Thread: So, I need some tips on my WILD method.

The past few nights when I WBTB and WILD, I've been using the count-your-breaths method. I always seem to get to around 325-400 breaths, and then my mind starts to wander. I usually end up getting so bored (because I don't feel very much SP action going on, I actually don't reach SP at this point, I'm just numb-ish) that I roll over and fall asleep. Do you think I need to work on my focus, or change to a different technique?

Some people say that I need to "passively" count (or count in the back of your head without really thinking about it, you know, an anchor)... but I don't really know how/can't do it well.

I haven't had any success WILDing yet but to me it seems like trying a new technique couldn't hurt in your case. I tried the technique you mentioned myself and reached only about 200, I still only achieved numbness as well.
Instead of straight counting you could also try to only count to ten and reset back to one then, that's supposed to keep a mix of letting you drift and barely keeping yourself in place enough to WILD. I got a lot further with this aproach than with straight counting, I also found it a bit easier to relax.
To myself I visualised 10 vertical bars in front of my inner eye and went through them from left to right, when I was about to relax too much and being in risk of falling asleep a 11th bar appeared because I start to forgot to reset after reaching 10, that 11th bar usually calls me back. I also have problems with "passive" counting, the approach with the bars didn't create wonders but it helped a bit.

Your signature spills that you had a WILD once, right? I suppose it'd be easier to propose a technique if you could give a few details about how you succeeded then.

I would recommend sleeping and affirming that you will wake up and laying still with closed eyes. Or use an alarmclock (with autosnooze) to trigger your own awakening.
Even if I am chocked awake by the alarm, I can still DEILD on that awakening as long as I lay still and have closed eyes. It might not work for you, but it's worth a shot.

This way you can skip the whole relaxation and concentration step and wake up at the end of the WILD stage instead.

Start to visualise on the awakening, then you will soon find that the thought becomes more vivid, then you will feel that the thought becomes a dream.
You are then in sleep paralysis, although not aware of your body, but aware of your dream.

Well, what I did was I just focused on sound. When my mind started wandering, I started to focus on 2 sounds. (for example, the sound of a fan and the sound of water dripping in pipes)
But I kind of lost consciousness at one point, then regained it and THEN went into SP.

I tried counting backwards from 1,000 once (kinda the same thing you were doing) and my mind wandered too. To be honest, counting your breaths in sets of 10 really helps. Your mind doesn't wander off because you keep resetting back from 10 to 1 (Just a theory).

Okay. I'll try that tonight! And I think once I get numb and relaxed enough (that my mind starts wandering too much) that I'll start to imagine a dream scene.

So I tried that tech last night. I got MUCH farther than I did with just plain counting (I used the vertical bars too). After about 30-40 minutes (or what seemed so) I was pretty numb and relaxed, but, I didn't know how to transition into the dream. I hadn't started SP yet; but I didn't know how to get it to come, because I was just laying there numb and relaxed for about 20 more minutes after that, waiting, still counting.

I know I have to wait for SP, but I'm afraid that I'm doing something wrong, and that SP did not come because of it.

Once you achieve sleep paralysis, ease your way further into a deeper relaxation by imagining yourself sinking deeper into your bed every time you breathe (also try and feel this sensation of sinking deeper).

You will eventually feel a wave of "sleepy energy" (I'm lacking a better word at the moment), allow this "sleepy energy" to take over your body and you should be in transition.

EDIT: It's taken me up to 3 hours (with no relaxation technique) to get to full sleep paralysis -- otherwise it's generally really a bother when it takes such a long time. If you're patient enough, you can wait it out until you attain SP.

Well, I'm kind of talking about BEFORE sleep paralysis, like to get paralysis to come, or is where you're saying that I was in the early onset of SP?
But thanks for the tips! I'll try to remember to do that when I'm close.

Originally Posted by Sydney

Well, I'm kind of talking about BEFORE sleep paralysis, like to get paralysis to come, or is where you're saying that I was in the early onset of SP?
But thanks for the tips! I'll try to remember to do that when I'm close.

I hope it works for you. Don't forget to remind yourself not to give up.