border. It all pushed me towards greater lucidity.

Sorry I don't have a magic bullet solution... I'm afraid there must be something tripping you up but most likely you are the one who will have to identify it if you're going to progress. If money is an issue, try the public library for a copy of Stephen LaBerge's book on lucid dreaming, or buy a used one on Amazon from $2.98 http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-World-Dreaming-Stephen-LaBerge/dp/034537410X/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=woroflucdre-20 This is what got me started... maybe it can get you started too.

Nathan wrote: Hey Rebecca,

I would first like to say that this website is excellent and extremely well - done. Secondly, I was wondering if it was possible to lucid dream everynight by asking your subconscious.

Thank you

Thank you!

I have asked my subconscious to give me more lucid dreams while lucid, and also while under hypnosis and during my guided meditations before sleep. I think it definitely helps incubate more lucid dreams but don't think it will guarantee lucidity every night; the conditions, both physiological and psychological, aren't always right (for me, anyway...) and there are still plenty of nights I don't lucid dream.

So, yes it helps! Lucid dream incubation is powerful. But don't pin your hopes on every-night lucidity. I don't know why people get so hung up on this anyway.... one lucid dream a week is enough to blow your mind!

thank you for replying, Rebecca :)

Luna4277 wrote: Hi Rebecca, I would like to know is it possible to dream that you are having a lucid dream? Around last week, i had a "lucid dream" but I put it in quotes because i couldn't tell it was a lucid dream. I figured in a lucid dream, you feel it like you would in real life (and i could be very wrong). In this dream, i could tell i was conscious because i could see myself rubbing my hands together to ground myself in the dream and making things appear in my hands out of thin air, but it wasn't like what i was expecting. So since a person can dream that they are performing astral projection without ever actually doing it, is it possible to dream that you are having a lucid dream (I don't mean to get all Inception-like)

Hmm......! Tricky one to answer but yes it is entirely possible to dream about lucid dreaming, why not? The way to tell is if you - at ANY point, even for a second -

a) realized you were dreaming, ie - knew you were asleep in bed not in real life b) consciously willed something to happen, and it did

Then you were lucid ;)

If you just dreamed of rubbing your hands together because you had read about this, but you weren't consciously doing it in order to make your dream more vivid, then it was just an act of going-through-the-motions. This would not be definitive proof of lucidity.

Hope that helps

MermaidMelodies wrote: I'm the kind of person that goes into sleep paralysis naturally from time to time, and knowing that sleep paralysis can be a way into a lucid dream, I was wondering how to keep yourself in sleep paralysis until it eventually turns into a WILD lucid dream? My prediction of my problem is ending up an inconstant breathing pattern due to getting excited, because I only go into sleep paralysis about 1 or 2 times a week, but I'm not sure, should I also try to visualize better?

The very short answer is to visualize your desired dream and mentally project yourself into it while sleep paralysis is happening.

A much better (longer) explanation is here: http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/sleep-paralysis-nightmares.html

kdariboy wrote: so i just heard of this "fild" (finger induced lucid dreaming) technique. ive tried it 2 days in a row without any success. people find it easy without practice. Any suggestions?

I'm yet to use this one successfully (admittedly, mostly for lack of trying) so I can't explain how or why it works. It seems to be just one additional element to DEILD / dream chaining - http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/dream-exit-induced-lucid-dreams.html - so I would focus on working that technique first, then incorporating FILD into it.

polkadotboat wrote: Hey, so I think I might've had my first lucid dream... maybe not... I knew I was dreaming the entire time, but i dont think I was lucid. Rather, I think I was dreaming about lucid dreaming. Is that possible? Did I have my first lucid dream or was it just a fluke?

Just answered this same question from another user ;) http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=500&start=210#p11382

dreamer45 wrote: in Wild it takes 20-30 minutes to fall asleep.Can i take sleeping Peels and do the WILD technique and make the method faster or fall asleep faster?????

I've never taken sleeping pills but I understand they create a pretty deep, dreamless sleep. If this is so, you won't be having any vivid lucid dreams on sleeping pills..... so this would be a no-go for WILDs.

Especially as you'll lose consciousness with pills, which is the very thing you're trying to maintain! I'm just thinking out loud here but to me it sounds very counter-intuitive.

Whew! Just worked through a backlog of questions and answers. I realize some of them are rushed and can only apologize, but have tried to add useful insight where I can. As I am about to have a baby any day now and go on maternity leave, I am temporarily locking this thread so we don't accumulate a bazillion unanswered queries while I'm off! Rest assured, it'll be back up again when I'm back to work and have more time to dedicate to your lucidity questions. Thanks everyone.