Best way to induce a hypnagogic state?

[DASH Project]

I've tried one technique so far, which Summerlander told me about, which is go to bed late and get up early, or remain active during the day, nap for two hours and wake up to project, or something like that. I attempted the former the other night.

The other morning I woke up at around 2:30 AM (after going to bed around 11:45 PM,) and realizing I had woken up early after going to bed late I decided to induce a hypnagogic state by lying down and closing my eyes. I had a very tiny amount of what could be described as success, as I felt myself "doze off" twice, only to realize I was still awake. It must be a fine balance to strike between sleeping and being awake, I'd think.

Sadly I just found myself going back to sleep and waking up much later, and since I had a headache at the time it was very hard to focus. It's also very hard to focus when I'm that drowsy as well, so I'm wondering if there are other ways of inducing such a state. I have the double handicap of having both an extremely active mind that's insanely difficult to silence, as well as being on a medication (Geodon) which makes me horribly drowsy when I first wake up, literally making me feel like I'm "locked in" my bed until a certain time when I can get up. This mind is just so hard to silence, and it's extremely discouraging since when I lie down all I can think about is my rapidly-chattering mind and thoughts. It even happens when I'm tired!

So is there an easier way to induce a hypnagogic state than forcing yourself to get up super-early and stay awake? Even if there is I'm afraid my mind won't let me enter a state and I'll be locked in this stupid earthly plane until I die. I'm so discouraged.

[radman32]

Read a really boring book, then put 'er down when you're nodding. Easy as that! Lol I just did this earlier and had complete and instant entry into a lucid state. It was going a little fast too, and I couldn't focus down.

[djed]

Hi Dash, try doing regular meditation on the breath, just concentrating on your natural breathing. As you lose concentration come back to your breath. You can also combine this with just looking at the back of your eyelids and noticing any changes, patterns images.
After 15 minutes or so, breath in deeply counting up to 4, hold for 2 and breathe out for 4. As you get used to this over time you increase the count. After a while you should see the difference in the lessning of obtrusive thoughts, then you will be able to tackle hypnogogic state and 'Astral travel' Good luck!
djed 

[blis]

The easiest way to silence your thoughts is to listen intently.

Like when you think you've heard a noise but you're not sure what and you kind of turn your head at an angle and listen really hard. Do it now. You'll notice your mind go silent.

If you do it regularly throughout the day you'll get better at it. Try and notice as many background sounds as you can. Dont name them in your mind, just notice them.

When you get up in the middle of the night to make an attempt you need to distract your mind so you can get in the right state. Try focusing on any ringing or hissing in your ears. Just like the sound noticing excercise, try and listen really hard for any quieter sounds underneath.

For those times when your mind just refuses to shut up you can make it work for you instead of against you. Repeat some mantra in your head that will help you get in the right state. "Body asleep" works well enough. Combining it with breathing can be quite powerfull. Imagine that you're imbuing the air around you with energy that will put your body to sleep. With the in breath think the word "body" and the out breath "asleep". With the in breath feel the energy pooling in your throat area and on the out breath feel it spread down throughout your whole body putting it to sleep.

Once you notice that your breathing has changed to a snorey sound it's safe to start noticing what you're seeing. Hypnagogics wont be far off.

[Astral316]

Plenty of good advice here.

literally making me feel like I'm "locked in" my bed until a certain time when I can get up.

Set up an alarm clock on the other side of your bedroom, perhaps?

Listen, I sense a desperation in you. Desperation will keep you locked in the physical so just relax. Forget projection for now, even. Concentrate on slowing down your mind, honing your meditation ability. You have to apply the breaks on the train before it can pull into the station.

[DASH Project]

Read a really boring book, then put 'er down when you're nodding. Easy as that! Lol I just did this earlier and had complete and instant entry into a lucid state. It was going a little fast too, and I couldn't focus down.

I doubt I can do that, it sounds too...well, boring. Plus I don't have any boring books, only interesting ones lol. But I suppose I could make myself read when I don't feel like reading. Still it seems like a rather roundabout way to achieve a hypnagogic state.

