Mind Awake Body Asleep

Mind Awake Body Asleep is a state in which your body is asleep while your mind remains conscious and alert. It’s typically achieved through focused awareness, although some people experience it involuntarily. This state is desirable for oneironauts because it can be used to transition into wonderful Wake Induced Lucid Dreams (WILDs). 

Think of it as state of consciousness in-between asleep and awake. You’re not fully awake because you can’t move your body, but you’re not fully asleep either. It can happen be attained in the process of falling asleep or waking up.

Falling Asleep

The mind and body fall asleep separate from each other, one after the other. As you fall asleep, your body sends signals to your brain to see if you are still awake. A signal might simply be the urge to turn over or scratch an itch. When you respond to that urge by moving or tensing up, your body knows that you are still awake.

Only when you are fully relaxed and no longer respond to these urges will your body fall asleep. If your mind is able to “trick” your body (intentionally or unintentionally) into falling asleep by ignoring these signals and remaining alert at the same time, you will enter into a state of Mind Awake Body Asleep.

Waking Up

When you wake up into a state of Mind Awake Body Asleep, it means that your mind found a way to "wake up" before your body. Since your brain is very active during REM sleep (which is the lightest state of sleep), you can see how this might happen.

It is much harder to consciously enter into Mind Awake Body Asleep upon awakening. Usually, the only way to achieve this is by training yourself in becoming more aware of the sensations and imagery of waking up, also called the hypnopompic state.

How to Experience Mind Awake Body Asleep

It is not easy to reach this state on your first, second, or even third attempt. Following these steps will accelerate your learning curve and help you avoid pitfalls from the most common mistakes. Here we are going to focus on achieving it while falling asleep.

1. Attempt either during a nap or after waking up from 4.5, 6, or 7.5 hours of sleep. Do NOT attempt at your bedtime as you are not in REM sleep and 95% of the time it will not work!
2. Use the restroom. Avoid attempting on a full stomach. You will need to be completely relaxed.
3. Good mindset. It is possible that you will experience sleep paralysis, so you should be in a positive frame of mind, free from stress and fear.
4. Lie down on your back and close your eyes. Release the tension in your face, jaw, shoulders, etc. Get to the point of falling asleep.
5. Keep your mind alert. Try not to have rampant thoughts running through your head. Clear your mind of passing thoughts by focusing your attention on the sensations in your body or the sounds around you.
6. Ignore the urges. Try not to move any part of your body, even your eyes. If the urge to turn, itch, or swallow becomes unbearable, it’s OK to attend to it.  It will just take a little longer.

What You Might Experience

Hypnagogic & Hypnopompic States

Hypnagogia is the state of consciousness leading into sleep, whereas the hypnopompic state is experienced leading out of sleep. During these states, you might experience: visual imagery, sounds that aren’t there, and sensations in your body.

Vibrations

Feeling a strong vibration oscillating throughout your entire body is common. This from your dream body separating from your physical body as you enter the dream world.

Sleep Paralysis

This is a dead giveaway that you are in a state of Mind Awake Body Asleep. 

Realize that sleep paralysis is natural and occurs every time you dream. Most of the time you are unconscious when it happens, but this time you will become aware of it. You will only be able to control your eyes and breathing, so it can be quite scary if you aren't ready for it. 

How to Transition into Lucid Dreams

Once you have achieved Mind Awake Body Asleep you’re one step away from entering a WILD.

1. Open your eyes if you are in a good state of mind and feel comfortable. Continue to stay relaxed.
2. Let the dream come to you. Watch the hypnagogic imagery unfold, listen to the sounds. The dream will begin to unfold around you. At that point you are free to move and do whatever you wish! You're in a lucid dream!
3. Exit strategies. If you are still stuck in paralysis, think about what you want and it will happen. 

• Float. Imagine that you are floating up out of your physical body and into the dream.
• Roll out. Forcefully rotate to one side, as you attempt to roll out of your physical body.
• Sink. Imagine that you are sinking through your bed towards the floor.

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