A small dip into F3?

[Steve 2B]

The other night I was doing my usual practice, just getting into bed and donning the ear-plugs and looking inward. I've been thinking a lot about the problems I've been having, in getting any hypnogogic images to pop up and have been making/modifying my mini run-down to see what happens as a result. What has spurred this stems from a conversation I had about going through a rundown, paying particular attention to noticing if anything happens out of  the ordinary, i.e. something that I hadn't projected/ generated in the scenario.
So in my little run-down all I've set up is a small, circular two level tower, a bit like a converted windmill. I  walk in through a door at its base, which I take as being(In subjective terms), moving from the waking world into the subjective. The ground level is treated as an area containing the sum total of my life knowledge, is represented as a library. So the walls are lined with books of all sizes and colours, there are tables and chairs for me to sit at, mull things over. If nothing else it's just a fun place to visit, even in 3rd person while I essentially wait for the physical inputs to dull off. The floor is covered with these black and white tiles, each being about 8 inches in diameter. In the center of the room is what looks like one of those poles you'd find in a fire station, surrounding it is a flat circular disk ,which acts as a lift, will take me to the upper level of the tower.

I stand on the circular disk and do a count to ten, generate the sensation of the disk rising with me on it, so when I get to the count of ten I'll have shifted my focal point from behind my eyes to that place roughly where the 'third eye' is. So the lift goes up and I get to the upper level and look round the empty room to see what happens. I've deliberately left the upper room empty of generated imagery, other than this copper coloured carpet(Don't ask me why it's that colour, as I've still got to figure that out), to promote the possibility of me seeing anything that I'd not deliberately put there.

 Now...A new and interesting thought occurred to me, it's an extension of a sub-conscious guiding technique I'd learned a while ago. So in my right hand I imagined a glass ball about the size of a grapefruit, inside which contains a little golden arrow, and points/pulls essentially in the direction I need to travel...It's a bit like a three dimensional compass. The compass I say has the ability to take me to where I want to go. In this case I asked it to take me to the place that was holding the belief that's blocking me from perceiving the non-physical. The room disappears, there's a bit of movements(I'm still aware of the physical in the background btw) and for a moment I'm standing in some city, which I mentally say "OH WOW!", as I'm starting to fully materialize there in first person. Of course the effect of 'wowing' knocks it right off..LoL. But I carry on with my compass anyway and am thinking about a session I had a few weeks ago, which I'd been imagining talking to the aspects that hold the fear/perception beliefs. I'd said to them that clearly I wasn't going to be able just switch the whole thing on straight away,since I just balk as soon as the shift starts to occur, so have been focusing on allowing a 25% perception, whilst still in the physical until I get fully used to seeing these things.  

So I'm holding this thought in my head and it starts to work. I'm getting various scenescapes appear and I find myself walking down this gently sloping street, again in an old city. It just has this lovely ambiance, feels like late afternoon at the end of the summer. To my left there are these small stone pillars which line the path I'm walking along(About 5ft tall), I can't say i pay much attention to them until I've stopped and happen to turn and glance to my left.  Just  for a moment I can see this woman half hidden behind one of them and she was spying on me!
She ducked behind the pillar and disappeared as soon as she realized she'd been seen. LoL, I wouldn't have been able to ask her anything anyway as I was just so surprised to see her there!
I've been thinking this morning whether I'd just managed to dip into somewhere in the F3 region, since she wasn't behaving like an F2 aspect usually behaves...Or are aspects in the habit of legging it, when they've been spotted?

Thoughts?

ATB

S

[Heather B.]

I really love your rundown--I need to create a special place like that for myself!    And I think the compass is a wonderful idea!  Sounds like a really nifty little tool!  

Of course the effect of 'wowing' knocks it right off..LoL.  [...snip...]  I just balk as soon as the shift starts to occur, so have been focusing on allowing a 25% perception, whilst still in the physical until I get fully used to seeing these things.

I too have a real problem with getting excited and bursting the bubble, so to speak... this is another major hurdle I'm going to have to get over, especially when it comes to being able to consciously phase--and more importantly, to sustain the phase! Could you talk a little more about that latter part--allowing a 25% perception?  

As for the town and the spying woman--it sounds like F3 to me!    It reminds me of a time when I was walking through a beautiful old city with my late fiance--it also had that beautiful late summer, late afternoon atmosphere.  I agree that an F2 character would be unlikely to behave as the lady you encountered did.

[Steve 2B]

Hi Heather!

Glad to see you're on the up and up now I really like that photo of you, on the other thread. What a lovely face you have! Hubba hubba!

Ahem... Now that I've embarrassed myself I'll get back on topic

Ahh, yes the rundown. I've tried sooo many different rundowns over the last 10 months, most of them were just too complicated to get anything moving, so to speak. But this one seems to have something to it. It's really simple and just seems to promote the highlighting of stuff I don't inject into the scenario. Another reason why I've been trying this way is from something Frank (Kepple) said about the way you control your imagination in the same way you use the gas pedal on a car. If I remember rightly it was using it to just get the ball rolling. Use it too little nothing happens, too much and you wallow in your own creativeness.
Something else that seems to really help me is to cultivate my sense of play and having fun with it all (I was being just far too serious before, lol).