Hi Dash, try doing regular meditation on the breath, just concentrating on your natural breathing. As you lose concentration come back to your breath. You can also combine this with just looking at the back of your eyelids and noticing any changes, patterns images.
After 15 minutes or so, breath in deeply counting up to 4, hold for 2 and breathe out for 4. As you get used to this over time you increase the count. After a while you should see the difference in the lessning of obtrusive thoughts, then you will be able to tackle hypnogogic state and 'Astral travel' Good luck!
djed  

I believe I've tried stuff like this before, and it seems like it hasn't worked, but then again I haven't really tried it for longer than five minutes. It's because I just get discouraged as I tend to be fighting a losing battle with my thoughts.

The easiest way to silence your thoughts is to listen intently.

Like when you think you've heard a noise but you're not sure what and you kind of turn your head at an angle and listen really hard. Do it now. You'll notice your mind go silent.

If you do it regularly throughout the day you'll get better at it. Try and notice as many background sounds as you can. Dont name them in your mind, just notice them.

When you get up in the middle of the night to make an attempt you need to distract your mind so you can get in the right state. Try focusing on any ringing or hissing in your ears. Just like the sound noticing excercise, try and listen really hard for any quieter sounds underneath.

For those times when your mind just refuses to shut up you can make it work for you instead of against you. Repeat some mantra in your head that will help you get in the right state. "Body asleep" works well enough. Combining it with breathing can be quite powerfull. Imagine that you're imbuing the air around you with energy that will put your body to sleep. With the in breath think the word "body" and the out breath "asleep". With the in breath feel the energy pooling in your throat area and on the out breath feel it spread down throughout your whole body putting it to sleep.

Once you notice that your breathing has changed to a snorey sound it's safe to start noticing what you're seeing. Hypnagogics wont be far off.

Lol but what if I hear a sudden, loud noise that startles me? It'd most likely take me right out of a potentially-hypnagogic state and into alert mode! But if I focus on ringing/hissing noises in my actual ears it might work. I'm just worried I'll fall right back to sleep and be unable to stay alert.

Plenty of good advice here.

Set up an alarm clock on the other side of your bedroom, perhaps?

Listen, I sense a desperation in you. Desperation will keep you locked in the physical so just relax. Forget projection for now, even. Concentrate on slowing down your mind, honing your meditation ability. You have to apply the breaks on the train before it can pull into the station.

Yeah, I will admit I'm a bit desperate. It's because of 2012...I really want to see the spirit world, and know where I go when I die, in case the world ends in slightly under two years and we all die. I don't want to go to Hell for not being a certain religion, and I don't want to disappear forever like how atheists say.

Most of all, I believe I have a beautiful guardian, who I've known since I was five, but have never dreamed about. I used to draw her all the time, and I still draw her, though I'm afraid to draw her because I don't want to get her appearance wrong in case I actually meet her. I have a mental image of her as a beautiful, angelic female being (though I don't believe she's actually an angel) with ribbons in her hair, white wings and a white gown. If you've read some of my other posts you've heard me talk about a being I call "Valanbe" who is actually a goddess I believe it. This being is not Valanbe, though I believe she is related to her. I DO know she's probably not real, not literally anyway, though I have "summoned" her before and people have felt her presence more than I have myself (because I'm a n00b and I suck at feeling beings' presences.) I want to "manifest" her when I go to the astral realm, just to make her real. I don't want her to be a figment of my worldly mind, who dies when I die.

Like I said I have had some success. I recall it being MUCH easier to silence my mind after a long, hard workout. I go to the gym every Tuesday (that's tomorrow!) and as such I've tried lying down after I get home and just getting into as deep a relaxed state I can possibly manage. It's worked pretty well, though since I was alert and awake all I could do was visualize stuff in my head, which was still nice, but no projection. Plus when I got up super-early in the morning the other night I dozed off twice only to realize I had dozed off, which I think was pretty close to achieving such a state.

It actually has happened relatively frequently to me, where I lie down half-awake, my mind starts to wander, I start thinking about a certain thought then next thing I know it feels dreamlike, though I can almost still control it...almost. Then I wake up and realize I've been dreaming. What do you call that?

