Inducing Trance To Wild - Part 1 - Techniques for the WILD process and inducing trance states and sleep paralysis, refer to the technique Reverse Blinking in this topic because it will come in handy for the techniques posted here.




Hello all, here I have posted techniques on developing vivid visualization, natural induction of hallucinations, inducing vivid HI before sleep and etc. to help you accomplish the goal of Lucid Dreaming through my WILD method or make up your own! These visual skills are not only essential for many practices (ie. Lucid Dreaming), they are fun fun fun!

NOTE: I have many techniques that will benefit EVERYONE, no matter who you are, if you follow what I'm saying and practice!

:!: Visualization/Imagination Techniques & Tips :!:
I will begin with tips for the following visualization techniques.

Don't see with your physical eyes, see with your minds eye. Pinpoint the area in your consciousnesswhere this image is projected. It is different than where your eyes project their image. Keep your attention in this area and you might find yourself seeing the images vividly!
Visualize as vividly as you can; that means use all 5 senses within the visualization! This may be hard at first, but with practice it'll become as natural as breathing! Just imagine a lucid dream with all its vividness and senses present like in real life.
Be relaxed, don't force these techniques and don't stress over them. I will put recommendations on when and how long you should do them - but as you should know the more the better!

Develop Vivid Visualization

First, we'll start off by developing vivid visualizations. Right now, as you're reading this, visualize an apple. Do you see it in your mind? Now reach out to it and feel it in your hands, feel the texture, the weight, everything pertaining to the sense of touch. Now take a bite out of it; hear the sound of biting it, taste the apple in your mouth, roll it around in your mouth, chew and hear yourself chewing. Then move onto smelling the apple, look at the wound you gave it up close and smell the apple. Now throw it against the wall and hear it bounce off the wall and fall to the floor with a thump - end visualization. Some of you may have difficulty doing this exercise and reading at the same time, so read it over and then close your eyes and do it. If you still can't...then you'll need to practice this. I suggest doing this for 5 minutes, everyday, about 10 times a day. This exercise can be done anywhere, anytime (as long as you're not doing anything that requires concentration) - say, you're in a bus waiting to get to your destination, practice this and by the time you know it you'll be able to vividly visualize all 5 senses easily. When you get more adept in visualizing all 5 senses with the apple, move to bigger things. Try to include all your 5 senses whenever you're daydreaming and such, this is an extremely beneficial exercise!

Develop Vivid Imagery

Now this technique deals with vivid imagery. This is different than vivid visualizations. The first exercise dealt with developing vivid visualizations which includes all 5 senses; the following will allow you to start seeing these simple visualizations as if they were real life images. You will be able to see them as if you were seeing them with your physical eyes (although faint at first). The first step to developing this vivid imagery is creating a belief in your subconscious that you CAN see vivid imagery. Take a look at the following image:



Belief Building

Step 1: Stare at the center of the image for 30 seconds. Time yourself or count mentally.
Step 2: Soon as you reach 30, close your eyes and observe the after-image.
Step 3: Keep the after-image in your sight for as long as you can.
Step 4: Repeat this exercise every day about 3 times to build a belief. (A week is enough.)
Optional Step: When you're seeing the after-image, try to replicate the same exact image in your imagination and try to 'move' it with your will, you might actually do it.

After doing this exercise, you have now experienced a vivid image. That is the kind of image you will be able to project into your view from your memory. You will be able to vividly see the image of an apple, just like the after-image of the circle, or anything else.

Extra pictures to develop belief:
http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?i...pnlucidxt8.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?image=m...datelierxk6.gif
http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?i...ateliersx6.jpg

Day Time Practice of Vivid Imagery

Now that you have the belief of being able to vividly see an image, we will start to practice vividly seeing an image with any object. First, we start small.

Example:

One can start with something as simple as a hand, just stare at it and try to take in every detail you possibly can and then close your eyes and see it in as much detail as you can. When you can do this easily with your hand try other things like a rose, or a pencil, anything you can. Eventually you will start to see the images as vividly as the after-image effect. When you're really really good, then you can move onto an environment such as the corner of your room or a whole door. Eventually your visualizations will be so good, you could actually 'mentally project' your consciousness and sort of remote-view - I could discuss this at greater length but not here, PM me for more info.

