Digger Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I am prompted to write this by a discussion on the Epi forum and thought it might provoke discussion here too. I have been meditating since I was 16 years old and over these years have understood the incredible power that our minds hold. One example of this, is how it is possible to set your mind as an "alarm clock". I have been known to sneak the odd "Nanna Nap" after lunch most days, and at times slept longer than desirable, and then wake up feeling stunned. To avoid that I developed a technique which allowed me to "set" my mind and wake up when I wanted to, almost to the minute! This is how I do it! Firstly I visualise an analogue clock dial and imagine moving the hour and minute hands to the time I want to wake up. I do that two or three times to reenforce it and then also visualise the wake-up time in digital form. I tell myself that I'm going straight to sleep and am going to wake up refreshed at that time. I'd say I have a 90% success rate using that technique. Sleeps over say 20 minutes mean you enter the deeper REM state and waking from them can leave you listless especially if you wake suddenly. Now this isn't necessarily working because of my past experience with meditation, as my wife has learned to do it too. Give it a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayinLA Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Yeah man. I started meditating about 3 years ago. I was having all kinds of trouble. I was diagnosed with a digenative heart condition and the Dr. told me to either change my alcohol consumption habits or make my final arrangements. I left the hospital after 13 days and really wanted to stick around for my son's sake more than anything. The nearly two weeks in the hospital allowed me to detox with the meds but I knew what was waiting for me when I walked out of there. The first couple of months were tough. My anxiety was trying to get the better of me, and probably would have had I not met the person who saved my life. She is from Guatamala and is a yogi. She started teaching me how to meditate. This was so powerful that I was able to cut the cord to drinking, and not only that, I found it to work in many other ways. For example, I can put my entire hand in a pot of boiling water (not recommended btw) and continue talking to someone and not break concentration. I started sleeping better too. My sexual life improved, and hell...I'm still alive. I meditate for 20 min to an hour once, maybe twice a day. The power is incredible. For the first time in my life, I feel that I can honestly control my life, emotions, sleep cycles, diet, virtually everything by finding myself through meditative practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Gibson Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I was a victim of a home invasion once,woke up with drug addict standing over me demanding cash. Every night after that couldn't sleep like I used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 I was a victim of a home invasion once,woke up with drug addict standing over me demanding cash. Every night after that couldn't sleep like I used to. I fully understand that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I bounce my head on the pillow, 7 times for 7 o'clock. Works every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 Yeah man. I started meditating about 3 years ago. I was having all kinds of trouble. I was diagnosed with a digenative heart condition and the Dr. told me to either change my alcohol consumption habits or make my final arrangements. I left the hospital after 13 days and really wanted to stick around for my son's sake more than anything. The nearly two weeks in the hospital allowed me to detox with the meds but I knew what was waiting for me when I walked out of there. The first couple of months were tough. My anxiety was trying to get the better of me, and probably would have had I not met the person who saved my life. She is from Guatamala and is a yogi. She started teaching me how to meditate. This was so powerful that I was able to cut the cord to drinking, and not only that, I found it to work in many other ways. For example, I can put my entire hand in a pot of boiling water (not recommended btw) and continue talking to someone and not break concentration. I started sleeping better too. My sexual life improved, and hell...I'm still alive. I meditate for 20 min to an hour once, maybe twice a day. The power is incredible. For the first time in my life, I feel that I can honestly control my life, emotions, sleep cycles, diet, virtually everything by finding myself through meditative practice. I'm really pleased to hear it's worked so well for you too Jay. I started experimenting at 16 after reading a book called "The Third Eye" by a Tibetan monk, Lobsang Rampa. Meditation has gradually developed into a terrific tool to have in my kit especially when rehabilitating after a massive break down in my early 50's. I could say it saved my life. I guess what meditation has done for me is allowed me to move into "self hypnosis" and that has been the greatest benefit of all. Our minds are like computers and can be programmed, and when I'm depressed, that's what I do! It is amazingly effective and all the medications in the world are rubbish by comparison. There are so many applications and ways you can benefit by taking control of your mind and how you feel, that I feel very sorry for people that haven't learned to do it. Anyway, thanks for telling us your story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Hello. That alarm clock thing works for me too. Before I go to sleep I tell myself I got to wake up at 6, and I will wake up then. Mind is a great mystery. I had a period in my life when I often had lucid dreams. I really enjoyed them. It was funny how I could control the events and it felt so real. I was walking outside my house at nights and heard people passing by talking. It stopped half a year ago. Best wishes... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 Hello. That alarm clock thing works for me too. Before I go to sleep I tell myself I got to wake up at 6, and I will wake up then. Mind is a great mystery. I had a period in my life when I often had lucid dreams. I really enjoyed them. It was funny how I could control the events and it felt so real. I was walking outside my house at nights and heard people passing by talking. It stopped half a year ago. Best wishes... Bence Also of course if 6 am is your regular waking time, then waking up then happens automatically. I guess the question is, how does your mind know what time it is? The dream thing is interesting as after the first few minutes of waking I forget what I have dreamt totally. My mind just goes with the dreams and they never feel that real anyway. Then my sleep isn't that flash usually, very light mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 For me it is best to set my alarm clock to the desired time just before I go to sleep. Usually I wake up a few minutes before it starts beeping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JScott Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 The strange