Which Is Better - MILD or WILD?

Which technique do you think is more effective in inducing lucid dreaming, MILD or WILD? Also I was wondering if your family and friends know you lucid dream. I'm afraid if I tell my family they might think I'm crazy. Thanks for all your help and consideration.

Rebecca says: Comparing MILD to WILD is a bit like comparing apples to oranges... I recommend you aim to perfect the processes of both and see how effective they are for you, because everyone practices and responds differently. You may favor one over the other, or you may enjoy both equally.

MILD is a memory/incubation technique, which means your #1 goal is to plant an idea in your unconscious mind. When that idea resurfaces in your dreams, it creates the opportunity to become lucid. Many of my early lucid dreams came about this way, because the process of MILD is actually very easy to perform. However it's only as reliable as you make it - ie do it properly and do it often! The more mindful incubation you do, the more likely you are to have spontaneous lucid dreams.

WILD is a meditative technique, which requires you to learn meditation and consciously tune yourself into altered states of awareness. It is unlikely to work straight away - in fact I'd first recommend you just explore that borderland sleep state and your hypnagogia first before expecting any sort of WILD experience. With practice, you'll get further/deeper each time, until one day (or night) you'll start dreaming while meditating with no lapse in consciousness. You are then lucid dreaming!

So my advice is start with MILD because it's simple and great for beginners, and introduce WILD as well when you have time. I was a teenager when I started doing OBE techniques, which helped prime me for WILD as they are the same phenomena. 

It's ok to keep lucid dreaming a secret and not tell your family and friends. It won't really help anyway unless they lucid dream too (or are interested in learning) as they won't be able to relate. When you do need to talk about stuff and ask questions, visit our Lucid Dreaming Forum which offers genuine support from other lucid dreamers.