I Think I Accidentally Started a WILD?

Last night I was attempting the MILD technique, and I was very determined to have a lucid. I convinced myself that last night would be the night I would have a lucid no matter what, and I went on about a 1 minute long mantra that I repeated 3-4 times after a fairly deep relaxation. Then something odd happened.

Out of no where in the middle of my mantra I suddenly felt an intense "tingling" sensation. It's hard to describe and I don't remember it all that well. It didn't feel exactly like vibrations, so I'm not sure if it actually was a WILD, I've nevEver had one before and the one time I attempted it, I attempted for 3 hours with no success, laying still. This time I was laying still but I wasn't uncomfortable and I was simply repeating my mantra. Anyways, I believe I began to see some heightened imagery on the back of my eyelids. I'm not exactly sure what this hypnogogia stuff entails but my eyes were closed and I sometimes see some faint colors. This time they were a bit more active.

At this point, despite my reassurance that I had to stay calm, breathing deeply as much as possible, my heart was beating at a mile a minute. If this was a WILD, that's most likely why it failed. Eventually the sensation began to fade slightly, and I thought maybe it was a new part of the transition where I'd be paralyzed. When I opened my eyes to test things out, everything was normal and I could move just fine.

I should also add that this was as I was going to sleep, not after waking up 6 hours later. I just got up now, I've got about 20 minutes before I should probably go back and try either a MILD or WILD, but considering I've never made a MILD work and the "WILD" (so I think) was completely accidental... I might just attempt the WILD.

So, the question is, did I just experience a WILD, or was my mind fooling with me? I wasn't expecting a WILD at all, but it's possible I overreacted over a slight sensation I had and then magnified it because of my preconceptions of WILDs. Some interpretation would be greatly appreciated!

Well, you experienced SP which is the first stages of the WILD process. Keep in mind that the increased heart rate is actually just a hallucination. It isn't actually beating fast. Just try to ignore this and it will stop. It is very possible that you got excited/startled when SP set in because you weren't expecting it. This is common and it will just take some getting used to. Just try to keep calm and worry/think about anything that is going on. Just continue to fall into a deeper and deeper state of relaxation. Just act as if nothing strange is going on an casually observe the darkness of your closed eyes. Hope this helped a bit. Good luck to you and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

My heart beating fast was a hallucination? Didn't expect that response, the same thing happened when I experimented briefly with hypnotism and THOUGHT I had entered a hypnotized state via a quick video (probably not even possible). After looking up the definition it turns out I thought my eyes had begun REM when in actuality I had just closed my eyes... in a funny way. Best way I can explain it.

Anyway point is are you sure that's a common hallucination? Or were you just saying that because you thought it would calm me down during the process, which, upon retrospect, might have worked had I not thought about it. Damn. It wasn't like my heart was beating insanely fast, it wasn't inhuman or anything, it was just like I had done a quick exercise for a minute or so. I could be exaggerating.

What I'd rather like to know if the heart beating is a side effect of SP or if it could be my actual heart racing at the sudden and unexpected jolt of sensations, and if it's something that will go away over time. If it's a hallucination as you say, I can ignore it and continue being relaxed. If it's real and I ignore it, then I'll likely fail the WILD, as guides suggest. Knowing the difference could help a lot.

Thanks for validating my assumptions by the way, that's the closest I've come to triggering an LD I think. Ironically, I'd been doing RTs for a DILD, and every night meditating and doing MILDs to increase my awareness through sub-conscious thought control, for about a week, and then in the middle of a MILD attempt I randomly trigger a WILD before even getting my six hours first, and without even trying. Odd.

Yup, increased heart rate is a very common hallucination with SP. In fact, your heart rate actually does the opposite during this time and slows down in preparation for sleep. Kind of crazy isn't it? SP is definitely a unique experience. You just have to ignore your heart rate and continue to stay calm and relaxed. With SP, any unpleasant/distracting hallucinations you get...you should simply ignore them and they will pass on their own. Keep as calm and relaxed as possible throughout the entire process. It really just takes a bit of experience to get used to the whole WILDing process. Just keep practicing.

SP, will come on unexpectedly from time to time. Just try to take advantage of these and get some WILDing experience under your belt. Note, it is possible to WILD before sleep...it is usually just more difficult.

Well when I did enter this state, my gut reaction was slight panic. I wasn't sure what to expect, and to be honest the stories of seeing and hearing frighting things doesn't help. After a while I thought "this could possibly be a WILD, and if it is, I need to accept what is happening and slow my breathing." At around this time, the sensations reached their peak and it steadily calmed down after that, until I felt nothing abnormal. It was at this point that I opened my eyes and realized I was fully awake. Should I have persisted in my efforts to stay calm and ignore what was going on or was the WILD attempt ruined?

EDIT: Also, how much does it matter whether your eyes are open or closed during any of these stages, most notably when SP starts? And something I forgot to ask... what the hell does SP stand for? lol

Oh sorry, SP stands for "sleep paralysis." This is the first stage of the WILD process. You WILD attempt certainly wasn't ruined. Sometimes when SP first starts to set in, it will come on and off a few times before it really stars to take hold. You should keep your eyes closed during SP for sure. Your eye lids will be the last thing to paralyze and they need to be closed and relaxed so SP can fully set in.

I will tell you this from experience...about 80% of the time nothing frightening will occur. Even if something scary does occur, it is usually just the typical sense of dread/impending doom hallucination. Where you will feel afraid for no particular reason. Just remind yourself that it is all a hallucination and you can't be harmed...it will soon pass. The really freaky stuff, is rare and even that sounds scarier than it actually it. Because no matter how easily frightened you are, in the back of your mind you know it is fake and that alone makes the experience less scary than it sounds when someone is describing it. It will just take some practice to get used to.

Haha thanks, that abbreviation has been bugging me for a while.

And thanks a lot for the assurance. I guess I'd be a fool not to listen to someone who has had 189 hallucinations, 65 of which were WILDs. If no one had told me that was a WILD I probably would have ignored it. Similar things have happened before, in fact. In the past week I briefly felt a sensation of sinking in my bed before it went away. Could have been the start of SP... Maybe not, could have been a random sensation, like when I have brief seconds of dizziness every once in a while, but at least I won't be ignoring them now. I think, considering the success, I'll try to do a WILD before and after my six hours, and I'll focus on pinpointing the end of my REM cycle so it ends right before I wake up.

Can't wait to start having controlled LDs!

Sounds like a good plan! The sinking sensation sounds like it definitely was SP related as well. Well, I wish you good luck and if you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!