Note: It is important you practice vividly seeing an object's image through out the day, you can practice as much as you like or as little, but practice will only get you further.

Challenge: If you're really good at visualizing your hand, try to move it as you have your eyes closed and see your hand moving as well in your visualization. This is the first step to developing 'mental projection'.


Night Time Practice of Vivid Imagery
The Inner Reality Technique

First you need a few prerequisites for this technique:
30 minutes to 1 hour before bed, Complete Darkness, Good Visualization skills.

Sporadic Images Induction

Before going to sleep, sit or lie in your bed for at least 30 minutes. In total darkness, just focus your attention on darkness and try to visualize simple images, like the image of a triangle, a square, a leaf, or anything you like. For instance, focus on something your visual attention on something that will keep your attention as long as needed (these can be for example, sexual images.)

At first darkness will seem flat with no depth. Now if you try to concentrate your visual attention on this image you are visualizing it'll seem difficult to find where this object is being projected. Then as you get further you might pin-point the area in which it is, like somewhere "behind your head" (i.e. visual cortex) - then with more work you will succeed in "moving" your image from "behind your head" to "in front of you". This image will look like a faint transparent object in darkness. You can just about distinguish its contour as a difference of contrast in darkness: darkness starts to be less dark!

What you'll notice is that you cannot properly focus your attention on this image for more than a fraction of a second, as the image will disappear to be replaced by something with a similar pattern, or totally disappear - but that time you will start to notice that darkness becomes three-dimensional instead of flat. As darkness is now 3-dimensional you'll see it start to "boil". By "boiling" I mean that you start to observe sub-hallucinations, constantly appearing and disappearing.

- When 30 minutes or more have elapsed, just relax and go to sleep, and that's that. Eventually you'll be able to go further onto the next steps listed below...

Rotating-Static Images

After a while images will start to rotate and stay more static, observe these as you go deeper. The rotation of the reiterated image is slow, perhaps about 5 seconds per gyration. While rotating, these images can change into other rotating images. This is very beautiful to observe as now you can also start to see faint colors in these splendid and intricate images.

Three Dimensional Images

This step comes after the images have rotated for a while. You will now start to see complex 3-D images. Focusing your attention on them makes them more clear. Things now start to acquire beautiful hues. These colors tend to change if you do nothing to keep them.

Purpose

The purpose of this technique is to teach you how to specifically activate some of your memory zones in order to achieve the generation of controlled hallucinations. This is a pretty difficult exercise but it will train your consciousness to control itself. Slowly you will notice that your dream recalls become more vivid and informative as well. Focusing your attention is extremely important in the discovery of your memory and consciousness. It should be accompanied by breathing regulation: you need to breathe slowly and regularly, as if you were sleeping. Apparently controlled breathing triggers hallucinations, as experienced by meditating monks. Also try not to keep any awareness on your body, just forget about it.

Science

To see a memorized image as clearly as a real image means that you activate the metabolism of a memory zone where this image is stored. Selective metabolic activation of memory zones gives you a lot of power in your dreams!


Focusing your attention on known or unknown things gives different results!

Here is something interesting: If you focus your attention on, say, the face of a person you know, it will be relatively easy to keep a static image of this face in front of your "eyes". However, if you focus your attention on an unknown face, you will notice that it constantly changes into other faces.


:!: Hypnagogic Imagery/Hallucination Techniques & Tips :!:

The following techniques will let you be able to willfully induce hypnagogic imagery and hallucinations as you're falling asleep or you're in a relaxed place in your room, etc. These techniques don't need any prerequisites or sleepiness - relaxation is recommended for these techniques so if you read up on Reverse Blinking, you can easily relax with that technique before you attempt the following ones - if not it's okay.

Visualization-Cycling Technique

Note: Remember to visualize clearly and remember to pin-point the area in your consciousness where the image is being seen.

With this technique you'll be using a series of senses, you can make up your own from the following example: Visualize water running from tap, splashing off and across your hand.

