How to check that you aren’t dreaming: make up a random number that’s too large for you to factor in your head, factor it with a computer, then check the correctness by pen and paper. If the answer fits, now you know the computing hardware actually exists outside of you.
The trick, then, is to instill in yourself a habit of checking whether you are asleep regularly (ie. even when you are awake). A habit of thinking “am I awake, let me check” is the hard part and without that habit your sleeping mind isn’t likely to question itself. Literature on lucid dreaming talks a lot about such tests. In fact, combined with ‘write dreams down as soon as you wake up’ and ’consume X substance” it more or less summarizes the techniques.
The odd thing is that despite reading stuff about reality tests and trying to build a habit from doing them while awake, on the rare occasions I’ve had a lucid dream I’ve just spontaneously become aware that I’m presently dreaming. I don’t remember ever having a non-lucid dream where I’ve done a reality test.
Instead of fancy stuff like determining prime factors, one consistent dream sign I’ve had is utter incompetence in telling time from digital watches and clocks. This generally doesn’t tip me off that I’m dreaming though, and doesn’t occur often enough that I could effectively condition myself to recognize it.
Interesting. And personally I find experimenting with trance and self-hypnosis by themselves to be even more fascinating than vivid dreaming. If only I did not come with the apparent in built feature of inoculating myself to any particular method of trance or self hypnosis after a few successful uses.
The trick, then, is to instill in yourself a habit of checking whether you are asleep regularly (ie. even when you are awake). A habit of thinking “am I awake, let me check” is the hard part and without that habit your sleeping mind isn’t likely to question itself. Literature on lucid dreaming talks a lot about such tests. In fact, combined with ‘write dreams down as soon as you wake up’ and ’consume X substance” it more or less summarizes the techniques.
The odd thing is that despite reading stuff about reality tests and trying to build a habit from doing them while awake, on the rare occasions I’ve had a lucid dream I’ve just spontaneously become aware that I’m presently dreaming. I don’t remember ever having a non-lucid dream where I’ve done a reality test.
Instead of fancy stuff like determining prime factors, one consistent dream sign I’ve had is utter incompetence in telling time from digital watches and clocks. This generally doesn’t tip me off that I’m dreaming though, and doesn’t occur often enough that I could effectively condition myself to recognize it.
There are also trance/self-hypnosis methods, like WILD, some people seem to be very successful with them.
Interesting. And personally I find experimenting with trance and self-hypnosis by themselves to be even more fascinating than vivid dreaming. If only I did not come with the apparent in built feature of inoculating myself to any particular method of trance or self hypnosis after a few successful uses.