How to deal with the hypnagogic images?

[gil-galad]

Basicaly, I let myself fall into a shallow sleep state, while listening to the "earhiss"(a hissing sound which you can hear in a silent enviroment). After a while, hipnagogic images start to appear. In  most cases, I pay no attention to these images, because I usually fall asleep immediately if I try it. Therefore, I disregard them and continue listening to the earhiss in order to maintain some degree of awareness. Despite having been practicicing for months, I am still unable to go deeper into the hypnagogic state. I am just having some very brief "clickouts" in every 3-5 mins and return to wakefullness betwee each clickout. In addition, I only experience some mild numbness and nothing else from the characteristic sensations of the F10 state.   

Can you give some advice how can I deepen the hypnagogic state? 

when the hypnagogic images start to appear, what should I do?

1, Should I continue observing the "earhiss"( or sg else) and disregard these images?

2, Should I try to passively observe the images without getting absorbed into them?

3, Should I choose sg else to hold my attention( blackness in front of the eyes, breathing,...) instead of the earhiss?

[Xanth]

Don't get absorbed into them... chances increase that you'll just slip into a dream.
I view the hypnagogic imagery as a sort of 'veil' you have to pass through to get to that trance state.
It's the signal to me that my body is fast asleep, but my mind is wide awake.

[Stookie]

I agree with Xanth. I'd say the best option is #2: Passively observing. Listening to your earhiss may be good for getting to a light trance, but once hypnogogics start your goal is to reach a different state of consciousness (F10), and the earhiss may just keep you at the physical level.

For me, I find clicking in and out can be a good thing. It means you're properly relaxed and your body is at a place where you can fall asleep, yet the "click in" shows you're still mentally aware to a point. And that is the balancing act. Eventually, you'll probably get a crystal-clear image, if only for a second or 2, when you "click in". You'll know you're going in the right direction then.

[johnwes]

For me, I find clicking in and out can be a good thing. It means you're properly relaxed and your body is at a place where you can fall asleep, yet the "click in" shows you're still mentally aware to a point.

That makes sense, but I've found that when I allow myself to click in and out it's harder for me remember everything I've experienced sometimes which is very frustrating.

[Xanth]

I agree with Xanth. I'd say the best option is #2: Passively observing. Listening to your earhiss may be good for getting to a light trance, but once hypnogogics start your goal is to reach a different state of consciousness (F10), and the earhiss may just keep you at the physical level.

For me, I find clicking in and out can be a good thing. It means you're properly relaxed and your body is at a place where you can fall asleep, yet the "click in" shows you're still mentally aware to a point. And that is the balancing act. Eventually, you'll probably get a crystal-clear image, if only for a second or 2, when you "click in". You'll know you're going in the right direction then.

I click out waaaaaaaay too often... LoL
Lately, I've been too preoccupied and generally end up in the imagery.  >_<

[gil-galad]

Thanks for the advices

Basically, when the hypnagogic images start to appear, I should just observe them and try to stay conscious without focusing on anything particular. I've got one last question regarding this state.

When I get closer to sleep state, I experience "brief clickouts"(they last for a few seconds and I only see images during these periods). Between the clickouts I usually return to a more wakefull state for 2-3mins. When this happens, should I use the earhiss (or sg else) until I return to the hypnagogic state, or should I just "go with the flow" and passively wait for the images to reappear? 

[Stookie]

If you're clicking in and out, then you've gone through (maybe brief) trance and should be able to bring it back fairly quickly by just staying relaxed and passively aware. Enjoy being relaxed. Here's how Frank described "noticing", which uses passive awareness:

...all my attention is fixated on noticing.

Noticing what?

Well, nothing at first, there's not much to see really but blackness. But then, after a short while, I may see that perhaps one part of the blackness is not quite so black. Perhaps there was just a brief flash of something, then maybe a sensation of a movement somewhere else. Maybe I just heard someone call my name. Hmm, that's interesting, I might think, I wonder where that came from. But I don't get too curious I just keep noticing. I might see swirling areas of not quite so black as the rest. I might see flashes of this and that. As I am offering myself these images, my attention is steadily becoming more fixated within.

As my attention becomes fixated within, from the act of noticing, at this stage I am not aware of my physical body. Part of my awareness realises that somewhere in the background is a physical body, in bed, etc. but I have phased away from it. Before, the forefront of my awareness was my physical and 180 degrees turned around from that, in the background of my awareness, was the non-physical. But now there has been a "phase shift" i.e. a turning through 180 degrees. Now, my previous foreground (physical) is my background, and my previous background (non-physical) is my foreground.

You've probably already read this, but I can't explain it any better:
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_permanent_astral_topics/focus_10_mind_awakebody_asleep-t24783.0.html

[Xanth]

Thanks for the advices

Basically, when the hypnagogic images start to appear, I should just observe them and try to stay conscious without focusing on anything particular. I've got one last question regarding this state.

When I get closer to sleep state, I experience "brief clickouts"(they last for a few seconds and I only see images during these periods). Between the clickouts I usually return to a more wakefull state for 2-3mins. When this happens, should I use the earhiss (or sg else) until I return to the hypnagogic state, or should I just "go with the flow" and passively wait for the images to reappear? 

What Stookie posted was great.
Just, whatever you do, don't get excited or otherwise break your focus and start thinking stuff.
Just relax... allow anything and everything to happen.