Scroll down for my actual advice on getting WILD to work for you. What you see below is my general commentary on WILD.
WILD, WILD, WILD. That’s all dreamers, new or old, can ever seem to think about. Perhaps it’s the thought of LD’s on command, or maybe the thought of HI and SP that sounds so alluring. Well, whatever the case, almost every new member tries WILD, and almost every new member makes a post along the lines of “help, WILD is not working!”
So why is it not working? They’ve followed every step; they lay on their backs; they don’t move or swallow; they count in their head; they watch for HI and are always prepared for SP. It’s all very clear in the tutorials, so why are they failing? Perhaps it’s because the tutorial merely presents a basic formula, but it’s not one that works for every person. We are all different and our minds all work differently. It only follows that WILD needs to be adapted to our own needs.
Now, anyone who has ever had a reply from me on what technique beginners probably knows that I rarely recommend WILD. There are multiple reasons, but this topic is not about what you should or shouldn’t use. The reason I bring this up is because of how discouraging it is to do the same thing every night without success. But don’t be discouraged.
Let me dispell this right away: there is no certain way to get instant LD’s. All techniques take practice and take time. WILD like any other technique is only a tool, it in itself can’t do anything. It’s up to you to figure out what tool works for what job and how to properly use that tool. A screwdriver isn’t any good if you’re trying to use it like a hammer.
So is WILD difficult? No, not once you figure out how to make it work. It’s getting it to work that takes time. There is not reason not to try for it other than to keep yourself from losing motivation. Anyone can do it as long as they don’t expect instant results.
All of our induction methods are only different ways to do the exact same thing. The real difference between WILD and MILD? One way you program the SC to remind you that you are dreaming before you fall asleep, and the other you constantly remind yourself until you actually are in a dream. That is it. It’s no more mysterious, no more powerful than MILD, and really no more complicated.
So let’s break down the basic WILD formula. These are the things that have caused people the most grief, so I will try to explain why it is we say to do things and why not to do other things. Remember, everything you read about how to WILD is a basic guideline. Any of it can be changed or adapted if that is what you need.
Sleep paralysis
SP is one of the things that seems to defeat a lot of dreamers. There are frightening stories about the Old Hag, it is difficult to get in to for some and overall is an uncomfortable experience. Why is it a part of WILD?
SP means your either your body is asleep or you are having a false awakening in which you cannot move. Either way, your mind is free to wonder. Use this time to creat your own dream body. Imagine yourself rolling or floating out of bed; just do what you can to move within your mind.
However, you do not have to be in sleep paralysis to successfully WILD. SP might make things easier for some, but it is not a requirement. So many people get obsessed with inducing SP that they don’t know what to do once they are there. Also, too many people focus on their body trying to gauge whether or not they are in SP rather than maintaining their concentration. Your goal is an LD, not being frozen in bed.
Lay on your back.
I have read and it has been my personal experience that SP is easier to achieve while on your back. Good. Except that I sleep on my stomach and only occasionally fall asleep on my back. However, I still manage to WILD on my stomach. So is it really necessary?
Sleep in whatever position you find comfortable. It may take some practice before you keep from simply falling asleep, but if you can’t sleep on your back easily don’t bother. As I said before, SP is not necessary.
Stay perfectly still
There is a good reason for this; you can’t fall asleep while moving around. Your mind will send “roll over” signals to see if you are really asleep or not. If you can ignore them your body will fall asleep faster. This does not mean you can’t move at all if you need to.
If you’re uncomfortable, fix it. If you have an itch, scratch it. If you’re in a bad position, for heaven’s sake move. The distraction of these things cause more of a disruption than moving ever would.
Don’t swallow
No, no, no and no!!! If you need to swallow, swallow! I made this seperate from the previous section because of how prevelant it is. Just don’t think about it, that’s what the issue is. Don’t let anything distract you. If you have to swallow, do it naturally. It’s losing concentration that is the biggest factor in failed WILD attempt. If you’re thinking “I am dreaming… but I really need to swallow,” that won’t get you anywhere
Wake up 5-6 hours after first going to bed
This is probably the best thing to help you achieve an LD, whatever technique you are using. Depending on how fast you fall asleep, you can do a full WBTB, or you can do like me and quickly write in your DJ before going right back to sleep. The reason this is so helpful is because you will go back into REM sleep very quickly. At the beginning of the night, you go into deep sleep, which means you have to unnaturally force a dream to WILD. This takes quite a bit of time and is generally difficult to do.
Count in your head
Counting is good because it helps you focus, but it is not a requirement. I’ve had more success saying “I’m dreaming” over and over than counting. Heck, why not try to stay focused with a MILD mantra? At the very least you have some back up if the WILD fails.
HI
HI is the leading cause of confusion IMO. All it is is a dream beginning to form. We expect to see random images, but that’s not always the case. For me, HI has ranged from random blurs to seeing and hearing my coworkers.
[i]Again, your goal is to LD. Not to see HI.[/i] Just let it happen, but don’t actively look for it. If you find yourself thinking “oh, is that HI?” then you’re probably putting too much focus on it.
Another thing that I think I need to point out is that HI has stages. There seems to be some confusion about what exactly to look for. At first it might be flashes or images like daydreaming and it gets more intense as time goes on. You don’t necessarily have to physically “see” it… and in fact you’re not. Again, the main thing I wanted to say here was don’t put too much focus on it.
WILD is the only technique you need to have LD’s every night
Here’s the thing, no technique is guaranteed to work 100% of the time. Why limit yourself to just one tool? Make an entire toolbox to have at your disposal depending on what your situation is. Even if you do get WILD working, you should also look in to other techniques like MILD, DEILD and VILD.
There are so many other things I could say, but it all boils down to this: adjust WILD to fit your needs. The tutorials are great, but are generic. Find what works for you. It might take days, weeks or even months, but the benefits are worth the time!
. What you said about images is actually one of the ways I do WILD. It’s not quite VILD as you’re not incubating the dream, your just focusing on things that help you become lucid. Great insight for a beginner.
I like your description. Again, the rules are meant to help you get an idea of what to do, but following them to the letter can be a bit unsavory.
We must keep our sanity! 
. No one can say how much higher the chances will be for you. As I’ve been trying to say, we’re all different and can all expect different results. Still, I would say that it would