Lucid or not?

[Danevang]

Once again, I'm uncertain  

I was in a regular dream, nothing special going on. At one point I was sleeping in a bed that did not belong to me, standing in a room that I did not recognize. What happened then was that I did a reality-test: I squeezed the tip of my nose, blocking my airway. I could breathe through it, and I thought: "Then I'm...in a dream? Sweet!" But I was never ONCE super enthusiastic about it, just a little bit curious. I thought I would try to rub my hands because I was starting to feel like I was being pulled out of it, so I did, and I remained where I was. I tried to "conjure up" stuff, but I was completely unable to modify my dreamworld. I then just got an urge to jump out of the window and down on the grass, so I did. At that point I lost any kind of lucidity.

What was it all about? Maybe I was just lucid, but not able to control anything, just aware but too inexperienced to play around? Or was it just a dream about being lucid?

EDIT
Oh, I forgot to mention: It's my first lucid dream

[blis]

Nice reality check. Never heard that one before.

I'd say if you were actively trying to do stuff because you thought you were dreaming then thats definately a lucid dream.

Its not easy to conjure up stuff(for me anyway). I failed to make anything at all for quite some time. I reckon it should get easier the more you do it. I'd suggest starting with small objects you can easily visualise and practice trying to make them.

I've heard that it's easier to use your subconscious to create things. Like if you can believe that the thing you want is behind you, when you turn around it'll be there.

[Danevang]

My two reality checks are always pinching the tip of my nose and blocking for air (with my mouth close of course), followed up by trying to see if my finger pushes through the palm of my hand.

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that I was actually lucid...I tried to clap my hands when lucid, that's when it actually ended for good, and I woke up, finding myself immediately wanting to clap my hands. It was like being teleported.

Thanks for the tip about creating stuff! I realize Rome wasn't built in a day, but I never thought about starting small and "building up"...seems very logical now that you mention it.

For those of you who have been lucid many times, how long was the time between having your very first few seconds of lucidity in a dream, until the next day/night that you had it?

[Xanth]

Once again, I'm uncertain  

I was in a regular dream, nothing special going on. At one point I was sleeping in a bed that did not belong to me, standing in a room that I did not recognize. What happened then was that I did a reality-test: I squeezed the tip of my nose, blocking my airway. I could breathe through it, and I thought: "Then I'm...in a dream? Sweet!"

At that point you gained Lucid Awareness... so yes, that was a lucid dream.
Lucid awareness only requires that you realize it's a dream, nothing more, nothing less.

But I was never ONCE super enthusiastic about it, just a little bit curious.

That's actually the BEST way to be.  Calm and centered... you don't want to get super enthusiastic or you risk waking up.

I thought I would try to rub my hands because I was starting to feel like I was being pulled out of it, so I did, and I remained where I was. I tried to "conjure up" stuff, but I was completely unable to modify my dreamworld.

The more aware you become, generally the harder it becomes to modify your surrounding... I think it's because normally it's our subconscious mind that does the changes for us, but when you gain awareness, you're pushing that subconscious mind further and further into the background.

It takes some time and practice, but you'll get the hang of 'changing stuff'.

I then just got an urge to jump out of the window and down on the grass, so I did. At that point I lost any kind of lucidity.

Your awareness can actually jump between all levels within even a single non-physical experience.

What was it all about? Maybe I was just lucid, but not able to control anything, just aware but too inexperienced to play around? Or was it just a dream about being lucid?

That's correct.
Being able to "control" and "change" things is secondary to having actual AWARENESS.
It's the awareness you have during the experience which denotes what the experience is... not the control.

EDIT
Oh, I forgot to mention: It's my first lucid dream

Congrats! 

[blis]

For those of you who have been lucid many times, how long was the time between having your very first few seconds of lucidity in a dream, until the next day/night that you had it?

My LD's usually come in clusters. I can have 3 or 4 in a week and then nothing for a month.

EDIT:Just noticed you said after the first time becoming lucid. I dont remember that.

[Xanth]

My LD's usually come in clusters. I can have 3 or 4 in a week and then nothing for a month.

EDIT:Just noticed you said after the first time becoming lucid. I dont remember that.

