Consciously entering a dream without waking beforehand

[rachabji]

Hi, I have been reading into lucid dreaming for the past week or so and have learned quite a bit. I've started working on my dream recall and can already remember 2 or 3 dreams each night. I really want to start lucid dreaming, and have studied various methods. The WILD method is intriguing for me. I have a question, however - I have heard that it is possible to consciously fall asleep and enter a dream without having to wake up beforehand (with an alarm clock, or whatever). I was very interested in this, so I gave it a try last night. I was in bed, and I tried to use self hypnosis to relax. Eventually, I got to the point where I told myself that I would count down from 10 to 1, and when I reached 1, I would be completely relaxed and would start my transition into a dream. I noticed around 4 that I was starting to get a strange feeling in my body (which felt almost orgasmic). When I reached 1, everything suddenly became much darker, and I started to see vivid flashing purple lights and shapes. Aha! I then felt a strange feeling come over my entire body, which was a bit alarming, but I tried to keep myself completely relaxed. However, I started to feel my heart beating incredibly fast, so I had trouble keeping myself relaxed. The odd sensation I was feeling was too much for me, and the images and such all disappeared, and I found myself awake in bed. So, is it possible that if I were to remain relaxed, I could have transitioned into a dream? Is self hypnosis and relaxation a good method? Is it possible to accomplish all of this in the early stages of sleep? Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your replies.

[Hotshot]

Sounds almost exactly like the beggings of a WILD, and I am pretty sure it would have been one.

[rachabji]

Yes, that was what I thought when it was happening. I just wasn't sure whether that was possible or not.

[Raven]

So, is it possible that if I were to remain relaxed, I could have transitioned into a dream? Is self hypnosis and relaxation a good method? Is it possible to accomplish all of this in the early stages of sleep? [/b] Yes

[wombing]

yeah, that sounds like a prototypical onset of a WILD . although most people have more luck at acheiving that state after being asleep for 5-6 hours, it is definetly possible to directly enter it. personally, i am very confident you would have entered into lucidity if you hadn't gotten distracted by your beating heart. personally, i have experienced the buzzing/vibrating/shaking sensation many times, both while attempting to LD directly from waking consciousness, and after waking up during the night. i found i would notice my heart beating fast as well, which usually broke my concentration. or, at the beginning, the feeling itself would startle me. a few times i've even heard growling, and wierd noises inches away from my head (which definitely broke my concentration ) just this morning i woke up, found myself on the 'vibrational threshold', and started seeing geometric shapes, but was distracted by a loud BANG, that sounded like my brother slamming his door, next to mine. however, when i looked at my clock, he had already gone to work, so it would have been impossible. its bizarre how real some the things the mind is capable of producing. my advice is to ignore a quickly beating heart (if you remain calm it should return to normal) or any other noises or wierd feelings you might experience. you obviously have a natural gift for entering directly into lucid dreaming. your only obstacle is yourself! always remember, you are safe in your bed, and everything you experience is natural, or in your head. your body paralyzes itself every night to avoid thrashing during sleep, its just that you are consciously experiencing it for the first time. nothing can harm you, no damage can be done by allowing the 'wierd feeling' to completely work its natural course. after all, it will do it whether you are aware of it or not. you've experienced that same feeling every night since you were born, when entering sleep. i suggest continuing the technique you used. personally, it took me months and months before i could attain a similar state, and only recently have i overcome distractions, and actually 'separated' my consciousness from my dreaming body. it sounds like you should progress much quicker than that. good luck! actually, its funny i found this. just this morning i was wondering- if the first REM stage is about 90 minutes after falling asleep, how is it some people can enter directly into lucid dreaming (or 'astral projection' as i usually see it labeled in this context). it would be interesting to see the results of a laboratory experiment which monitored those who enter directly into conscious sleep, and compare their brain activity/eye movements with 'normal' rem sleep, which starts around 1.5 hours after sleep.

[SaviourSelf]

I also have this problem, my heart beats so fast that i can't say relaxed and end up wide awake.