Using Waking World Sounds to Help WILD

[Sivason]

A common problem people have when trying to WILD is when a waking world noise keeps pulling them back into the waking world. We normally hear a noise, and our brain searches for meaning and relationship. You quickly attempt to discern the nature of the noise and where it is located, as well as if the noise present an opportunity or danger. This instinctual process hinders WILD. All that is needed to overcome this is visualization and self hypnotic suggestion. Near my window is a small grove of bamboo, and birds love it. I often WILD after the sun is rising and 1000 birds sing for joy. This could cause a WILD to fail. What is needed here is the auto-suggestion that I must be in a dream, because I can hear birds. It removes the instinct to locate the birds in relation to me and evaluate if they are a opportunity or threat. I assume I must be dreaming of a lovely morning in a forest, and continue towards conscious sleep. Next, my wife starts the washing machine. It is not a washing machine, I tell my mind I must be in a dream as I can clearly here the mechanism for a railroad cart operated with a hand lever system. Where is the noise? Here in the dream. I tell myself I am probably on the cart and even more likely I am pumping the lever. I visualize the lever and the tactile/ proprioception feeling of this. See, I must be dreaming because the noise is so loud and vivid. Noise: chunk-chunk-chunk-chunk. Mental: It is so vivid (the sound of the hand operated cart) that I am clearly having a dream. By this simple mental manipulation you can use external noises to enhance your WILD effort instead of ending it.

[DreamscapeGoat]

I actually try to sleep with a thought like this in mind. Our AC unit is really loud (Doesn't help I'm right next to it), so I try to use it as the sound of an engine to some sort of vehicle. Hasn't worked yet, mostly because I don't WILD, but it's nice ot know that this works.