seeing with closed eyes

First off... GREAT SITE!!! Very happy to find a whole world of lucid dreamers. Didnt know where to jump in so thought I'd start with this:

One technique I use, similar to WILD, for inducing lucidity is what I've called 'seeing with eyes closed'. I developed it after experimenting with astral projection methods. Basically it works like this:
1. I lie down, close my eyes and relax (!)
2. I visualise the room around, adding more and more detail;
3. Until... at some point... there seems to be a sudden increase in the quality of the vision, which is when I know I am dreaming;
4. At this point, if I can hold the concentration, I 'stand up', or 'float up' into a LD.

I need to be in the right frame of mind for this as it requires a lot of focus, and I normally have more success wih other methods. But it is interesting, especially (and more recently since beginning to incorporate some Tibetan Bon stuff) playing with the point of lucidity, going back and forth across a delicate but definite threshhold where on the one side the visualised version of the room seems so pale and grey, compared to the fully tangible, sparkling lucid version.

Quote:

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Originally posted by slimslowslider
...playing with the point of lucidity, going back and forth across a delicate but definite threshhold where on the one side the visualised version of the room seems so pale and grey, compared to the fully tangible, sparkling lucid version.

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That sounds interesting. Have you found that such exercises have made it easier for you to attain lucidity at will?

I've never tried that. Usually, it's "I'm lucid!" and zoom I am off, never looking back.

It does seem alot like astral projection...but i like it!

I think i shall try some time. *mental note*

hehe i tried this last night but i was so tired it didnt work.

I often have this kind of dreamlike state, but it is very unstable.

Usually it ends up with me getting up from the bed, or opening my eyes in reality....

There's no control, and slightest mistake ruins the whole state :(

This method, when it works, does allow lucidity at will. It's not something I do much as it requires a clear head without stray thoughts! On reflection it is very similar to dreaming of waking up. I'm not clear on the difference between LD and OBE, I don't think I've ever looked back to see if I've left a body behind - will try next time. I've recently been exploring a similar thing visualising a glowing white Tibetan 'a' (see avatar) at my throat chakra. Also other related techniques from two of my partner, Zhine's (also a newbie) books:

1. The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Snow Lion Pubs., Ithaca 1998
2. Dream Yoga by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Snow Lion Pubs., Ithaca 2002

It has some similarities with my experience of the 'seeing with closed eyes' method, and there's definitely something in it - the white 'a' (similar to the sanskrit om) suddenly jumps into a more lucid almost tangible version with a life/ being of its own (something I'm looking at rather than visualising). One of the other methods involves visualising dots 'thingles' at the third eye and base chakras, whilst holding the image of the 'a' at the throat. I should get clearer about the techniques before trying to explain them - as it is I just read a few pages and gave it a go. :hrm: This method seemed to create some kind of energy flow between the points that somehow specifically built lucid awareness...

The Tibetans seem like they've been exploring this stuff for millenia and I'm blown away by their understanding. :bowdown:

Going back to the books now...