Any tips for keeping awareness when entering deep relaxation( sleep)

[AstralAstra]

I want to know how to do this because i think this is whats letting me down, so any tips or advice would be appreciated !

[Mr.PumperNickle]

I'm having the exact same issue, I wish I could help you, but I have never even projected yet.

[Xanth]

Mostly it's just practice at keeping your mind focused on what you've set it to focus upon.
There's no magical trick involved. 

[bluremi]

Practice meditating. A little bit, 20-30 minutes a day, will see results in a few months. Could be much quicker, or could take much longer. Everyone is different.

[Ellis]

I can completely identify with the difficulty of maintaining awareness and focus as your body drifts off into the land of nod, this is partially why no ''get out'' method has ever work for me. I've had about four projections since 2004. The successful times were seemingly by accident, as I somehow managed to gain a sense of awareness, almost like waking up outside of my body completely disorientated. The first time it was noticing the light reflecting from a board-game on-top of a shelf in my old bedroom. I felt like i'd been staring at it for a long time before i suddenly became aware.

I believe we're always out in some respect, whatever being out really is. I think when we sleep, our consciousness struggles to acknowledge the body as the five sense reality trap that it really is and thus it's easier to shift out sense of awareness. This is a whole new topic i guess.

I would place something in your room like a picture, or a note. Something to help you realize that you're out and aware.

[Lexy]

My tip is make sure you get lots & lots of sleep. If you are tired its harder to keep focus.

[AstralAstra]

My tip is make sure you get lots & lots of sleep. If you are tired its harder to keep focus.

Thanks everyone, but Lexy, won't this make it harder to relax as your body will be full of energy?

[personalreality]

there's always the finger tap or the elbows up.

for the tap you just tap your finger on the bed or chair or whatever and if you fall asleep you stop tapping and it wakes you up.

alternatively you could lay down with your elbows up at a 90degree angle.  if you fall asleep your arms fall and wake you up.

it's good to practice these when you're going to sleep at night because it will familiarize you with the "borderland state" between wake and sleep, which is the mind state that you project from.

[AstralAstra]

thanks PR, i will try this soon, im going to have a short nap say 2 hours, then i will try then

[Lexy]

Thanks everyone, but Lexy, won't this make it harder to relax as your body will be full of energy?

I know for me not getting enough sleep every night causes sleep debt which makes me fall alseep when I relax instead of remaining focused. When I get lots of sleep I have more time to do conscious explorations, otherwise I just need to catch up on sleep. I love sleeping and I don't get nearly enough. Its easier for me to relax when I'm not tired, when I am tired my body totally distracts me.

[Skywalker]

Its easier to project in the early morning after at least 4-6 hours of sleep. before bedtime you will be most likely be too tired and your physical body too tense. Robert Bruce (OBE guru) always mentions that the single most important aspect of actually getting out is physical relaxation. In the morning you get that for "free" and doesn't have to do relaxation practises. also your mind seems less inclined to wander off when not too tired.
I do think that your mind can be allowed to wander off, just a little bit, it takes your mind off your body sensations, but you do need to be clinging on to some part of your consciousness to not loose it and go to sleep. Its tricky but doable - do some of the practices mentioned in this thread to become familiar with the borderline states. becoming too wrapped up on staying awake, will just keep you, ahem... awake - and that isn't what you are trying to do.

[personalreality]

as a continuation of skywalker's post, the only drawback to early morning projection is that if you move to much or wake up too much your high levels of neurotransmitters in the morning (like serotonin) can make you mind too active to really focus well.  naturally this depends on what kind of sleeper you are.  some people can wake up and then go right back to bed.  once i wake up, i'm up, i'm too awake to project.  so for anyone that is like me, you can still try in the morning but you might want to get up for like an hour or so first, maybe do some yoga or meditate, or go for a walk or something.  do something to ground yourself a bit first. 

alternatively you can try in the afternoon.  this will allow you to tire you mind just a little bit without creating too much muscle tension before you make your attempt.

[djed]

Astra, one of the tricks is to not make yourself too comfortable. So, if its early morning, plan to roll out of bed onto the carpet with a thin pillow or cushion for your head and a blanket over you. So you will be still rested, not too awake but there is a deterent for you to fall asleep.
Or have an armchair in your bedroom you can easily flop into, but dont forget to keep warm, like put some socks on and a covering blanket. Hopefully your carpet is not too thin. 
Cheers, djed 

[djed]

Astra, I forgot to say .. leaving a light on, not in your room, but outside your bedroom where some of the light can filter in, helps you to not fall asleep, mentally. I have a small light in the kitchen, under the extractor fan, that just allows enough light for this, (leaving the bedroom door open)
Cheers, djed 

[Jilt]

After having at least 5-7 hours of sleep, I focus my vision and 'awareness' at the third eye area and just hold it there looking at one point. This gives your mind something to focus on while keeping you in a relaxed state. The hard part is not getting too excited which I still do sometimes even though I've been doing this for over 20 years.

The other tool I just mentioned in another thread is the Rope Climbing technique which works 90% of the time for me. I have no idea why this works so well but I think it gives your mind something to do.