advice needed for breathing issues

hi,

I need some advice from people who had experienced breathing issues in the learning phase of performing WILD.
I've been trying to perform WILD now for the last 3 weeks, and I've hit the same obstacle. Breathing....

In the beginning, at some point of the WILD process, I would begin breathing irregularly and this was of some concern to me... I would always try to control my breathing during the WILD process, and this would always ruin the WILD attempt near the end when I'm about to transition over.
However, based on reading the posts in this website, I've learned to disregard the breathing irregularity near the end of the WILD process when i transition over to the dreaming state. However, though I try not to pay any attention to it, I am aware enough that at the final legs of the WILD process, I stop breathing for a few moments when i begin the transition over. I feel the wave hit me hard and I blank out essentially. However, the next moment, my body draws breath explosively and this causes me to awaken. I didn't force my body to breath, but because of my irregular breathing, at some point my body does begin breathing again, and when it takes over, there is most often an explosive intake of breath that startles me awake. Has anyone learned how to get around this specific obstacle? I've tried to concentrate on visuals, concentrating on the pressure of the bed on my back but always, the breathing kicking in forces me to wake. Any advice?

The only two times I was able to perform WILD was accidently, when I was already watching a visual dream/HI sequence and was therefore, minimally aware at the point of transition.

Thanks in advance..

Do you do WBTB?

Oops... sorry about that..

Yes, I wake up naturally about 4-5 hours into the night. I then write into my journal and then practice staying aware while allowing my body to fall asleep.
So it is WBTB.

Well, from what I know from this, you're doing it all right and it just takes practice from there.

As for breathing, just syay as gentle and slow as you can, and visualize as much as possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jdeadevil

Well, from what I know from this, you're doing it all right and it just takes practice from there.

As for breathing, just syay as gentle and slow as you can, and visualize as much as possible.

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So you are supposed to control your breathing? I thought that you just allowed your body to breath however it wants? You should try to keep your breath as gentle and slow as you can? The first couple of times I tried to control it, I spent the whole night trying to control my breathing because at the ending part of it, my breathing always becomes erratic. Trying to control it always forced me to become more and more aware as time passed.

Haha, some advice also, try not to look to deeply into that, it's only to relax you and put you into the dream mood. So yeah, only if it's relaxing, if it's not relaxing in any way, don't do it.

I'd say don't worry about breathing, in dream yoga they even use it to induce wilds. If you're focused on breathing so much you might as well use it your advantage.. longer and deeper breaths means more oxygen for the brain which takes up 40% or something of the oxygen when you are sleeping.. but the body does that automaticly when you're sleeping anyway

is it the same as when you focus on your breathing when awake? like right now, focus on your breathing for a few seconds. then try to think of something else and let yourself breathe automatically. did you just stop breathing? i don't know if that is the same as what you are talking about.

i could guess at a way to stop it. you are consciously focusing less on your breathing. it is hard to do, but just try to get distracted from your breathing, instead of intentially not focusing on it. maybe try to picture walking around in a dream body and feeling tactile sensations and stuff. hopefully you will just forget about breathing.

hope it helps

i had a little of a breathing problem when i was trying to WILD. what i did was catch up with myself and tell myself that i'm fine and it's funny that this is happening because i'm completely normal. its mind over matter. relax, breathe in out slowly a few times... return to normal and then allow your breathing to slow down as you get relaxed; however, you shouldn't be noticing when your breathing is slowing down because you should be focused on what your mind is doing or at least bobbing in and out of thoughts.

you have to almost fall asleep but in a way not at the same time to WILD so get your body and mind drowsy and focus on what your mind is doing. keep "a part" of your mind conscious

thanks for the advice everyone. I will try to focus solely on anything else to avoid paying too much attention to breathing...I personally find this the biggest hurdle, worse than swallowing or itching.

I find that after roughly 40 minutes into a Wild attempt, in the later stages, breathing become automatic, even when focusing on it. You just have to let it flow. Just before this happens I often have an uncomfortable choking sensation, which you just have to ignore.