Clairity's WILD Technique

[Clairity]

Clairity's WILD Technique!

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First some background, I have been LDing since 1998 and have discovered that 99% of my LDs are from WILDS.. I rarely DILD (i.e., I'm already in a dream and suddenly realize "hey.. I'm dreaming!").

With the above in mind, I came up with the following WILD technique.

I have PM'd this technique to members who asked how I WILD and they found it helpful.. so I've decided to take the plunge and post my technique so that it might help others. Enjoy!

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I find that I can only WILD after sleeping at least 3 to 4 hours. I have yet to WILD after 6+ hours (though I've read that it works well for others). I also have yet to have an LD from an afternoon nap.. though there are some who do.

I wake up around 3:30 am*. For WILDs to work for me, I must physically get out of bed and I stay up only long enough to go to the bathroom and move to my living couch. If I stay up too long.. I get TOO awake and then it takes me FOREVER to get back to sleep. The longer it takes me to get to sleep.. the greater the chance that I will simply fall asleep or give up altogether.

I go to sleep on the living room couch for my WILD attempt as I find that leaving the bedroom (and my husband's movement and occasional snoring) is simply necessary (plus it lets my subconscious know that I am serious about my intentions).

For those of you who can't move to a couch, different room, etc. what I have done is to change the position that I sleep in my bed. For example, sleep sideways across your bed or sleep facing the opposite direction. Since you're not sleeping the way you normally do.. you should sleep lighter (less deeply) and therefore you should have a greater chance of mind awake/body asleep.

I ensure that I am not too warm or too cold. This includes wearing socks as I find that making sure my "feet" are warm is helpful (I don't know why).

I put in my earplugs** to ensure that I'm not disturbed by any "external" sounds and I dim the lights or, if I want perfect darkness, I put on a sleep mask***. I then lay face up on the couch (arms at my sides).

I begin by mentally repeating the following protection mantra: "My mind, my body, my soul and my spirit are protected by pure white light. May only those of pure white light come near me, may only those of pure white light touch me." I realize that some feel that there is nothing that can harm you astrally.. but this mantra comforts me.

I then close my eyes and, for at least five minutes, repeat "I am dreaming, this is all a dream" or "I will realize that I am dreaming and I will roll out of my body" or "Am I dreaming.. am I dreaming now?", etc.

Next I relax my eyes and my body by slowing my breathing. I mentally talk to my subconscious asking for its help with realizing when I am dreaming so that I can become lucid. I ask for help in reminding me to do reality checks and for help remaining within the dream until I wish for it to end and for help in remembering my experiences.

As to how long it takes for my body to "fall asleep".. that varies wildly.. sometimes 20 minutes.. sometime 40.. sometimes never. I wish I knew so I could figure out when it's just not going to happen so I could just give up for the morning and go to sleep!

For me the hardest part of WILDING is keeping my mind occupied on things that won't keep me wide awake (worries, projects, etc.) but on things that are not so boring I fall asleep!

To help keep your mind on mundane things instead of things that will keep you awake.. try counting "1-I'm dreaming, 2-I'm dreaming, etc." or use what I call the alphabet method:

I'll think of the letter "a", then picture my picking an apple from a tree (or simply picture an apple), think of the letter "b", then picture a balloon floating on the wind (or simply picture a balloon), etc. until "z" and then start at "a" again picturing something different.

I also sometimes try to envision/daydream something tactile.. such as horseback riding.. i.e., feeling the reins in my hands, the wind on my face, my legs gripping the saddle, etc. Heck now that I type this, I think next time I'll envision myself playing jacks (throwing the jacks on the ground, tossing the ball in the air, scooping up a jack or jacks and then catching the ball).

I continue doing the above while slowly breathing until my mind starts to drift and I try to think/direct it back to only positive thoughts.

NOTE: I think it's ok if your mind wanders as long as every so often you bring it back to lucid dreaming. You also want to say to yourself, "I am dreaming.. this is all a dream" while becoming involved with the daydream.. this way hopefully you will realize you're dreaming if your mind falls asleep along with your body.

HINT: I also realize that my body will TEST me to see if I'm awake.. my arm will itch or my leg will want to move, etc. The thing is to IGNORE all these sensations.. even keep your eyes still if possible!! If you react to the sensations or move in any way.. your body will know that you are NOT asleep! If you can remain in one position and breathe steadily as though you were indeed asleep, you will TRICK your body to actually going to sleep while you are still aware!

If you should see patterns, images and/or hear sounds (with or without vibrations), do NOT move but continue with your steady breathing and just go along casually catching glimpses of the patterns/images and/or listening to the sounds. With luck, a dream scene will appear that you may simply "be pulled into" or instantly just become a part of.

If all you're experiencing is vibrations, you could wait until you feel that the vibrations are at their strongest point and try to roll out/stand up.. or you could wait until you also feel the "shift" and then trying to roll out/stand up. The best way I can describe the "shift" is that I'm suddenly aware that my consciousness is different. I may realize that suddenly I've jumped into some random thought from where I was.. or I feel like my mind has "blinked".. or I feel a slight sinking feeling in my head and/or body.