The perception thing. (Sorry this'll take a bit of explaining)

 One of my difficulties is that whilst I'm doing all of this imagining is I get quite a lot of hypnogogic snapshots, which is fine by me, since they're like signposts, show me that I'm on the right track. Now one of these snapshot (And I'm never sure which one),will stick in my minds eye and will try to pull me into the scene, which would be fine except it happens really quickly. It really is a case of BANG!(snapshot), WHOOOSHHHH (Shift of consciousness), catches me off guard, since I'm just not expecting it.
But here lies the crux of the matter because when I get a little alarmed by the intensity of the sensation (since I'm not expecting it), the alarm manifests as a fear and that fear emotion throws a spanner in the works of the thing.

 Anyway I was sitting there in the lower level of my little tower, was thinking about something Bruce Moen was saying about talking to the aspects that hold/control your beliefs. So basically you imagine some characters and just start talking to them as if they were really there, saying to them what it is that you want to change. I said that the phasing practice was getting me down a bit, since everything was happening too fast(The transition whoosh), wanted to slow everything down so I could get used to seeing the new imagery, could just observe it for a while, get used to it being there and then increase the clarity slowly. So the other night this is what started to happen. I still need to build on this, continue these affirmations, but at least somethings happening there.

I love the phrase you termed there, would make a great T-shirt slogan!

Sustain the phase!

ATB

Steve

[Heather B.]

Thanks for the information (and compliments *blush*).

All of what you said makes perfect sense and is very helpful--especially the part about using just the right amount of imagination to get the process going.  I know I need to work on that.

I also understand what you mean about being pulled so quickly into a scene and being taken by surprise.  It's great that you can slow it down and let yourself become more accustomed and acclimated to the change.  Sometimes I experience very quick, sudden shifts of consciousness (like the other day when I was suddenly jolted into sleep paralysis ), and it is very jarring.

When it comes to the images, my main problem is just getting excited and full of anticipation.  I need to calm down!  

It has never occured to me to ask for help before... it sounds like a good idea, and something I should be pretty good at!  I'll have to start doing that!

Hehe, it would be good to have a t-shirt that says "Sustain the Phase."  I could put it on whenever I practice... just as a reminder!  

[Selski]

Hi Steve

That golden arrow is interesting.  The first time I met one of my guides, he was searching for a golden arrow...

Anyway...

I'd said to them that clearly I wasn't going to be able just switch the whole thing on straight away,since I just balk as soon as the shift starts to occur, so have been focusing on allowing a 25% perception, whilst still in the physical until I get fully used to seeing these things.

I think you're onto something.  I played around with your 25% perception last night.  

I have spent months (years?) trying to stay awake whilst falling asleep and I am getting better at it.  I am noticing that occasionally, rather than get the full 3D technicolour image suddenly (which snaps me back to full consciousness), I can go "drifty" and stay there for a while.  Perhaps listen to a conversation or sense something.

Last night I told myself that I'd just go for the 25% deal    

I was slowly drifting and I started to get impressions of things.  Not images, not enough to startle me, but gentle impressions.  I remember one very distinctly - a farmer with his back to me against a barn digging.  Now this wasn't something I was looking at as such, but I *knew* it was there, if that makes any sense?

I wasn't sure whether I was vaguely glimpsing into the world of F2/F3 or whether the impression was symbolic to me.  The great thing was that I was still incredibly mentally clear and awake.  I have thought about the farmer today and whether the action of "digging" might be symbolic, in that I am digging to get to the root of all this?   :dont-know:  It's a possibility.

I decided to reduce it even further and asked for the 5% or 10% deal.  Things got a little grainy, almost black and white and I couldn't detect very much.

Then as is usual, my body demanded sleep, so I turned onto my side and fell asleep.

Interesting exercise, and one which I plan to repeat.

Thanks for the idea Steve!  

Sarah

[Steve 2B]

Hi Heather,

           No Probs I find that the sudden lurch into transitioning is still my major hurdle, seconded to the emotions kicking in and spoiling everything.<sigh> Still Practice can only really conquer that, eh?
Though...

 The other thing I've been pondering over the last few days is my frame of mind, whilst in the waking world and how a practice session is directly effected by it as a result. Some days I can figuratively throw myself into bed and get right to it. But on others even the thought of having a go just turns me cold and it's a real struggle, will almost find any excuse not to it. It's not a case of being lazy, since I just love learning to do this, so why does this happen I wonder?. The immediate thing that springs to mind is what my current emotional state is, or maybe it's some underlying subjective energy thingy..Dunno. What I do know is that it needs tracking down and sorting Since our resident expert is no longer available to ask such things I guess I'll just have to figure it out, or perhaps we could collectively come up with some possible answers? Might be interesting to speculate, eh?

LoL I'll have to get my virtual pens out and have a crack at making a T-shirt design or two, see what I can come up with...Hmmm It would make a fun competition, don't you think?




