Re: Trance Definition
I think it very much depends, as I've seen quite a few different definitions of 'trance', I'm sure one of the more experienced members will fill you in. But I will say that from your description I would not say that it was a trance - under the definition of trance that I have been working with.. although perhaps as you say it could be classed as a light trance. For me, the entrance into trance is usually (although not always) very noticable as a stong wave of heavyness and 'falling' comes over me, I can feel my energy body expand (usually) and the clarity of thinking changes noticably (I think this is the change in brain waves).
That very close to dropping-off-to-sleep feeling you described is near to the trance state, but I think this is more your physical mind going in and out of sleep than your body - and for trance it has to be the other way around, i.e. your body going to sleep and your mind staying awake. I have found that if I am tired and get that nodding-off stage before trance, where I am starting to see dream images etc, that if I hold it for a while and then mentally wake myself up a bit, then my body keeps going and falls asleep but my mind holds itself awake enough and then I get the full trance sensations. I have read that going into trance is basically just recreating the falling asleep process, but just holding on to that little bit of conciousness with your mind, then once your body is asleep you can 'wake up' and expand your mind a bit more without breaking the trance.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems from my observations that in the normal falling asleep process, the mind falls asleep first, followed soon after by the body? So when trying to induce trance you essentially have to make your body believe that the mind is asleep then it will follow? That's why clearing your mind of all thoughts and 'narrowing' your conciousness is important to 'trick' your body into trance..?
Endurance, as everywhere, will be the measure of your success.
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