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At night I first go to a quiet place, where I will not be interrupted (in my case, it is my bathroom!), and would do two set of exercises: the breathing exercises and the "finger" exercises. Then, I go to bed, where I do the second eye-exercises as explained above. Usually, I will not start the brain-exercises before I go through my deep-relaxation procedure, which I will be describing later. But I will not delay in this procedure because at night we are usually tired, and the longer it takes to exercise, the more likely we are to fall asleep. Therefore, I like to do a very good deep-relaxation, coupled with the auto-suggestions I want to input, during nap-times when I have plenty of time and I am not tired.
Usually, I don't have experiences that can be interpreted as "OBE" at night, as I usually just go to sleep after I finish the series of exercises. However, I do have frequent sleep-onset experiences, ranging from vibrations to sounds and lights, but frequently nothing happens as well. My golden-time is in the mornings, and it has been so since my youth. (See about that on biography). (Note that nap-times are very good times for OBE-type experiences, as well.) Therefore, my alarm-clock is just almost always set at 4:00AM. I usually get up (which the cat helps, if I am lazy...), go to the kitchen and feed the cat, before I grind my "guarana' " (an Indian drink from the Amazon), which is then taken with water and sugar. Then I put the cat out, and I either read a little or do some work before I go back to bed, taking care not to delay too long. (This time usually depends on family-conditions, which runs with my husband's time for work, my own times for work, my daughter's school, and so on.) I next go back to bed and do my short-series of exercises, which consists of the "closed-eyes exercise", the "brain-pulsation exercise", and a little of the "building of the exit-channel exercise". I sometimes shorten the number of repetitions in these exercises if I tend to be too sleepy or approaching the sleep onset too fast, or if the time seems too short. I don't delve in the "building of the exit-channel" for too long, usually just turning to one of my sides while doing my favorite variation: "the arrow" (the number one with extensions on both sides) and a little of "circulation of the zero". But there is a very important trick: I will be alert for "sliding-out sensations", as "wobbling", "swinging", and "head-get-ups" sensations (feels like my head suddenly just moves out in a get-up movement), while approaching sleep-onset. These are sensations that demonstrates I am "loose", by whatever mechanism that produces them, and ready to move out. I will only have to "impulse myself out", as if getting up from my bed, only it will be from my own physical body.
I also like to test for "looseness" by mimicking from memory (oh-so-slightly) the swinging movement. Many times this simple play has worked for me. This idea came from similar sensations when I feel "loose". Also, from personal experience and from many comments from relatives and friends about the fact that after long trips in any vehicle, that we tend to have "falling dreams" or we feel like we are still traveling in the vehicle. That "swinging movement" works similar to this effect. (Seemingly, we tend to memorize movements, and they reflect at the sleep onset... Lights, like for example "flashing lights", have the same tendency: one memorizes it, and then it sort of "replays it" at the sleep-onset, more like "mimicking" or "reflecting on" the memory...) Usually, if during the sleep onset I am already "loose", this "swinging action" will just increase the extent of the swinging movements and I will "impulse myself out"... If I see a light and I am able to fix my "look" on it, I will try to "rotate/circulate" it, as Bianca suggested, which for myself this procedure is mostly unsuccessful, with few exceptions. Sounds, voices, "swash" (brain?) sounds, usually just alert me to the proximity of sleep-onset, and I haven't experimented very much on using them as a "get-out trigger", with very few exceptions. (Note: Sounds are also frequently associated with lights phenomena.)
Once "out", as you can see from the sample of my experiences, I might either feel myself completely out and move away from my body quickly, or I will not be quite "loose", feeling unmistakably still "glued" or "stuck" to the body. It's always interesting for me to discover a hand(s), a leg(s) , or trunk, sometimes even the head, still "sticking" to the body... I have learned by experimenting during these situations that if I just keep myself calm and wait a little while, I am usually able to "unglue myself" from the body without any problems. Otherwise, I would just be reabsorbed back into the body. That means I will have to "impulse myself" out again if I feel I am still "quite loose". In these situations, I will remain very quiet and alert for evidence of looseness. I know by experience that it will very probably happen again.
For me, when already outside my physical body, it is almost always "dark" near the body, even though I do seem to have some type of perception as I always know where I am going. (I have noted the same with other OBEer's experiences though, with others, problems of darkness seem non-existent...) My ability to "see well" while out of my body varies from poor to clear. In my case, my experiences included very few good-cases (however never exceptionally clear) of clear sight ability. The experiences with "clear-sight" always appear from my awakenings from dream situations. Also, it is important to note here that even though I seem to be quite conscious and seeing the environment well, I am never sure if it is a real environment or if it is just a "brain-made" environment. For myself, this is always the case, even though I do have unmistakable sensations of leaving my body, as it is evident from the sample of my experiences. But then, as I have declared in the introductory comments, I am NOT an exceptionally skilled or an expert OBEer or Lucid-Dreamer...
