Going beyond the sleep barrier (please help)

[Dream Cadet]

cairnsb,

quote:
1. Flashes of light.
2. Buzzing noises in my ears
3. My body gets VERY hot
4. Breathing and heart rate get very slow
5. Random images (like turning a TV on and back off really fast)
6. Random / ambient sounds (like a womans voice when I am home alone)
7. A "pulsing" feeling in various parts of my body - this feeling seems to travel on its own.
8. Parts of my body "feel" like they are moving but are really not.
9. Geometric shaped (can be manipulated by thinking of them)

I have had all of these feelings. I have described the "pulsing" as little balls of energy bouncing around inside me and have woke up to these.  Just last night I heard what sounded like "canned laughter".  Like you would here if you were watching a sitcom on T.V. I love the images.  They are very fun to watch and can get very detailed.  I see faces a lot.

As far as staying awake, have you tried laying your arm down flat, then bending your forearm up ward at the elbow? Your wrist is in the air at this point and when you start to doze, your wrist falls and stirs you awake.  This has been very helpful for me to keep from falling asleep.

D.C

[coral1]

Hi cairnsb,

I like your relaxation method, and since you can put yourself to sleep, it obviously works!Here`s a suggestion.Include another affirmation in your routine telling yourself to regain consciouness as you begin to dream.Something like-" I am aware in my dream".The exact words aren`t important: whatever feels good for you.Most of my projections come from the dream state and often simply gaining lucidity is enough to trigger the projection reflex with all the classic energy sensations (vibrations), and body separation.For me, staying conscious through the whole process is extemely tricky and doesn`t happen very often.

Anyway, give it a try for a while and see what happens.I hope one day you wake up in an "AMAZING dream".

Happy Trails

[cairnsb]

Thanks for the feedback guys -
Will give it a shot and see how I fair []

[cairnsb]

Hey everyone - in case you are following this thread...

I tried the first suggestion - kept me awake, but also kept me from relaxing [] I ended up automaticaly concentrating on keeping my arm up.

Tried the 2nd suggestion - seemed to work much better.
I went deeper then I have gone before, even heard myself snoring (omg I snore???)...and swear a had a conversation with a nice woman (lucid dream?).

But as fate would have it - the cat started licking my face [xx(]

Will try again later - any other suggestions and hints are welcome.

[clandestino]

Hi there Cairnsb !

I like your style ! You've got hold of a technique that is repeatable and produces results (ok - they aren't the OBEs your after, but as we all know, this is extremely difficult to do) that are consistent.

Interestingly, your procedure is almost identical to Robert Monroe's voiceover during the Gateway series 1 CD. The objective of the CD is to move you from C1 to Focus 10 (mind awake body asleep). More about this can be found if you search the "astral conciousness" forum.

Keeping awake whilst going through the exercise you mentioned is a problem for me too....either I'll fall asleep, or I'll stay COMPLETELY awake, not noticing anything out of the ordinary.

Well, for what its worth, here's my remedy....though I admit its no easy answer. Whilst doing the relaxation exercise, keep your mind occupied with an activity....e.g. imagine that you are surfing, feeling the waves beneath you and the sun on your back.

Or, as frank described a while back, fit the relaxation exercise into a walk on the beach or a massage. Search for his post on Gateway wave 1 within the "astral conciousness" forum for more info.

Anyway, to summarise : I believe that you need to keep your mind engaged, not empty, to prevent yourself from falling asleep.

mark

[cairnsb]

Hmmm - interesting idea.

I did read the Monroe book "journeys out of the body" when I was in highschool (ironically it was for a creative writting essay)...but I have since then lost most interest in Monroe's work...the really funny thing was when reading the essay a lot of the kids in class were saying "omg that happened to me".

Will have to look up the gateway stuff... I have heard of it from the "hemi-sync" web site (aka monroe's web site) but I really don't want to put that kind of cash into a set of CDs.

As a side not I do want to thank all of you in this forum as I did download the "AP - Abyss.alpha-delta.192kbps.mp3" MP3 file and burn it onto CDR.