thing is that the internal clock works with animals as well. We have 4 beagles (had six but lost two this summer) that sleep in their own kennels at night and no matter what is going on in the house at 9:30 give or take a couple minutes, they jump up and want to go downstairs to bed. This happens even if they are asleep or dosing on the sofa with us. Then in the AM they start waking and barking at about 6:15. Even if we don't take them to bed at 9:30 and keep them up until 11 or 12, at 6:15 they are waking. They also know when feeding time is as well. I would like to think this is just habit but there has got to me more too it. Also since we live way far north and sunlight changes drastically from light all day in summer to dark almost all the time in winter it's not light and dark triggering it. Me, i have no problem setting the internal clock for 6:15 and then getting up at 9 AM on the weekends but I do notice if there is something important I need to be up for I'm awake before the alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Well for me, the benefits of being retired is I go to sleep whenever I'm tired, and wake whenever I'm refreshed. We got rid of the Alarm clock when we both left work the same day, same month. My wife is a early go to bed person and I'm a night owl. So her bed time is usually 8:00 or 9:00 pm, and I stay up past midnight till 1:00 or 2:00 average. Usually wake between 7:30 to 8:30. She's up at 5:30 or 6:00. Only time she sets her cell ph. Alarm if we have to get up early say to run the kids to the airport or something like that. If I'm exhausted in the day from say summertime yard work and working out, I'll take an afternoon nap. Alarms are needed very rarely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I developed a scientific method to wake up but have to sleep with my window closed because if the room is windy, it might not work. I buy candles by the box. 100 identical candles at a time. The science part is observing a candle burn and carefully measuring the remaining length of the candle every 15 minutes. Then I etch the side of the remaining candles with the burn rate scale. I go to sleep on my stomach, candle up my butt according to how long I want to sleep. No top sheet or blanket on the bed. Light the candle, and sweet dreams... Works every time. My only experience with meditation is mindfullness when eating desert (pudding in the UK) If, after eating my first desert, I haven't savoured the moment fully, I eat a second desert, trying to be more mindfull of what I am experiencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 MIndfullness is good! If your attention is wavering when your beloved is droning on a bit, say to yourself...."here & now". Tell me what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 ...I had a period in my life when I often had lucid dreams. I really enjoyed them....It stopped half a year ago.... Apologies to everyone else but I Want To Know What Happened Half-a-Year Ago which changed things ! ! ! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I bounce my head on the pillow, 7 times for 7 o'clock. Works every time. I had a variation of the above. If I wanted to sleep for 1 hour I banged my head against a brick wall 1 time. For 8 hours 8x. etc... I don't recommend it. Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromnabulax Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I developed a scientific method to wake up but have to sleep with my window closed because if the room is windy, it might not work. I buy candles by the box. 100 identical candles at a time. The science part is observing a candle burn and carefully measuring the remaining length of the candle every 15 minutes. Then I etch the side of the remaining candles with the burn rate scale. I go to sleep on my stomach, candle up my butt according to how long I want to sleep. No top sheet or blanket on the bed. Light the candle, and sweet dreams... Works every time. My only experience with meditation is mindfullness when eating desert (pudding in the UK) If, after eating my first desert, I haven't savoured the moment fully, I eat a second desert, trying to be more mindfull of what I am experiencing. Yeah, and that ancient mantra chanted endlessly... Owah-Tagu-Siam.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I developed a scientific method to wake up but have to sleep with my window closed because if the room is windy, it might not work. I buy candles by the box. 100 identical candles at a time. The science part is observing a candle burn and carefully measuring the remaining length of the candle every 15 minutes. Then I etch the side of the remaining candles with the burn rate scale. I go to sleep on my stomach, candle up my butt according to how long I want to sleep. No top sheet or blanket on the bed. Light the candle, and sweet dreams... Works every time. ... Seems likely to cause a pain in the a$$ some day. I had a variation of the above. If I wanted to sleep for 1 hour I banged my head against a brick wall 1 time. For 8 hours 8x. etc... I don't recommend it. Pip. This is a good idea. It might be hard to manage a second bang at all, let alone eight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 +1 to meditation. It's amazing what 20,30 minutes a day can do for your focus. Slowing your mind is a very good thing to do. As for sleeping I have my CPAP machine to thank for that. Diagnosed with apnea a couple years back. Now I usually wake up before my alarm. And I wake up because I am done sleeping. That is a wonderful feeling. I had a period in my life when I often had lucid dreams. I really enjoyed them. It was funny how I could control the events and it felt so real. Yes, very cool. I did that in my youth as well. Anyone can do it if they dedicate themselves to it. There are techniques like keeping a paper by your bed and jotting down what you remember. Trying to remember your dreams was the first step if I recall right. There are books on technique out there and I'm sure it's all over the internet now as well. I was able to fly in my dreams and control it. They started out as really long jumps and then eventually I could stay up. It was freaky and awesome at the same time. Sex dreams didn't work out well though. They always morphed into something weird. Damn morals messing with my dreams and robbing my lucidity. MIndfullness is good! Amen to that Brother! Mindful meditation. Have you ever really experienced a raisin? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Apologies to everyone else but I Want To Know What Happened Half-a-Year Ago which changed things ! ! ! Pip. Hello Pippy! That's when I started balding at rapid rate. My doctor suspects TSH-related problems. I hate even talking to them, one complains about a tiny issue, they turn it into three or more major problems. Best wishes... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 ... My doctor suspects TSH-related problems. I hate even talking to them, one complains about a tiny issue, they turn it into three or more major problems. Best wishes... Bence This is a physician's business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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