The experience of "returning to the body" also varies widely, from clearly feeling the re-entrance into the physical body, with vibrations and sounds, to "awakening back" as if it was just switched on, with not an inkling that I did reenter the body at all. The conscious returning to the body might happen from both, Lucid-Dreams and OBE-type experiences. There are also many instances where I just lose consciousness, the experience becoming just dreams, even though it might have started with full awareness of the separation from the physical body. And yes, we can also be involved with the annoying false-awakenings. (I have noted that those "false awakenings" seem to happen when one is too drowsy to be able to awaken the body, though not entirely sure of its veracity, with obvious need to research this matter further.)
The variation in conditions for having a conscious OBE-type experience are enormous, but soon we seem to learn about patterns, and we develop "tricks" that work. That is what seems to happen with many "OBEers", and it happens with me as well. The "tricks" mainly work, but not always, which is a hard test on our patience and endurance for defeats! Also, for a reason that I still don't understand, we don't seem to always be "ready" for experiences (of any kind, indeed, not only getting out of the body consciously.) For myself there are periods when nothing happens, and during my time with Bianca's group the same happened with my colleagues. There were times we believed we had "lost the ability" to have them, to just suddenly start having them once again. Bianca used to say that those "hiatus" were related to a change in "frequency" (a frequently used term in her group discussions), from a lower to a higher level. As soon as we would supposedly be established in the new level, the experiences would return. With more experience and after studying others OBEers and Lucid-Dreamers' experiences, I tend to place that idea on hold, as it might well be "something else". However, that is an issue that must be mentioned, as it is important when one wants to keep going with our learning about the ability to develop consciousness during dreams and sleep-onsets.
So, if nothing happens in terms of OBE-type experiences, "I always observe my dreams"! I personally believe there is nothing more important than to keep this observation going, and keep the communication with the subconscious-mind on.
You are now lying down on a bed or on the floor. Or may be you have decided to just lie on a reclining chair. It doesn't really matter, as soon as you are very confortable and that you consider you might fall asleep while in relaxation.
Imagine as if a warm blanket is moving up from your legs, starting at the toes, and as it does so, you feel all the muscles become relaxed. After a while, you will almost feel "this blanket" moving upwards, while relaxing your body. It is a good idea at first to do this process very carefully so that you "imprint" your memory on how you want it to happen. Then later, this relaxation process can be done faster and efficiently. A variation of "the blanket" that I have experimented is to imagine a sort of "pump" located on the top of the head that sort of pulls all "tensions and discomforts", starting at the toes and moving upwards until it reaches the top of the head, where they then disappear. While this "pump" is pulling the tensions upward to the top of the head, it leaves behind a warm-numb body.
Next, imagine yourself as if going down a flight of stairs, say, made of 10 steps. Carefully step by step, imagining your - preferably bare - feet stepping on them, approach a favorite environment of yours... It is important, I should note, that you choose the "environment" beforehand, and that you always use this favorite environment for the purpose of the relaxation exercise. I, for example, use my memory of the place where I was born in Brazil. It was a beautiful and special place and I enjoy going there in this exercise. So, I step out of the stairs right in front of a pair of huge Buriti palm-trees, into the green grass with its characteristic flowers all grown around. My feet are bare, and I feel this grass on my feet, and I can even see the remaining grass flowers on them, which are small black specks. I look up at the Buriti palm-trees and can hear its "palms" clap in the breeze, while its enormous leaves screech with their movement caused by the wind. Its big hanging bunch of fruits, brown and shiny, hangs from its top, and I almost can feel the smell and the taste of one of its fruits that I can pick from the ground. I just about can hear the river moving fast toward the waterfall, "gurgling", while the waterfall thunders in the distance. In the sky, the sun shines in a pleasant way, and - alas - I can feel the warmth of the sun, and just almost see it, as well...
In your "relaxation environment", you might want to meet a friend, or anybody you would like to (a friend, a relative, even a saint... whoever you wish). Then tell your friend your purposes: to achieve an exit of your matter (OBE) consciously, then to keep this consciousness while out of your physical body, and to remember the experience fully upon returning your physical body, or awakening from your sleep. Also, it is a good idea to tell your friend your purpose in "finding, doing, or learning something meaningful, while OBEing", so that you don't get bored and uninterested, halting your experiments.
Note that if you are doing this at night, it is a good idea not to delay in it for too long. You still have a long leg in exercising. You might want to play with that at a special time, rather than at the time of sleep. That is specially important if you are tired from a day's work.