What you want to do is focus on separate aspects of a complete visual/auditory and tactile visualization and 'cycle' each aspect. In the case of visualizing water running from the tap and across your hands, you want to focus on the aspect of sound first. Visualize the sound of water coming down from the tap - DO NOT see, feel, or any other senses. Just listen, for about 30 seconds. Then cycle to the next aspect which can be the sight of water (no sound, no feeling, etc). Then you cut off that one after about 30 seconds and visualize feeling the cold water hitting your hands (no seeing, no hearing, etc.) Then we come full circle and start again at auditory!

Each separate visualization lasts for a few seconds but with each cycle the whole gets stronger until your conscious 'dimmer' begins to lower and you'll find yourself phasing into hypnagogia. The first thing that might happen is that you'll experience a full-blown hallucination of the running water which, when the conscious 'dimmer' gets lower, destabilizes into the saturated plasticity of hypnagogia.

To recap: Cycle the senses of a complete visualization in order. In the case of the example above - auditory > sight > tactile .... then again .... auditory > sight > tactile .... until HI appears (which should be very quickly.)

The time interval between the visualizations isn't important, as long as it's roughly 30 seconds it should be good enough!


Focusing on Contrasts Technique

This technique will allow you to develop a hallucination out of any mental images you'd like. This technique takes practice to get good at so don't be discouraged if it doesn't work on the first try. One try is not enough.

Pick an object first of all. Try a rose.

Imagine the rose as detailed as you can, relax for a bit and hold this image, and then take the time to notice the green of the leaves and stem for a few seconds, then switch to the red of the petals for a few seconds. Switch back and forth a few times until you notice the impression getting clearer. A bit like lifting weights. This image will become clear enough as a hallucination eventually.

The same can be achieved by using yellow/blue contrasts like the color of sand, and the color of blue sky, the cool breeze, and the warm sun, the wet sea and the dry sand, high violins and low tuba.

The contrast generated by reflection is also good. For example the suns reflection on chrome. This can also be helped by looking at it for real, and then picturing it in mind a few times.

This technique is worth taking time to do, a great thing to do before sleep, and it can put you into a pretty relaxed state when you keep it positive. Try it out!

Neurological Techniques

The following techniques will be neurologically based techniques to induce hypnagogic imagery in about 1 minute of practicing them. (If it takes longer don't worry about it, everyone is different&#33

Visual Attention Technique

First close your eyes and become aware of your breathing, keep awareness. Then look into the darkness behind your eyelids. Orient your eyes towards the point directly in front of you. At the same time, place your visual attention on a point above it. To do it you will have to separate the direction of your visual attention from the direction of your eyes. Once you achieve a couple of different things might happen - you may find it creating a large amount of visual imagery in just a few seconds. Or you may feel yourself 'disappearing'. Play with this technique in a relaxed state after Reverse Blinking as you go to sleep and see where it takes you!

Imagined Space Technique

This neuro technique is based on the experience of infinite space. This experience, which one can call the void, occurs in NDEs, hallucinogenic drug experiences, temporal lobe epilepsy, and a variety of other contexts. Sometimes it comes as an experience of infinite dark space that is more felt than seen. Other times it comes as a vision of a field of stars. Most often, It manifests as a seemingly unending void with a single point of light. This state has also been called ‘the source', because while a person is experiencing it, they can encounter a wide variety of imagery. Here's how to do it:

The imagined space technique begins with paying attention to the breath. The person then imagines a large open doorway located behind them, and to their right side. On the other side, there is nothing but endless space. You hold this imagination for as long as you can. That's the entire technique.

Image-Streaming

25 hours of Image-Streaming increases intelligence at an average rate of 20 "I.Q." points. It also appears to improve the deeper and more numinous qualities of experience and ability to an even greater extent.


