Hypnogogic state during thought control exercises

[direvln]

Hi!
I hope I am posting in the correct area. This is regarding the Thought Control Exercises in the AD book.

I am doing it for 10 minutes, started from 5 and it has been a few days. I sit upright, relax for a minute i.e., take a few deep breaths and do the falling exercise and then try to observe/avoid thoughts. I have started getting a feel for the thought pressure... it feels like when there is something on the tip of your tongue and you can't remember it!

So, coming to the problem, I am good in the start but I tend to get relaxed as time progresses and start drifting into the hypnogogic state (sort of like the beginning of a dream). It doesn't last long but this happens a number of times in the short interval I practice. I don't think getting enough sleep is a problem as I get around eight hours and do the practice in the morning.

I would like to know if there is a way to lessen this or be more conscious during it as when the hypnogoic state occurs I lose the thread of consciousness.

Thanks!

[Beekeeper]

Try using the Saltcube timer if you can. If you don't get an OBE, you'll usually get a lucid dream.

[CFTraveler]

Also, don't fight the hypnagogics, simply observe them. If you feel you're falling asleep open your eyes for a second. I use my hypnagogics to help me get out, phasing style.

[Tiny]

Dear direvln,

i too tend to lose consciousness a lot when I go deep. I will simply click out. One advice I've just come across is tensing your shut eyes then open wide, doing it a few times and allegedly cures the problem of sleepiness.

You may be diving too deep. You sure will if you are overworked or get too little sleep.

It must be remembered that deep trance is not required for conscious exits but it is helpful if you want to experience visions.
The only way to experience visions however is to give up control.

kind regards,

Paul

[Korpo]

Hello, Paul.

i too tend to lose consciousness a lot when I go deep. I will simply click out.

Yes, I think that might suggest that you really got into deep trance. Recently I got so deep during one meditation that I got shaken awake by some noise. After hearing the noise I had to reorient myself.

Only in hindsight when analysing the event later and approaching it again in my mind I realised that before I "awoke" there was nothing but the most minimal awareness. I was not aware that I had a body. I was not aware of anything. There wasn't even an "I" aware of anything. There was just this feeling of not being totally unconscious.

When I awoke I had to become aware of many things again - where I was, what I had been doing, I was literally looking for clues to remember what was going on. I had to analyse the noise I've heard to find my bearings again.

So, odd things happen in the deep.

I guess clicking out might mean that you touch a layer of yourself you have not developed yet. This happened to me quite frequently and I thought I was just not awake/aware enough. But this phase passed too and in hindsight it might have been part of establishing myself in a deeper layer of myself than I could before.

Be well,
Oliver