If you want, or if you believe it might help you to relax further, you could again go down another flight of stairs (say 10 more), to another environment, and again declare your purposes, so that your subconscious mind is well imprinted.
Important: Don't come back "up" from this deep relaxation state. From there you just "turn-off" you relaxation environment to the blackness of your dark-screen of your mind... The blackness that it's located right in front of your closed eyes. You now will not "see" anything, just that blackness.
If you are doing exercises as explained by Bianca (the "bare-bone exercises"), your next step is to try to feel as if your brain is "pulsating". At this point you should go on with the "brain-exercises", and the "building of the exit channel".
One good way in establishing motivation & memory is to keep a diary. Another trick is to have a "group of friends" interested in this subject, and may be even interested in following these or other procedures. The important aspect is to keep yourself interested in talking about, exchanging stories of experiences, and discussing the results, and principally, having a good time with it. That almost surely will guarantee at least, say, 50% of your success. (Internet -- might help some, and there are great sites and bulletin boards..)
The issue here is twofold. One is that we should use the tool of "imprinting the subconscious mind" to help us to "remember" that we are either "dreaming", or "on the sleep onset". This last one will afford an experience of OBE type. The first one will enable us to have a Lucid-Dream. We can do this "imprinting of the subconscious mind", for example, by having a strong interest in this matter. That is involving both, intention and feelings. However, it is said that excess effort in this process of "imprinting of the subconscious mind" tend to work against it... The relaxed way should be best. I agree that there is a fine line, if not a "gray-line", about being in a "relaxed way" and "being in a tense effort". Therefore, the only thing I could say is: "Don't worry too much!" Is that possible? It all depends on our personality...
Going back to the point, the "imprinting of the subconscious mind" is the process of convincing our mind to remember at the right moment. There are many uses for that, but here our interest is related to the OBE/LD experience. You can search references on "suggestion and auto-suggestion", and "hypnotism and auto-hypnotism" and see what authors on this subject tell about what to do. However, I believe you can use your imagination and be creative about it. That's mostly what I do. Of course, sometimes it doesn't work... And frequently it works in unexpected ways.
Here is what I do: While in the relaxation procedure, where I "visit that nice place of mine", I tell "my special friend" about my intentions and objectives. I take certain quiet moments to "think and feel" about this issue. I "pray" to my superconscious ego. Before going to sleep, I remember my intention, and once again I "think and feel" my intention. And, I make a habit of the first thing to do after awakening in the morning being that of asking: "What was I dreaming about?"
The second issue is that you can establish a "communication channel" with your sub and super conscious mind. We are all able to do so, to a certain extent. Just look at the innumerable references about techniques in hypnotism, auto-hypnotism, dream-interpretations, "feeling interpretations", intuition skill building techniques, visualization techniques, and so on. (I suggest you to read a little of the literature about this subject, if you haven't done so before.) It is important that you learn to "detect", by yourself, the subtleties of these contacts with your sub and/or your super-conscious mind. I agree with other OBEers who say that, actually, it is the subconscious (or superconscious, if we call our super-ego so) mind that commands the quality and frequency of our experiences. That applies to the appearance of phenomena, as well, principally if you are "curious" about them. Subconscious mind is related to motivation and memory, as well. So, this is an utmost important issue!
Therefore, when dealing with Lucid-Dreams and OBEs, one is also dealing with our mind. And that is, in my point of view, an essentially "terra incognita". That warns us to not be shy, and to be investigative.
I commented above on the importance of imprinting the "subconscious mind" with the idea to "remember" that you are dreaming, or to "keep awareness" while falling asleep. It is important to realize here how everything might be falling in the same category... I believe that the "imprinting of the subconscious mind" and the "building of thought-forms" is one and the same thing. Obviously there is the physiology of the process, which happens in the brain. However, there are many cases in literature and in folklore that points to the human ability to "build" and "project" these "energetic thought agglomerates", if we can call them so, outwards, and direct them as well.
Finally, there is the issue of "thought with emotion" or the "emotion with thought". [Read these comments from Markides book on "The Magus of Strovolus".] [Read this my experience with the "though-play".] [My cousin's case & other folklore cases from Brazil.] [View at the distance link.]
Modern Lucid-Dream researchers insist that those "voices" and "visions" we have during sleep-onset, are from our imagination. That they are just part of our "dreams", which our brain/mind builds from our daily experience. (Hypnagogic and hypnopompic visions.) I suppose that is a reasonable argument. However, from my experiences with "spiritism" in Brazil, I should not accept that possibility as the only one possible. My experience of "someone talking to me" above, is one striking example. During my work with the "Vale do Amanhecer", a spiritism work with mediuns (near Brasilia, Brazil's capital), I had many instances of both, "dreams" and experiences during my participation with their work that showed a special interaction with the "spirits" that worked with that organization. There is one common characteristic with all of them, at least with my respect: they are caring. Those "communications", "help", "tips", and so on, usually come unexpectedly, and in a loving way... I could and can feel that. My only reaction in those situations is that of a grateful receiver: "Thank you!"