I recently discovered this technique and it has greatly helped in increasing my chances of seeing HI during a WILD, and also contributed to my vivid mental imagery. The technique was found to increase creativity, vivid mental imagery, cross-hemispheric communications and verbal fluency in addition to facilitating access to subconscious processes. Here's a copy and paste of the technique which will be followed by links and more info:

1) You will need a tape recorder or someone to listen to you describe your images. This is a very important step and is the major difference between image streaming and day dreaming. More on this shortly.
2) Find a comfortable position, preferably sitting up so you won't be tempted to doze off. Close your eyes and look into the blackness.
3) Start describing, aloud, anything that arises here; at first just talk about the blackness... maybe you'll notice variation in texture or little swatches of color, lines, or specks of light. Hearing yourself talk aloud creates a "reification" effect that will start making the images more vivid and real.
4) Don't worry about being absolutely accurate, feel free to exaggerate, enhance and embellish what you are perceiving and try to do it using as many senses as you can (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste.) Your descriptions help you not only follow, but also create, the image stream.
5) Use present tense... "I see..." even if it has already vanished.

Do this for 10 minutes.

Applications

Besides being an overall brain energizer and creativity tonic, image-streaming has several practical uses, e.g.:

- Improve visualization skill, especially enhancing the clarity of images
- Draw on extra content and information you weren’t aware you knew for exams or research
- Generate creative ideas and options; answer specific questions by tapping the unconscious
- Provide an exciting alternative entertainment to TV or web surfing and it requires no batteries or broadband connections XD
- Help in dream and divination interpretation
- Open an entirely new spectrum of intuitive thinking; like having another brain to consult



Note: It is said that 70 percent of you will access this technique but the other 30 percent will have some trouble, I will post enhancements and tips if anyone has trouble - the following websites will have some help on that but I have other ways. EVERYONE can do this. The problem is not that you can’t visualize. Cognitive psychologists have proven empirically that everyone visualizes, just like everyone dreams; it’s a problem of accessing these capabilities, not creating them from scratch.

Links for Image-Streaming:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6243/imstri.html
http://projectsanctuary.com/main/modules.p...ticle&sid=4
http://www.winwenger.com/imstream.htm

How To Apply The Techniques from Both Threads For Lucid Dreaming

I have now come to an end of the Inducing Trance to WILD threads. Now you may be wondering, how can I use this all for Lucid Dreaming? Well, you may simply use all of these techniques to make up your own WILD method! For example:

1) Reverse Blinking to trance state
2) Vivid Developed Imagery can be used to in a way such as in the Dream Yoga technique where you visualize a Tibetan letter or English letter 'A'. Delve into your own vivid imagery and...
3) Muscle twitch yourself to sleep paralysis just to trick your mind further into the threshold of sleep where more vivid HI can occur
4) Enter the lucid dream state

Or, you may not like the technique Reverse Blinking or Muscle Twitching, you can take that out and...

1) Produce HI with any neurological technique from here or just using your vivid imagery.
2) Play with the images until they form from sporadic, to rotating-static to 3-D images.
3) Enter the lucid dream state.

But wait, maybe you're not such a visual person so....

1) Reverse Blink to enter trance states
2) Muscle Twitch to sleep paralysis
3) Wait and count, breathe, whatever you want until you get further till you reach sleep mode
4) Enter the lucid dream state when a vivid dream image forms

There are many possibilities here, try to find your own way of WILDing! You may want to do a WBTB with a WILD process of your own or do it at the start of the night, whatever you choose just make sure it's gonna work for you. And if you don't know what works for you, experiment! I hope all of you excel in improving your abilities of vivid imagery with my techniques and have found the second and first threads informative and helpful towards the WILD process. Just to let you all know, I will be an actively involved in the Attaining Lucidity forum because I am a Lucid Dream Experimenter so to speak, always looking for new ways to achieve lucidity!

Last note: You may have experienced, either spontaneously, or through beginning the techniques above, that you have a flash of a crystal clear, breathtakingly vivid imagery for a split second; then it’s gone. Don’t be discouraged, this is excellent progress, but there is something you may not have been aware of that caused it to disappear. That is, most likely you locked your foveal vision on the image and the conditioned association with foveal sight and external stimuli kicked back in and you found yourself staring at black, once again. Here’s a trick for getting past this stage. When images start to arise, don’t fix your attention on them; look through them and around them as if you are waiting for something else. Soon you’ll have so many vivid images it will difficult to do this and you can gradually start paying attention to them in longer and longer intervals without them winking out and reactivating physical anchors.


Enjoy.