Hey, Ive known about this website and Lucid dreaming for like a year now, Ive read and researched a lot, I want to try FILD (HILD) since it seems simple and it does not take long, so Ive heard, I only recently (3 - 4) days started doing reality checks through-out the day, Ive got a DJ (so to speak) its a bunch of papers i took out of a school book, Ill make a serious one once (if) i can keep it up. I didn’t believe that they helped at first so that’s why i didn’t bother, plus the fact i haven’t tried to LD besides a few failed (given up) WILDs but to my surprise if i write them down i remember them as vividly as if i just had them, Ive written 4 over the past 3 days and after a week, (next Sunday) i think i will post them, (what do you think?) some are bizarre 
My biggest problem is, I go to sleep around 4-6am which i know is bad, so for the week i do the dream journal i set an alarm for around 8 - 9 am (not sure why) i did it today and attempted FILD fell asleep and was no where near tired enough 
then i woke up by myself at around 11:40 so i recorded two weird dreams i remember, so ive set an alarm for 1pm and 5am every day to try and get me into a decent sleeping habit (opinions) I just thought id say something and try and get advice/opinions 
I believe in theory, that Your and our problem is there all techs, they are there to help you, not use you. What I mean by this, is yes, you do not NEED ANY TECH what so ever to lucid dream, it is all up to you, no one here can disagree with this because we know this due to natural LDers! But you have to understand, you use the tech as an illusion, a placebo, to PLACE you into a lucid dream, not to do IT for you, you HAVE to understand this perception in total. When you begin to understand this, and it becomes reality for you, you can begin to use these placebo’s knowingly, meaning you can use them perfectly, and then they will work every single time you do decide to use one BY CHOICE ONLY, because you know theyre their to help you by being placebo’s by choice, not to help you by doing it for you! I can explain further, way further, but that will be in my new thread, but at this point its up to YOU, like I said.
Again all in theory, i do not know this. Sorry it came out like its perfect and I know it all, but try and understand my theory when I speak of that perspective on the techs, think of it as autosuggestion, where you use the tech so much, its like it becomes your reality over time. The more you use the tech the faster it will become your reality, thus the faster it works. Just like autosuggestion, its kind of up to you in the end? But I do not know if this is right or not.
Wow, I knew people had ‘random’ lucid dreams w/o techniques which i narrowed down to luck, then I read people using RC in real life make them preform that action in a dream, I open and willing to try just about anything, ;D for a couple weeks ill follow your advice and try without any kind of techniques I do understand, and will try, Ive given up before but I’m determined now and thanks for the advice 
You could create a dream journal topic in the dream journal forum or if you wish make a topic in stuff dreams are made of entitled “harrydereus’ weird NDs” or a similar title.
@darksage the methods are known BECAUSE they work. True they don’t just automatically give you LDs, but they have been a means to achieve LDs for most dreamers. The trick is finding the method that suits you which is why we have the choosing your technique topic in the knowledgebase forum.
Hey, thanks for the comment, yes i think i will after a week (next sunday) so ill have a around 7+ stories to add and if i can get a decent sleeping schedule ill practice FILD, btw what method do you use @moogle ?
MILD WBTB and occasional RCs
How successful is it for you? like Lucid dreams at will?
If the next couple weeks don’t go in my favor i might try it or something similar,
WBTB and MILD is usually a good combination to start out with 
Lots of beginners tend to start out with WILD, I guess it’s more fascinating, but it can be trickier at the same time.
I see techniques as cruches. At first they are very helpful and after you’re good at walking and can hold yourself up on your own you might not need them anymore 
One of the best lucid dreamers I know uses basicly no tech and ALL his dreams are lucid (has been LD’ing for 20 years or something 
).
Anyway, I suggest keeping a DJ and trying out some techs, but no stress. Don’t start forcing yourself to have a LD and thinking you MUST have one, etc. that usually has bad results. Take it lightly and enjoy the journey!