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alfa
USA
2 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 4:11:16 PM
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Hi All,
I am new here , would like some advice on something.
I am trying to experience OBE/lucid dreaming, my method is just awareness, nothing else. Couple of nights back, I experienced sleep paralysis. Last night, I experienced hypnagogia. But I want to go beyond all this, and experience OBE or lucid dreaming. Am I on the right track?
Alfa |
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 5:57:05 PM
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DO reality checks. Set a timer on your watch, or decide that every time you do a certain thing (like walk through a doorway), you'll do a reality check.
"What is a reality check?" you might be asking. A reality check is a specific kind of test meant to train your mind into verifying wether this reality is a dreamed or a real one (and eventually you'll "accidently" do this habit in a dream).
My favorite one is to cover your nose, close your mouth, and try to breathe in. Obviously, in everyday life... you can't, but even then, when doing this test (or any reality check) you should backstep to how you got to where you are. Just take 10 seconds or so and think of "how did I get here?" (by bus, train, walking... from where?...).
Once you build up this habit in everyday life AND have good dream recall (2-3 dreams a night) it shouldn't take more than a few days to a couple weeks to have a lucid dream.
Other reality checks include reading (especially reading something, looking away, and reading it again), looking at your hands, using electronic devices. I'm sure there's more.
YOu can also look for your very own personal "dream signs". YOur own recurring themes within dreams that could set off a "hey this is a dream" sort of alarm. It's easier said than done though, but... just have fun with it :).
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Edited by - Divineis on Jun 20 2008 6:46:33 PM |
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 10:22:11 PM
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dinineis,
could you go into a little more detail? I found your reply interesting but on partially grasp what you are saying.
thanks
neil
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 10:50:51 PM
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here is a guide i typed up for someone a while ago. hope it is helpful.
Anthony’s Guide to Lucid Dreaming and Astral Projection
Lucid Dreaming – the state of becoming conscious inside of a dream
Methods: 1. MILD (Mnemonically Induced Lucid Dream)
2. WILD (Wake Induced Lucid Dream)
3. RC (Reality Checking)
Astral Projection – the state of consciously leaving the physical body
Methods: 1. WILD
2. Mind Awake/Body Asleep methods
In my personal opinion, lucid dreaming and astral projection are simply two different paths to the same end. To reach the astral plane, you can do it through a dream (lucidity) or “skip” the unconscious dreaming process and go directly into the astral plane consciously via WILD or other methods.
Lucid Dreaming
To enter into the astral plane via lucid dreaming basically involves programming your subconscious mind to realize you are in a dream. When you are able to fully seize “control” or lucidity, you are able to transcend the dream your mind creates if you choose to and explore the astral plane, or play around in your dream if you choose.
For any Lucid Dream practice it is essential that you become adept at remembering dreams and become familiar with them. This is called Dream Recall and can be developed a number of ways:
1. Intention – this involves setting your intention upon going to sleep that you wish to recall your dreams when you awaken. When going to sleep, repeat to yourself assuredly that you will remember your dreams. Whenever you wake up throughout the night give yourself a few minutes before getting up or moving too much to slowly recall the details of your dream. Even if you feel you can only remember very little, other details will follow.
2. Dream Journal: this involves writing down dreams whenever you awaken. This not only aids in remembering them, but also makes you more familiar with your dreaming mind and will increase your chances of realizing you are dreaming.
3. Supplementation: certain nutrients in foods and supplements are known to increase brain activity that can cause dreams to be more clear, intense, and easier to remember.
i. Vitamin B6 – Found in bananas, nutmeg, dairy products, fish, pistachios, or B6 or B-complex vitamins
ii. Melatonin – A supplement of the sleep hormone Melatonin.
iii. Valerian root – in tea or pill form
iv. Nutmeg
v. Kava Kava
Methods:
1. MILD – Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams. This method is the most simple and is commonly the most successful, especially for beginners. The steps for this method are as follows:
1. Try to go to bed at a normal time, ideally before midnight. Set your alarm to go off 5-6 hours after you go to sleep but still allowing for time to go back to sleep. This method works best for nights when you do not have to get up early the next morning and can devote your early morning to the practice. Dreaming and related phenomena are always more successful in the early morning.