I've also alternated between dreaming and being half-awake before, and it's like I've been able to predict what happens in my dreams. I've thought like "I've had this dream before, I know what happens next" and sure enough, what I expect to happen happens. Is this lucid dreaming, or a form of it?

[CFTraveler]

The easiest way to silence your thoughts is to listen intently.

Like when you think you've heard a noise but you're not sure what and you kind of turn your head at an angle and listen really hard. Do it now. You'll notice your mind go silent.

If you do it regularly throughout the day you'll get better at it. Try and notice as many background sounds as you can. Dont name them in your mind, just notice them.

When you get up in the middle of the night to make an attempt you need to distract your mind so you can get in the right state. Try focusing on any ringing or hissing in your ears. Just like the sound noticing excercise, try and listen really hard for any quieter sounds underneath.

For those times when your mind just refuses to shut up you can make it work for you instead of against you. Repeat some mantra in your head that will help you get in the right state. "Body asleep" works well enough. Combining it with breathing can be quite powerfull. Imagine that you're imbuing the air around you with energy that will put your body to sleep. With the in breath think the word "body" and the out breath "asleep". With the in breath feel the energy pooling in your throat area and on the out breath feel it spread down throughout your whole body putting it to sleep.

Once you notice that your breathing has changed to a snorey sound it's safe to start noticing what you're seeing. Hypnagogics wont be far off.

I like this.

[Astral316]

It sounds like a mild lucid at the very least.

More analzying though... you're making excuses. You also display an abnormal need for control... of the future, of where you go after death, of what happens to your ideas after death, etc. When you try to control you go against the tao. When the river flows, you flow with... to resist is to complicate your life more than it needs to be. Perhaps this is more of a pyschological issue than a technical one, as I'm sensing personality disorders of the obsessive and paranoid variety. In that case there are better forums that can assist you with the help you may need. If this isn't the case, disregard my statement.

[DASH Project]

It sounds like a mild lucid at the very least.

More analzying though... you're making excuses. You also display an abnormal need for control... of the future, of where you go after death, of what happens to your ideas after death, etc. When you try to control you go against the tao. When the river flows, you flow with... to resist is to complicate your life more than it needs to be. Perhaps this is more of a pyschological issue than a technical one, as I'm sensing personality disorders of the obsessive and paranoid variety. In that case there are better forums that can assist you with the help you may need. If this isn't the case, disregard my statement.

I think you're right. I actually do have control issues. One of my biggest fears is of losing control, of being overpowered. That's why I have such a terrible phobia of natural disasters. That and some unknown childhood trauma. I also have Aspergers syndrome, if that means anything. Aspies are notoriously stubborn, critical and controlling people, so yes, I do have a personality disorder. I am paranoid. I am obsessive. But I want to project. And I'm sorry for making excuses, I don't mean to do so.

I just have a feeling that if I enter the astral realm just once, then all this need for control, all this fear, I can be free of it.

What sorts of forums, I may ask? If they're psychiatric ones then I could care less. I already see a psychiatrist and that's for mental issues, I seek spiritual knowing.

[DASH Project]

Oh crap, didn't mean to double-post *sweatdrop*

[Astral316]

I think you're right. I actually do have control issues. One of my biggest fears is of losing control, of being overpowered. That's why I have such a terrible phobia of natural disasters. That and some unknown childhood trauma. I also have Aspergers syndrome, if that means anything. Aspies are notoriously stubborn, critical and controlling people, so yes, I do have a personality disorder. I am paranoid. I am obsessive. But I want to project. And I'm sorry for making excuses, I don't mean to do so.

I just have a feeling that if I enter the astral realm just once, then all this need for control, all this fear, I can be free of it.

What sorts of forums, I may ask? If they're psychiatric ones then I could care less. I already see a psychiatrist and that's for mental issues, I seek spiritual knowing.

