Thread: Can't get SP to work properly

I've been trying to WILD over the past few days, and I think I've been able to hit sleep paralysis, but I don't know if that's what it is, and I can't seem to get past it. Here's what it feels like:

I lay still and try to either do multiplication problems or focus on counting breaths. I see splotches like is normal when I'm trying to go to sleep, and then things seem to go darker than usual. My eyes either cross slightly or start to REM, and I feel slightly disconnected from my body. The sleep paralysis (if that's what it is) feels like a wave of energy, neither hot nor cold, coming over me, coupled with a further sinking sensation/disconnection. My heart races, and then it's over. Then I do RCs and I'm still awake. How do I get past SP?

That's false SP. You're too excited, you're thinking too much, and you're working yourself up into a sort of temporary trance state where your mind produces sensations that you know are supposed to be a part of SP. I had this problem myself for many months when I was first learning. Sorry, I don't sugarcoat things, lol.

The goal is first and foremost to fall asleep. Keeping your conscious awareness is secondary to that. If you go into it thinking "I'm going to stay aware as I fall asleep", you're just going to stay awake. You need to find a way to fall asleep, but still have that thin little thread of awareness. If you try to "force" your body to sleep, you'll fail every time.

I think you are having the same problem as me. WILD wasn't working for me because I would always accidentally fall asleep. I decided maybe it would work if I focused on the backs of my eyelids. After a few minutes of repeating a mantra, I felt tingly all over, my breathing and heart rate went up, I got really hot, then things got darker. I stayed like that for a few minutes and nothing happened. Sometimes my eyes would rapidly move back and forth and it would scare me out of it. This process sure is tricky.

why the hell r ur guys eyes moving on their own? i have wilded a few times and have never lost control of my eyes. rem is a deep stage of sleep charactorized by your eyes moving because they are acting out actions in a dream(and many other more complex things), not on there own accord. when you wild you dont try to get to achieve sleep paralysis you try to fall asleep while retaining consciousness. you may not even experience sleep paralysis as some people do not. i have only had it once upon waking up. have you read the wild faq? try focusing on hypnogogic images instead of repeating a phrase. maybe do relaxation exercises to sounds like ur focusing to much on ur eyes try to relax.

maybe our eyes moving is false SP

Last night the same thing happened to me. My eyes moved rapidly and my heart raced. I didn't fall asleep though. I think it was false SP too. Ugh, I wish I was better at this.

Originally Posted by guitardreamer

Last night the same thing happened to me. My eyes moved rapidly and my heart raced. I didn't fall asleep though. I think it was false SP too. Ugh, I wish I was better at this.

That is definitely not real SP. In real SP, you usually don't feel your eyes moving, and there are lots of other sensations, like whole-body vibrations, extreme heavyness (or lightness), loud sounds, VIVID hallucinations, all sorts of stuff that's unmistakable.

People who tell you that it's SP aren't doing you any favours, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by cmind

That is definitely not real SP. In real SP, you usually don't feel your eyes moving, and there are lots of other sensations, like whole-body vibrations, extreme heavyness (or lightness), loud sounds, VIVID hallucinations, all sorts of stuff that's unmistakable.

People who tell you that it's SP aren't doing you any favours, in my opinion.

Cmind, there isn't such thing as false SP. There's the onset of SP which can involve any of the symptoms of normal SP, then there's the paralysis itself.

Originally Posted by Puffin

Cmind, there isn't such thing as false SP. There's the onset of SP which can involve any of the symptoms of normal SP, then there's the paralysis itself.

What I (and others) call "false SP" isn't related to real SP at all. False SP is when you try REALLY hard to force yourself into SP and you literally work yourself up into a sort of trance state, characterized an elevated heart rate, lots of eye motion, and erratic breathing. It's sort of like a hyper-alertness. It does happen to beginners, especially when people try to WILD when they go to bed at 11 pm or whatever.

But if you've never heard of false SP, then I'm not really sure how you could be giving advice to fresh beginners. Because I remember false SP being my first major hurdle, and I'm sure others would agree.

Originally Posted by cmind

What I (and others) call "false SP" isn't related to real SP at all. False SP is when you try REALLY hard to force yourself into SP and you literally work yourself up into a sort of trance state, characterized an elevated heart rate, lots of eye motion, and erratic breathing. It's sort of like a hyper-alertness. It does happen to beginners, especially when people try to WILD when they go to bed at 11 pm or whatever.

But if you've never heard of false SP, then I'm not really sure how you could be giving advice to fresh beginners. Because I remember false SP being my first major hurdle, and I'm sure others would agree.

Finally, someone who understands what it really is!

Originally Posted by cmind

What I (and others) call "false SP" isn't related to real SP at all. False SP is when you try REALLY hard to force yourself into SP and you literally work yourself up into a sort of trance state, characterized an elevated heart rate, lots of eye motion, and erratic breathing. It's sort of like a hyper-alertness. It does happen to beginners, especially when people try to WILD when they go to bed at 11 pm or whatever.

But if you've never heard of false SP, then I'm not really sure how you could be giving advice to fresh beginners. Because I remember false SP being my first major hurdle, and I'm sure others would agree.

Yep, that was my biggest issue when first starting out. I've never really tried showing people the difference, however, 'cause there's too many misunderstood experiences out there working against the truth. Someone should probably write up a guide on it one of these days. . .

That's definitely SP. Your eyes are moving because, yes, you're entering a phase of sleep called REM, or rapid eye movement. Hence, the rapid eye movements.

Keep relaxing into it, and try to imagine a dream scenario, taking into account visuals, tactile sensations, and imagining what you might be able to hear.

You will know 100% when you are in SP, you won't have any question.

Oh wow, I went to bed at 11pm last night...lol. Yeah, another time, though, I saw little green swirls in front of my eyes and i felt like a charge was going through me. Is that real SP? It scared the heck out of me the first time it went pitch-black.

That might have been SP. Hard to say from limited information, but it's possible. The only thing that's throwing me off is seeing green swirls, because green lights in particular can also occur for other reasons. But yes, if you were feeling vibrations, or charge, then that time probably was SP.

Ok. Thanks