2. When the alarm goes off, try to recall any dreams you had. Get out of bed and empty your bladder. The object is to arouse yourself enough to have a clear mind, but not so much that you cannot go back to sleep. Read a book, meditate, sit and think about your goal, walk around a bit, do whatever you feel is best for you to wake yourself up a bit. Some people eat a small snack, especially a conducive snack like bananas or chocolate. Keep yourself awake for at least 10 minutes up to 30. Experiment and find what works best for you.
3. Lay back down and while you are going back to bed, either recall the dream you had before, or think about dreaming itself. Think about what it is like to be dreaming and what you would like to do when you become lucid. While you are falling asleep, assure yourself you will realize you are dreaming. Repeat the mantra “I will realize I am dreaming. I will become lucid” or whatever else you prefer. Do this until you feel confident and let yourself go to bed. After a while of practice your intent will carry on into your dreams. Confidence is a main factor in these practices. Success is only guaranteed if you really believe you can accomplish it.
2. WILD – Wake Induced Lucid Dream. This is a more complex and difficult method. It takes longer for most people to become proficient but can lead to a more reliable ability to become lucid. It involves putting the body into what is called Mind Awake/Body Asleep, which is the state where the body is “tricked” into shutting down while the mind is still awake.
1. Try to go to bed at a normal time, ideally before midnight. Set your alarm to go off 5-6 hours after you go to sleep but still allowing for time to go back to sleep. This method works best for nights when you do not have to get up early the next morning and can devote your early morning to the practice. Dreaming and related phenomena are always more successful in the early morning.
2. When the alarm goes off, try to recall any dreams you had. Get out of bed and empty your bladder. The object is to arouse yourself enough to have a clear mind, but not so much that you cannot go back to sleep. Read a book, meditate, sit and think about your goal, walk around a bit, do whatever you feel is best for you to wake yourself up a bit. Some people eat a small snack, especially a conducive snack like bananas or chocolate. Keep yourself awake for at least 10 minutes up to 30. Experiment and find what works best for you.
3. Lay back down for bed. As you are falling asleep, do something that will keep your mind active enough to not fall asleep, but mild enough to not wake your body. Common methods are counting, visualizing, lightly tapping a finger, etc. After a while, sometimes it takes a long time, you may feel several sensations:
a. Sleep paralysis: this is a state everyone enters when they sleep, but often are not aware of it because the mind is sleeping. The body becomes paralyzed and may be accompanied by vibrating and racing of the heart. This may be frightening at first, but it is a normal condition and is actually a sign of progress.
b. Racing heart
c. Body vibrations
d. Feelings of falling
e. Hypnagogic imagery: images either abstract or realistic that appear in the blackness of the field of vision. Do not get too involved in these images and simply try to watch them passively.
f. “Old Hag”: This is a semi-common occurrence that involves an overwhelming feeling that there is a presence in the room or on top of you that is often characterized as “evil” or malicious. This can be quite terrifying and is not well understood, but is commonly believed to be a harmless presence that attempts to prevent lucidity. No harm can come of it except fear.
g. Noise: loud noises like a rushing sound, radio static, campfire crackling, or other strange noises.
4. WILD works differently for everyone, but ultimately you will feel some sensations and you will realize this is a sign that you are leaving the body. It takes practice for most people to not become too excited and to just let it happen. With practice you will learn to control your feelings and fears and you will literally be able to “walk into” your dream and thus, into the astral plane. The key is to lie very still, usually on your back, and allow your body to completely relax into stillness. Eventually, it will think it is time to shut down for the night and hopefully your mind will not follow it as usual, but remained awake and conscious.
3. RC – Reality Checking. This can be used as a separate method, or more commonly along with other methods. It involves periodically throughout the day “checking” your reality in order to set it as a routine. After time, the routine of checking your reality will appear in dreams and hopefully trigger lucidity.
1. Establish a way to remember to do a reality check throughout the day. You can do it every time you use the bathroom, every time you see a red car, every time your watch goes off on the hour, etc.
