Who is aware?

Quest for Lucidity
1

my technique…

My technique is simple, and is relatively easy to preform, if you have the right mind set. But before I delve too deeply into its process, I must first share information about where I attained it from. About two-thousand years ago, in ancient Tibet, there was an order of Buddhist monks known as the dream yogis, who deeply dedicated their existence to attaining perfect awareness while awake, and while dreaming. It is thanks to their great understanding and knowledge of the dream self that I am able to lucid dream.

There are two main components to this technique. First, the simple reality check, which should be done about every half an hour or so, and second, a process known as lucid living (well, really a variation of it). The key to this techniques success is to NEVER become stressed out about not achieving lucidity. If you do not realize your dreaming one night, you have your whole life ahead of you, just relax, and be one with your thoughts.

part 1. Reality checking.

Obviously, this is a Lucid Dreaming site, and thus there will be many people here whom already know about these, but for those who don’t, I’ll continue. There are long, detailed lists of how to preform these, but I believe the feeling of simplicity is lost if you explain in immense detail, so here is the condensed, easy to comprehend version.

  1. Ask yourself, “am I dreaming?”
  2. Look at your hands, and check if everything is in order. have all your fingers? are they the right size and shape? if they are, then you’re most likely awake. if not, have fun!
  3. if everything seems normal, and stable, tell yourself, “alright, I am not dreaming.” and really think about if you were dreaming.
  4. every half an hour or so, repeat this process.

Part 2. Lucid Living.

This technique was in existence before I thought it up, but I added to it somewhat. throughout the day, I heighten my awareness by thinking about what reality truly is, and by perceiving the world as a dream.
When I get home (and this is the added part) I go to a place called a “spot”, which is basically a place that is detached from the world around us ( a roof, a secluded room, ect…) and I sit in stillness. while I sit, I soak in all the euphoria around me; all the detail and vividness of the world. I sit, and focus on one thought, and that is being aware of reality. I ask myself questions such as, “what is real? who is aware? am I dreaming?” and throughout this process, I reach a heightened state of awareness which I’ve dubbed “pure thought.” at the end of my awareness meditation, I firmly tell myself, " The next time I’m dreaming, I will remember to recognize that I’m dreaming."

and that is it. It’s a personal technique, so it probably won’t work the same for everyone. If there are any questions, please feel free to ask.

2

I’m curious as to your success rate - how often do you lucid dream?

Personally I find little time to engage in lucid-dreaming related endeavours during the week… I’m far less likely to remember to check my reality if I’m busy attending lectures or doing assignments. Indeed, I hardly remember any dreams during the week, and when I do remember them in the morning, I tend to forget them quickly as I get ready for the day ahead.

I find real life highly stressful at times - ‘viewing life as a dream’ would be difficult for me, as the issues I face seem far too real to dismiss as such. I imagine your method would be best for those who are consistently calm and relaxed. Granted, I’d like to be consistently calm and relaxed :content:

On account of weekdays being too convulated for lucid dreaming, I confine my attempts to WILD at the weekends.

3

before school started again, I was at 1 lucid dream a week, minimum. I’m quite lucky that I discovered lucid dreaming at an early age, because I think as I grew, it would become more and more difficult to master. Stress kills the mind, and that’s why I meditate and have pure thought so often. It releases me from this world to a state of exquisite relaxation. that is the gift of lucid dreaming :content:

4

I have to say Broken-Sword88 that sounds like a cool place to be. At your thought level that is.

5

Weren’t you aware there was already a Lucid Living topic, broken-sword88? :wink:
Lucid Living topic, part II

6

yeah, I know, but I feel that my technique varies from that. it’s kind of difficult for me to explain exactly what I do, but the lucid living portion is the most minuet part of the process. really, it’s all about meditation and the question, “what is real?”

7

broken sword I agree with what you are saying, I have read a book called “lucid living” by Timothy Freke. Since then nearly everyday I think about the reality, our perception and are we real ? I couldn’t say that I make sure every half an hour but I do at least a check every day.
Also I have had experiences where the day seemed like a dream and wasn’t so real. But that doesn’t happen all the time.
I am normally having about 3LD a week and I remember most of my dreams. I can still remember dreams I had years ago like ones about 10yrs ago. But at times the amount of LD I have fluctuates as my sleeping patterns change. I am artist at heart and will always be even if I do a non-creative job.

Today I awoke and for some unknown reason I started thinking about the city of light. I had been there at one point but then when I started mentioning it to my housemate he said that it could have been the city of glass but I am not sure.

8

Is BS88 really talking about Lucid Living or is he referring to a level of meditation and calmness that could be as euphoric as lucidity?

At least that’s what I thought he was saying.

9

Borken sword :

Your soccess rate ?

10

I agree with most of what you posted with just a few caveats.

In number 2) when you look at your hands (or what ever your reality check is) you should expect that something will be off. Otherwise when/if you do a RC in a dream, the dream may well trick you. If you expect to have only 5 fingers on each hand then that may well be what you will see even though you are dreaming.

In #3) I try to stay away from phrases like “everything seems to be normal”. Some time ago in a dream, I was fishing for great white sharks in a creek and that “seemed to be normal to me”. I try to tell people to really take the exercise seriously and look for proof as to their state. Try and consider the possibility that you are dreaming even though everything seems normal.

Anyway, like I said, I agree with most of what you said with some slight differences.

Happy dreaming :smile:

11

milod, I completely understand what you’re saying. when I actually do my reality checks, I go into a deep train of thought, and really scrutinize my present state, looking around to watch everything that is strange or dream like. I posted a quick form of reality checking, because I figured everyone would already know how to do them correctly. as for number 3, that’s very interesting, and I’ll keep it in mind from now on. thanks for the input :content:

12

Yes, I just wanted to explain my way of doing reality checks. Some people do have a different version where they just go throughout the day routinely doing RC’s (without really thinking about them)with the theory that they will then do them in their dreams as well. It does seem to work for some people, but I think that taking the time to do them more seriously is better. However, that is just my opinion.

13

I like the way you emphasized those points milod about the what you might expect to see. That is very true.

Broken-Sword88 how often do you do these intense reality checks b/c it seems as if it’s almost meditative for you. And imo, meditative is time consuming.

14

Thats nice, just doing RCs all ower the day may cause people to think you`re nuts :wink:

15

I like people thinking I’m nuts, alienation is exciting :grin:

usually, I do the common reality checks every 30-45 minutes, and I enter pure thought either right after school, or right before bed.
it is a form of meditation, but I usually reach it within a half an hour, and then I stop.

16

Not necessarily. You can test your reality in a room full of people and noone would be aware of it. IMO the actual RC you use is less important than questioning your state. What you want to bleed over into your dreams is your constant awareness of what state you are in.

I hope that makes scene to you.

17

I’ve been doing regular RCs, but it has only worked once… I think maybe you’re right about not really focusing on the RC. I’m trying a new technique where every time I feel myself spacing out, or getting absorbed in a task, I’ll stop thinking for a second and just focus all my awareness on the here and now, and then perform some kind of RC. Hopefully this will work better.

18

Ok i see now .
Thanks ! :thumbs:

Sio instead of letting the RCs get to a habit , You do that with the thought “am I dreamin ?” ? !