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Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

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Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#171

Post by exitb »

diatone wrote: post #99

Anecdote: I distinctly remember being on the edge of sleep writing a song one night in 2019. I was about to fall asleep on the floor with a notebook in my hand, and just at that moment, the music came into my mind. For whatever reason, I was able to stay awake and flesh it out as a recording. After reflecting on it the next day I realised I had written an acoustic fingerstyle piece that moved across keys as if there…

I love music and I’ve attempted music making at various points in my life, but I’m just not great at it. I don’t have the imagination to plan and layer out the interesting bits that make a good song. But my near-sleeping mind is totally able to do that. And this is at least a semi-conscious process, where I’m able to direct the music as it’s being “played” in my mind. As I said, I’m very much an amateur, so I wouldn’t describe it as genius, but it’s still much better than anything I can create awake.

I’ve also noticed that this translates into other areas as well, like architecture or languages - I can hear a very convincingly sounding sentence in a language I’m familiar with just well enough to know that it was gibberish.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#172

Post by wruza »

distantaidenn wrote: post #117
josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

Wow, I have this exact same experience before falling asleep. It feels like a direct shift in the thought processes, and as you described it, it feels as though you have become a passive observer of your own thoughts. The images are sometimes so absurd and creative that I almost laugh to myself. But I also, don't KNOW if the images are creative or absurd, but just my brain believing it so -- is there even a differenc…

It feels like a direct shift in the thought processes, and as you described it, it feels as though you have become a passive observer of your own thoughts

Because it is, according to my doc. You’re looking directly at your inner thinking machinery, and moreso you can interact with it by simply asking yourself a question just before this state kicks in.

I have a little success story of using it. Previously I’ve had a fear of being late, with a heavy protective behavior, almost OCD-like. Doc wanted me to answer when and how did I get the idea that being late is so terrible. I tried hard to recall, but only simple reinforcement events came up to mind. Then he said that I should either fall asleep in that session (failed it), or repeat the question before I go to sleep at home. Just in few seconds my subconscious presented me the correct event from my childhood in full detail. One session later I was free of that fear, and now can easily plan 4-5 meetings in a row in different parts of the city, an unimaginable thing for me before.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#173

Post by alliao »

moj wrote: post #70
pier25 wrote: post #14

I think I once got into this hypnagogic state by accident. I was having a nap and my dogs woke me up because it was time for their walk. I felt sleepy while walking the dogs but also had a clarity regarding anything I examined in my mind. It's as if my regular state of mind was like walking in a forest with limited visibility, and now I could see the territory from a bird's perspective. This lasted for about 15 mins…

I experienced such states on several occasions, usually randomly once every two or three years. I resolved to explore it if it happened again, and sure enough I was ready when it did. I soon discovered you don't have to wait years; it can happen a few times a week. Simple technique: - wait until you've woken up after a dream. (so technically hypnopompic, not hypnagogic, but more powerful imho) - Any dream will do, bu…

I feel it sometimes when I think about holding the mouse, it feels like my teeth are extremely large and my hands are crazy tiny heaving the mouse along.

your thing on smallest record players between fingers really described that feeling for me, very cool.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#174

Post by Vedor »

rubicon33 wrote: post #142
distantaidenn wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, I have this exact same experience before falling asleep. It feels like a direct shift in the thought processes, and as you described it, it feels as though you have become a passive observer of your own thoughts. The images are sometimes so absurd and creative that I almost laugh to myself. But I also, don't KNOW if the images are creative or absurd, but just my brain believing it so -- is there even a differenc…

I'm kinda jealous. I couldn't be more different. I can't remember the last time I had a dream. Months ago probably. Random question but - do you consume any caffeine?

I, too, rarely have (or remember) dreams – once per month, maybe. But lack of dreams is not a problem for me. What I find annoying (and I'm really curious if you have similar experience) that I don't have feeling of passed time.

My sleep is like blink of an eye. It's night, I close my eyes, then I open them, and there is morning already. I's always the same, no matter how long I have slept, whether I am well rested or tired.

