Having trouble "letting go"?

The past few nights, I've tried to have a WILD. I've made it to sleep paralysis in around 10 or 15 minutes, but then spend 30 minutes to an hour trying to transition. Even then, I've just given up. The problem is that every time I start seeing images and feel myself begin to form a dream, my mind snaps back and realizes what was happening. In short, it destroys the image I imagined and makes it impossible to transition.

However, I don't think the problem is JUST transitioning. After I decided to give up and just go to sleep, I found that I had the same problem. Every time I came close to falling asleep, my mind would wake me up. I think that it's because my brain is still on "don't fall asleep/let your mind wander" mode from trying to enter SP.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for just letting go and letting myself drift into a dream? Also, I need help with just falling asleep (not trying to WILD) after I've entered SP. Thanks!

When you enter SP you will transition to a dream automatically when your body becomes fully asleep. SP is the transition. This is because SP is not separate from dreaming, nor is it separate from being awake. SP is just the experience of taking part in the formation of the dream. It's the blurry area between awake and asleep.

How detailed were these images you were seeing? You can see some brief, but very detailed images even before you enter SP. These images can be a sign you are very close to SP but they don't mean you are there.

I don't think you were really in SP. But I'll also say this. It's possible to enter SP, expect a dream to form, and find yourself a few seconds later not in a dream but still in your bed. You won't feel any different and think you failed. But be aware! Expecting the common hallucinations that accompany SP can be misleading because they might not occur at all. You may have actually transitioned and are now fully immersed in a dream but still thinking you're awake in bed.

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Originally Posted by dms111

When you enter SP you will transition to a dream automatically when your body becomes fully asleep. SP is the transition. This is because SP is not separate from dreaming, nor is it separate from being awake. SP is just the experience of taking part in the formation of the dream. It's the blurry area between awake and asleep.

How detailed were these images you were seeing? You can see some brief, but very detailed images even before you enter SP. These images can be a sign you are very close to SP but they don't mean you are there.

I don't think you were really in SP. But I'll also say this. It's possible to enter SP, expect a dream to form, and find yourself a few seconds later not in a dream but still in your bed. You won't feel any different and think you failed. But be aware! Expecting the common hallucinations that accompany SP can be misleading because they might not occur at all. You may have actually transitioned and are now fully immersed in a dream but still thinking you're awake in bed.

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I believe that I was in a partial SP or something. My entire body felt numb and my arms began tingling.

One of the more vivid images I had in my head was a pitcher of water pouring into something I couldn't see. I looked down and there was a small pool of water in a valley. This is where my mind pulled me back into reality.

There is no partial SP when you are advancing towards a dream. You are either fully paralyzed or not. SP takes hold of you very quickly once it begins.

Numbness and tingling are just caused by laying down for a while. They're not signs that will help you so just ignore them.

From your description of that image you saw I think you were close to sleep. A very good sign. I know when I see images that detailed I can expect SP to take hold at any moment. But it can be very hard to make it beyond this point once you've realized how close you are.

It's impossible to be in sleep paralysis for 30-60 minutes. As soon as you reach sleep paralysis, you'll transition into a dream within 10 seconds (if you're able to stay calm and forget about your body), or the paralysis will disappear just as quick (if you get too excited/anxious). So, it's not sleep paralysis you're experiencing. Sleep paralysis feels completely different than the numbness and tingling you'll experience while falling asleep.

Are you trying to WILD at the beginning of the night? Usually it takes about 90 minutes to enter REM sleep at that time, and it's only in REM the sleep paralysis happen. It's so much easier to WILD in the mornings after 4-6 hours of sleep, and when taking a nap.

If you decide to give up and just go to sleep when trying to WILD, then you're too aware. A failed WILD attempt should rather be that your consciousness also falls asleep, because you should only keep a slight amount of awareness.

I can't really help you with your other problem you described. Maybe you should take a small break from WILDing, so that you get used to fall asleep normally again? :)

Sorry to kind of high-jack this thread but i have a question that relates to the last post. Usually when WILDing you want to sleep 4-6 hours right? i usually wake up consistently after about 4 hours of sleep every night without an alarm, but i never seem to be able to WILD after that. I heard you wake up during the night after REM cycles, so should i go back to sleep when this happens or should i try to WILD when i wake up naturally?

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Originally Posted by Duffles22

Sorry to kind of high-jack this thread but i have a question that relates to the last post. Usually when WILDing you want to sleep 4-6 hours right? i usually wake up consistently after about 4 hours of sleep every night without an alarm, but i never seem to be able to WILD after that. I heard you wake up during the night after REM cycles, so should i go back to sleep when this happens or should i try to WILD when i wake up naturally?

