Hitting roadblocks while trying to AP...

[RPM]

I've attempted to AP four times in the past three days.

During two of the attempts, I got a strong sensation that the room was spinning around me, but I don't think I got vibrations.

I've yet to hit sleep paralysis.

Yesterday, during my third attempt, I got a very vivid image of a 3-eyed figure I assume was Buddha.

That's not unexpected, I was listening to Tibetan meditation music (amazing) during that attempt.

It was similar to the figure and scenery in this image, except it had a third eye and was wearing gold jewelry.

The background became rapidly spinning colors before fading away.

So what do I need to do, UM?

Do I just need to keep going at it?

After a past experience when I was younger, I believe I can do this again.

I want to do this more than anything.

EDIT:

I feel like I should mention that 2 out of 4 of my attempts were as I was going to bed.

The first attempt was around 7:30 PM while I was still mostly awake.

The third attempt started around 4:30 PM, but I ended up falling asleep and waking up at 7 PM or so.

Edited September 30, 2014 by RPM

[White Crane Feather]

I've attempted to AP four times in the past three days.

During two of the attempts, I got a strong sensation that the room was spinning around me, but I don't think I got vibrations.

I've yet to hit sleep paralysis.

Yesterday, during my third attempt, I got a very vivid image of a 3-eyed figure I assume was Buddha.

That's not unexpected, I was listening to Tibetan meditation music (amazing) during that attempt.

It was similar to the figure and scenery in this image, except it had a third eye and was wearing gold jewelry.

The background became rapidly spinning colors before fading away.

So what do I need to do, UM?

Do I just need to keep going at it?

After a past experience when I was younger, I believe I can do this again.

I want to do this more than anything.

We can always trouble shoot. If you explain exactly what you are doing I can offer some ideas. Also when, where, every little detail might have a place that you can tweak something.

[RPM]

We can always trouble shoot. If you explain exactly what you are doing I can offer some ideas. Also when, where, every little detail might have a place that you can tweak something.

All 4 attempts:

- was in my bed

- was on my back

- arms and legs out straight

- cover pulled up to my neck

- head slightly propped up

- very comfortable

3 attempts:

- it was dark in my room

- I had a lot of anxiety

- was very nervous about sleep paralysis

2 attempts:

- was after 8 PM

- was going to bed

- was on edge

1 attempt:

- was calm

- was listening to Tibetan meditation music (I think I got the suggestion from you, WCF)

- was at 4:30 PM

- was light in my room

- had vivid imagery

- had overwhelming spinning feeling

- felt as if I was naked at one point even though I was wearing jeans and a jacket

Hopefully this helps a bit.

[White Crane Feather]

All 4 attempts:

- was in my bed

- was on my back

- arms and legs out straight

- cover pulled up to my neck

- head slightly propped up

- very comfortable

3 attempts:

- it was dark in my room

- I had a lot of anxiety

- was very nervous about sleep paralysis

2 attempts:

- was after 8 PM

- was going to bed

- was on edge

1 attempt:

- was calm

- was listening to Tibetan meditation music (I think I got the suggestion from you, WCF)

- was at 4:30 PM

- was light in my room

- had vivid imagery

- had overwhelming spinning feeling

- felt as if I was naked at one point even though I was wearing jeans and a jacket

Hopefully this helps a bit.

Some suggestions. Yes you certainly need to calm down when you are nervous about it. You want to create control not an out of control OBE. This only cones through relaxation and a release of your anxieties

Your timing is a common problem. It's much much easier to slip into the middle places after you have woken up in the morning. Try wakeing up very early 4:30 am then going back to try, then if you fall asleep do it again after you wake up.

Try with music for a while, then without. If you are using headphones this may disrupt you. I always had a problem with technology and altered states.

Try switching to binaural beats, shamanic drumming, and or a rotating fan. It's important that if rotates back an forth. It acts very much like a hypnotist's watch or EMDR regression therapy.

I hope some of this helps.

[RPM]

Some suggestions. Yes you certainly need to calm down when you are nervous about it. You want to create control not an out of control OBE. This only cones through relaxation and a release of your anxieties

Your timing is a common problem. It's much much easier to slip into the middle places after you have woken up in the morning. Try wakeing up very early 4:30 am then going back to try, then if you fall asleep do it again after you wake up.

Try with music for a while, then without. If you are using headphones this may disrupt you. I always had a problem with technology and altered states.

Try switching to binaural beats, shamanic drumming, and or a rotating fan. It's important that if rotates back an forth. It acts very much like a hypnotist's watch or EMDR regression therapy.

I hope some of this helps.

How I do let go of the stress I feel?

I try calming down but every time the thought crosses my mind, I get a strong mix of excitement, happiness, and fear.

A couple times after clearing my mind, my leg or arm with jolt up on its own.

Whenever I get that light, airy feeling, I will start to think and that causes it to go away.

I think my best bet is to keep trying with my current process of doing it when I get home.

- It's still light out, so my imagination doesn't get the best of me.

- The music doesn't seem creepy or ominous in the day.

- And I can actually relax.

I have a two week break coming up, so I will try the method of waking up very early and doing it.

How many hours of sleep should I get before waking up?

Should I do halfway? Like, if I plan to sleep a total of 8 hours, should I wake myself up after 4, walk around, then lie back down for 4 hours?

Also, do binaural beats work?

I remember getting some weird feelings a long time ago when I messed with them, but I thought it was psychological.

