I was wondering what people use as a focus for WILD and if people have tried different things - what works best?
I have generally used a mantra - AUM CHI VA TUN E is the one im using now. Somtimes though i just seem to be watching for the hypnagogic imagery without using a particular focus - but that seems to be by accident more than design! 
What do you use? And do you have a particular reason for using it?
(I did search to see if this question was covered but couldn’t see it…)
I think I’ve had more success with watching HI, but just like you it happens more by accident. I find it pretty fun too, but even so I have trouble getting to the part they start appearing… Counting doesn’t seem to work that well for me and I haven’t tried anything else that I can remember…
Well, I just need to concentrate on my mind. I just keep on thinking (Not too much though. That’s important) about my mind, and suddenly everything gets darker. Next second I’m in a dream! I’ve practiced WILD for about… three weeks, four maybe and gotten four LDs (I had three LDs in a row today when I WILDed! I think I’m starting to understand how to do this! 
)
I find it harder to focus on HIs, and when I do I just lose control 
You gotta find out what works the best for you.
Aelyissia, can you explain better what you mean with “concentrate on your mind”? 
It sounds like something I might have done a few times with success but I’m not sure exactly what I did… do you concentrateon the fact that you are aware? like, concentrating on concentration itself? 
Or just thoughts? Day dreams?
Aelyissia - It also sounds like something i do sometimes, without really meaning to! I think it maybe has to do with intention of being aware? Is that kind of what you mean?
Um, it’s kinda hard to explain but here we go! 
I like to think of my mind like a balloon around my head. It represents my awareness and concentration. So, if I just keep on thinking about the “balloon” enough, I’ll get Lucid. I just keep on thinking about the ballon around my head (I just get a wierd picture now) until I fall asleep. I don’t know why it works so good for me, but I guess my mind likes things that involves balloons 
So it’s kinda like concentrateting on concentration!.. Yeah. Or something likethat…
I think i know what you mean! It sounds like a good method so i will give it a shot Thanks!
I’ve tried WILD on several occasions (just now got into the whole LDing again after a year off).
I’ve only successfully WILDed once, and that was without actually intending it (I was on an LD hiatus, as it were). Back when I was actively trying to do it, I tried several different methods to see what worked for me, but I find that anything can get me into the transition stage if my mind is clear enough and if I don’t “want it too much”.
Watching HI, focusing on my breathing, counting techniques. They’ve all gotten me into the transition stage. I just need to be mentally calm and a little “careless”. If I want it too much it’ll just keep me awake.
So, whichever method you try, be persistent, but try to not “want it too much”.
Post later if it works! Or if it doesn’t. I just want to know how well this works for others than me
I’ve tried your technique Aelyissía and have had some success in that i start seeing some brief hypnagogic imagery - my problem is that i seem to find it very hard to walk that line between trying too hard and keeping myself awake and not keeping alert enough and just falling asleep! 
Do you have any way of dealing with this problem? Or is it not really an issue for you?
I also have that problem 
I used to stay too awake before, but now I just fall asleep. I’ve had some success though! I’ve been trying some autosuggestion and it works very well with me! Before I try to WILD I think in my mind “I will remain conscious while I enter my next dream” (it can be anything like that, nut remember the SC likes specific suggestions!). I do this a few times until I feel my SC got the message and then just forget about it and WILD! 
Thanks Mattias i will try that and see if it works!
Hm… Wierd: I rarely get HI when I WILD, I usually hear white noise and random stuff, and sometimes it goes black and I can’t feel my dream body or physical one. Neither do I feel SP or Old Hag. Is that common, or even possible 
? When I fall asleep, it just takes a couple of minutes before I’m totally gone, so I guess that falling asleep faster gives a bonus.
I guess it would be better if we practice some more; do you do any relaxation stuff before you go to bed? It may help the body to relax and the mind to stay concentrated. I find that the 61 point technique makes me like jelly and too relaxed, so I don’t use it anymore. I just take the good old ‘Just lay still and you’ll get your LD woman!’ technique. 
What your describing to me sounds like what happens when i try to have an OOBE - do you get weird sensations like vibrations? The only time i sort of successfully did WILD i think i must have dropped off to sleep briefly but then become conscious again and seen this very vivid imagery. I remember thinking ‘wow, thats realistic’ and then sort of stepping into it and it became a lucid dream.
And, yeah, i can’t spend too long relaxing as i fall asleep too quick too!
[quote=“Cariad”]
What your describing to me sounds like what happens when i try to have an OOBE - do you get weird sensations like vibrations? The only time i sort of successfully did WILD i think i must have dropped off to sleep briefly but then become conscious again and seen this very vivid imagery.
[quote]
No, I have never felt tingling or vibrations or anything like that. It’s sooo unfair! Why does everyone get cool sensations exept for me!?!
I think counting makes it easier to keep concentration, even if I count: One… Two… Three… Two… Three… Over and over But only if I count to 100 without stopping, then I should have become numb. I’m going to try like this tonight:
Hopefully I will success
aw, not everyone gets them… I’ve only gotten vibrations at really random moments. I’ve gotten vibrations when I was starting out and tried to WILD at night 
and a few moments when WILD’ing in the morning. Besides that, most of my WILD’s have no vibrations, or anything. I just … enter the dream 
And I myself like “balloon technique”! 
I just have to learn how to do it now…
I think it needs a little polishing and we’ll get a great technique, don’t you think? I’ll see if I make more progress on it, so it’s possible I’ll keep it for a long time
But geez, it really needs a new name!
Personally i think that Balloonhead works! Its kind of stuck don’t you think? Anyway, i’m having a bit of success with it i think where i very briefly start to be aware of images or mini dreams but i’m still finding the balance between awake and asleep really hard. And i’m really cranky if i don’t get my sleep 