Methods to maintain focus

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EnderZ

I've been having trouble because i end up falling asleep before i hit the vibrations. For a while i was doing really well and progressing, had an OBE that lasted for about 5 seconds, and now its like im not able to concentrate/focus at night and i end up just slipping into a dream.

My question is what do you guys do to help you not fall asleep? Or what things do you know of that helps with maintaining strict focus without slipping into a dream once i hit the trance state.  

Post your methods. Thanks!

mcquack

hello enderz,

the best way to keep focus is to use the disturbed sleep (benjamin franklin) method, where you take a nap with your upper arm relaxed on the bed and the lower part(from elbow to the fingers) suspended in the air, if you have a really comfortable bed and you don't have issues falling asleep quickly, this is really helpful because your arm will fall down evertime you fall asleep, and you will get more chances to enter the mind awake body asleep phase because you will be disturbing your sleep cycle more.

their is another sleep disturbing method which consists of setting your alarm clock to wake you up many times during the night while you are very exhuasted, this will give you opportunities to enter sleep paralysis mode.

-Mcquack

astralspinner

I count my breaths. Really, picking anything you like to focus on will work.

The key to it is, you've got to really focus, and not let your mind "background" what you're doing.

Ever been walking along a familiar route, reached the end, and suddenly realised you were daydreaming the whole time and paying no attention to the route? Your brain took over the walking so you could think about other things.

If you let it, it'll take over the mental excercise you're trying to use to keep focus. Don't let it. You have to keep your attention firmly on your focus. Stay aware of what you're doing and push any intruding thoughts out of your mind.

I've found over the last couple months of meditating that staying focussed whilst relaxing is a very difficult thing. We're conditioned to let our minds wander as we relax, a lifetime's habit it takes time to break.

kmD

theres a few suggestions i would have for you.

1. Daytime conscious projection is much easier to accomplish.
2. Lying down in your bed cues your mind that its time to sleep, so try sitting in a recliner or another position.
3.  Im big on getting each one of my senses in order before i start to work my circuit. For some reason, if i can still taste food in my mouth from dinner, or if its too cold, or theres a bad smell in the room, I will completely fixate on it until I get up and change it, thereby screwing up my circuit and having to start all over. So i make sure my teeth are brushed, incense is lit, A/C is turned up all before i sit down to project.

hope it helps....

astral-wanderer

Hey astral spinner...

would you share an experience you've had from counting your breaths as you go to sleep?

Secondly, have you gotten OBE by doing this?

Thanks.

astralspinner

I don't count breaths when I go to sleep. IMHO, using sleep to induce trance/OBE states is a very bad practice.

I count breaths when I meditate. The only thing I do when I go to bed is clear my mind to help get to sleep quicker.

Interestingly, tho, I've noticed the strobing effect RB mentions in Astral Pulse happening when I've been going to sleep since I started counting-based meditation - apparently that's a sign that the brow chakra is full and is sending energy up to the crown. I've not been doing any energy work, so it's interesting that that should happen.

I've been actively avoiding OBEs, so I can't give a fair answer to your second question. I've certainly reached the state where I could have used phasing to have an OBE, but I'm currently working solely on meditation and trance states.

It'll be a while yet before I'll be happy enough with my trance skills that I'll start working on inducing an OBE with them.

EnderZ

QuoteIMHO, using sleep to induce trance/OBE states is a very bad practice.

I agree with you. it makes the body associate sleeping with the trance state. Thing is i dont have any other time other then at night when im already lying down to spend on these sort of things.[/quote]

Michael_E

Hi EnderZ,

Something that has worked for me has been to read something inspiring about the topic right before going to sleep.
If you will it it is no dream.

-Theodore Herzl

anonymous57

The way I use is to make a psi ball just before I attempt to AP. You also have the added advantage of developing skill with energy.

That and practise, practise, practise

Cayla

Dear EnderZ

I would imagine that if you had a strong motive as to what it is you want to accomplish then this would naturally get you out there.  

I've copied my method of how I maintain focus here:

What I tend to do is first go through the motions of tensing and relaxing every muscle starting at the feet and working upwards. My whole body is relaxed at this stage and then I trigger a buzz in my ears. I do this by (difficult to explain) trying to expand (or tensing/closing - not sure) my ear channels and after a couple of "ear drum pushes" it tends to create a loud constant buzz. I believe it's the buzz in the ears that "switches" me off from outside noise or interference.

You could even try it now while you're totally awake and then when you're ready to do your journey, simulate the tensing/expanding/closing of the ear drum.

I also find that when the buzz is really loud I start pushing my eyeballs totally back i.e. eyes looking up towards your forehead. I do this a couple of times (again you could even try it while you're awake).

This is entirely my own method: a combination of the ear buzz and eye movement seems to force you to disengage with your current surroundings and thus enable you to disconnect from your physical body.  Not to mention that the noise level of the buzz will definitely keep you in an aware state instead of falling asleep.

I can't guarantee it will work for you but who knows?



Best regards
Cayla

RocketMan007

I dont know if you saw my other post. Me and another guy were talking about how we could create a buzzing noise in our ears. Guess you can too. We had quite a bit of discussion about it. The guys twin could also do it as well

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14709

EnderZ

For awhile i was getting really really good results. I had been practicing for about 2 months then, and reading everybook i could get my hands on.

THen it just seamed like i stoped getting closer. I think my body just thinks that trying to project at night means sleepy time.

the grestest expirce yet though was when i got heavy heavy exit sensations. the first time it was kind of not scary, but made me a little nervous. then the second time i loved it, and just increased it, just then i didn't know that thats when your supposed to do visulizations or other techniques. at the time iw as just trying to get the snesations stronger and stronger. and they where strong! lol

nitetravler

Hi gang, I also think counting breaths is a good practice. In addition to building focus it builds internal energy as well.
A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or else what's Heaven for?

-Robert Browning

catmeow

Personally, I find it very difficult to project at night when I go to sleep - I almost invariably fall asleep.  I've only managed tp project like this a couple of times.

For me it is MUCH easier to project in the morning after a few hours sleep.  The body is still rested but the mind is now more alert and less sleepy.

I had an interesting experience this morning... went to bed at 2am and fell asleep. Woke at 6am and couldn't get back to sleep for the next 2-3 hours... constantly trying desparately to fall asleep, lay in different positions (back, lhs, rhs etc) in an attempt to nod off, but unsuccessfully.  So by about 8:30am was desparate.  Then I had the brainwave of going through my normal "exit procedure" to see if this might achieve something.

Well it worked.  Lay on my back, shut eyes.  Vibrations, could see through closed eyelids, waved astral arms around and then whoosh floated up into the air.  Then off and into some interesting experiences.

But this intrigued me because in the past I had only achieved this from a mind awake/body asleep condition which occurs early in the morning after waking after several hours sleep. On this occasion I started from a more or less fully awake (desparate to get to sleep) condition.  But the "exit procedure" was very effective when all other attempts to fall asleep had failed.  I thought this was curious.  Just thought I'd mention it!

But in summary, for me at least I find it very difficult to project when going to sleep at night.  It's MUCH easier in the morning.

catmeow
The bad news is there's no key to the Universe. The good news is it's not locked. - Swami Beyondananda