What shouldn't a new lucid dreamer do in the first LDs?

[size=92]I changed the title slightly, since it might be misinterpreted otherwise. (it was “What shouldn’t a new lucid dreamer do?”)

First off, I want to apologize if this would be better suited for the ‘Lucid Adventures’ forum. I figured it could pretty much have gone either here or there. Though it may be technically better suited there, it’s really more of a newbie question than anything else.

So, my question is (obviously); What are some things you shouldn’t do when you’re starting off as a lucid dreamer?

I’ve heard some things, such as sex and the like - people saying that it’s a quick way to stimulate the body and you wake up much faster when you do it. One thing in particular I’m curious about is kissing; I won’t go into that in great detail other than saying it’s been on my mind because of someone important to me.

Thank you for your time, and whatever help you can offer.[/size]

in my first lucid dreams the first thing i have done has been to say to myself “WOW what should i do?!”
i dont think this is the best thing because ever time i do this i just wake u from excitement. (usually from trying to fly)
i think the best thing to do is maybe just sit down and really think about whats going on, that your just laying in your bed. Then take baby steps like jumping, pinching yourself (and feeling it), maybe try to pick something up. But ya definelty dont immediately do something that doesnt involve thinking.

  1. Give up. A lot of folks do that before they get their first LD, or their first really good one.

  2. WILD. At least not until you’ve had your first LD, since WILD can take some practice before it really works (causing people to give up). The sensations can be a little scary too.

  3. Not keep a dream diary. Double negative, I know - but a dream journal really helps, especially when just starting out.

  4. Move when you awaken. The best way I’ve found to prolong a lucid dream is to lie perfectly still once the dream fades, and allow it to reform around you. Don’t open your eyes or anything. It’s also good for preventing False Awakenings.

  5. Ask questions about what you shouldn’t do when just starting off as a lucid dreamer… :tongue:

  6. Lose lucidity. I’m one to talk… A lucid dream in which you forget that you’re dreaming will be remembered like a normal dream upon awakening, instead of the being-there quality of lucid dreams. At least that’s my experience.

  7. Shout really loud. The sensation felt so real once, that I was afraid I’d woken everyone up…

Don’t:
get too excited
stare at one thing without moving
rush to do 20 different things
forget to do an RC
Do:
look and touch different things
try saying “increase lucidity”
rub your hands if dream is fading
write down your LD as soon as you wake up

Don’t focus on doing a bazillion things once you LD. Do one thing or two. It’s more important to feel the sensation of a first LD and remember how you got it so you can, in the future, do about a bazillion amazing things.

If you are afraid that you’ll get to excited and wake up, go up to a dream character/make one (very calmly) and tell him/her to be there every time you dream and tell him/her to always tell you that you are dreaming. It works for some people. If I ever get another lucid dream I’m goin to try this :smile:

[color=green]Hello Jesgen

As mentioned before, do not expect TOO much or IMMEDIATE success. Those too will really not help at all. Also, as mentioned bfore, dont use WILD unless you find it the most comfortable. I started off with WILD and during SP i would feel unbearable pains in my ribs and chest. It was so bad that i was scared to try LDing at all.

Your mind is a vital part of experiancing LD. So prepare yourself mentally but dont have high expectation. Go with the flow :smile:[/color]

For many people their first lucid dream is cut short by them getting excited. I don’t think that’s big deal. In fact I encourage any first time lucid dreamer to do whaterver comes to their mind no matter how unprepared they are. Because chances are they will wake up pretty soon anyway. If you can keep yourself from getting overexited that’s great. But that first taste of lucidity might as well involve you going nuts. Who knows, maybe you’ll stay asleep easily and have a really cool first lucid dream. If you find that you wake up really easily, then at least you know that you do. But after the first one you should probably start working with prolonging techniques and increasing lucidity.

Most of my LDs were lost because I got “distracted”. It’s like your mind forces you to ND if you get distracted.

Also, if you get scared/excited, you tend to lose an LD.

Closing your eyes makes some people lose their LD, but it does nothing for others…

Yeah that’s what I always do, only to wake up shortly after failed attempts at firing lightning bolts out of my arms etc…

You may find this strange, but something you should do is jump out of a window or down some stairs, it emphasises your invincibility: you can’t feel pain. Just a weird sort of head rush type sensation, it’s really cool.

You can feel pain. I did when i tried to fly and fell on my stomach. But the pain ended really quickly.

Just make sure you are dreaming before you jump out the window :tongue:

Well, that know can sometimes be not enough to fly

Duck recalls how did he felt from 4th floor on asphalt in dream >_<
Breaking bones, damaged organs, no pain but digusting feeling…

Get more lucid before doing such a thing !! And NEVER be in hurry, that always makes LD shorter/causes FA’s/ makes you lose lucidicy.

I think the best thing to do is absorb it to the fullest. How does it make you feel? Ask your self, “What did I do, or not do to bring about this LD?”

And prepare yourself…your brain-mind will try and wake you up pretty quickly…so try and focus.

As far as what shouldn’t someone do in thier first LD? They shouldn’t be oblivious. Everything else is fair game.

DONT jump into a lake, I did and then for some strange reason I couldn’t move, I think it was sleep paralysis but i’m not sure.

Do:

  • rub your fingers together constantly
  • RC’s every few minutes
  • Try to immerse yourself in dream-sensory information by touching and smelling everything

Don’t:

  • Stare at one thing too long (like trying to read a sign) without moving or touching something else.
  • Don’t go straight to sex when you start out. You’ll get even more frustrated by the fact you wake up the moment you’re ready for business.
  • Don’t close your eyes really tightly. This makes me wake up every time.
  • Don’t ever have even a sliver of doubt when you attempt something new. Even a random stray doubting thought could ruin your experience. If you want to walk through that wall, believe that you’ve ALREADY done it before, and you’re just doing it again. It’s only a solid wall if you believe its a solid wall.

This is a good idea for a thread

Don’t be too aware of your body and senses from outside the dream. I quickly lose lucidity if i start listening to the sound of my breathing or radio in the other room.

Try to keep your mind very clear and focussed becuase the stability of the dreamscene as well as you, depend on it. Don’t waste time talking to yourself eg. “i bet it won’t work, it never does, i suppose i’ll wake up in a minute, i never get long lucid dreams…”

Dont:
get excited
do a million things at once
if your having your first LD dont have sex
flying etc
do:
stay calm
concentrate on being able to manipulate your dream
start small and work up to flying
spin or rub your hands when its becoming blurrier
stay lucid!!!
say things like "Increase lucidity " etc
reality checks, even if your already lucid, doing more reality checks is always good

Well, by all means, do it! Although it may crash the dream because you (or the DC :wink:) get too excited, it still is worth the effort. :colgate: However, I’d say you are quite lucky if you get to do such things in your first LD. Mine was much too short and hazy for that.

Anyway, I do not see a good reason for not attempting to do anything in your LD. It’s yours, after all. Unlike in RL, there are absolutely NO rules whatsoever. :colgate:

However, if you want the LD to last, some caution may be in order. Do RCs and dream-stabilizing actions regularly, and do not think too much about waking up. Stay in touch with dream reality. Examine things in detail with all your senses, and take your time to convince yourself that the environment you are in is real.

Don’t start spining untill you fall down and wake up… trust me, i know it from personal experience! :tongue: