Ways to Focus Attention

Many many Dreamers, myself included, have burning desires to learn how to WILD, but are inable to understand other Dreamers' instructions of how to WILD.

This is simply because many Minds work in many different ways. To simply read, comprehend and memorise a list of Instructions is 1 thing, to actually understand how to practice them in an actual WILD-attempt is another.
I myself have terrible trouble focussing on anything that cannot seem to Fascinate me in some way.(both during waking and Dreaming life) So that seems to rule out boring counting, focussing on Breathing and other boring methods.

Therefor I thought I'd take out the essential ingredient of any type of WILD, Remaining Awareness while falling asleep, and find as many as possible ways to do that. I hope this will make the same goal, Focussing attention and keeping it focussed, more generally understandable by Listing many different ways to do this. To make it understandable for many different minds.

Here's a start:
-Focus on counting
-Focus on Breath
-Focus on body(parts)
-Focus on Hypnagogic Imagery
-Stay Detatched from thoughts(Such as:Observing thoughts as clouds)
-Focus on 1 thought
-Focus on absolutely Nothing/Remaining thoughtless
-Focus on your Voice while singing yourself asleep (I made this one up once)
-Yogic Meditation forms
-Reading a Book before closing your eyes (this pre-focusses my attention)

Now let's make a long list of many, diverse attention focussing techniques in order to find our personally fmost effective method to WILD with.:banana:

This is where i need your help.

One way that I help to focus my attention, if say I'm counting, is Imagine a room, full of various objects, and I imagine myself walking around touching each one, and everyone I touch, I count. It focuses the mind on a specific task, and allows you to count in a manner that isn't just "1...2...3...4...ect...". I find that to be a little less boring. And if you wanna add in a relaxation method, take a deep breath before "Touching" each object. This way you focus your mind, do the counting, and can focus on your breathing as well.

LEt me add just another insight on this. I found out, that one technique is good for start of the attempt and another technique is good when you are focused.

For me... Counting is superb when starting my WILD attempt to support breathing and concentration.

But after some time i need to get a little creative and move my focus from body to mind and I use HI technique.

So recategorising the techniques could also help.

But for beginning. A simple list should be enough. :D

Okay, i have a few of these because i have a tendancy to be a little mad on occation.

EXERCISE -
I find doing some strenuous exercise is good before attempting to focus. It gets your perception out of your mind and into your body and so you're mind is not distracting you as much.

BREATHING -
Breathing exercises work well for me sometimes. Particularly, slowing the breath down. I do slow deep breathing, 7 seconds in and 7 seconds out and slower if i can, keeping the breath even, breathing first into the diaphram and then into the upper chest and out the reverse way (like a wave). I continue this for a while and my mind generally stops racing so much.

Also slow deep breathing in through the left nostril and out through the right for 3 mins and then in through the right nostril and out through the left for 3 minutes is good for clearing thoughts and focussing. (thank you yoga :)

CRAZY BRAIN (an original technique) -
Another little method of my own that i discovered one particularly mental night of insomnia and stress madness - my thoughts were going crazy and i couldn't sleep, relax or focus on anything or make them go away. So i decided to aproach the problem another way and make my thoughts as loud as i could. I thought and thought about all random stuff, as much as i could to fill my mind. Then it seemed to reach a limit, like it couldn't get any noisier, it was staying at the same level, and then at last i could focus on this big mass of noise all together. And slowly i let it ramble on while i imagined i was just turning down the volume on it. Occationally it would sneak back up and get noisy but i would just focus on it and bring it back down again.

It may sound a little elaborate but its not as complicated if you try it, though it can be exhausting mentally. But i have used it quite a few times, especially when really stressed about something, and once i have focused on it and turned down the volume i have experienced a deep peace and clarity and very strong attention.

PRACTICE -
practice of attention and these techniques really helps.

Yay! I like this topic. You post good topics Ska, i'm interested to hear about other techniques for attention.

Also, just thought i'd add that anyone interested in WILDing should only really try it if they are having afternoon naps, or have already slept for a long time (8 hours or so) and are going back to sleep because it requires you to slip straight into a decent REM period. Trying to WILD when you're just going to bed normally will just be horribly frustrating and possibly give you insomnia out of frustration with it.

Your last method of the Crazy Brain reminded me of such a technique I once made up. Only it was meant to "Arouse the Mind" somewhat. I had a vivid, memorable dream that night. Why hadn'I remembered this before? Strange..

Well anyhow what I once did while falling sleep was induce that " Whheeeeeeeeeh! I'm hysterically happy"-kind of feeling in my head. It's really enjoyable. You know the kind of Childish Joy ( I never lost it thank God ) Making myself slaphappy like that mde itreally easy to focus attention as it fascinated my attention and is far from boring :D At th time I used it to Arouse my Mind to more wakefullness while falling asleep, but now I rememer it was REALLY easy to focus on it.

hmm a method I need to reconsider and test again, just like the "Singing myself asleep" one.
Keep em comming folks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by someweirdsin

Okay, i have a few of these because i have a tendancy to be a little mad on occation.

EXERCISE -
I find doing some strenuous exercise is good before attempting to focus. It gets your perception out of your mind and into your body and so you're mind is not distracting you as much.

BREATHING -
Breathing exercises work well for me sometimes. Particularly, slowing the breath down. I do slow deep breathing, 7 seconds in and 7 seconds out and slower if i can, keeping the breath even, breathing first into the diaphram and then into the upper chest and out the reverse way (like a wave). I continue this for a while and my mind generally stops racing so much.

Also slow deep breathing in through the left nostril and out through the right for 3 mins and then in through the right nostril and out through the left for 3 minutes is good for clearing thoughts and focussing. (thank you yoga :)

CRAZY BRAIN (an original technique) -
Another little method of my own that i discovered one particularly mental night of insomnia and stress madness - my thoughts were going crazy and i couldn't sleep, relax or focus on anything or make them go away. So i decided to aproach the problem another way and make my thoughts as loud as i could. I thought and thought about all random stuff, as much as i could to fill my mind. Then it seemed to reach a limit, like it couldn't get any noisier, it was staying at the same level, and then at last i could focus on this big mass of noise all together. And slowly i let it ramble on while i imagined i was just turning down the volume on it. Occationally it would sneak back up and get noisy but i would just focus on it and bring it back down again.

It may sound a little elaborate but its not as complicated if you try it, though it can be exhausting mentally. But i have used it quite a few times, especially when really stressed about something, and once i have focused on it and turned down the volume i have experienced a deep peace and clarity and very strong attention.

PRACTICE -
practice of attention and these techniques really helps.

Yay! I like this topic. You post good topics Ska, i'm interested to hear about other techniques for attention.

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I like the idea behind a crazy brain technique. Really. It seems to help you get from extremity into quite a peacefull state. I will try it as soon as there will be right circumstances for it.

I thought of a good one after reading your post in my WILD thread, SKA.

Play an instrument? Imagine yourself playing as you are trying to WILD. In addition to mentally practicing, it allows you to concentrate on something you like doing. And depending on the song you are "playing", it can be relaxing, inspiring, etc.

I did this on my second WILD attempt and it helped a lot. I should try it again.

SKA, maybe I could link my thread to this one? If that's okay with you.

Another playful way of spending the time while falling asleep is to imagine playing with imaginary hands. It is not as easy at the beginning, but it pretty fast invokes the feeling of dream body.

Instrument is a good way to focus your attention. I suppose like reality check techniques, they should be practiced often while awake, and practicing focusing attention on playing music is a good one.

One i should do more often. I'm such a scatter brain. :P