The necessity of inner focus

**Orior** · 08-04-2010 03:22 PM

I've read in alot of tutorials now that you should try to shift from outer, to inner focus. By focusing on your breath, or clearing your mind completely.

However in another tutorial, it were explained that the reason why the body allows itself to fall asleep is because It "thinks" the mind has already become unconscious. Focusing on the fact that the mind and the body act seperately while falling asleep.
Which brings me to the question.. Is "inner-focus" necessary while your body enters sleep-paralyzis?
I understand how it is essential when you start having hallucinations, and are about to enter the dream.. But up until then, why should I lay there focusing on my breath, if I'd rather have some "inner-dialogue" to kill some time?

That might sound strange, but when trying to WILD, I get so bored at this stage.

I'm not an experienced WILD'er at all, So I just wanted to ask about this.

**swolebrah** · 08-04-2010 07:03 PM

idk if this answers your question but you don't have to just think about your breathing if your feeling comfortable with your breathing you can try the ABC method where you say the ABCs while thinking of something that corresponds to each letter, I tried this last night and I got farther than I ever have in SP. You can also think of doing something active, and think of how it would feel, smell, look. Those are the two things that I do

**Orior** · 08-04-2010 10:07 PM

Always nice to hear another opinion on the matter!
Not that it's really THAT important in this case

Anyway, I would still love to hear from someone who is more experienced, no offense!

**shiraniaori** · 08-04-2010 10:20 PM

I've only had one successful WILD, so I'm not necessarily more experienced (and I didn't count it because I forgot to RC), but I've gotten to transition a couple times, and most of the times I did, I didn't really think about anything at first. I told myself that when I'm about to fall asleep, I'll start focusing on being conscious through it.

If that's what your asking, I don't see any reason why you would have to be focused from the get go, as long as you can catch yourself. In my experience though, even if you catch yourself in SP, you still have to relax yourself and be conscious (inner-focus) to get to transition to the dream.

That's my 2 cents, but you have to realize that each person is different, and everyone WILDs differently. I've never been a fan of counting techniques, or ABC's or anything, I do best when I just passively play with HH after relaxing a bit (from when I start to sleep, or from trying to sleep a while than kicking consciousness in) until I feel my dream body.