Reality Checks

Yerzak06 · May 03, 2004, 19:17:19

Ive never thought of that before, good job. I can see how the breathing is related since when i have a really intense dream i usually wake up breathing hard.

Nagual · May 04, 2004, 08:35:38

Another reality check trick: You don't need tricks. If you wonder if you are dreaming or not; you are dreaming! While you are awake, you don't need to check at all. So if you do doubt, it is a dream....

Blissful · May 04, 2004, 11:37:44

I must say, the breathing thing sounds like it's worth a try. I had a hard time becoming Lucid until I decided to be diligent in doing my RC. Now, everytime I hear a beep on my timer I do a RC. Because of this, I am now lucid once a week and will work on it until I get it every night (or everytime I dream and recall which is every night)

Just wondering if you are dreaming isn't enough to trigger lucidity for a lot of people. I dreamt that I was experiencing something weird and all I could say in my dream was "I am not dreaming" over and over again. Why did I do this? Because when I was awake I recited that over and over so that I would know I'm not dreaming. Checking the body seems to work best for me (rather than words or trying to be rational while in a dream state).

My question: CAN YOU DO TOO MANY RC'S IN A DAY?

Blissful

Vicky · May 04, 2004, 15:58:30

I have read of a nice reality check which I even did once in ym dream. It was to read any kind of sign (text) or sentence, move your head away and then read it again. If it's the same you're not dreaming. In the dreams on the contrary the words change the instant you move your head away. I think that 4-5 reality checks a day are plenty.

jc84corvette · May 04, 2004, 19:42:43

So how many times do you do this in a day?

Nagual · May 05, 2004, 01:39:28

Blissful, I think you're going the wrong way... You should be repeating "I am dreaming", or "This is a dream" all day instead of "I am not dreaming".

Blissful · May 05, 2004, 07:16:24

quote:
Originally posted by Nagual

Blissful, I think you're going the wrong way... You should be repeating "I am dreaming", or "This is a dream" all day instead of "I am not dreaming".

Ok, I can try that but it's strange to say that if I know I'm not dreaming due to RC's? Wont this cause more confusion?

Blissful

RooJ · May 05, 2004, 08:54:36

Isnt the idea to actually question whether your dreaming or not. If you say over and over "I am dreaming" like a drone while awake, you'll probebly do the same while dreaming but not actually realise your dreaming. I think the idea is to get into the habit of actually questioning reality and checking to make sure.

RooJ

Blissful · May 05, 2004, 14:32:38

Well, what I do that finally worked for me is that I do about 20-30 RC's a day. I say to myself "I am not dreaming and I know this because ____________" Now you have to fill in the blank. Choose three things to check. I go for my hands, then see if I can fly and then check my reflection to see if it's different. I know.. I know. a lot of work but after doing it for one week I had a successful lucid dream and the same the following week. The latest one lasted 5 minutes. Not bad huh. It's a lot of work but anything worth having is worth working for...

Dream on folks......

Blissful

Nagual · May 06, 2004, 02:48:36

I advised to repeat "I am dreaming" because you said:

quote:
I dreamt ... and all I could say in my dream was "I am not dreaming" over and over again. Why did I do this? Because when I was awake I recited that over and over so that I would know I'm not dreaming.

So, I thought that by repeating "I am dreaming" instead; you would do it in your dreams too; as you did with your "I am not dreaming".

Anyway, after a while, you don't need reality checks anymore...

Blissful · May 06, 2004, 10:48:52

I can't wait until I get to the point where I don't need RC's anymore.

Blissful

holy reality · May 07, 2004, 16:17:39

quote:
Originally posted by Nagual

Another reality check trick: You don't need tricks. If you wonder if you are dreaming or not; you are dreaming! While you are awake, you don't need to check at all. So if you do doubt, it is a dream....

That's not true, I constantly wonder whether I'm dreaming or not when I wake up from a bizarre dream or false awakening or episode of sleep paralysis.

Often times I eventually find out that I was, and that if I had done a reality check I could have had some lucidity (a majority of my dreams involve me sleeping!)

