The "How"of WILD

The most common obstacle in WILD is getting distracted and lost in thoughts. The key obviously is Concentration.

However I, and many others, are having terrible trouble keeping our undivided attention focussed on 1 thought or task, without getting distracted by spontanious thoughts and being swept away by sleep, loosing all awareness suddenly and unnoticed.
Now instead of asking for advice on the whole WILD-technique, I'm going to narrow it down to only the Essence of WILD: Concentration.

Now my question is:
How to keep your attention focussed and remain undistracted?

My problems:
-Focus on Breathing( It's so boring it can't grab, let alone hold my attention fully)
-Focus on counting (idem dito)
-Being a silent, thoughtless specator (I'll always catch myself subconsciously thinking anyways, leading me astray)

Now can anyone either help me overcome the aforementioned problems or tell me other ways to maintain an undivided attention? NOTICE how this topic isn't just a selfish cry for help, but the answers I'm asking for may actually help ALOT of Dreamers who can't but wish to achieve WILD.

Any methods and tips are welcome.

Have you tried reverse blinking? I know there's a long post about it somewhere in the forums.

It works for me during those times when I just can't seem to clear my mind. It's great because you don't have to use your already overloaded mind to try and focus on one thing. I find that sometimes you just end up adding more thoughts to your already busy brain.

Basically, you get comfortable with your eyes closed. Focus on your breathing for a few breaths, inhale, exhale slowly. Towards the end of the exhale, open your eyes for a brief second then close them again. If you do it right, it's like you are blinking but backwards. Do this on every exhale. You can count your breaths also if you want, or do a basic visualization.

In the first few blinks, try to focus on something. After the first few blinks, you can just open your eyes, and not really focus on anything.

It sounds real stupid. Basicaly what you are doing is interrupting your mind every few seconds. You don't give your brain time to create a thought. Try it right now for a few minutes, and you will notice what I mean about how it makes your mind totally blank.

I know I am stealing this from someone, so if anyone remembers who the original poster was, please post that thread.

Yeah I've tried reversed blinking before with great success, but then for falling asleep more quickly. Might give it a try. Seems like a good thing to do when I am very deep in SP and about to enter the next stage where I usually fall unconscious unnoticed. By blinking a few times you might be able to clear your head a bit again. I might try doing it every once in a while after being in near complete SP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robot_Butler

I know I am stealing this from someone, so if anyone remembers who the original poster was, please post that thread.

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I believe this is the thread:

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=24607

Thanks Clairity. I knew I had seen it floating around this site.

Have you ever tried just letting your thoughts run?
The few times Ive WILD'ed, I didn't concentrate on anything. I just let whatever thoughts spring to mind be there, while keeping the goal at hand in the back of my mind. that way, when the onset of a WILD starts, I can perk up a little and notice the sensations, but let them happen. I find it much easier that way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by awoke

Have you ever tried just letting your thoughts run?
The few times Ive WILD'ed, I didn't concentrate on anything. I just let whatever thoughts spring to mind be there, while keeping the goal at hand in the back of my mind. that way, when the onset of a WILD starts, I can perk up a little and notice the sensations, but let them happen. I find it much easier that way.

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That is interresting. I've heard it mentioned around here loosely before. But just letting thoughts flow will let you fall asleep as a human usually does: unconscious.

Can you elaborate a little bit more on the "Keeping the goal at hand in the back of your Mind"-thing? Is it like Detatching from your thoughts? I can't imagine how you can hold the lucid intention in Mind while letting your thoughts flow. My thoughts always flood away the lucid intention as I'm nearing sleep and usually by then I am in a very low state of awareness.
I always end up BAM unconscious or sometimes I gradually fall unconscious and catch myself actively, yet at the same time passively(very strange) thinking wildly, in a very low state of awareness. These lowly aware trains of thought always creep up on me and Knock me out unnoticed.

So could you explain about how exactly to keep the lucid intention constantly in the back of your mind?

hmm when you talk about being almost in SP do you still have control of your body to blink? i've only achieved SP like 3 times and everytime i was...well..paralysed.

but maybe you're talking about the point when i usually get a "sinking" feeling..i seem to still have control then but i usually loose it.

^I've never felt SP. I assume I've had it before, becuause I've WILD'ed, but I never noticed SP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ska

That is interresting. I've heard it mentioned around here loosely before. But just letting thoughts flow will let you fall asleep as a human usually does: unconscious.

Can you elaborate a little bit more on the "Keeping the goal at hand in the back of your Mind"-thing? Is it like Detatching from your thoughts? I can't imagine how you can hold the lucid intention in Mind while letting your thoughts flow. My thoughts always flood away the lucid intention as I'm nearing sleep and usually by then I am in a very low state of awareness.
I always end up BAM unconscious or sometimes I gradually fall unconscious and catch myself actively, yet at the same time passively(very strange) thinking wildly, in a very low state of awareness. These lowly aware trains of thought always creep up on me and Knock me out unnoticed.

So could you explain about how exactly to keep the lucid intention constantly in the back of your mind?

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I guess it's kind of like driving a car. after a minute of driving, you can be in a serious conversation with someone, and give full attention to whats being said, but youre still watching traffic, obeying the laws, remembering to stop at red lights etc...

When I'm falling asleep, whatever pops into my head, I let it go, i don't try to edit or control my thoughts. if theres a scene running thru my head, I watch it. If theres a song stuck in my head, I listen to it. but, im still "driving the car". Im aware that im on my way to sleep the whole time. Then when I start to feel the sensations of a WILD, I notice them. sometimes I've felt the effects and thought "oh yeah, im WILDing, almost forgot". others times ive thought "finally". then it's the old game of remaining passive and not excited, amidst the excitement of succesfuly WILDing.
basicaly, i watch my thoughts being aware the whole time that theyre just my mind going thru the motions while I fall asleep. but watching them gives me something to "concentrate" on while im getting closer to sleep.

Not sure if that made any more sense then before. Ive always found it hard to describe a thinking process to someone.