Therefore, in our endeavor for this adventure into the "dream-world", it's a good idea to give a little consideration that "help" might come. As in any endeavor in our daily life, we might ask for help, and we might receive it. It doesn't matter if it comes from a relative that had passed away, or from a total stranger who is engaged in helping "adventurers" just like us... With relation to "dreams or OBE adventures", our positive state of mind will assure that whoever comes is a knowing person, who could effectively help with our awkwardness, our forgetfulness, our anxiety, our fears, our hopes. A "good" helper will do the necessary job, and will not be interested in recognition. That is an important characteristic, as it shows "universal brotherhood". I mean, the person who gives having in mind the universal love among us all.
My background is Christian, as are most Brazilians. However, I am not a religious person, also a characteristic that is adopted by most scientists, having the aim of unbiased points of view. Still, I can see many times those helpers use the specific symbolism the situation ask for, as in the Vale do Amanhecer's spiritism work, or just reflecting their own background, as my (may be) "grand-father communication" above. That is fine, if we know how to respect those colors and flavors of the many influences in this world. Neutrality is one important attitude, and it will help us to receive help, without the inconvenience of "fear".
If you are not clearly conscious and skilled in these realms, it is logical be concerned about the type of "helper" you are dealing with. What I do about this matter? I just let it go unchecked... It might not be too safe, but as I have mentioned above, I have learned that the "good helpers" usually don't not care to be detected, and do not directly interfere with you. Therefore, I assume that one of their jobs is to protect us in our ignorance, if there is any risk at all. (If you do get involved in bad experiences, and you have reasons to suspect interference or an encounter of the "bad-type", read Markides series about the Magus of Strovolus. They have some advise on what to do about this situation.) Sometimes helpers are so subtle that I am not sure if the help came from "outside", or from my "sub/superconscious mind". In other instances, however, I have help from unexpected sources, of the "happy-type", like for example a child who plays a "high-note" violin tune, while insuring I get the experience/communication, besides calling me "Mom", to my amazement. (I have never lost a child before, and even had a little difficulty to conceive my only - now 13year old - daughter...)
As soon as you start noticing the instances you are aware of yourself, be it in dreams of sleep/wake onsets, you will notice you have help. The ever present "friends of the otherworld", though sometimes they don't seem like friends when they apply extreme measures to makes us conscious... (See odd-dreams.) Therefore, it is important to be open and even seek for help. However, I believe the most important help we can have, to begin with, is from ourselves, through our subconscious and superconscious mind.
As a "wanderer physicist", as I have been, I had problems with meeting people that would share an interest in this matter. I did try to do something about my solitude, mainly concerned that my motivation was always on the verge of dwindling to dangerous low levels. As I always considered this experience to be important to myself, I had to be creative to find solutions. Of course, -- Reading books -- is a wonderful motivation and I have done lots of that, whenever I could find something interesting.
Groups of friends with related interests worked sporadically. Also, they not always specifically matched the area of OBE/Lucid-Dreaming issue. However, my interests are broad, and they do include many others making the experience or participating in a "group" a rewarding one. Usually they ranged from spiritism and spiritualism, while living in Brazil, to the cognitive-mind studies, while living in San Antonio (Texas). However, I had also dealt with hypnosis and auto-hypnosis, both in Sao Paulo and Pretoria, this last one specifically oriented to "memory" (see separated description).
After I moved to Austin (Texas), however, my attempts to find people interested and maintain a group failed, and I directed my efforts lately to writing, and to investigating the Internet community.
Therefore, that demonstrates the obvious difficulty in finding "groups of friends" that remain stable for a prolonged period of time.
By now, I consider the "loner-way" - when oriented and well-planed - the most stable one. Of course life will always appear to be taking you out of the chosen route. But - on the positive side - we can always consider these disturbances as the normal "background noise". The "average effort" is what we should be looking for. If this average has a high enough level, one will be getting results. And that will motivate you to keep going.
WHAT IF I DON'T GET RESULTS? Well that can happen too... However, my experience - with myself and by observing friends and colleagues efforts, and by descriptions in the modern literature - shows that there is a high chance that we do get results. It will all depend on "how interested" we are. ...Just by reading this subject it's already interest enough to cause an spontaneous experience of OBE/Lucid-Dreaming.
So... Cheer up! There is light at the end of this tunnel!
Copyright © 1996
Sirley Marques Bonham
Last updated October 12, 2001
For more information contact:
sbonham@TheConsciousDreamer.org