But I also feel like I'm dreaming often throughout the day, a general disconnection from things.... for "normal" people that might hold true.

as for not needing RCs, they are ALWAYS essential due to combating false awakenings, but you know, I've gotten to where often times I'll just know I'm dreaming in the middle of a dream with an actual plot, it's the ones where I vividly feel myself lying my bed (or any bed) that I need to RC for right now.

But it kind of helps to make sure you can fly before you jump out a window!

umm.... anyway the goal of the RC is to TRY to convince yourself you ARE dreaming during the day... for example once in a while I'll read about RCs, or one will enter my head, and reluctantly I'll do one for the sake of keeping a loose habit up... when I do, I usually do the nose and the clock check (looking at it 3-4 times, seeing if the time changes)..... now when I do the clock check I deliberately say a different time in my head, in hopes that it will change to that time even though I "know" that I'm not dreaming during the day.

If you do the RC trying to get things to change, halfway expecting them to, it makes them more successful in dream.

One problem I have with the clock RC is that sometimes the time will just keep incrememnting by one each time I check... that CAN be hard to notice since you aren't always of the best judgement while dreaming.

Nagual · May 08, 2004, 01:57:25

quote:
I constantly wonder whether I'm dreaming or not when I wake up from a bizarre dream or false awakening or episode of sleep paralysis.

That's some very short/extreme events/exceptions... Do you really need to do RCs while fully awake? While you were writing this post by example?

quote:
I also feel like I'm dreaming often throughout the day, a general disconnection from things...

I don't think that is the norm.

For me, when awake, there is NO doubt at all that is is not a dream.

wisp · May 08, 2004, 08:40:07

Naugal,
you said:

quote:
For me, when awake, there is NO doubt at all that is is not a dream.

Same for me. However the amount of feeling or connection with the physical does fluctuate during waking hours. For me, on occasion, I have to double check that I dressed first. The other extreme is when I have to remember to adjust my thinking to fit normal society. Life is kind of like a Play, acting a part.In my private life, I'm totally different.

I can't identify with this thread, but I guess everyone has various levels of connection with the environment.

I have read to assign an object to mark a place in your dreams.I tried this once.I was shocked it worked. I had a dream once where I was at this large white building standing on some grand outdoor steps (all white). There was a black magic marker setting on one of the steps.

holy reality · May 11, 2004, 18:21:05

quote:
Originally posted by Nagual
That's some very short/extreme events/exceptions... Do you really need to do RCs while fully awake? While you were writing this post by example?

No, of course not, but every now and then I do them anyway for the sake of habit... it somewhat helps in being more lucid.

quote:

I don't think that is the norm.

Since when is norm interesting anyway, though?

Nagual · May 12, 2004, 01:15:33

quote:
Since when is norm interesting anyway, though?

Because when you say "That's not true", based on very rare exceptions, it is not very usefull to others... The "norm" is usefull to most.

Or, next time, say something like "Not in my case" maybe...

holy reality · May 03, 2004, 18:38:07

It occurred to me that I needed to post this reality check I do... that it might help someone here....

So... I read this on a lucid dreaming forum, and it works extremely well.

All you have to do, is pinch your nose shut, and try and breathe through it... if you can, you are dreaming.

it's really that simple, no getting up and looking at a clock, no trying to fly (can be hard if you don't know whether you are dreaming in the first place)... that's it, just pinch your nose shut and try and breathe through it.

Alternatively, keep your mouth closed and try to breathe through it....

I've only had it fail perhaps once.... and I think it was a byproduct of doing the RC way too much during the day (to try and instill the habit in dream) but... it's soooo effective.

Part of the reason why it works is that our breathing in dreams tends to be connected to our breathing in real life, or so they say, so that if you consciously try and breathe in a dream, you take control of your real breathing in real life, which means that you are going to feel air coming in through your closed off nose.

it's very trippy.

(this also means that it's not the greatest of ideas to hold your breath while dreaming....... however deep breathing is helpful in stablizing a dream sometimes........ and if you feel like you are waking up, it's good to stop talking and use "telepathy" in a dream, as trying to use your voice in a lucid dream can cause some confusion with the body, I gather)

So... this is the best reality check for me by far..... what are some other ones that you guys find helpful and easy?

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Reality Checks