Since the time feels so compressed during my sleep, I can't help but feel that sleep is, kinda, a waste of time.

Usually I have 2-3 coffees per week. I drink a lot of various types of tea daily, though.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#175

Post by bemmu »

tambourine_man wrote: post #92
josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

Something that happened a few times to me during this transitional state is “hearing” (more like hallucinating) music that I was singing in my mind while still awake. Except much clearer and vivid than ever before. I think that since the ordinary hearing function was just shutting itself off, the conscious brain could experience only its memory of the song and did it intensely so. It lasted a couple of seconds only,…

I've had this a few times. It's like listening to a good album on your headphones, except you are in control of the music. Being able to do that was a wonderful experience, especially since I've never actually played an instrument.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#176

Post by bemmu »

josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

The nonsense thoughts sound very familiar. It takes me forever to fall asleep, so I have plenty of time to observe it happening. I go from actively worrying about/solving stuff, to slight relaxation with my inner voice being a bit less active, to an even more "nonverbal thinking", then finally I'll have some thoughts that seem to make sense at first, but a few seconds later I realize were actually nonsense, which makes me happy as I know sleep almost surely follows from there within 5 minutes.

One thing I didn't see mentioned here is that sometimes it seems like some of the thoughts didn't originate from me, like someone else is present or said it. I assume when I'm deeper into sleep, the same process is responsible for creating all the other characters besides myself in my dreams.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#177

Post by emi2k01 »

elboru wrote: post #137
srcreigh wrote: post #129

I've experienced similar effects first hand. University algorithm class assignment is due tomorrow at 1pm. I start working on it at midnight the day of. At around 4-5am I was stumped from a few problems, and went to campus to get some coffee. Tim Horton's doesn't open until 7am. I sit down in a chair and fall asleep. While I was sleeping (half sleeping?), I dream-solved the remainder of the problems. At 7am, I awoke,…

I had a really similar experience during college. I was trying to display a binary tree in the command line. I was not able to solve it while awake. I went to bed with that problem in my mind. Then I dreamt the solution. I woke up and the dream made sense. I couldn’t believe it so I tried in the code and it worked! That was a surreal experience.

Dreaming of code is something that happens to me very frequently when I'm working on difficult problems and only the first few times was cool.

Now, when I dream of code, I can hear my inner self saying "no, please! I actually want to rest" because most of the times I feel like I'm in a loop exploring the same solutions over and over.

I've had to get out of bed and do something else so I can go back to sleep without having one of those weird dreams.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#178

Post by [deleted] »

tambourine_man wrote: post #92
josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

Something that happened a few times to me during this transitional state is “hearing” (more like hallucinating) music that I was singing in my mind while still awake. Except much clearer and vivid than ever before. I think that since the ordinary hearing function was just shutting itself off, the conscious brain could experience only its memory of the song and did it intensely so. It lasted a couple of seconds only,…

[deleted]

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#179

Post by godelski »

josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

This kind happens to me too, except frequently when I'm transitioning I see a really bright like that comes from "above" (hard to describe which direction) and it wakes me back up because it's intensity. Though no one I talk to seems to know what I'm talking about. But the vividness before becoming unconscious (or the white light) is often the most creative part of my day. Sometimes I can take control but often this breaks the effect.

Though the best way I learned to remember dreams and having some control is not when falling asleep but waking up. Rather set an alarm one or two REM cycles before you want to get up (cycle is 90 minutes) and then just go back to bed. It's far more vivid than when trying to go to sleep and easier to take some control (though I've only become lucid twice). At minimum you'll remember your dream.

Re: Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí works

#180

Post by bloqs »

josefrichter wrote: post #79

Wow. I didn’t know this, but I was actually able to observe this state on myself. When going to sleep, my mind is wandering. But at one point it drifts from real world thoughts to completely abstract concepts and wild imagination that sometimes makes no sense. It’s almost like a hallucination. What’s most interesting is that sometimes I am able to notice the transition to this state and consciously observe it. Usuall…

This definitely relates to the exchange of signals between hemispheres
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