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You should be able to WILD after 4 hours. I haven't really tried to WILD at that time, but I know it's possible.

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Originally Posted by OneiroMoon

It's impossible to be in sleep paralysis for 30-60 minutes. As soon as you reach sleep paralysis, you'll transition into a dream within 10 seconds (if you're able to stay calm and forget about your body), or the paralysis will disappear just as quick (if you get too excited/anxious). So, it's not sleep paralysis you're experiencing. Sleep paralysis feels completely different than the numbness and tingling you'll experience while falling asleep.

Are you trying to WILD at the beginning of the night? Usually it takes about 90 minutes to enter REM sleep at that time, and it's only in REM the sleep paralysis happen. It's so much easier to WILD in the mornings after 4-6 hours of sleep, and when taking a nap.

If you decide to give up and just go to sleep when trying to WILD, then you're too aware. A failed WILD attempt should rather be that your consciousness also falls asleep, because you should only keep a slight amount of awareness.

I can't really help you with your other problem you described. Maybe you should take a small break from WILDing, so that you get used to fall asleep normally again? :)

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Thanks for the information. I tried to enter SP before I went to bed, but finally gave up and (after a while) fell asleep normally. That was around 12 AM or so. I set an alarm clock to go off at 4:30 AM, and I woke up to it. I tried WILDing then, but had the same results as before I had any sleep.

I don't know, but I think part of my problem last night was that my throat was really sore, so every time I swallowed, it would jerk me awake.

The thing is, your mind should NEVER be in the "don't fall asleep/let your mind wander" mindset. I know what you're trying to do--stay focused so that you don't fall asleep normally and you stay alert for the transition. But what you have to understand (and convince your brain) is that in order to WILD, you have to fall asleep. You'll just be conscious for it. But you have to convince your body to sleep, and if your mind is active and constantly swirling with "what's that feeling?" and "this could be SP" and "stay focused don't sleep," you will probably not get anywhere.

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Originally Posted by sanctum

The thing is, your mind should NEVER be in the "don't fall asleep/let your mind wander" mindset. I know what you're trying to do--stay focused so that you don't fall asleep normally and you stay alert for the transition. But what you have to understand (and convince your brain) is that in order to WILD, you have to fall asleep. You'll just be conscious for it. But you have to convince your body to sleep, and if your mind is active and constantly swirling with "what's that feeling?" and "this could be SP" and "stay focused don't sleep," you will probably not get anywhere.

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I don't understand. So, I should just go to sleep and hope that I realize my dream when it comes along?

You shouldn't just go straight to sleep like you usually do initially at night, but a lot of people forget that in order to get to a dream state, they must be relaxed enough to fall alseep. But your mind has to be just alert enough to go through the transition conscious. It's all about finding balance. This is what has worked for me.
I had the "snapping back" to consciousness too, for a while. It was really aggravating to have my brain suddenly analyze my state of consciousness and snap me back to reality. I actually found success when I stopped doing so many reality checks during the day; my brain stopped checking in with itself either time I fall asleep. I personally have to practically be asleep to start the WILD transition, and I'm never alert enough to feel my body and tell if I'm in sleep paralysis.
My advice is to experiment around with levels of consciousness. Some people can be totally alert for the transition, and some, like me, need to be on the brink of falling unconscious. Try anchors, which you can read about on other threads and guides. Or try visualizing where you want to wake up in the dream. Recite a few mantras. Relax. And try to lose all sensation of being in your body at all.

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Originally Posted by sanctum

You shouldn't just go straight to sleep like you usually do initially at night, but a lot of people forget that in order to get to a dream state, they must be relaxed enough to fall alseep. But your mind has to be just alert enough to go through the transition conscious. It's all about finding balance. This is what has worked for me.
I had the "snapping back" to consciousness too, for a while. It was really aggravating to have my brain suddenly analyze my state of consciousness and snap me back to reality. I actually found success when I stopped doing so many reality checks during the day; my brain stopped checking in with itself either time I fall asleep. I personally have to practically be asleep to start the WILD transition, and I'm never alert enough to feel my body and tell if I'm in sleep paralysis.
My advice is to experiment around with levels of consciousness. Some people can be totally alert for the transition, and some, like me, need to be on the brink of falling unconscious. Try anchors, which you can read about on other threads and guides. Or try visualizing where you want to wake up in the dream. Recite a few mantras. Relax. And try to lose all sensation of being in your body at all.

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Nice. I'll give it another try tonight... I eased up on the reality checks like you suggested, hopefully it helps.