Thread: One Year Experiment: Using Self-Hypnosis to Attain Lucidity

Originally Posted by whatis

Oh this is exciting! I have been trying something similarly, although admittedly I'm a lot less scientific about it. I'm using sensory deprivation to try and facilitate my lucid dreaming. I work with float tanks, so I have a lot of access including late at night, and I'm using the tank to help me enter a deamlike state prior to sleeping, which I try to recognize and cultivate. It's going really well so far.

That sounds pretty cool! Sensory deprivation is something I seem to be experiencing more often while in a self-hypnotic state; it feels exactly as though I was floating on some warm, salty water. :p I seem to lose my tactile sense, but oddly enough my brain starts inventing phantom smells, like yesterday, I smelled freshly baked croissants, and a couple of days ago, it was roast beef. So are you basically performing a WILD whilst inside the tank? Or do you just recreate the feeling of dreaming to become more familiar with it (to be able to recognize it in a dream I assume)?

Originally Posted by Berto

That sounds pretty cool! Sensory deprivation is something I seem to be experiencing more often while in a self-hypnotic state; it feels exactly as though I was floating on some warm, salty water. :p I seem to lose my tactile sense, but oddly enough my brain starts inventing phantom smells, like yesterday, I smelled freshly baked croissants, and a couple of days ago, it was roast beef. So are you basically performing a WILD whilst inside the tank? Or do you just recreate the feeling of dreaming to become more familiar with it (to be able to recognize it in a dream I assume)?

Yea, float tanks are amazing, it's one of the most relaxing things I've ever experienced. It's awesome that you feel as if you're in water while doing self-hypnosis. And I haven't had any phantom smells in the tank, so that's one point for self-hypnosis, haha.

What I try to do in the tank is take advantage of the theta state more and be able to capitalize on it. Float tanks cause your brain to shift into the theta state and stay there, the theta state often being called "the state of inspiration" when you're on the brink of sleep. I just try to get more comfortable with it and sort of more "limber" with my mind, where I can still be there but sort of just let stuff happen. Then I try to make myself recognize the mental space, as I feel I'd have a better chance of doing so if I'm accustomed to the semi-dream like theta state. Maybe I should keep a record of my progress too, for others interested.

If you want to find out more about float tanks I work with the largest float center in the nation, Float On. We're getting an info site up for people who want more information, which is Float Tank Info - A resource for learning about float tanks. There's also an awesome blog up on our other website Float Tank Solutions — Everything you need to know about nothing. which we've gotten leading members of the industry and researchers to work with us on, so there's a bunch of great information.