The Astral Pulse

Astral Projection & Out of Body Experiences => Welcome to Out of Body Experiences! => Topic started by: LotusLegs on March 31, 2004, 14:48:55

Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: LotusLegs on March 31, 2004, 14:48:55
I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but I'll tell you what feelings I get when I do trance meditation:

I like to start with a focus exercise (to get rid of daydreams.  Are you doing the opposite?) where I hold the number 1 in my mind as long as possible without breaking focus (I usually go up to 6 or 5)

Next, instead of falling or floating down, I try what some one else has called "turning the sleep key" (this is just giving yourself the feeling of nodding off to sleep.) until my body gets heavy and I continue to stay focused on either nothing or on my breathing.  What I haven't figured out how to get on command is the feeling of largeness/swolleness/feeling of being far away, which I consider to be reaching the trance state.

Blah blah blah...maybe I've said more than you wanted, but the point is, I think you would do well to stay up all night this Friday and look for the feeling of sleepyness.  Pay attention to how you feel in this state and I guess you should be able to "simulate it" for your meditations.
Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: holy reality on March 31, 2004, 16:20:50
i'm not sure that's a good idea.

simulating the feeling you get right before you fall asleep tends to ...

well.. make you fall asleep, and drift in and out and not be able to focus no matter what you do.

but for me that seems the only way to try and get to a "trance" in the first place, so it's a huge paradox.
Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: LotusLegs on April 01, 2004, 07:25:36
I don't feel that way at all Holy Reality.  Last trance meditation I had when I was using the simulate sleep feeling worked pretty well. I hadn't slept much the night before and didn't sleep at all that night.

Have you been establishing a good solid focus at the beginning of your meditation?  I usually don't feel like doing it because I think I can handle it without a preliminary focus exercise, but whenever I don't do it, I always lose focus and tend to fall asleep.
Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: holy reality on April 01, 2004, 12:30:03
what does establishing solid focus do for you if your method of getting there is to not be focused at all (hence falling asleep)

i don't just imagine that i'm sleepy, i make myself start falling asleep, either by looping a nonsensical thought in my head over and over, or by focusing on my fan, or by sometimes thinking as loud as i can.

i just try and find a balance, if my mind wanders too much i won't fall asleep and need to start thinking to restore some balance... if i'm thinking too much i need to do breath awareness and repeat the first random thought to enter my head over and over again on a loop to promotoe unconscious activity.

but whatever i do it's largely detached and involves not focusing, that's the whole point toward getting there, not being focused.
Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: LotusLegs on April 05, 2004, 22:30:56
words are very hard to work with when describing meditation.  For all I know, we may be doing the same thing.

The technique I use and have heard of from many sources is to be aware of nothing.  Then again, it's more like I'm aware THAT I'm aware of focusing on nothing.  Somehow observing the self as if I were not myself.  Often times, this works better for me, but only when I'm in a focused enough state that I can maintain such awareness.

When I say I prepare for this awareness with focus exercises, I mean that I need to do these exercises so that I am dedicated enough to the task at had to carry it out.

Blah Blah blah.  I could go on, but basically its important that each person do what works best for them, I just think that the best technique for a person isn't nessicarilly the easiest, but one that builds a good foundation.
Title: sleep and trance symptoms
Post by: justinh on March 31, 2004, 13:27:17
Just curious what kind of sensations you guys get before drifting off to sleep or when very relaxed?  I occasionally get a feeling where my ears feel like they are about to pop - like a pressure change on an airplane.

Also when very relaxed and trying to keep my mind busy with daydreaming I can notice a distinct point where my mind tries to shut off - my breathing becomes very muffled and my heart races a bit.  It's very jarring and prevents me from getting too relaxed.

I can never fall sleep on my back - only on my side.