I've often been asked what do I do when the vibrations don't seem to lead anywhere or if the vibrations seem to stop, etc..

I found information from Matt Jones very helpful and, even though it speaks to converting sleep paralyis into an OBE.. the same techniques can be applied when trying to WILD into an LD.  Matt's information can be found in the next posting.

When I first began WILDing, I experienced vibrations and the loud *fingernails on the chalkboard*, but sadly now I no longer feel vibrations, see patterns nor hear sounds. I miss them as they confirmed to me that I had entered mind awake/body asleep.

All I experience now is the subtle but distinctive shift in my consciousness, I simply wait until I know that I can roll out/stand up. The knowing of "when" I can move is something that has come from practice and from trial and error. I've missed many opportunities to be lucid due to waiting around for vibrations, scenes or sounds to either start or grow stronger.

Unfortunately it's a very fine line between reality checking or moving too soon (and not totally being in body asleep) and reality checking or moving too late and missing that exact moment and simply falling asleep and winding up in a non-lucid dream.

If all goes well (and I don't just fall asleep), I feel a familiar "shift/falling" sensation (which alerts me that my body is falling asleep while my mind is still awake). I wait until I feel it ONCE MORE and, though I seem to fall asleep, I immediately sense that I'm dreaming and I do a reality check (be it plugging my nose and seeing if I can breathe or looking at my watch twice and seeing if the time changes).

If the reality checks fail, I'll slip into lucid dream.

NOTE: Sometimes after feeling the "shift".. I will simply roll over and stand up as I just KNOW that I'm lucid. I can't recall if I open my lucid eyes or see "through" my eyelids. I do know that if I wait TOO long, the shift window closes and I can't stand up/become lucid. Once I feel the shift TWICE.. I attempt to stand up or do a reality check whether I feel like I'm lucid or not (as it may just be that I'm having a false awakening)!

When I say "attempt to stand up" what I mean is that, since your "physical" body is paralyzed (hopefully) .. try rolling your body to the right or left and standing up. It will feel as though you are actually rolling your physical body.. but it will only be your astral/dream body that will be rolling.

BIG P.S.: Since you are waking up so much earlier than normal and because there is a good chance that you could slip into normal dreams or simply fall back asleep, you need to write down your lucid dream as soon as it ends because if you wait, it's possible that you may not remember most of it!

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I hope my technique answers some of your questions! Please use what you want and ignore the rest!

Below are some items that I use but I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies.. I just like their product!

* If you're married (or have to share quarters) and, if you can afford it..(and you think "vibrations" would wake you).. I highly recommend getting an "Invisible Clock". This small clock can be set to vibrate or beep or both. There are three vibration levels and you can set up to 12 alarms! I often use the vibration setting on the highest level, wrap the small clock in a face towel and simply lay the clock so that it's pressed against my body. The vibration isn't "jarring" and another plus to a vibrating clock is that it doesn't disturb anyone else when it goes off (not even my husband who is laying right next to me)! Below is one of the websites that sell the Invisible Clock: http://www.buddhasplace.com/Merchant2/merc...ory_Code=Clocks

** I highly recommend "Joe's earplugs" (http://www.joesearplugs.com). They're cheap but more than that they're COMFORTABLE and they work. You can also go to Target, Walgreens, Eckerds, etc. and get some ear plugs by "Mack's". They are made of foam and are shaped like small cylinders.

*** I also recommend "Hearos Deeps Sleep System" as it's a very comfortable eye mask and has an "eyes open, total blackout effect" (i.e., there is no fabric touching your eyes yet if you open them your still in darkness). You can purchase them online http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/hedeslsy.html) or I found mine at Walgreens.

Here's wishing you all lucid dreams!!

Copyright (c) 2007, Clairity. All rights reserved.

Permission granted to copy freely in electronic form, provided the work is not
modified or revised, is properly credited and this copyright notice is included
in full. Please contact (Clairity1@hotmail.com) for permission to use in any
other manner.

[Clairity]

I've often been asked what do I do when the vibrations don't seem to lead anywhere or if the vibrations seem to stop, etc..

I found the following information from Matt Jones very helpful and, even though it speaks to converting sleep paralyis into an OBE.. the same techniques can be applied when trying to WILD into an LD.

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Copyright 2008 Matt Jones - All rights reserved

Getting stuck at the vibration state and how to convert sleep paralysis into an OBE.

It's common for people to make it into vibrations or sleep paralysis and then get stuck. However, it's GREAT that you've made it that far because it means you've really made ton of progress and are a million miles ahead of 99% of everyone else on earth now that you've deliberately gotten into sleep paralysis and you know what's going on.

Here are a few things I can recommend. First, in order to do a traditional-style OBE and peel away from your physical body at that point, you need to relax further until the vibrations *go away*.

If you try to create a feeling of a force to separate while you're still in vibrations, you'll probably be get pulled right back in.

Vibrations are a *transition* state that happens before you're really ready to do the full exit. Vibrations are not the final state you're shooting for, you're only half-way there if you're in vibrations.

