Having Problems Achieving Lucidity

[R Raj eL]

Hello folks.
I'm R Raj eL--just Raj is AOK, and I'm having on heckuva time achieving lucidity in my dreams. In years past, it was easy to have a L/D; I used The Lucidity Institute's 'Nova Dreamer' as an aid, did my dream journal-ling, and all went well; like the rabbit in the Trix cereal commercial posited, i.e. "Trix are MINE!" (until the 2 bratty little kids took them from him LOL), lucid dreams were gonna be "mine" forever & ever. A big "however" is now in order: I've just come off antidepressants and mood-stabilizers after 15 years of suffering from depression & a bipolar condition--and I find that, for me--and I'm speaking ONLY for me--just plain talk therapy and the "no-med" scenario is a duo of success. The "however" part is that my brain is still in the process of re-wiring after that 15-year psychotropic "leave of absence", so I'm still not yet able to achieve lucidity. The methods I'm now using are the following:

a) my old friend, The Nova Dreamer
b) dream journalism--use a software product called 'Dreams Working Interactive', and it's really some cool software, i.e., all kinds of nifty color combos, etc.
c) doing reality checks throughout the day--being a guy and a "gadget guy" at that, I've got a timer I carry around with me; it beeps at preset intervals, and I'll then ask myself if I'm dreaming. BTW: the "timer" is technically called "The Invisible Clock", and, yeah, they've got a website.
(like...who doesn't?)
d) making use of yet ANOTHER software product called 'Mind Master', which flashes subliminal affirmations and/or pictures on one's PC screen. Naturally, I've set up a lucid dream section with affirmations 'n pictures.
e) keeping a positive mindset--and this is sometimes easier said than done, regardless of what some of the Mary Poppins New Age crowd will tell you, i.e. how DARE you harbor a negative thought! C'mon, guys...let's get real, shall we?

So that's the Doom 'n Gloom Blues from THIS 67 year old 1960's Survivor, and maybe someone in our crowd could give me some ideas on the lucid thing. For me, the old Buddhist saying (via Nichern Shoshu, which I'm not into, however some of my friends go that route) of "Winter always turns to spring." hits home. I'm sure this non-lucid period ain't gonna last.

[Planewalker]

Depending on what kind of antidepressants you used, it may have an impact on dreaming, but if you can recall common dreams, I see no reason why you could not have lucid ones.

As an experiment, why don't you just forget about all the things that people think to be required in order to have lucid dreams and just do something else that convinces you that you will become lucid? Just as an example, put a stone under your pillow and rub it before you go to sleep, things like that, whatever seems to suit you best. I came to the conclusion that the main effect of all those techniques you apply in order to have lucid dreams is to convince yourself. Believe it and it will be so.

[debraJane]

Raj, gig, eye

I don't lucid dream unless I have someone to lucid dream with. Get cosy before you sleep and think of me. Think of me as the most nubile and caressable thing in the universe.

We r in an exciting and total friendly ocean.

We r sea snakes ecstaticly writhing in love.

Then we r fairy penguins chasing each other through the silky sea.

The human form is bony and clumsy. And full of fears about being attack by vampires and negs, so, abandon that useless form when having dreams or reveries.

Before you drop-off become a sea animal and get sensual.

There is a lot of friendly sex in the sea-of-love.

I Will See U There.