SJ,

That golden arrow is interesting. The first time I met one of my guides, he was searching for a golden arrow...

That sounds very interesting indeed! Did he say anything other than he was looking for one?

I was slowly drifting and I started to get impressions of things. Not images, not enough to startle me, but gentle impressions. I remember one very distinctly - a farmer with his back to me against a barn digging. Now
this wasn't something I was looking at as such, but I *knew* it was there, if that makes any sense?

Yes, I got something very similar, when it happened with me. It started off quite hazy/dreamy scenes coming and going, but then the street scene appeared and it was alot more solid and life like.

Then as is usual, my body demanded sleep, so I turned onto my side and fell asleep.

Here lies the center of my problem, I think. My association with my body and sleep. Correct me if I'm wrong here but isn't the whole point to put the body to sleep and the mind can roam free?

Thanks Sarah You've given me a lead to follow Hmmm....

S

[Stookie]

The other thing I've been pondering over the last few days is my frame of mind, whilst in the waking world and how a practice session is directly effected by it as a result.

I totally agree with how the waking state effects AP/meditation. That's why I'm here nearly everyday - to help keep me in the proper state of mind. (as well as learn and maybe even share something another can use)

Some days I can figuratively throw myself into bed and get right to it. But on others even the thought of having a go just turns me cold and it's a real struggle, will almost find any excuse not to it. It's not a case of being lazy, since I just love learning to do this, so why does this happen I wonder?. The immediate thing that springs to mind is what my current emotional state is, or maybe it's some underlying subjective energy thingy..Dunno.

I've had my time with this also. I'm not speaking for anyone else, but with me I think it's a subconscious fear of failing. Sometimes I know ahead of time that I'm going to have a good session, and other times I feel I'm just going to sit there. It dosn't happen near as often now, as my experiences become better and happen more often.

Here lies the center of my problem, I think. My association with my body and sleep. Correct me if I'm wrong here but isn't the whole point to put the body to sleep and the mind can roam free?

Since I've ditched this concept, my number of astral experiences have increased. I don't care whether my body is awake or asleep, as long as I'm progressing. Most of mine now are when I'm deeply relaxed, but still awake (The hypnosis track has helped for that). Just because your body is awake dosen't mean you can't focus elsewhere. I know people say it's easier if your body is totally asleep or in sleep paralysis, but I think different.

[Selski]

That sounds very interesting indeed! Did he say anything other than he was looking for one?

Oh yes, it's a long story.  Not one to be shared here...

Here lies the center of my problem, I think. My association with my body and sleep. Correct me if I'm wrong here but isn't the whole point to put the body to sleep and the mind can roam free?

I fully concur with Stookie.  Having read your posts Steve, I suspect that you are following too rigid a path and need to "throw the rule book out of the window" so to speak.

I reckon you're so close to it, you're practically knocking at the door.  But it is just that.  You are knocking at the door.  You need to simply walk through the door as if it isn't even there.  I know I'm talking metaphorically and you might say, "what's she on about?", but once you fully accept this, you'll be away and flying high.  I know it.



Sarah

[Dragonhawk]

Steve 2B wrote

Now...A new and interesting thought occurred to me, it's an extension of a sub-conscious guiding technique I'd learned a while ago. So in my right hand I imagined a glass ball about the size of a grapefruit, inside which contains a little golden arrow, and points/pulls essentially in the direction I need to travel...It's a bit like a three dimensional compass. The compass I say has the ability to take me to where I want to go.

That is so freaky   . Would you believe that I too use such a tool sometimes when I need to reach the outer edges of a lucid dream. When I am having a particular good lucid dream (in terms of control I mean). I concentrate on summoning my astral widget then I ask it to lead me out of the dream to the next stage. The damn thing turned up a few years ago and is a real nifty little tool it also has the tendency to sometimes  float at chest height just in front of me for easy following. Although for some reason I don't know why it doesn't always turn up.

I also like the rundown that Steve 2B uses, its much like the one I use. Mine starts off with a large silver door that shimmers much like the wormholes in the stargate series. Beyond the door is a hexagonal white room with columns in each corner. This room is my cleansing interface room where I can leave the real world baggage that I don't need. Directly opposite the entrance door is another door that leads to the inner sanctum. My inner sanctum is a large spacious room with an open 2nd level containing a fully stocked library. On one wall is a large video screen which allows me to view any memory or (if I get the tuning right) any place or time in the world. The ceiling is a dome which contains a continually shifting star scene or a blue sky with gently rolling clouds. By stepping back into the white room I can either come back to the real world or step into the astral. I find that this method of rundown works quite well since I started using it a few months ago.
The more I practice this rundown the more vivid and real it becomes until it will soon become like second nature.  

[Dragonhawk]

Thanks for the info hypnotist1. I've just gone and downloaded those files and had a quick listen to them and they sound really helpful. I will use them over the following week and see what happens and post the results.

   

[Sepultura123]

I know the first one is for lucid dreaming but whats the point of the second and expecially the last one ?