Dream 520

'Scary Horror House'

Dream date:  3 December 2015 (Day 3 of Lucid December)

This is Day 3 of Lucid December, where I attempt to induce as many lucid dreams as possible using various induction techniques, described below.

Scene 1: A Scary Horror House - Day
I was in a scary horror house. It was ruined - with the walls smashed in places and everything in a state of abandonment and disrepair. The walls had been painted white and there were lots of long, usually smashed, windows, from floor to ceiling in what I would describe as 'hallway' areas. The house was very big - there were lots of twisting staircases, which were the bare wooden floorboards. It was day - I could see this by looking out of the windows.

There were other dream characters with me in this house, although I am not sure who. I think my mum's friend, CC, was present as I recall having a conversation with a mature woman - and my memory suggests that it was her. I was told that I had to escape from the house. This was not an easy task, as the house was laid out in a very confusing way - the corridors seemed to lead to dead ends, or force you to walk around the building in a circle, and end up back at your starting point. The same happened when you tried to use the stairs. It was like a maze. There were many doorwalls (all identical) at the top of each staircase. I was running around the house, trying to find my way out. I kept opening each door at the top of the staircases, hoping that this would lead to an exit.

Behind one door was a huge eyeball, with long eyelashes. It filled the doorway. It was an 'enemy'. I slammed the door shut and ran down the stairs, and along a corridor, concerned that it would follow me (even though it was floating space and had no legs to mode of transport). Behind another door was something which looked like 'Oscar the Grouch' (my favourite childhood character from Sesame Street). He did not say or do anything, and I was aware that he reminded me of spinach (the colour and texture of his 'fur' - I think I actually used to make this association between Oscar and spinach in real-life when I was a child). I slammed the door shut and kept on running through the house and up and down stairs. 

I opened another door at the top of some stairs and behind it was a German Shepherd/Alsation dog. I love dogs and I did not find this to be at all scary (my childhood pet dog was this breed) - but the dog was gigantic (standing passively and silently in the doorway) and people (unseen, not sure who they were) from behind me were screaming at me in a panic, telling me to 'defeat' the dog. I did not want to harm the dog, although I was aware that, just like all the other things behind the doors, this too was an 'enemy'. I did not sense threat and therefore, I slammed the door hard, and ran away. I was aware I had done the right thing and could now escape the house.

TIME: 02:00 - 08:00 hours (then awake until 08:15 hours) & 08:15 - 10:00 hours (WB2B Method) - this dream took place during second section of sleep (therefore following WB2B)

LUCIDITY: NO 

SPECIAL NOTES: 

• Cognitive induction techniques, adapted from the MILD Technique & Tholey's Combined Technique to induce a DILD (Dream-Initiate/Induced Lucid Dream) - critical reflection (in conjunction with reality checking - see below); intention; auto-suggestion; affirmations before sleep and during WB2B - 10 minutes prior to sleep; 10 minutes during WB2B 
• Reality checks (target: 15 - 20 a day); actual: 9 (moderate)
• Wake Back to Bed Method (WB2B) - sleep for approximately 5 - 6 hours (to attain all necessary deep sleep; or where sleep deprived, wake naturally without an alarm), wake for 10 - 15 minutes; perform cognitive techniques; sleep for a further 45 - 90 minutes, during which I will hopefully be in the 'best' REM stage of the sleep cycle for lucid dreaming - slept for 6 hours; woke with an alarm; performed cognitive techniques for 15 minutes; went to sleep for 1 hour 45 minutes

Dream Information:
None of note

Dreamsigns:

• The scary horror house and the general theme of the dream narrative - the whole dream was a dreamsign

Recurrent Dream Themes

• CC as a dream character
• Being forced or required to perform/complete a random task

Potential Day/Dream Residue:

• None of note

Waking Thoughts & Emotions:
This dream seems like it might have been a nightmare, but it actually wasn't - despite the feeling of threat and coming into contact with 'enemies' in the dream, I did not feel afraid at all. The main feeling I experienced was exhilaration as a result of all the running around and also frustration at the maze-like house. I woke up from this dream thinking it was really bizarre and different from many of my usual dreams which are more grounded in reality, or at least high in day residue.