>>13158568Once you've achieved a few lucids, focus on understanding and mastery.
1. Understand that getting lucid is about AWARENESS. Many people have mostly DILD's, or dream-induced lucid dreams. In these dreams, the dreamer is in the midst of a normal dream. A story is being played out with some level of vividness when suddenly something stands out to the dreamer, and they take a moment to question whether they're in a dream or not. Once gained, maintaining that awareness is key.
2. Understand that staying lucid is about CLARITY and STABILITY. Clarity can be improved by verbal commands "Clarity now!", physical sensations such as spinning or pushing your fingers through your hands, or visual cues such as focusing in on a blade of grass.
3. Understand that controlling a lucid dream is about EXPECTATION and INTENT. Do not doubt yourself. Tools to express intent include spoken words as well as thoughts. Phrasing your requests as questions with an implied answer works wonders: "Didn't I park my car around that corner?"; "Wasn't I supposed to meet my friend?"
4. Understand that success usually comes from having CLEAR GOALS. You may have trouble staying lucid if you're simply excited about being lucid and run around 'playing' with everything in the environment (although that's half the fun). If you have something clear in mind that you want to accomplish, the results tend to improve.
5. Understand that consistency comes from CONTROLLING YOUR SLEEP ENVIRONMENT. Get enough sleep. Sleep extra on the weekends. Experiment with your state - I can't recommend enough trying out different configurations of WBTB, setting alarms at different intervals, changing sensory input (sleeping with the lights on, blackout curtains, sound machine, fan, dead silence); anything you can do to experience how your mind works given different inputs.
Now you know what you need to understand. You'll pick up other things along the way. Mastery comes with time, patience, and practice.
