On Hemi-Sync Lucid Dreaming, OOBEs
It was only a few months ago that I was pretty much obsessed with out of body experiences (OOBEs). I had just finished reading Robert A. Monroe’s Far Journeys shortly after his original Journeys Out of the Body — the latter I found far more interesting, but both good reads. As soon as I read about the Monroe Institute’s “Gateway Program” and how they use specific audio tracks to supposedly induce OOBEs, I was hooked and had to learn more.
After a bit of Googling I came across the full six-wave “Gateway Experience” Hemi-Sync and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I excitedly burned them to a CD and gave it a try. It didn’t seem like much, just some soft talking over sound effects and alternating frequency sound waves. To be short, it didn’t really do much for me. I listened to it on a few occasions over the course of a few days, even up to the third “wave”. Still nothing. I certainly didn’t experience any alternative mental states, never mind an OOBE. It was a great personal experiment at the very least, and it hadn’t ruined my interest of the subject. Maybe my own minor skepticism, and modest nervousness about actually being able to do it were what was holding me back.
But now, a few months later, and I had been having some problems trying to get to sleep. A bit more Googling and I actually found a Hemi-Sync set specifically for lucid dreaming. Now that is right up my alley. Dream psychology and especially lucid dreaming have always been a great interest for me. So, last night, I burnt the series to a CD and gave it a try. If it didn’t induce a lucid dream, it could maybe at least help me relax and get to sleep faster.
Within the first 10 minutes of listening I was already pretty relaxed. It just asks to do some visualization and relaxation techniques, and just after that I was good to go. I wasn’t quite sleeping, but I was definitely close. I wasn’t able to fall asleep by the time it’s suggested by the audio, but I did fall asleep soon after, and I was awoken by the audio (repeatedly, “wake up, wake up”) some 90 minutes later. I didn’t have a lucid dream — although I do certainly recall having some sort of dream in that time — but I definitely fell asleep. If nothing else, this seems like something worth more for experimentation and a sleeping aid. Maybe it’s also worth going back to the OOBE Hemi-Sync set later on and trying again.
January 26th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
[…] Just as an update to a previous post, I had tried the Hemi Sync Lucid Dreaming set of audio recordings some more over the last couple of days. It definitely hasn’t done much. I think with school and work, and my always changing bed-time schedule, it’s impossible for me to use this properly. While it does get me relaxed, it takes me far too long to fall asleep as it suggests by the audio, or I just get really close to sleep but never achieve it, or I do fall into a light sleep and just wake up very soon after. I tried the couple of different tracks that are available, but none of them really work. It makes me a little skeptical about the whole technology altogether. […]
January 27th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
These are good solutions and ideas. I have to say that I sew a great post and a smart writer behind it!
February 12th, 2007 at 3:40 am
….which set of cds did you get? There are 3 sets floating around. The first set is about 1.5 gigs — this is a set that ripped from the tapes and the audio quality is poor…they should play at about 912 kbs, 44100 stereo (I’ll double check that, know the 44100, stereo is right). Anyway, the second set is about 5.6 gigs (this will be six “waves” rather than seven…thats a clue…if you have seven, probably have the tapes recorded to cds…Now the difference between the second and the third set is: (they both are about 5 gigs) Set #2 are mp3s, while the 3rd set are FLAC. The FLAC are the best — during conversion is there is no loss of quality and they can be converted to mp3s (by you) and you will know that you get the best quality.
Now…the first set sucked for me..As I work through the best set, I have begun noticing quite a difference. Here’s a tip: do NOT focus on your breathing if it is not specifically mentioned. This causes you to tense and the process goes to crap. Focus on a point about 3ft above you (laying down or sitting). You will know you are getting close when you feel like your body is being filled with helium — its this very cool expanding sensation — I won’t spoil the rest.
February 12th, 2007 at 3:43 am
postscript….if the talking gets on your nerves, you might try the brainwave generator — google it, they have a small program that allows you to create your own beats (they also have built in beats). You can burn wav files, convert to mp3, and customize the time it runs.
February 13th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
[…] I thought I’d do a quick follow-up on a previous post (On Hemi-Sync Lucid Dreaming, OOBEs) because I did get a couple of responses and was receiving quite a few hits coming from related Google searches. […]
January 25th, 2008 at 5:36 am
I have had several out of body experiences and many lucid dreams. Although the OOBEs were distinctly different from drug induced hallucinations, I still feel that the OOBEs are an hallucination that is closely related to the sleep circuits of the mind. Almost like a temporary mistake in brain chemistry. Binaural beats do not really seem to do much for me, I find guided hypnosis the best aid for relaxation.