But to be perfectly honest, the "personal routine" I have is a basterdised combination of Robert Bruces mobile body awareness and some realaxation stuff I learned in psycology class from the college days.

I do agree with you - I am convinced the mind can not be "empty" if you are going to stay awake through the entire process...you have to stay alert the entire time or have the ability to become alert when the "right moment" comes.

[coral1]

Hi cairnsb,

I had to laugh when I read the bit about hearing yourself snore!That happens to me too.Thats exactly the place you want to be-The body is asleep and snoring and the mind is awake and conscious of it.Mind awake,body asleep.If you can become familiar with that threshold state you`ve got it made.

Keep practicing, take your time, and have fun with it.

Cheers

[cairnsb]

ya I was shocked and amazed that I snore [xx(]

Really I am kind of creeping into this ... getting familar with each level.

[cairnsb]

Now I have this problem...
(warning this is highly detailed)

I am an insomniac by nature, typically I will toss and turn all night long before I finally decide to get up and do something other then count sheep.

This is how I got turned on to OOBEs - and other reasons - might as well do something fun while I can not sleep [8D]

Anyways to get to the point...

From tips and hints in this forum I have developed my own personal relaxation method.

1. Laydown and get comfortable.
2. Go through my personal routine

The routine goes like this:

I focus on the body part, and relax it, and at the same time tell myself to relax it...

Feet: (say to self) "feet fall asleep mind stay awake"
Lower Legs: (say to self) "Lower Legs fall asleep mind stay awake"
Upper Legs: (say to self) "Upper Legs fall asleep mind stay awake"
Pelvis: (say to self) "Pelvis fall asleep mind stay awake"
Mid Section: (say to self) "Mid Section fall asleep mind stay awake"
Torso: (say to self) "Torso fall asleep mind stay awake"
Hands: (say to self) "Hands fall asleep mind stay awake"
Fore Arms: (say to self) "Fore Arms fall asleep mind stay awake"
Upper Arms: (say to self) "Upper Arms fall asleep mind stay awake"
Sholders: (say to self) "Sholders fall asleep mind stay awake"
Neck: (say to self) "Neck fall asleep mind stay awake"
Head: (say to self) "Head fall asleep mind stay awake"
Face: (say to self) "Face fall asleep mind stay awake"
Jaw: (say to self) "Jaw fall asleep mind stay awake"
Eyes: (say to self) "Eyes fall asleep mind stay awake"

The whole routine takes about 5 minutes from start to finish.
Notice that I SPECIFICALLY focus on the face, jaw and eyes - I have noticed even when I am "relaxed" I still have a lot of tension in those areas, so I specifically focus on those areas.

Now like I said when I started this post, I have an incredibly hard time falling alseep.

While doing the routine I have noticed...

1. Flashes of light.
2. Buzzing noises in my ears
3. My body gets VERY hot
4. Breathing and heart rate get very slow
5. Random images (like turning a TV on and back off really fast)
6. Random / ambient sounds (like a womans voice when I am home alone)
7. A "pulsing" feeling in various parts of my body - this feeling seems to travel on its own.
8. Parts of my body "feel" like they are moving but are really not.
9. Geometric shaped (can be manipulated by thinking of them)

And that is after doing the routine just once.

So I then start over - starting at my feet and trying to go to my head...

BUT

I never make it that far.
To my knowlege the farest I have gotten (going feet to head) is the torso.

I always fall sleep.

Dispite all my efforts, dispite all my willpower - no matter how excited I am - just poof - asleep.

I have even tried doing the routine once, getting up for 5 minutes and laying down to do it again - still alseep before I finish.

This is a double edge sword to me...

I am finally getting a good nights sleep (and having some AMAZING dreams)

BUT - I am not consciously getting out of my body.

I am sure (or rather convinced) that I am in fact getting out to one degree or another and remebering it as "dreams".

Anyone have this problem, or possibly suggestions?

Just as a side note...I have the same results no matter what time of day or night, no matter how tired or awake I am.

Please help as sleep is STILL my foe [!]