SSILD related resources

[cosmic.iron]

In this thread I will post additional information regarding the SSILD method.  The main SSILD thread can be found here: LDing for Idiots -- Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD)

[cosmic.iron]

Being unable to fall asleep easily after the repetitions is a common problem encountered by inexperienced users of the SSILD technique, there are several possible causes:

1. False Awakening. No I'm not kidding. What you are experiencing could well be an FA and this is very common after doing SSILD. You basically just lay there trying to fall asleep while you are already asleep. One way to work around this is to do additional repetitions when you find you are unable to sleep. Assuming you are in an FA, or sometimes a light trance, then the cycling technique will usually result in very apparent HIs, ringing sounds, vibrations, or other effects. When the effects occur you can simple do an RA, and then roll out of the bed to begin an OBE.

2. You are focusing too much on producing the effects/sensations while doing the reps. Remember, WILD and OBE are by products of SSILD. They should not be sought after. When you do the cycles, do NOT expect anything will happen. You should focus on losing focus. That's the right way to do SSILD.

3. Rational thoughts entering the mind while doing the cycles. It's fine to let your mind drift to other things, but you should NEVER analyize what you are doing! Oh, do NOT count either. You don't want precision!

4. Deliberately trying to relax. Remember, SSILD is very much a self hypnosis tool, so you should rely on that to put you into sleep. Don't mix in any relaxation techniques befor or after! And certainly do not attempt to stay relaxed during the repetitions. You just get comfortable, and leave the relaxation part to the technique.

5. Interruption. This is the single biggest killer. If you are repeatedly interrupted, whether by sudden noises, discomforts, or others, you should seize doing the exercise and go to sleep right away. You can always do it again later, so do not force it.

[cosmic.iron]

This is an excerpt of my answer to a user in another forum.  For those of you who are not familiar with Michael Raduga's work I'm providing a simple explanation here: Michael is a lead OBE expert and author of several popular related books.  His method, which he calls "indirect technique", is very similar to SSILD in the way it also uses the concept of "cycling".  To use his technique effectively one needs to develop the habit that upon awakening one should immediately remain completely still and attempt phase entrance using his cycling technique.  Unlike SSILD, his technique includes a wide range of actions which you can cycle through in an a la carte fashion, such as squeezing the brain, wiggling the fingers, etc.  Michael's technique, once mastered, can be very effective.  His book offers a lot of insight, and I highly recommend it.



The SSILD method was initially based on my own customized WILD routine, which given years of practice has enabled me to WILD at will. It was almost identical to Michael's technique plus a few extras. In the beginning we simply wanted to create a streamlined version of this WILD routine, but several revisions later we came to a very important realization -- it simply works better if we DON'T treat it as a WILD technique!

Before I get ahead of myself, lets look at Michael's method first. You were correct that the hardest part of that method is remembering to stay completely still upon awakening. In fact, if you finally manage to do this you hardly need any technique at all. Another problem is the method being very demanding on the proper mind/body condition at the time of the execution. Given the right condition, it is not impossible to have a successful WILD within minutes, even seconds! However, when the condition is not met, for example, when you are rather wide awake, the method will unlikely do you any good. You can try wiggle your fingers without using muscle but that will feel genuinely fake. You then move on to stare behind your eyelids but you will see nothing but blackness. You then try squeezing your brain but that simply feel weird... Let's face it, how are you supposed to squeeze your brain? Of course, all of these become very easy and real when you are in the phase or are on the edge of a phase, but the exercise itself is not really designed to move you toward the phase. In fact, the amount of concentration demanded by the exercise will often leave you wide awake!

Now let's look at SSILD. Like Michael's technique, if you use SSILD when you are in the proper mind/body condition, the cycling procedures will very likely result in rapidS entry into the phase. However, since it is not a WILD technique, we don't care so much about producing immediate effect! Being able to WILD is a bonus, not a must. Thus, we do the cycling routines regardless of whether they cause any sensations to occur. Here we see a fundamental difference between the two methods -- where Michael's method requires focus, SSILD requires un-focus. With SSILD it is fair to say that the only thing you should focus on is how to quickly lose focus. You want to cycle tShrough the senses in the laziest manner. You want to lose count. You want to forget where you are. You want to drag this on and on... Essentially you just want to fall asleep so much you give up on doing the exercise, which is perfect.

SSILD then works its magic after you fall asleep. You may suddenly wake up again, due to the motion caused by the cycling, and instead of awakening into reality you end up going into a phase because SSILD has already prepared your mind and body into the proper condition. If you combine SSILD with WBTB, then your chance of becoming aware within your dreams is greatly increased because the routine somehow is pretty good at messaging that little bit of awareness into your dreams...