This is probably why people get stuck here. The misconception is thinking that vibrations are a final goal state. However the reality is that they are only a half-way point.

If you're in full sleep paralysis, that's also a good sign that you're ready to do the exit and if you open your mouth and take a few slow deep breaths that is often all it takes to initiate the separation process at your face and you can exit just by pulling away from your body.

There is also a second approach which does not require that you enter super-deep relaxation like a traditional OBE does.

This is called a mental projection and you watch for behind the eye-lid imagery which happens when you reach the vibration state. By watching it and using thought to make objects you see spin you can make them brighter and more solid.

Eventually you can connect to them by pressing yourself into the imagery using a feeling of a force on your head and chest pushing into the imagery. That will result in a different experience than the traditional OBE exit but it's till a very fun type of OBE. Often it's more fun because the imagery you enter is very unusual and there's a lot to explore.

Finally, a third option is to use the teleporting exit which also doesn't require you to be in ultra-deep relaxation. Being in vibrations is deep enough for it to work. Imagine there's a copy of yourself that's walking around in an adjacent room. Imagine that it's running its hands on the walls and feeling the textures of things.

This will gradually strengthen your connection to your imagined copy.

Eventually when you're deep enough in your subconscious you'll get to where you're literally feel what you imagined copy feels.

You'll sense the resistance on the wall and feel the little bumps and cracks in it. At this point you can start to transfer all of you focus into your copy and away from you physical body.

When that process is complete you'll have effectively teleported out of your body and into a nonphysical environment."

Copyright 2008 Matt Jones - All rights reserved

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NOTE: I tried the "opening my mouth and taking a few slow deep breaths" method and the results have helped me successfully complete WILDs.

[iadr]

Hi Clairity,

Nice to see you here at Mortal Mist!

I've been practicing transporting myself around my house in my imagination for a few months now when attempting to WILD, which seems to have increased the number of lucids I have been having, as I find myself floating a lot more in my dreams, which has helped me to become lucid.

But last night I tried something a little different which seems to have worked even better, as I began getting dream images almost right away.

While transporting myself around my house in my imagination I also visualized the words "I am dreaming" in my imagination.

Although the images I got were a little too weak to be able to pull myself into the dream with, I soon became lucid in another dream, although I was so involved in the dream, I ended up allowing the dream to continue controlling me. 

Still, I am thinking I may be onto something as keeping my mind involved in doing two things at once, floating while visualizing the words I am dreaming, seemed to have brought on the dream images much faster than normal.   I guess time will tell.

[Clairity]

Still, I am thinking I may be onto something as keeping my mind involved in doing two things at once, floating while visualizing the words I am dreaming, seemed to have brought on the dream images much faster than normal.   I guess time will tell.

Hi iadr!  I've recommended repeating (mentally) that you're dreaming to a few newbies who have trouble staying within a dream and I've heard that it does help!  I never thought about "visualizing" the words however.. let me know if that method continues to improve things for you! 

[Robot_Butler]

This is crazy helpful, Clairity.  I get stuck in the vibrations all the time.

So, you wait for them to end before using a trick to ditch your body?  I've always tried to get out while feeling the vibrations.  Maybe this is what I've been doing wrong all along.  I will try this next time I hit this during a WILD.

I often get several rounds of vibrations.  Should I keep trying to relax deeper while they are hitting me? 

[Clairity]

Butler, as soon as I feel the vibrations start to ebb even a little bit, I slowly breathe in through my mouth and hopefully I'll find myself lucid.

If you routinely get several rounds of vibrations one right after the other.. I might wait til the second or third round while trying to relax deeper and then slowly breathe in through your mouth.  If the vibrations are pretty spaced out (over 30 minutes or more), at every round of vibrations, I would wait until I feel the vibrations start to ebb even a littlle bit and then slowly breath in through my mouth.

If breathing in through your mouth doesn't feel right to you, you can try the "mental projection" or the "teleporting exit" mentioned by Matt Jones.

[miss_maya]

Thanks Clarity you're technique has shed much light!

Its helped work out a few mistakes i made last night:

...I slowly breathe in through my mouth and hopefully I'll find myself lucid...

it only hit me just now that is says to breathe "slowly", hahah and the amount of times i read that too.. I guess my breath was too forceful last night as i thoughtlessly tried to sit up and took a breath like you would in real life to sit up. immediately i knew it was a mistake. lesson learned..
Only rolling out from now on.. (or other methods not requiring strain of torso muscles)..

I'm curious about the "second shift" you mention, never experienced this, but i i'll give it a try.

[Clairity]

it only hit me just now that is says to breathe "slowly", hahah and the amount of times i read that too.. I guess my breath was too forceful last night as i thoughtlessly tried to sit up and took a breath like you would in real life to sit up. immediately i knew it was a mistake. lesson learned..
Only rolling out from now on.. (or other methods not requiring strain of torso muscles)..

Just fyi.. you want to breathe (to enhance your lucidity) before you roll over or sit up. 

I'm curious about the "second shift" you mention, never experienced this, but i i'll give it a try.

And you may not.. it could just be an experience unique to me.