If it helps the process, I will definitely try.

Can I do it with speakers if they are high quality and are set up in a surround position around my head?

Edited September 30, 2014 by RPM

[White Crane Feather]

How I do let go of the stress I feel?

I try calming down but every time the thought crosses my mind, I get a strong mix of excitement, happiness, and fear.

A couple times after clearing my mind, my leg or arm with jolt up on its own.

Whenever I get that light, airy feeling, I will start to think and that causes it to go away.

I think my best bet is to keep trying with my current process of doing it when I get home.

- It's still light out, so my imagination doesn't get the best of me.

- The music doesn't seem creepy or ominous in the day.

- And I can actually relax.

I have a two week break coming up, so I will try the method of waking up very early and doing it.

How many hours of sleep should I get before waking up?

Should I do halfway? Like, if I plan to sleep a total of 8 hours, should I wake myself up after 4, walk around, then lie back down for 4 hours?

Also, do binaural beats work?

I remember getting some weird feelings a long time ago when I messed with them, but I thought it was psychological.

If it helps the process, I will definitely try.

Can I do it with speakers if they are high quality and are set up in a surround position around my head?

Yes. The speakers seem fine. I eventually found that auditory aids were holding me back, but we are all different. Binaural beats do work for some people and there is research to support it. But it's not about the sound its about the stimulus from the right side and left. It can also be accomplished with other things, like I mentioned with the fan. It synchronizes the right and left side if the brain giving you access to things you wouldn't otherwise have .

There is no set time, but the Pre-sleep is very important. If you get a day off just lay around until 10-11 am or so attempting and drifting. You will be shocked the difference it will make. Night time going to bed never works.

The only way to address the fear is to let it go. It's like letting a towel fall of of you. You just let it go psychologically and emotionally. I know it's easier said than done, but when you experience fear you just accept a lets see what happens attitude. It's a process. You have to let it go before you are free of if.

If you manage to find a morning to lay around, a nice well lit day will alleviate some of the anxiety you might be holding.

Edited September 30, 2014 by White Crane Feather

[RPM]

Yes. The speakers seem fine. I eventually found that auditory aids were holding me back, but we are all different. Binaural beats do work for some people and there is research to support it. But it's not about the sound its about the stimulus from the right side and left. It can also be accomplished with other things, like I mentioned with the fan. It synchronizes the right and left side if the brain giving you access to things you wouldn't otherwise have .

There is no set time, but the Pre-sleep is very important. If you get a day off just lay around until 10-11 am or so attempting and drifting. You will be shocked the difference it will make. Night time going to bed never works.

The only way to address the fear is to let it go. It's like letting a towel fall of of you. You just let it go psychologically and emotionally. I know it's easier said than done, but when you experience fear you just accept a lets see what happens attitude. It's a process. You have to let it go before you are free of if.

If you manage to find a morning to lay around, a nice well lit day will alleviate some of the anxiety you might be holding.

Alright.

So I've got:

- try binaural beats

- do it when I've got spare time, preferably in the morning or around noon

- let go of fear

How many attempts would you expect this kind of thing to take?

I've heard some people say they did it on the first try.

But I've also heard some people say it took them 5 years.

I feel like my past experience would make this easier for me, but I'm not so sure.

[White Crane Feather]

Alright.

So I've got:

- try binaural beats

- do it when I've got spare time, preferably in the morning or around noon

- let go of fear

How many attempts would you expect this kind of thing to take?

I've heard some people say they did it on the first try.

But I've also heard some people say it took them 5 years.

I feel like my past experience would make this easier for me, but I'm not so sure.

Not around noon In particular. Just in the morning when you have been sleeping in.

There is no way to tell how long it will take. Some people do get it right away others don't. Usually a break through happens when you are close to giving up. This happens because you enter a frame of mind of surrender which is actually a very relaxed state. If you can cultivate this early, your learning curve will be better.

[Soul Foam]

By no means am I even close to as experienced as WCF, but I recommend reading the thread I posted about my first experience, you can read there what I did to actually successfully be lucid in an altered state.

The thread is here:

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=272203&st=0&p=5305840entry5305840

My best advice is to recite "my mind is awake but my body is asleep" in your head ALOT before going to sleep, and set an alarm for about 4-5 hrs hours from the time you goto sleep. Personally 4-5 hours has always worked for me, it may or may not for you. Ive actually woke up from 2 hrs of sleep, stayed up for 3 hrs, got EXTREMELY groggy and was able to induce an experience really really quick and easy, so it really doesn't matter the time frame, so much as just making sure you're really groggy.

Anyways after you fall asleep from constantly reciting "my mind is awake but my body is asleep", when your alarm wakes you up, it'll be the first thing on your mind. So have your alarm somewhere close that you can shut it off without really opening your eyes if possible (I use my iPad and just sleep with it next to me so I don't have to open my eyes). Then after you shut off your alarm, your body should basically try to go back to sleep pretty quickly (depending on the method, I'm describing the 4-5 hr method), and once it does you'll hear ringing and get some pretty intense vibrations, just focus on those and DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT GET TO EXCITED. Just let it happen, and have clear thoughts so you really don't get to excited over it, you'll just be waking up so you won't have a bunch on your mind anyways besides "my mind is awake but my body is asleep", so it'll be relatively easy to remain calm.

After that, enjoy the lucid experience:).

If you have any questions I'd be happy to help based on my experiences!