Yeah I can't answer that one either... I've been having them since I was a child.

For me... LATELY, I've been on quite the dry spell, with only two lucid dreams I can remember in the past 3-ish months.
That's slow for me... I generally average around 2 - 3 a month.

[Stookie]

My LD's usually come in clusters. I can have 3 or 4 in a week and then nothing for a month.

EDIT:Just noticed you said after the first time becoming lucid. I dont remember that.

That seems kind of common from others I've read here. My random lucid dreams seem to happen in tight clusters like that too. Never had one before I learned about them.

[Xanth]

That seems kind of common from others I've read here. My random lucid dreams seem to happen in tight clusters like that too. Never had one before I learned about them.

As someone who's been having lucid dreams, pretty much my entire life... I find that an interesting statement.

You mean to say that you've never had a dream, that you can remember, where you stood up and said "Hey, I must be dreaming! COOL!"... or something like that?  I know others have said it before too, and I guess I'm just recognizing the statement now... lol

I find it kinda strange that we, human beings, sleep and dream so much (1/3rd of our lives!) ... yet, when it comes to lucid dreaming, some people can't remember ever having one.  I find that fascinating...

[Danevang]

Wow, I wish that was me. I remember many dreams from my childhood, and I also remember thinking to myself "there's got to be a way to wake yourself up, to know that you dream when inside of the dream" (I never knew anything about lucidity back then) and I remember trying for SO LONG to gain some sort of control in my dreams, I was obsessed with it. No luck. It'd be really lovely to have just one lucid dream in a year, I'd give anything for that.

I was just thinking, since I had a major breakthrough with becoming aware, it might all start to move a little bit faster now. I'm not in any hurry at all (trying to stay as relaxed as possible!), but I would really love to explore more.

Thanks for all of your input! I haven't come close to anything since that night, but I've only slept once since then, so I guess it's all right. I just hope that this wasn't my last experience with lucidity ever! I'm desperate for a lucid dream!  

Congrats! 

Thank you! 

[Stookie]

As someone who's been having lucid dreams, pretty much my entire life... I find that an interesting statement.

You mean to say that you've never had a dream, that you can remember, where you stood up and said "Hey, I must be dreaming! COOL!"... or something like that?  I know others have said it before too, and I guess I'm just recognizing the statement now... lol

I find it kinda strange that we, human beings, sleep and dream so much (1/3rd of our lives!) ... yet, when it comes to lucid dreaming, some people can't remember ever having one.  I find that fascinating...

Nope, before I had ever heard of astral projection or lucid dreaming, I had never had anything like that, nothing weird, no flying dreams, nothing but regular dreams. Not until I started practicing (around 18) did I start experiencing this stuff. I'm proof that you don't have to be a natural at it and anyone can learn to do it.

But yes, over the years there have been several people who mentioned that they'll have a week with several experiences, then nothing for a month or 2, and then another cluster. It seems fairly common.

[Xanth]

Nope, before I had ever heard of astral projection or lucid dreaming, I had never had anything like that, nothing weird, no flying dreams, nothing but regular dreams. Not until I started practicing (around 18) did I start experiencing this stuff. I'm proof that you don't have to be a natural at it and anyone can learn to do it.

For people who come here just starting out... that's a great thing to hear. 

But yes, over the years there have been several people who mentioned that they'll have a week with several experiences, then nothing for a month or 2, and then another cluster. It seems fairly common.

I'll have to really think about my previous experiences and when they came/come about.

[Danevang]

Nope, before I had ever heard of astral projection or lucid dreaming, I had never had anything like that, nothing weird, no flying dreams, nothing but regular dreams. Not until I started practicing (around 18) did I start experiencing this stuff. I'm proof that you don't have to be a natural at it and anyone can learn to do it.

But yes, over the years there have been several people who mentioned that they'll have a week with several experiences, then nothing for a month or 2, and then another cluster. It seems fairly common.

You can't believe how happy I am to hear that! Never had any flying dreams either, just regular (and slightly blurry) dreams. I have extremely bizzare dreams though. But yes, I'm 22 and I've just started out keeping a dream journal about a month ago, and I've only had this one, brief experience. But I'm really happy feeling that anybody can become an experienced lucid dreamer ^^