Hi everyone, I’m new here, just signed up to ask this one question: Why did my reality check fail?
You see, I was dreaming about, some how, being able to leave your body and visit heaven, just for a little while, why not? Then as I left my body I thought, hey, there’s no way I could have left my body. I must have just fallen asleep! So I thought hmm, I should do a reality check. I flipped on a light switch, it worked. I read something, then re-read it a couple times, it remained the same. I burnt myself with fire by accident, and it hurt! I put my hand on a wall, but not through it. I tried to communicate with a cup (which I think I subconsciously conjured up by thinking about talking to inanimate objects in my dream) and it didn’t respond. After a while, I guess I kind of just went with the flow of the dream. I had no control of anything; and the reality check came out positive for some reason. I thought nothing of it, until I woke up, went to write down my dream, and it hit me. I finally had a lucid dream, but I thought it was fake. I can’t believe that. I hope I’m closer to having a real one though.
The one thing I am glad that worked was reading and knowing so much about lucid dreams. So the second I even thought of the word “dream” I started doing reality checks without thinking about it. I felt it too, I was so close.
It does sound rather odd that none of your reality checks provided any indication that you were dreaming. The fact that you kept doing them seems to imply that you knew that you were dreaming, but felt that you had to verify it before you could continue. To me, it’s not so much the reality check itself that kicks off a lucid dream. Usually just the thought that I might be dreaming is enough to trigger an awareness. RC or not, I’m always confident beyond a doubt that I’m in a dream, just because there’s a general feeling that’s unlike waking life. Also, the situation within the dream, and fact that I can’t recall how I got there both affirm my suspicions.
Maybe you shouldn’t rely so much on traditional reality checks after already realizing that you’re probably dreaming. Stop and think about how you got where you are, and look around the immediate area to find tell-tale signs that it isn’t real. Most dream environments that are based on real-life places will be at least slightly inconsistent, perhaps in terms of layout, or scale.
It certainly sounds like you’re very close to having a lucid dream (topic is obviously on your mind subconsciously). Feel free to ask any other questions, and I hope you decide to continue posting here.
Hmmm, I think I figured that little experience out. First off, I think it was just a very weak lucid dream, I knew I was dreaming, that’s why I did the checks. However, I think I was able to control what I was checking. I wanted the light to turn on when I flipped the switch, so it did. I wanted to think that I was re-reading the same thing (for all I knew, it was all gibberish, I just remember the “feeling” of re-reading the same thing) so my dream said I was. And I guess I just wanted everything to be normal subconsciously for some reason. I didn’t want to look like a fool if it was real life. It was a very “foggy” dreaming experience if you know what I mean. Everything wasn’t crisp and clear. When I looked at the cup, that’s all I could see, the cup. It wasn’t detailed at all.
By the way, you are right. I need to learn, that if I think it’s a dream, then it is a dream. I need to take control, show the dream who’s boss. I guess I can practice that by taking control of things in real life first, and try to stay on top of everything. Hopefully it will carry on into my dream.
Try other reality checks that take less time. Like counting your fingers or holding your nose or closing one eye and seeing if you can see your nose etc. This take alot less time, and you could probally shoot through all three in about five seconds (infact, I just did it in less…).
Try and find a RC that works for you - that emans try as many as you can. I think (I’m quite new too…I just post a fair amount…) .
It sounds like you answered your own question. If you are seriously questioning weather or not you are dreaming, you are. I never become lucid because of a failed RC. I just realize it is a dream then I will do a RC confirming what I know to be true. I don’t know why I do that, it is a habit I got into. My RC are always something that is impossible to do in real life. Don’t worry you will become more intune with your dream state in time and you will get more and better LD’s. just don’t give up. You are getting there.
Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to hearing about your future successes.
Hahaha. Yeah, I didn’t realize how that sounded until you quoted me on it.
Well, once again I had a dream in which I thought of dreaming. I was attempting the WBTB technique (but forgot to turn my alarm on after I set it) so I guess that somehow snuck into my dream. Anyway, I only have a very fuzzy recollection of that part of the dream. I just remember being in my bed and I kept saying “LD, LD, LD” (not “lucid dream” but literally LD. That’s how I know I was dreaming this) in my head until I got to sleep. I guess after that little experience my mind just shifted and I started dreaming about something else. I’m so close to getting a LD I can taste it. I’ve only had one as a kid before I even knew they were called lucid dreams. All I did was doggy paddle in mid-air with a couple of kids I met in my dream. Then I went into a dark shed and I woke up. Ever since then I have always wanted to be able to dream and know I’m dreaming.
You could try and give yourself a suggestion that you will wake up in the middle of the night just as you are going to sleep. I know this has worked for me in the past. I would just wake up in the night and very often after a dream. No alarm clock needed. Another thing I found helpful with DILD is to tell yourself that you will realize you are dreaming while dreaming. Repeating that over several times as you are going to sleep.
Thanks for all the usefull tips. I didn’t know about the holding nose RC. I will try that. What’s weird about waking up in the middle of the night though, is it won’t work if I tell myself I need it. Ever since I’ve been keeping a DJ I will wake up in the middle of the night, for no reason, and my dream seems to continue though. Then when I wanted to experiment by waking myself up, I sleep in until 1:00 pm. Weird.
If you wake right from a dream in the middle of the night you don’t move. In stead just lay still and imagine the dream you just left in your head. You keep replaying it over and over as you fall back to sleep. According to Labarge you will often find yourself back in the dream you just left hopefully lucid “falling back into the dream”. I have not used this technique my self just read about it. But something you mentioned just made me think it might work for you so I thought I would mention it. (I guess I was sort of thinking out loud)
Good, thinking out loud is great. It is part of the reason I’ve been going to this magic-related forum, and now this one. Getting your thoughts written out helps you, even if it doesn’t help anyone else. Anyway, falling backwards sounds kind of difficult for me right now. I think the only way I’d remember to fall back is if I was really lucid dreaming, in that case I wouldn’t need it.
PS: I have awakened from falling backwards at least once though. I “land” in my bead; I’m sure that’s happened to the most of us - it’s pretty funny. Anyway, I’ll keep in mind the idea of “falling” back into the dream if I ever do fall backwards, out of one. Thanks.
Actually, that’s how I got my first (self induced…) LD . Infact, I used it twice on the same dream (first time to get lucid, second time to carry on in the dream). I’d have tried for a third time, but my little brother was awake by then, and hapilly shouting his head of downstairs…
Just thought I’d say that last night I had my forth LD, and unfortunately the hold-your-nose-and-breath RC failed me after I had a FA. Glad to say I had 3 fingers when I looked at my hands, and this gave me lucidity, but I guess, as many people has advised, everyone should always carry out at least two RCs, if I had followed this advice my LD would have been extended.
I can’t believe that. I hope I’m closer to having a real one though.
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. Infact, I used it twice on the same dream (first time to get lucid, second time to carry on in the dream). I’d have tried for a third time, but my little brother was awake by then, and hapilly shouting his head of downstairs… 