The twilight zone...Focus 12

[Steve 2B]

Hi All,

In the last couple of months I've been getting to grips with the joys and pitfalls of what the Monroe institute would call focus 12. It's taken me a long time; well just over a year to be able to achieve a reliable method to get a stable focus 10, or MABA state. Quite often I've just not tried going any further, just enjoyed some quiet time, shutting the physical world out and doing a bit of peacefull contemplation.
But in recent months tho, the lure to new adventures has introduced me to the somewhat surreal perceptions of focus 12, never ceases to amaze me what will appear out of the blackness. Typically I get swirling colours to start with, mixed with a few hypnogogic snapshots of people I've known, or complete strangers, or place I've never been to in the physical. One thing I found is at this point if I try to remember dreams the recall is absolute, it makes no difference to how long ago the dream was, quite often I'll get something appear that's happened several years ago. I find this rather rewarding, it's like finding something you'd gotten irked at being misplaced.

While all this is going on in the visual dept the internal hearing seems to switch on and I get all kinds of stuff. Bits of music, snippets of conversations, computer like beeps and all at varying volumes. It's proving quite tricky not to jump (As it were), at some of the really loud sounds,lol. I can't wait to try out the 'Listening-to-music' in focus 21! I suppose I can hold varying degrees of focus 12 for about 10 Minutes or so, at which point I'll get dumped out for one reason or another, have to try again.
Finally I'm starting to get to grips with what the transition sensation feels like. As a visual metaphor I'm somewhat reminded of a cinematic technique called forshortening, it really does feel like that, but in mental terms. There's a shot in the the film Jaws, where the character Brody is sitting on the beach and he witnesses with horror the kid on the lilo getting killed. At the point where he realises what's going on the scene foreshortens. It's a dramatic effect Or to put it simply, as I said to Selski once it feels like... zzzzzzzzzpt!

I'd be interested to hear your experiences of this state, or any tips to push me onto focus 21.

Cheers,

Steve

[Stookie]

Typically I get swirling colours to start with, mixed with a few hypnogogic snapshots of people I've known, or complete strangers, or place I've never been to in the physical.

For me, I've always experienced these things as Focus 10. When I do the Monroe F10 CD's, I tend to experience those exact things. Now for me, a shift into F12 is a full transition into a visualization or dream. It's like a dive into the subconscious.

But it could also just be semantics, as I run into this a lot now. Tomatoes, tomatoes. he, he

(I'm not an expert on this. Anyone, feel free to disagree.)

[ketchup]

Hello,

      Could you tell me something more about hearing `snippets of conversations'? It happens also to me and I'd like to know what exactly it is.. It also happens sometimes during a day. I can hear `random' words/phrases.. I think that I can identify the one saying this (and often the recipient) but that's just a `snippet' so I really don't know anything more about this discussion. I'm not going to ask people wether they said something like this at a given time 
       What also happens are discussions. Before falling asleep I think that I discuss various things with other people (or with their subconsciousness?) but I really can't recall any details.. except that I know that they've occured.

      Also have a look at the following topic: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/index.php?topic=23787.0 <- comments are welcome.

Greetz

[jub jub]

I'd be interested to hear your experiences of this state, or any tips to push me onto focus 21.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi Steve,

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. So far, every OBE I've had has been spontaneous and few and far between. This doesn't bode well with me so I've been practicing trying to achieve AP using the Monroe methods.
So far my experiences haven't been anything to write home about but, last night I did have my personal best experience while in the hypnogogic state. Basically I was seeing all the typical imagery that you normally see and then without warning I see my old friend, the purple blob! I call it this because it's always shape shifting and taking on different forms and pretty much looks like a blob!   So, when I see the PB, I start to feel light and consumed by it's presence. It's as though the PB burst into flames and has grown a mouth! It swallows me and draws me in. I realize what's happening and I just try to let myself go and feed it. Then without warning it stops and I'm back and my body's wide awake. Disappointment sets in but at least I made it this far! I think to myself, more practice and with time I'll be rubbing elbows with my spirit guides.

That's pretty much the extent of my experience. BTW, are you the Steve from EIC?

[Hans Solo]

Finally I'm starting to get to grips with what the transition sensation feels like. As a visual metaphor I'm somewhat reminded of a cinematic technique called forshortening, it really does feel like that, but in mental terms. There's a shot in the the film Jaws, where the character Brody is sitting on the beach and he witnesses with horror the kid on the lilo getting killed. At the point where he realises what's going on the scene foreshortens. It's a dramatic effect  Or to put it simply, as I said to Selski once it feels like... zzzzzzzzzpt!

I wrote about this same feeling about a year ago in one of my post. 

1.  I was in F10 and feeling pretty tranced out.  Then, the first truly different thing I noticed is that the 2D blackness became textured.  This is tough to describe, but it is kinda like the texture of the night sky in Van Gough's painting Starry Night (or like oil on lake water).  Now, the contrast was NOT as profound as found in the painting and relatively monochromatic, but you will get the idea.

2. Almost the moment I really started paying attention to these lines I felt a HUGE Shift.  It was like a wave came over me and I sunk into a state of "super consciousness", where my "foggy trance"  fell away and I was EXTREMELY aware.  It was like in a suspense movie were the main actor makes a profound realization and the camera zooms in on their reaction.       
I was more aware after this shift than I am in my daily C1 state (awake aware state)--basically much of the mind chatter stops. 

