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The concept for Sergeant Pepper's Band came to Paul McCartney as he
was dosing off to sleep. Einstein's theory of relativity came to him as he
was waking up. Mary Leader's novel Triad, which later inspired
Stevie Nicks to write the song "Rhiannon," came to her in its entirety
during an afternoon nap.
Hypnagogia (the state of consciousness between
wakefulness and sleep) has long been fertile ground for religious and
mystical experiences, creativity and intuition - plus a variety of psychic
experiences, including telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience and
out-of-body sensations. And the best part of this phenomenon is that you
can use it to tap into your own creativity and psychic ability. Because
it's true that we all have a level of psychic ability!
How hypnagogia works
During hypnagogia, the normal activity of the left side of your brain
(the side that dictates logic) is inhibited, allowing imagery in your
right brain (the creative side) to bounce around, using free-association
that your fully conscious mind would classify as illogical or nonsensical.
Unlike night dreams during the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep phase,
hypnagogic imagery lacks a story plot. Hence, flashes of shapes and colors
might morph into faces or landscapes.
One person reported the image of a bird's beak changing into the barrel
of a gun. Some people report hearing bizarre sentences, such as one woman
who clearly heard a voice say, "Rick sleeps with the babysitter" (when she
didn't even know anyone named Rick or perhaps it was from a past life).
Others report a sense of floating on the ceiling, looking down at their
body in bed.
Tap into happiness
One study in
Hawaii found that willful use
of hypnagogia increases flexibility in thinking, which leaves you open to
more creativity and psychic experiences. And (even better!) it may
increase your overall feeling of well-being. Participants in the study
also reported increased stress reduction and heightened self-awareness.
And let's face it, who doesn't want to be less stressed out and more in
tune with their true selves?
Make a wish
It sounds simple, but according to the book Hypnagogia: The
Unique State of Consciousness Between Wakefulness and Sleep, you can
simply "wish" for hynagogia and it will happen. It claims that hypnagogic
imagery "is achieved not so much by willing as by wishing." Most people
who reported psychic experiences during hypnagogia say it involves patient
waiting and expectancy that a picture will appear. One way to distinguish
between a truly clairvoyant vision and an image created by your
imagination is that, with imagination, you think of the image first and
then see it. Yet with psychic hypnagogia, there is an element of surprise,
because you see the image first and then think of it.
What to do
In addition to an attitude of patience and expectancy, you can train
your brain to sustain a state of hypnagogia by using the following
techniques:
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Go to bed earlier than usual so that you aren't exhausted
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Wake up without an alarm clock in the morning
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Take cat naps during the day
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Listen to brain wave CDs or downloads
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Request an answer to a question or solution to a problem before you
fall asleep
Then when images appear, allow them to flow without analyzing them.
When you are back to wakefulness, encourage your mind to interpret the
images symbolically, rather than logically.
An example
One woman was puzzled when she saw a portrait of her mother's face on
a white porcelain drinking cup. But the next day, seemingly out of nowhere
while cooking dinner, the song lyric "My cup runneth over with love"
popped into her head. She realized that her intuitive mind was prompting
her to contemplate the bond between her and her mother, as well as the
love she felt (as a mother) for her son. A feeling of well-being ensued.
Even though you might never receive the inspiration for a landmark
music album or scientific discovery, cultivating hypnagogia can lead you
to greater self-awareness, contentment and deeper levels of spirituality.
And who knows, you may even have a psychic experience or two!
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