Am I tooo rational for lucid dreaming? (Long)

[The David]

Over this last month, I've become very disciplined about keeping a dream journal. As a result, I've remembered at least one dream from about 90% of the last fifteen days. I've even started having lucid dreams with alarming frequency.

My problem? I can't do anything. I don't feel like I understand the concept of lucid dreaming enough to use my true power. Take last night, for example:

I was at my mom's house. I was talking to her in the living room, when I suddenly became lucid. This was the longest and most stable lucid dream I've had in years. The problem? I was trying to convince her that it was a dream, and I wanted her to become lucid as well. Now, sometimes it can be fun to interact with people in this way. However, I'm not sure I was doing it for fun. I was very serious about it, and it was very frustrating that she wouldn't 'get it'. I asked her questions like, "What were you doing before this? Do you remember the events leading up to this point?" I did the same thing with my sister, later on in the dream. For whatever reason, I can't quite figure out that being in a dream means that it is not real.

Now, this is just a minor problem. The real problem is that I can't do anything in my dreams. I went in the bathroom and looked in the mirror (a favorite hobby of mine, though it's scary because I never know what I'll see, and the dream can quickly dissolve into a nightmare). I basically looked like myself, except that I had a buzzcut. I decided to change my appearance (which worked a little better last time), and it kind of worked, but not very much.

Afterwards, I decided I wanted tiger lilies (if you knew me, you would understand why). I knew it was easier to manifest things behind me, so I told myself that there were tiger lilies behind me. I looked around, and there were no tiger lilies whatsoever. I did this over and over with no success. Eventually, I looked back at the mirror and saw a flash of colors resembling the colors of a tiger lily, but that was all. It's as if I'm getting what I ask for, but not in the way I'm wanting. My dreams have a mind of their own.

Later, I tried to manifest a person, but I couldn't do that, either.

On a happier note, I did set a personal record for 'most reality checks' in a single night, making for the longest and most vivid lucid dream I have ever had. That's quite a bit of progress.

I'm sure the solution is something simple like 'just keep trying', but I would appreciate any advice. It occurred to me that my vibration might be too low, since I felt a little creepy and the dream was constantly on the verge of becoming a nightmare, but I've been having this problem for a long time.

[Reyv]

Trying to convince dream characters that they're dreaming always gives me a laugh when I wake up. It basically depends on how lucid I really am. I recall a couple of times where I was with a friend when I went lucid, and I told them to RC and come fly with me. No such luck.

About your problem, I can only say that lucid dreaming is a skill, and as any skill it takes practice. Also, telling yourself you can't do anything (even if true at the time), is rather counter-productive. You want to be in a place of really expecting things to happen.

[Erin Pavlina]

I too have spent time trying to convince lucid dream characters that they are really in there with me. Sometimes I am successful and they go fly with me. I am always disappointed to find when I wake that they don't remember any such experience. Ah well.

If I were you and at the stage you're at, I would work on advanced dream programming instead. Before you go to sleep decide, in advance, what you will do the next time you find yourself in a lucid dream.

For me, this is often planning which hot hunk from the CW I want to spend the evening with. Or it's planning whether I'll be Storm or Kitty Pryde and go fight the sentinals or whatnot. Plan the dream in advance. So when you find yourself lucid, snap your fingers and launch into action. sort of like saying, "Computer, initiate holoprogram Riker alpha 1." And then the "computer" resets the holodeck program (your dream) to do what you want.

Then come back and tell us what happened.

[The David]

I'll try to do that tonight. I've been programming myself to manifest tiger lilies for about a week now, and I can't do it, but maybe I'm just not confident enough.

I did get a flash of colors; that was somewhat reassuring.

[Blueskied]

Same thing here. Doing cool stuff is very hard. Tried to shoot flames out of my hand only resulting in a soft glowing of the finger tips and a puff of smoke. Flying: get off in the air only to float helplessly like a leaf in the wind.
But it's not a big problem. I find the experience of waking up inside of a dream mesmerizing enough even if i can't do much (yet).

[The David]

I'm not really that into the whole flying/sex/shooting laser bolts out of my fingertips thing anymore, I just wish I could alter things a little bit more.

[smallstar]

Cheers,

I think that's mostly a matter of confidence. In an earlier dream, I had no problem casting attack spells from my fingertips. Now that I had read your text last night before going to bed, of course I had spell fumbles just like the ones you described.

Basically, I think that if you concentrate on the fact that things can go wrong, they will go wrong. If you fear the dark, some monster will come out of the darkness and eat you. Just remember who is the master. Like Erin said, use the master reset if things are getting too complicated.

[Blueskied]

Originally Posted by smallstar

Now that I had read your text last night before going to bed, of course I had spell fumbles just like the ones you described.

Haha, cool. Uh, i mean sorry.

[Liara Covert]

Hi "The David."

The previously mentioned postings could certainly help you. You may also check out a book called Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) by Stephen LaBerge.

An excerpt from this book can be found on:PsiPog.net : Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) by Stephen LaBerge

LaBerge outlines ideas for memory training and mild techniques for more effective lucid dreaming including, advising how you can program yourself to reach specific daily targets. Look forward to hearing more about your progress.