So close!

[Hunterkiss]

I just tried a WILD nap. After about 30 minutes, I felt the onset of transition. The blackness behind my eyes widened, I felt a sensation of spinning, and my heart started to pound. This has happened before but usually only lasts a few seconds because I get excited. However, this time I stayed calm and it lasted a couple minutes. I tried to visualize and feel being on the beach at first but nothing was changing so I just laid there and stayed passive. After 2 or 3 minutes, first the spinning slowed, then my heart slowly returned to normal. I usually experience these kinds of things on my back (which I was) and sleep paralysis if I'm on my side (vibrations, ringing, mind imploding feeling, etc). Either way I have trouble getting into the dream. Any advice for transitioning from here? I have gotten this far multiple times but cannot seem to get past this. Thanks

[Jesslet]

I'm interested in hearing from some of the more experienced dreamers, I'm having literally the same problem you are. What some others have replied to my similar threads, is that you may not yet be fully asleep and these sensations are HH. When you experience these, try and just ignore them - focus on some sensory element of the dream you want to enter; i.e. the smell of something or the texture of something like a tree under your hand, or if you're more musically inclined try and focus on an audial sense. Apparently, if you get through that stage you will enter a dream. I have been here before and every time that the vibrations haven't woken me up I've entered a dream of some kind after, although I've yet to become lucid. Keep trying and don't give up, I'm sure we'll get it eventually!

[cmind]

Honestly it doesn't sound like you were close at all. Heart pounding is a good indication that you're not falling asleep. If you were falling asleep, you wouldn't be aware of your heart beat, or even your breathing for that matter. Now, what you describe as "sleep paralysis" when you're on your side, this is HH (not SP), and this is what you should be shooting for. Vibrations and ringing noises are a sure sign that you're very close.

[gab]

I just tried a WILD nap. After about 30 minutes, I felt the onset of transition. The blackness behind my eyes widened, I felt a sensation of spinning, and my heart started to pound. This has happened before but usually only lasts a few seconds because I get excited. However, this time I stayed calm and it lasted a couple minutes. I tried to visualize and feel being on the beach at first but nothing was changing so I just laid there and stayed passive. After 2 or 3 minutes, first the spinning slowed, then my heart slowly returned to normal. I usually experience these kinds of things on my back (which I was) and sleep paralysis if I'm on my side (vibrations, ringing, mind imploding feeling, etc). Either way I have trouble getting into the dream. Any advice for transitioning from here? I have gotten this far multiple times but cannot seem to get past this. Thanks Indeed, when you experience the blackness behind your eyes changing, spinning or any other movement, and yes, even your heart pounding, that means you are close if not already fallen asleep. Even if only the first part of sleep, the light sleep. Some people report the blaskness behing eyelids changing, getting feel of 3-D environment, as if it was endless, went far beyond the eyelids. Any sensation of movement is indication that you are in the transition already, and perhaps even already inside of the dream. You can try to just stand up from your bed. Practice this during day. Give your muscless command to move, but only mentally. Start the movement as if you were gonna roll to your side, or sit up, but stop just short of actually moving your muscless. Continue only with your imagination. Then when you do this during transition and you not asleep yet, that's all that will happen. You give the command but you will stay laying. That will tell you that you need to keep going and fall asleep. Now, if you try and stand up/roll out and you actually start moving, you will know that you are asleep and that was your dream body that stood up/rolled out. At that moment yu will realize that you are lucid in a dream. Pounding heart can also happen. Some say that it's just percieved, and it actually is the heart chakra that we feel. Some say that it's the actual heartbeat, that speeds up when we get into REM even when we are falling asleep normally. Only then we are not aware of it. And vibrations, seeing images, hearing sounds, feeling of weightlesness, heaviness, falling through bed, turning, twisting, flying or being dragged at incredible speed - those are the HH or hallucinations. You may experience some or none of them. But those mean that dreaming process has started and you are either already in a dream or just before the dream. At this point (or even sooner) you can try any motionless RCs - like trying to stand up, or give command for you to levitate up. Good luck and happy dreams : D http://www.dreamviews.com/wake-initi...into-wild.html http://www.dreamviews.com/wild/

[Hunterkiss]

Now, what you describe as "sleep paralysis" when you're on your side, this is HH (not SP) No, I know what SP feels like. I have nights where I can feel myself going in and out of it every few seconds. But if I get visual HI, it is usually within the first 10-15 minutes then goes away so why would it randomly happen 30 minutes later? Pretty sure I was on the brink of transition. Honestly it doesn't sound like you were close at all. Heart pounding is a good indication that you're not falling asleep. If you were falling asleep, you wouldn't be aware of your heart beat, or even your breathing for that matter. There is obviously some controversy between what you and gab said. I will just keep practicing but thanks for the replies everyone.

[cmind]

No, I know what SP feels like. I have nights where I can feel myself going in and out of it every few seconds. But if I get visual HI, it is usually within the first 10-15 minutes then goes away so why would it randomly happen 30 minutes later? Pretty sure I was on the brink of transition. Sorry, but you really don't know what you're talking about here. SP generally has nothing to do with WILD. It's a rare condition that involves being literally paralyzed with extreme open-eye visual hallucinations that are usually very scary. You'd know it if it happened to you. What you're describing as "SP" is actually hypnagogia, which is a benign transitional state that happens several times every night when you fall asleep. Not SP. There is obviously some controversy between what you and gab said. Yes, it's a difference of opinion regarding teaching methodology. Perhaps I should make a thread about this, as I often butt heads with certain people here. Basically, I believe that the learner needs specific sign posts to guide him/her, even if they later turn out to not be 100% true. gab, on the other hand, seems to think that being pedantic is better, and follows the philosophy that being "technically correct" is the best kind of "correct". Technically, you can experience whatever. Every human is unique. But it's better to have specific information that's true 99% of the time than pedantically general information that's true 100% of the time but is totally useless. I will just keep practicing but thanks for the replies everyone. This is the best thing to do. The only real way to learn is practice, and to ignore us airheads on the forum "There's a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path." - Morpheus