Lucid Dreaming and OBE Discussion Board

Did I read in SOBT somewhere that focusing on a distant object can cause you to foul?

Yes, you are correct.  But if you do some maintaining, you can prevent the foul and behold distant objects panoramically.  Sometimes I look at distant objects and appreciate the view as I rub my hands, then, once in a while I glance at them and then back at the distant objects.  If you focus on only one minor detail of a distant object and you intend to see it up close, then translocation can happen without a foul.  Don't even think about a possible return to the body.

I woke up at 4am, stayed up for half an hour (yes, I raided the fridge  ) and visualised dreamscenes and did some mantras. Next thing I  knew, I woke up at 7am without any recall at all. Odd how the cookie crumbles like that sometimes - I repeat the procedure the same as the night before and get different results. Pleased with the tidal wave dream though.

If this tidal wave thing happens again in a dream, you could use it as a cue to attain dream consciousness.  Then again, the deferred method can land you in the phase without any need for anchors.  It really depends on what entry method you are going for.  Today I used the deferred indirect method.  I got up at 7.30am, engaged in a few activities and then went back to bed at 8.15am.  I fell asleep with an intention, and, upon an awakening without movement, I tried to separate.  It didn't work as I seemed to be glued to the bed.

I started cycling through techniques the minute I saw faint fleeting images of strangers.  I couldn't amplify them but sounds suddenly ensued.  I could hear my wife and mother talking but it didn't sound natural, their voices were robotic.  I tried to amplify this and noticed that a pulsatile hiss in my head accompanied the auditory hallucination.  Eventually, I heard a male robotic whisper in my ear: "I can make your worst nightmares come true".  This would have scared the crap out of me before but I was pleased to hear this so clearly.

Eventually, I was pulled out by my double in the phase, who was sexier than me and more of a bad boy.  I deepened the phase by strangling him but he just kept grinning at me.  I quit wringing his neck and he took my hand and led me into the mirror.  I did have a plan of action but I became curious about where I was being led.  The mirror-portal led to a mansion interior.  It was like this other me had invited me to his parallel home universe.  Hardcore music was blasting loud as we swaggered outside to dive in his swimming pool, which, by the way, was full of sexy women.  I got carried away and had a jolly good time...  

Gosh, Summerlander, you're a dark horse! Ha ha 

I'm expecting the tidal waves to make a reappearance in future dreams. I've had them before. Watch this space.

At the moment I am focusing only on becoming conscious in dreams but I can see me creeping back to indirect techs at some point. I'll play it by ear.

I love the dream consciousness method.  Nothing like the feeling we get when we realise that we are dreaming.  The sense of freedom... it's indescribable... and yet, sometimes, we continue to run from scary situations despite knowing that it is all a dream.

Btw, not long ago I was only using dream consciousness to reach the phase.  I was recording a lot of dreams in my journal at that time and found that floods were a recurring theme for me.  Recording dreams improved my memory and it got to the point where the moment I recorded and reviewed past dreams, the phase state was guaranteed the next time I went to bed.

I found myself paying more attention to dreams which would lead to consciousness.  The question "am I dreaming" was always on my mind and lucidity seemed inevitable.  One can really master the dream consciousness method (Stephen LaBerge knows this with his MILD method - he is a master of this type of phase entrance).

And then I found myself doing something else the moment I fouled from dream-initiated phase experiences...

I was using indirect techniques to get back to the phase...

For people who at first have some trouble with separation techniques, the dream consciousness method is a godsend.  By the way, have you tried dream cartography?  That can be a lot of fun.

floods were a recurring theme for me

Same here. Plus the seaside and rivers. I often get these dreams where I travel somewhere but do so by swimming rivers.

I found myself paying more attention to dreams which would lead to consciousness.

I'm saturating my brain with dream memories at the moment. I think it's working.

For people who at first have some trouble with separation techniques, the dream consciousness method is a godsend.

Yup. I was banging my head against a wall with separation techniques, so I switched to dream consciousness. I'm gonna sneak back to trying indirect approach, but I want to take it one step at a time.