2. Whenever it is time, say to yourself aloud or silently “Am I dreaming?” After asking the question, perform one or more of Reality Checks. Common ones are:
a. Looking at hand: look at your hands. Do they look like they usually do? Count your fingers and make sure you have 10.
b. Close nose and make sure you cannot breathe through it anyway.
c. Push your index finger into your palms and make sure they do not penetrate your hands.
d. Look into a mirror
e. Try a light switch
The goal of reality checking is to establish it as a routine so that it carries over into your dreams. Hopefully, in a dream you will ask yourself “Am I dreaming?”. You will then perform a RC and realize it is not “reality” and lucidity will follow.
Astral Projection
Astral projection is very closely related to Lucid Dreaming. I believe both end in the same thing – transcending of the physical body, however, astral projection forgoes the usage of dreaming and involves directly leaving the body. You can think of a dream or a lucid dream as a train station. In lucid dreaming methods, you are using the dream as a train station before you get on the “astral train”. You can choose to stay in the station and play around in your lucid dream or use it as a vessel to go even higher states astral and beyond. Astral projection skips the train station and involves going directly to the astral plane. These methods are often more difficult to master, however once mastered can almost always yield results whenever desired.
All of these methods are best done in the early morning 5-6 hours after going to sleep.
WILD – This method also works for Astral Projection. Some people “step” into a lucid dream and others leave the body into the astral plane. Either way, it is the fundamental method.
Mind Awake/Body Asleep Methods – This involves many different methods for tricking the body into falling asleep independent of the mind.
1. Rope visualization: a common method is to visualize yourself climbing a rope out of your body.
2. Basically, do whatever works for you. This is a very open method and different things work for different people. Counting works for many, as well as counting and following breaths, visualizing places and things, etc. It is a deceptively simple concept. Usually, the mind and body fall asleep at the same time and thus, most people aren’t aware of the process. When you train yourself to watch your body fall asleep without you actually falling asleep, it can be an incredible experience. You will often feel yourself rise out of your body toward the ceiling or whatever else is specific to you.
Ultimately, all these methods are worth trying and experimenting with. Sometimes it is best to combine different methods and concepts and develop your own original method. Here I have included the most common and fundamental methods, but there are infinite ways to accomplish an OBE. The number one factor is motivation and confidence. It can be difficult for most people to believe that it is possible to leave the body, however, once it happens once it is undeniably true. You can take comfort in the fact that it has been scientifically and clinically proven over and over again and very few scientists would deny its existence. At the end of this guide I have included suggested reading material for further study. Good luck!
Books
Stephen Laberge – Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming
Beelzebub – A Course in Astral Travel and Dreams
Tenzin Ripoche - The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep
Websites
www.dreamviews.com
www.ld4all.com
www.saltcube.com
http://www.gnosticweb.com/
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 02:44:47 AM
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yeah, I know I explained that weird...
Ok, basic idea is that you build up a habit during everyday life to do a kind of test that will fail while dreaming. You just need good dream recall and you're pretty much set.
Dream signs is just re-occuring themes that happen in dreams. You can take notice of noticing these in every day life to again... build the habit of thinking "am I dreaming?". It's sounds a bit silly to question, you just kind of play along, cuz that's what you'll end up doing while dreaming hehe. Lucid dreamings a little weird, the idea of control, somewhat cloudy. |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 10:38:45 AM
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Funny I had my first OBE experience in a couple months (that I can recall) this morning. I try to avoid them in general because I never feel that rested afterwards and I also used to find them pointless. They occur sometimes spontaneously when I relax my energy centers too much if I have awoken before my normal time to get up.
So a simple way to have an OBE and/ or lucid dream is to do as Anthony describes above, wake up about 2 hours before you normally would, get up and go to the washroom or drink some water to establish some clarity of mind. When you go back to bed place your awareness in your crown chakra briefly, 5-10 seconds and relax it completely, then relax your 3rd eye, you can spend more time relaxing here, up to 30 seconds should do it. Continue one chakra at a time, relaxing for 30 seconds or so, descending in order through each the throat, heart center, solar plexus, naval (located about 2 inches just below) and root. If you haven't fallen back to sleep relax and trace your finger tips and arms coming back to relax the heart center until you do.