I used this one (in the link below) back when I felt the need to control. When you need to control, you're always saddled with the feeling of lacking control. This is accompanied by helplessness, low self esteem, etc. It caused a lot of problems for me and although support forums didn't cure this problem (near death does a very good job of that) it did help me know I wasn't alone in how I felt. So try it out... in all honesty I think you should try to solve some of your physical world problems before venturing into the non-physical. Just my opinion.

http://www.psychforums.com/

[DASH Project]

I used this one (in the link below) back when I felt the need to control. When you need to control, you're always saddled with the feeling of lacking control. This is accompanied by helplessness, low self esteem, etc. It caused a lot of problems for me and although support forums didn't cure this problem (near death does a very good job of that) it did help me know I wasn't alone in how I felt. So try it out... in all honesty I think you should try to solve some of your physical world problems before venturing into the non-physical. Just my opinion.

http://www.psychforums.com/

Ah, well I'm sure talking to an actual therapist like I'm doing may help more, but I'll check it out anyways. What do you think I should say to them?

And for now, I will continue to try Summerlander's method of entering the hypnagogic state after a nap or after waking up early. They say you need to try one technique for at least six months before trying another one. I'll take your advice of just trying to enter that state for now, not trying to project just yet. Is that what you meant?

[Tee1234]

I've tried one technique so far, which Summerlander told me about, which is go to bed late and get up early, or remain active during the day, nap for two hours and wake up to project, or something like that. I attempted the former the other night.

The other morning I woke up at around 2:30 AM (after going to bed around 11:45 PM,) and realizing I had woken up early after going to bed late I decided to induce a hypnagogic state by lying down and closing my eyes. I had a very tiny amount of what could be described as success, as I felt myself "doze off" twice, only to realize I was still awake. It must be a fine balance to strike between sleeping and being awake, I'd think.

Sadly I just found myself going back to sleep and waking up much later, and since I had a headache at the time it was very hard to focus. It's also very hard to focus when I'm that drowsy as well, so I'm wondering if there are other ways of inducing such a state. I have the double handicap of having both an extremely active mind that's insanely difficult to silence, as well as being on a medication (Geodon) which makes me horribly drowsy when I first wake up, literally making me feel like I'm "locked in" my bed until a certain time when I can get up. This mind is just so hard to silence, and it's extremely discouraging since when I lie down all I can think about is my rapidly-chattering mind and thoughts. It even happens when I'm tired!

So is there an easier way to induce a hypnagogic state than forcing yourself to get up super-early and stay awake? Even if there is I'm afraid my mind won't let me enter a state and I'll be locked in this stupid earthly plane until I die. I'm so discouraged.

Im assuming you have your own technique that you do when you try to project so its seems your problem is when to do it.
Regardless of what you read, my advice would be to try it every time you go to sleep. -till you find your most successful time. (bedtime, nap, etc)

My best time is bedtime. It actually makes me look forward to going to bed. The very best time for me is when im so tired I cant hardly keep my eyes open, so I do my thing and it only takes like 20min before its gametime.  Sometimes however you wont be successful and youl just drift off to dreamland but dont get discouraged cause very rarely do you stay asleep till the alarm goes off. So whenever you wake up through out the night just try again. -eventually you will get it, and be moe successful than not.

As far as getting locked into any state till death, lol -not gonna happen, quit watching horror movies.

[DASH Project]

Im assuming you have your own technique that you do when you try to project so its seems your problem is when to do it.
Regardless of what you read, my advice would be to try it every time you go to sleep. -till you find your most successful time. (bedtime, nap, etc)

My best time is bedtime. It actually makes me look forward to going to bed. The very best time for me is when im so tired I cant hardly keep my eyes open, so I do my thing and it only takes like 20min before its gametime.  Sometimes however you wont be successful and youl just drift off to dreamland but dont get discouraged cause very rarely do you stay asleep till the alarm goes off. So whenever you wake up through out the night just try again. -eventually you will get it, and be moe successful than not.

As far as getting locked into any state till death, lol -not gonna happen, quit watching horror movies.

Hmmm, sounds simple enough. I may give it a try. Thanks for the words of advice!

I do have a technique, one I've used since 2006 but I've never achieved anything other than deep visualization with it. I follow it from a book that I use. They say stick with a technique for at least six months, so maybe I should give it a try when I'm really tired, before bed.

[Lexy]

One book said their favorite technique is to trigger hynogogic images at bedtime by imagining your own images until they start to morph on their own.