3.  3D blackness begins.  You become enveloped in this blackness and may start to see spots of color in the distance.  I saw 3D spots of red in the distance that look like the row (fish eggs) on a piece of sushi (but not that pronounced of color).  These spots were overlayed upon what looked like a night sky.  The main thing is with the 3D blackness is that you WILL know when you have reached this state.  Then i felt movement like I am traveling though this space.  The movement was easy to distinguish because it looked like one of those old screen savers for your computer that look like you are traveling through space.  The FEELING when getting to this state is both awe inspiring, but there is a feeling like you are lost in the middle of nowhere and can feel a bit lonely.

I got too excited at this point and went back to C1 in a matter of moments.

Well, I hope the descriptions were relate able to everyone so you will know when you are almost there.  If you "think"  you've seen the 3D blackness you probably haven't.  It is about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.

[Steve 2B]

Hi Guys,

Apologies for the delay in replying.


Stookie,

Yeah I know what you mean, I quite often get the sense of expansion associated with Focus 12, in Focus 10. Won't have any other effects at all, other than the knowledge of being in the MABA state.

ketchup,

    Well for me the snippets', like you, are just that. I know they aren't external sounds since I wear ear plugs during my sessions, shut out 99.9% of sounds 'till I've managed to managed to get into (M)F10. At the w/e I was just laying there in somewhere around F10-F12 and I distinctly heard two guys say "Duuuh, Ohhhh No" in a mildly sarcastic fashion, at the same time. I remember thinking what the hell was that about? But I guess I'll never find out, suppose it's pretty much irrelevant, just a part of the process of shifting focus. I can only wonder if they are a similar thing to the stray energy/abstract shapes we see, but in the auditory sense?

Heyya Jub Jub

Yeah that's me! A fellow EIC

One of the things I find so frustrating is it's all so woolly in this state, nothing concrete, so to speak. I mean if there were a point of light, or something you could focus on, to initiate the transition it'd at least give you some idea of a direction of sorts...If that makes any sense? I've read so many time that in the F12 state everything pretty much becomes automatic, whooshes you off somewhere...Well It just doesn't seem to work that way for me at the moment. I guess I'll have to continue and figure it out what's causing the..errr hold-up Tell me something..Is your PB like an energy blob? or does it have more of an independent form as such?

Hans,

Haven't seen you around for a while, how's things?

I can identify with a lot you've written there, on the odd occasion I've caught glimpses of the 3d blackness, for some reason not able to find whatever method necessary to give me that final push. It's one thing I'm just so looking forward to experiencing, or being 'in' that state.

Cheers,

Steve

[jub jub]

Is your PB like an energy blob? or does it have more of an independent form as such?

Steve, it's pretty much the purple energy that people speak of seeing in this state. It doesn't have any fixed shape but it does seem to have a sense of humor. It will often take the shape of a face, usually an ugly, deformed, grotesque one at that. Why just the other day when I was feeling everything was warm and fuzzy, it turned into a skull and snarled at me! lol

[The Present Moment]

I wrote about this same feeling about a year ago in one of my post. 

1.  I was in F10 and feeling pretty tranced out.  Then, the first truly different thing I noticed is that the 2D blackness became textured.  This is tough to describe, but it is kinda like the texture of the night sky in Van Gough's painting Starry Night (or like oil on lake water).  Now, the contrast was NOT as profound as found in the painting and relatively monochromatic, but you will get the idea.

That state seems to have common features for everyone. Your description reminded me of one of Frank's posts which I had saved:

"Not sure if you will be the same but I tend to see textures just before the 3D Blackness (Fz) state. Not always, sometimes I Phase right through it but often I'll take the transitions really slowly and it's greyish cloudy formations, swirls of coloured cloudy formations, textures and ink blots, and then Fz. My 3D Blackness is almost always punctuated by loads of stars. Well, they look like stars but they are not really. The view is like looking at the night sky." F2 to F1 to F2

[thesmokingpants]

Where can i find a good description of this monroe system that everyone is talking about - how should I go about achieving these defined states - I assuem you are talking about phasing?

[Selski]

Hi thesmokingpants

They are mentioned here - http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/index.php?topic=22547.0

The Astral FAQs are worth reading.  Frank's phasing explanation can be found there too, and I believe he mentions Monroe.

Also you could use the search function for "Monroe Focus Levels".

Or google that.

Or visit the Monroe Institute website (again, google and find!)

Sarah

[ketchup]

could you people describe what the blackness texture is?

sometimes - after I relax a bit and then turn around - from my back to right side for example - I see the blackness more clearly, the black color is deeper and I can see little points.. is this what you're talking about? what about it? is this some proceeding to other state?

[Gandalf]

Ketchup_

The '3d blackness' state or F0 or FZ can be viewed as the buffer zone, the point where your own mind meets the wider astral world. It is the true transitional bridge between your mind and the astral, which is why you can transition from observing images in your mind to actually stepping into them and into the astral proper. Whenever we transition or 'phase' into the astral, either on purpose or when falling asleep, we always pass through this bridge, but we very rarely get a glimpse of it.

Using this method we can take the process slowly and actualy spend some time in this buffer state.
From here, the entire wider reality is open to you. All you need to do is will yourself to go there and you will feel yourself fly through this space towards the area you wish to focus into.  Often the gateway aspect of this state is symbolised by lots of tiny points of light or other shapes. Typically, when you place intent to travel towards any of these colours or points of light you will find yourself flying into them and they will expand and envelope your awareness. At this point you will find yourself in some astral location or other.

The texture effect is an effect of the initial transition into the 3d blackness state. The textures will usually expand into various shapes/colours which can be focused on in order to travel to various astral locales.