A couple of observations, if you find yourself “waking-up” without your body, where your body is asleep but your mind awakens, simply say the words “float up” or “rise up”. This can help you separate from your body when it feels like you can’t move. Also, during lucid dreaming, if you look too closely at the dreams they dissipate into nothingness or blackness.
I never knew what to do when these OBE’s and lucid dreams occurred that felt worthwhile, but I have recently taken to exploring the body. Spinal breathing is extraordinary in this state, the energy is amazing and you can really appreciate its power and how kechari intensifies energy in the head etc. In this state, it is also an excellent opportunity to heal the body, moving awareness into the sources of pain or areas that need healing. If you can rest in the state of nothingness and relax into it, the expansive feelings in the body are incredible to experience.
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 11:23:17 AM
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Anthem,
I have had dreams where I feel paralyzed by some vibrating pressence. It does not happen as much as it used to but I would wake up and when finally fully awake I would not know that if the paralysis was when I was dreaming or awake. I have questioned what was real in these experiences and I have "woke up" as many as four times. I feel like I wake up and the pressence is there then I wake up from that and wake up from that and wake up from that. does that make sense?
So your saying wehn paralyzed just ask to rise up, I will have to give that a try.
this forum is interesting to say the least
thanks
Neil
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 12:07:26 PM
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Hi Neil,
I experience the vibrating intensity sometimes as well. To me it is just my body experiencing the energy moving through it. It can be like a deep vibrating sound accompanied by intense energy vibration feelings from head to toe. The "presence" is my body, it is me, not something else outside of it and from my perspective is just me being more keenly aware of my own energy, the flow of energy within and I see this as a positive thing.
At these moments my feet get the sensation of floating up and I use the words "float up" or "rise" or something to that effect to direct my intent.
I have had the sensation many times of trying to wake up repeatedly while still being aware that my body is asleep. It is at these moments when the body is asleep and the mind is awake that the opportunity is there to float up out of the body, so just relax into it.
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2008 : 7:21:44 PM
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thanks for the insight, this is something that I never understood, dont know that I understand it now but I have some experimenting to do when it happes again. I had always felt scared when it happened like something was paralyzing me.
thanks
Neil
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2008 : 12:49:12 PM
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| Very good book if you are interested in a more yogic/spiritual approach is "The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep" by Tenzin Rinpoche. It is a very clear book and offers enlightening ways of viewing both the dreaming and "waking" state. His methods also jive well with yoga since it focuses on chakras although traditional Tibetan views of the energy differ some, but I'm sure can be adjusted. |
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Emil
Australia
141 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2008 : 04:14:16 AM
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Can someone please tell me more about this "Old Hag". I know how it feels and it started happening to me about 10 years ago after I did some third eye practices. All of a sudden it started happening to me every single night. It would normally start with a dream with very vivid and clear images. Images that were far more vivid and crystal clear than reality. From this I could already guess that the condition was happening again but there was also a feeling of slight pain in my body and the feeling that something was entering my body through my chest or belly.
At other times the condition would start with suddenly seeing a face (usually ugly, fade, abstract and skeleton like) flying towards me or appearing in front of my face. The face would get close to me and then suddenly pass through me and then I would feel that I was paralyzed and couldn't move. It also felt like my body (particularly my chest and abdomen) was being somehow penetrated and that weird creature was entering my body. It was 100% the feeling of being possessed.
Can anyone please shed some light on it and tell me what I should do with it. I know how to get out of it when it happens by moving my body but that technically wakes me up. I need a way to go back to sleep instead of coming out of this with moving and turning on the lights.
I believe my sleep quality has never been very good in the past couple of years because I'm always worried that if I let go this condition will happen and then there would be no sleep.
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coleslaaw
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2008 : 03:29:36 AM
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| By doing this meditation practice I noticed that my visualization has been getting stronger and I am naturally slipping into my imagination like when I'm about to go to sleep, on 2 seperate occasians, I would doze off and be greeted with, not hypnagogic images but it was like I was being catupulted into my imagination...Yoga Nidra is a great practice for anyone interested in Astral Projection & Lucid Dreaming...Swami Satyananda has a book on it that is actually titled "Yoga Nidra" where you can find on the Bihar Yoga Institute website or on Amazon |
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I want to experience OBE/
