Let me start by saying nose pinch works 100% for me. Whenever I have done it in a dream, it always indicates dream. I do not recall any dreams where I did a nose pinch that indicated not dreaming.
I have saved a few good LDs where I started doubting, with the nose pinch. Nose pinch has helped cement lucidity in a few LDs right at the beginning. Mostly, however, I get lucid by awareness peaking and just realizing all of a sudden I'm dreaming. I don't think I did an RC in a dream until the 7th LD or so, which I just did when already lucid because I was curious what my dream hands looked like.
Developing a "nose pinch reflex" has been a big part of my training. I think it has been useful in a few cases. But maybe subconsciously I'm relying on it too much now? Maybe "nose pinch and continue" is training me to let go of peaked awareness too soon?
It's so easy, so fast, so clear, and it takes no thought or consideration. Maybe instead of a nose pinch reflex, I should work instead on an awareness reflex, focusing on awareness alone to evaluate my state, holding peaked awareness longer? It is the mental awareness and constant activity of the critical faculty (is this a waking situation/state?) that many associate with very frequent lucid dreamers (many of who established this as a way to detect/predict nightmares).
In my daytime practice, I'm working hard to cultivate a continuous sense of skepticism about my state: I try never to assume I'm awake, ever. I consider my surroundings critically all through the day.
Maybe I'll keep the nose pinch, but only employ it *after* thoroughly mentally evaluating my state/environment, and holding longer to peaked awareness.
I have saved a few good LDs where I started doubting, with the nose pinch. Nose pinch has helped cement lucidity in a few LDs right at the beginning. Mostly, however, I get lucid by awareness peaking and just realizing all of a sudden I'm dreaming. I don't think I did an RC in a dream until the 7th LD or so, which I just did when already lucid because I was curious what my dream hands looked like.
Developing a "nose pinch reflex" has been a big part of my training. I think it has been useful in a few cases. But maybe subconsciously I'm relying on it too much now? Maybe "nose pinch and continue" is training me to let go of peaked awareness too soon?
It's so easy, so fast, so clear, and it takes no thought or consideration. Maybe instead of a nose pinch reflex, I should work instead on an awareness reflex, focusing on awareness alone to evaluate my state, holding peaked awareness longer? It is the mental awareness and constant activity of the critical faculty (is this a waking situation/state?) that many associate with very frequent lucid dreamers (many of who established this as a way to detect/predict nightmares).
In my daytime practice, I'm working hard to cultivate a continuous sense of skepticism about my state: I try never to assume I'm awake, ever. I consider my surroundings critically all through the day.
Maybe I'll keep the nose pinch, but only employ it *after* thoroughly mentally evaluating my state/environment, and holding longer to peaked awareness.
via Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views - Attaining Lucidity http://ift.tt/1gGLMKh
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