By the way, have you tried dream cartography?  That can be a lot of fun.

You read my mind! I'm just starting to find faith in that approach. Especially now that I've realised that a lot of my dream events seem to pivot around two specific places.

Not much happened last night. I woke naturally at 3.45 and did some visualisation. One dream recalled. Dream events occurred next to a river (which is a dreamsign) by recall is vague.

Went to bed last night without any plan of action. Woke at 7am this morning with reasonable recall of a dream packed with dreamsigns. Good progress.

Two dreams recalled last night, both with strong dreamsigns.

Had a couple of quiet nights dreamwise, but last night sure made up for that! A night of vivid dreams packed with dreamsigns. I hope I get the same again tonight! And a lucid one wouldn't go amiss!

Previous night was poor, but last night was good. Two strong dreams with lots of dreamsigns. In the second dream I saw a dreamsign- stairs - and decided it would be a good time to RC. Unfortunately I didn't do the RC mindfully and missed out on a chance.

Zero recall last night.

What an exciting blog post!

Hooray!  It always seems so easy when it happens...

I left my house and walked down the side alley and wondered why next door's children were outside playing at 4am. I looked back to my house and my dog walked out (she died a week ago in RL). I realised it was probably a dream and did a nose pinch. It was a bit inconclusive (used to work without fail). This time I FINALLY remembered to back it up with a hand check and my third finger was about a cm in length, thus removing any doubt. Then randomness took over and I walked down the road happily singing Golden Brown, by The Stranglers until I woke.

Good recall and eventful dreams last night, but the dreamsigns were a bit shy. And I keep dreaming about escaped lions since the "escaped lion" scare in Essex.

Went on holiday and hoped that the different environment and relaxation would help me have an LD. Wasn't disappointed. I was dozing in bed in the early morning and I scratched an itch. I realised my arm hadn't moved so I used my phantom arm to nose pinch, which proved to me I was dreaming. I got out of bed and tried to leave the room through the window but this was unsuccessful, despite determined effort, so I decided to use the door instead! I got out and it was a sunny day and I looked to a field of grass with a black and white cat sat on it looking at me. I thought I would go to the cat to give him a fuss. I made a leap for the wall in front of me. I woke up.

When you see objects in the phase, like that cat, you can totally approach them and study them with all your senses.  Peer at the cat, run your fingers through the fur, kiss it, give it a squeeze and listen to it meow....

Remember that you can always re-enter.  A couple of days ago, after dropping off the kids at school, I decided to enter the phase using the deferred indirect method.  I fell asleep with a firm intention and had a funny dream where parcels were being delivered at my house.  After that, I caught an awakening without movement and decided to separate from my physical stencil.  I succeeded.  In the phase, I was able to talk to my deceased stepfather (not planned) and perform an experiment (planned). 

There was some fouling and some re-entering.  The fact that I have got used to re-entering and don't worry so much about fouling because of it has made me more confident in my practice.  I also enjoy doing maintaining as needed.  I almost see it like a fun game of keeping that world existent when it starts to fade.

By the way, did you deepen?

Excellent LD last night! 

Woke to my alarm at 4am. Had a snack and went back to bed. Seemed to take ages to get back to sleep. I had a non-lucid about being in a bus/plane traveling through town. I got off the plane and thought to myself, "I've been in a lucid dream" (it wasn't lucid) then, "I'd better RC to make sure I'm still dreaming". The nose pinch proved I was in a dream. I remembered to deepen and I did this by enthusiastically clapping. I looked to my right and saw Tower Bridge. It looked absolutely breathtaking - I could see it through mist and the sun was shining at the same time. That made me feel very happy! Next to me was an electricity pylon. I decided to fly to the top of the pylon so that I'd be the same height as the top of Tower Bridge. While I was slowly flying up, I had ideas in my head about maintaining; fearing I would wake up I studied details of the pylon - the way the beams crossed each other and attached to each other. I reached the top and decided to try an experiment to jump off the pylon backwards to see what would happen. I thought (from past experience) that there was a good chance this action would wake me up. It did.

