Hypnagogic conceptuality - a pre-phase of HI?

Lately, while attempting WILD when falling asleep for the first time, I've been falling into something that I really can't call "imagery". I fall straight into a state of hypnagogic conceptual thought, so to speak...
One moment I'm thinking about something all on my own, of my own will and the next I shift into a state where my thoughts become independant, like regular dreams. However, I do not see any imagery, it is all thought (perhaps I'm just not interpreting it actively enough into imagery).
Could this be the beginning stage of hypnagogic conceptuality/imagery, which can be entered through very passive awareness?

The problem, however, is that I snap out of it every time. I gain too much awareness and snap back awake. Thinking more about this I come to the conclusion that HI can be induced at any time by shifting from thought patterns into it instead of waiting for hypnagogic imagery while concentrating on any one subject.

The reason I'm rather interested in this, besides just plain curiosity, is that I've yet to achieve the WILD described most everywhere and by most simply because my concentration is limited to literally 10 seconds; when falling asleep (or at any other time for that matter) I can't keep concentrated on any one topic for more than just that...10 seconds; my thoughts interchange and switch one leading into another and so on, even if I merely attempt concentration on my own breathing. Just uncontrollable...and even concentration training is tough simply because it requires literally forcing concentration on any given subject and my low level of concentration stops me from furthering itself.

This occurance, however, is just that: thoughts turning independant; thus, it doesn't matter what I'm thinking, the state sets on by itself as I lose awareness, and with enough awareness I realize it but suddenly snap awake because I'm still not trained enough in passive awareness.

Any thoughts?

Perhaps you just respond to words better than images.??

Ah, but conceptual thought isn't words, it's just that...conceptual thought. The level of thought, on which the subconscious works. Through concepts, not words or images.

What I'm wondering here though is whether anyone else achieves hypnagogic imagery in the same manner (from active thought rather than from waiting for it through special relaxation and such) as well as how vivid "hypnagogic imagery" really is and whether anyone else realizes it as conceptual thought.

I have never expereinced HI as it has been descibed. But I have had times when trying to wild, I was able to imagine things and sort of realize things more that when I am awake, but it wasnt like visual or anytihng.

For example, on Christmas mornign I set my alarm for 4am so I could try to wild or soemthing. And instead of wilding at 4 I just sort of was tihnking about stuff trying to fall to sleep, and normally when I do this before ever going to sleep, I can sort of formulate an image, then I decide what I would do next and then make an image of that and so on. But in this I could imagine objects moving, and several people walking around, but I couldnt acutally see anything, it was all just my imagination.

Dont know if thats like what you were talkign about, but I decided I would mention it

When I get HI it comes without warning. Im not very skilled in WILD but I know the thoughts you speak of and I do get it aswell but its before HI and usually distracts me a lot. Try to let the thoughts go away shifting your attention to your breathing will probably work, don't change or affect the breathing just notice that you do it without thought.