I have returned, with progress :D

[donzieja]

Hello, all. It certainly has been a while hasn't it? I hope you're all doing well. Anyways, I recently graduated high school, so I've had much more free time as I search for a job to put myself through college.

So, today, while I was meditating, I managed to coax most of myself into sleep paralysis. I could tell that I was soon going to overcome a milestone, when the phone rang.

Of course. The phone always rings.

After picking up, insult was added to injury - no one was there. I then lied down again. For some reason, the garbage trucks (which already picked up my subdivision's garbage YESTERDAY) have been driving around my block for the last two hours, doing what seems to be picking up random trash cans and putting them back down.

Pretty great, right? No but really - what I'm trying to ask here is, how do YOU deal with distractions while meditating / projecting / lucid dreaming? That is, while you are still awake, and able to be distracted.

Thanks,

~Don

[Szaxx]

Hi,
Simple , use plug in the ear headphones and play pink noise just loud enough to drown the irritation out. A large fan can be useful too. An FM radio not tuned into a station....
A constant noise works, loud crashes and bangs in the silence are not what you really want.

[donzieja]

Yeah, my parents actually have a white noise machine I can use. I was just fed up because I'd never gotten that far before, ya know? Like, first I couldn't tell where my arms were. I couldn't feel my arms or the part of my body my arms were resting on, and soon this spread up and down. RIIIIIIIIIING. Vrooooom. Dammit.

[Lionheart]

 I just finished as a Merchant of the Minnesota State Fair, every year I treat myself to something special after the fair, kind of as a reward for the grueling 16 hour days I endure there. This year I bought a very old and unique Tibetan Sing Bowl and on the way home from the fair I picked up a set of Bose 15 noise reducing headphones. Whoever said you have don't have to have good headphones to listen to Binaural Beats has never listened to Binaural Beats on good headphones, lol. Outside noise reduction allows for 100% focus. The Tibetan Singing Bowl is very unique, I went to purchase one from a Monk there at the fair. He told me to come back on Monday to see a very unique, what he called the "real deal". I did and was amazed by it. I went to a friend's booth to show him it, I started to use it and all of a sudden a broken fan he had above us started to work again. All through the day he said his hands were still vibrating from the experience. More to come on this after I work with it further!  

[Astralsuzy]

How exciting for you to have a fair like that.  You would always have something to look forward to.  The singing bowl sounds amazing.  I am looking forward hearing more about it.

[roman67]

We can also use cotton to avoid the noises. The idea of ear headphones is also quite interesting.

[Xanth]

We can also use cotton to avoid the noises. The idea of ear headphones is also quite interesting.

Learn to use the noise.  Use the noise in an effort to teach yourself to ignore it.
Noise isn't something to ignore, it's a challenge to use. 

[todd421757]

Learn to use the noise.  Use the noise in an effort to teach yourself to ignore it.

This is what I do also.

[Xanth]

This is what I do also.

It's phenomenal what one can learn when pushed to learn it.

I've had some of the strangest visions while meditating on the noisy and sometimes violently rocking train.  LOL

[Lionheart]

 I personally like it both ways. Sometimes I want to lose myself in total peace and quiet. Other times I want to practice with daily noises around. It's good to become adept in all forms and techniques. That's what keeps this exciting. 
By the way, the Tibetan Singing Bowl is excellent for Meditation. I now understand why it is such a useful tool to the many Monks of the world!