Clearing the mind?

**geogzm** · 12-22-2010 11:28 PM

Apparently, according to my friend, I can't do a WBTB/WILD/FILD if I have any words in my head. I try letting my thoughts pass but I have no idea what it's supposed to be like? Even if the word "word" is in my mind? Someone clarify for me!

**mcwillis** · 12-22-2010 11:42 PM

Don't listen to your friend. Or if you do, because they are your friend, come back and ask us. One can only generally go into the state of mind your friend is referring to after many years of intense meditational practice and a strict ascetic lifestyle. What he should have said is that relaxing the mind and body would be highly beneficial in your efforts.

Firstly with WBTB it is just that. You go back to sleep an hour after waking from 6 hours of night time sleep. Relaxation would help you go back to sleep.

Secondly relaxation is very important if you want to have consistent success with WILD's

FILD - Can't answer you there as I haven't looked into it deeply enough to give you an answer.

Trust me. Relaxation is very easy. When doing your inductions just pretend you aren't going to do any lucid induction techniques and pretend you are just going to sleep as normal. That is an excellent relaxation exercise as its the most natural one there is given to you by nature.

**IAmCoder** · 12-22-2010 11:43 PM

It is supposed to be like you are just observing, nothing else.

The best way to glimpse this is to take 10 breaths as fast and as deep as you can. You should be be able to fill your lungs 100% and empty them 100% within 10 seconds. Then hold the last one in for 10 seconds and look up as far as you can stretch your neck. Your brain should reset and give you an idea of what a clear mind is like. It helps if you are relaxed and have been sitting down for a while before trying this.

**geogzm** · 12-23-2010 12:37 AM

Wow, mind seemed clear. No words in my head. Thanks. This friend of mine's had over a hundred dreams, he stayed in one lucid dream for a month (dream time).

**mcwillis** · 12-23-2010 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by IAmCoder

It is supposed to be like you are just observing, nothing else.

The best way to glimpse this is to take 10 breaths as fast and as deep as you can. You should be be able to fill your lungs 100% and empty them 100% within 10 seconds. Then hold the last one in for 10 seconds and look up as far as you can stretch your neck. Your brain should reset and give you an idea of what a clear mind is like. It helps if you are relaxed and have been sitting down for a while before trying this.

Ive been interested in pranayama for a few years and I was wondering where you found this little gem please?

**Robot_Butler** · 12-23-2010 12:51 AM

Pay attention to how you normally fall asleep at night. See how your thoughts change as you approach sleep. Your mind does not empty. It actually races as you get carried away in small dreamlets. When you WILD, you are still falling asleep. You are just holding onto a small piece of your awareness as you drift off.

**IAmCoder** · 12-23-2010 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by geogzm

Wow, mind seemed clear. No words in my head. Thanks.

Sure, thank you. I have found this exercise extremely useful for clearing my mind quickly. And also to calm the nerves; I was in a radio studio once for an interview and got overwhelmed by how impersonal the studio was with everyone around a big table with huge earphones on. Luckily I still had a few minutes and did the quick breathing. It was like I woke up inside a dream and all my worries were gone, with only the interview to focus on.

Originally Posted by geogzm

he stayed in one lucid dream for a month (dream time).

I had a dream a while back where I was back in kindergarten, but still had my full memory with me. At first I was very excited about how I could use my knowledge to my advantage, but then I realized I wouldn't want to change a thing.

Originally Posted by mcwillis

Ive been interested in pranayama for a few years and I was wondering where you found this little gem please?

I think this one actually found me. I was out on a hike and came across a spot of earth that had nothing growing in it, about 2 meters in diameter. This was in the bushveld with miles of tall grass everywhere. I decided to stop in the middle of it and do some breathing.

I started with my hands by my hips and then slowly raised them towards my face as I inhaled, as if I were slowly splashing water on my face. I would say 5 seconds from 0% to 100% inhalation and I kept my head down. Then I exhaled and moved my hands facing down again and stretched my arms to the sides as if flying. From there another full breath in with my hands only turning up slowly but my arms remaining stretched out and moving just a little higher than my head. Then I exhaled again and turned my hands down and moved my arms down a little, maybe to just below the shoulders. On the third breath my hands moved up a little higher, almost like in prayer to the heavens.

I completely exhaled again and on the fourth and final inhalation, I ended with my lungs 110% full and my hands stretched straight up, as if reaching for something high up, and made sure to stretch my neck and head as high as I could. I held my breath for a few seconds and blanked out. When I came to I was in a defensive posture, somehow still on my feet, just observing intently. No concept of who or what or where or when I was.

So to recap, 4 breaths at 5 seconds from 100% empty to 100% full, moving your arms up and down and a little higher each time. Then hold the last breath for 5 seconds and look and stretch up. Sometimes you need to repeat a few times with a minute or two break in between to get stronger effects. Please be cautioned when standing and doing this as there is a good chance you will faint and break something.

There is a great book on pranayama that I actually bought 4 times so far, but keep giving away – “Path of Fire and Light” by Swami Rama. A lot of nonsense in between (you can fly, walk on water, have full cause over time and space and what not) but plenty of advanced practical breathing exercises in between.

Originally Posted by Robot_Butler

Pay attention to how you normally fall asleep at night. See how your thoughts change as you approach sleep. Your mind does not empty. It actually races as you get carried away in small dreamlets. When you WILD, you are still falling asleep. You are just holding onto a small piece of your awareness as you drift off.

Exactly, I think the trick is to combine this with the feeling of pure observation that you temporary get from the ctrl+alt+del breathing exercise, where you are just watching the thoughts and words in your mind but still being aware of your observing / “holding onto a small piece of your awareness”.