eX: Navigating Altered Consciousness: paddling down the river ~ following our own states of altered consciousness to better follow others

You are welcome, Dana. Ditto to thanks, everyone.

My ongoing research waking: lucid seeing & hearing inside, then sound outside & olfactory (sleep with windows open) outside.

Going to sleep tracking hint: keep not pad or auditory recording device handy to note (in half sleepy state) how you fall asleep.

Sleep on,

Stan

Out with the old, in with the new: by some strange coincidence, David and I have decided on a new bed, and I just started waking up with a light alarm. Can't say I have settled into a pattern with sleep yet, except how eternally grouchy I am if I get interrupted when falling asleep. Dreams have been markedly clearer in the last two weeks. Onward and forward. Here's to completely stopping as well.

Reflections on waking from slumber-

I have been been pleased by bringing awareness to waking up, especially when I can wake without an alarm. Although, even when I set an alarm- I feel I have this awareness of time and usually wake up before my alarm.

I am awakened by a sense of consciousness. Like my awake brain/soul calls on me- I sense that I am done with sleep. But my sleeping brain tries to call me back. I sense my sleepy self and awake self talking it out for a bit. My awake brain warns me that my back and body won't feel as good if I fall back asleep, but my sleepy brain try to convince me I'll be fine and I should surrender to a little more sleep.

Sometimes- if I wake during a dream, I feel the dream calling me back. I get excited that perhaps I can return to where I left off in the dream. Although I don't think I am ever successful doing this.

But I feel this strange suspension in between unconsciousness and consciousness. It feels delicious - like I have a little portal between these two worlds that is open only for a few moments in the morning. I have remembered more of my dreams on these mornings that I am paying attention to this awakening. It is fascinating how when you set an intention to remember a dream that you do. I love the image of catching the tail of a dream and pulling it down and you can catch a little before it evaporates. I think John O'Donahue talks about that in one of his talks.

Any way- it has been fun to pay attention to this process of awakening.

In sleepy wonder,

Dana