When you see objects in the phase, like that cat, you can totally approach them and study them with all your senses.  Peer at the cat, run your fingers through the fur, kiss it, give it a squeeze and listen to it meow...

I will do that 

Remember that you can always re-enter.  A couple of days ago, after dropping off the kids at school, I decided to enter the phase using the deferred indirect method.  I fell asleep with a firm intention and had a funny dream where parcels were being delivered at my house.  After that, I caught an awakening without movement and decided to separate from my physical stencil.  I succeeded.  In the phase, I was able to talk to my deceased stepfather (not planned) and perform an experiment (planned).

Fingers crossed, I will start having more successful LDs now. I'm not sure that I'll be able to use indirect techs to enter, but using indirect techs to re-enter is something I definitely  want to try.

There was some fouling and some re-entering.  The fact that I have got used to re-entering and don't worry so much about fouling because of it has made me more confident in my practice.  I also enjoy doing maintaining as needed.  I almost see it like a fun game of keeping that world existent when it starts to fade.

I definitely want to get to that stage where it becomes a habit and I can concentrate on enjoying myself in the dream!

By the way, did you deepen?

Nope. I think it's time to revise deepening and maintaining in SOBT!

Yeah, it's good to revise.  SOBT is a brilliant manual for phase state practice.  You could familiarise yourself with a particular technique that does wonders for you.  For example, Michael likes to experience vibrations and uses that to prolong his stay in the phase.

To have a plan of action also helps because it means there is less pausing, hesitation and internal dialogue.  By the way, I see you're getting pretty good at the dream consciousness method.  Well done!

Stephen LaBerge has got nothing on you with his MILD. 



Hands down, Stevie!!

By the way, I see you're getting pretty good at the dream consciousness method.  Well done!

Well, I've had many false dawns before on my lucid journey. Hope my run continues.

Another excellent night in dreamland! 

I woke up in the night feeling as rough as hell so I switched off my alarm and cancelled my 4am WBTB. I went back to sleep and had a dream about nuclear war (nuclear war is on my "second tier" list of dreamsigns). I was in a busy city and saw nuclear missiles launching (like in Terminator and The Day After etc.) There was no doubt in my mind it was a dream. Interestingly, instead of trying my usual nose pinch test, I opted for a text check. I looked to a local McDonald's, looked at the sign then looked back at it. It had changed to something like "Me Mo". I looked away again and when I turned back it had changed to something like "Ma Mi". I found myself in a shop admiring a metallic model fish. I wondered if the fish would still have aesthetic appeal in the waking world. (Not sure what happened next - I think I fell asleep.)

The verdict on the fish on waking? Well, it was just a metallic model fish!

Pleased to know I can still have a lucid dream without relying on WBTB (I'll still use WBTB when I'm well though). 

"Mama Mia"! 

Sleep was unsettled last night so cancelled my alarm for WBTB and nothing exciting happened.

Well that was clever. I put my clock back an hour but changed it to PM rather than AM and my alarm didn't go off at 4am. Had an interesting dream anyway with strong dreamsign.

No lucids lately, but dreamsigns still prominent in dreams.

Good.  Good.  Those dream signs are your key to full consciousness and self-awareness.

Right. I've done my homework tonight. Let's see what happens...

Dreams lately have been vivid with dreamsigns putting in many appearances.

I can see a pattern emerging, ha ha.  My dreams lately have been PACKED full of dreamsigns. Obviously one element is missing...utilising dreamsigns to become lucid. Thinking cap is donned...

Still finding dreamsigns are featuring regularly in my dreams.

I've come a long way since September. The same dreamsigns are featuring regularly in my dreams and my recall is much better and the dreams more vivid and with better continuity. What I can't figure out yet is how to think about dreamsigns so that they make me become lucid. I know that thinking about dreamsigns in some way is the way ahead but HOW to think about the dreamsigns? Brainstorming continues...

It's really neat. My dreams are crammed full of dreamsigns. Not really becoming lucid, but I never thought I'd be able to have so much control over my dream content.