Which technique do you find most effective for achieving trance or altered states of consciousness?

[dandadan]

It honestly depends on my goal and if I want a light trance or a deeper one. I tend to use different technologies also depending on the goal. Ultimately trance, and meditation, can be thought of like a muscle and the more you use it the better you'll become. Additionally, do not chase the trance; relax your grip and let it come to you.

Breathwork is an extremely important aspect of my trance work. Some common methods I use are Bhastrika Pranayama, Vatakrama Kapalbhati and Surya Bhedana Pranayama. I've also found success with circle breathing and things such as holotropic breathing or Tummo meditation. I will note a lot of these are considered advanced breathwork so please do research, go slowly and it is best to find a qualified teacher to safely guide you. Just maintaining a consistent rhythm with awareness can lead to very powerful trances.

I also incorporate movement. Gently swaying or rocking is something that I do in almost every trance. I also have experimented with spinning and it has lead to some of the most transformational trances I've experienced. Just move obstacles out of the way beforehand and be aware of hard surfaces.

I also incorporate different hypnotic triggers as over time I've built associations with these which make it easier to get into a trance state. For example, I'll wear certain clothing articles with particular colors, I'll have a specific incense burning, I'll wear certain perfume, etc. I do also use music, I like traditional folk songs or songs with heavy percussion but for just trance work this is a personal preference (I do spirit work in trance which does require specific songs but for all other purposes and traditions use what you like).

I think it's also important to have protocols for afterwards particularly if I went into a deeper trance. When I am finished with my trance I will anoint my forehead, wrists and ankles with rose water and take as much time as needed to ground myself back in the present and then I will usually perform some purifications. I also make sure to eat and drink water and rest if needed as trance work can be draining.

Of course, all of this is just what works for me. A lot of this comes from my teachers so it works in my specific spiritual tradition, to those outside of it some of the things listed above will probably be irrelevant. I also edited out some steps I take because they are very tradition-specific and I'm trying to keep it widely applicable. I also have been told I trance in a very "fiery" manner, where if you look at what I do most of it is about raising energy levels and causing excitement. Some people have better success with slowing things down and relaxing into the trance. Trance is a very individual thing and different things will work for different people. I'm happy to answer any questions or explain further as trance is one of the foundations of my spiritual and magical practice.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. Do you have any favorite resources or teachers you’d recommend for someone interested in exploring trancework and breathwork more deeply?

 

[CALLMESNAKE22]

Ive been listening to binural beats and having a youtube video of an anja lamp session playing and it has been working to get deep. I am always looking for new methods though

 

[Gato branco]

Shamanic drumming.

 

[moonbow]

For me the simplest and best method is to simply lie down and start to astral project. The trance comes automatically, the energy and the brainwaves do what they need to do themselves. The deeper you project the deeper the trance. Projecting lying down makes it easier to relax and go deeper than sitting imo.

 

[Reynard]

I've experimented with several techniques and can reach gnosis reasonably quickly - literally within a couple of minutes. It's remaining in this state for prolonged periods which is more difficult for me.

For short-term gnosis - charging a sigil, launching a servitor, banishing - I've had most success with:

• Slow breathing whilst staring at a light source (a candle works, but to be honest, I usually just stare at a lit lightbulb) until my eyes get used to the light and everything looks desaturated - I don't know why, but this makes me so calm, almost lightheaded.
• I also find that closing my eyes, breathing slow and deep, and asking myself, "What is my next thought going to be?" is an effective way of clearing my mind instantly, though this emptiness only works for a couple of minutes for me before my mind starts "waking" up and the mental chatter resumes.
• Habit - for example, a mentagram (in my mind, I draw a pentagram) at the start of every session. It's gotten to the point that my mind knows this is a short-cut to gnosis and my mind instantly clears.

For effective longer-term gnosis, I still do the practices above, but with the addition of:

• Burning incense
• Alcohol (in small quantities). I love a drink, but too much is counter-productive for gnosis (for me, anyway). A single shot of whiskey is about right.
• Masturbation (edging, without orgasm) - when you think about it, I guess this isn't all too different to dance/swaying that others have mentioned already. But it feels nicer

I still enter gnosis just as quickly, but I find it easier to remain there for extended periods. I still fluctuate between "normal" and "higher" consciousness from time to time, but I don't let this frustrate me; I acknowledge my intruding thoughts, and they soon move on.

 

[Sunnylil]

Scanning the space and looking between objects, concentrating on the gaps rather than the objects, with no focus at all.
With enough practice, many subtle details begin to emerge through your peripheral vision.

Separately, repeating mantras while gazing at an empty point on the wall.

 

[querent k]

What is your preferred method for entering a trance state during your practices?

Making art works, instant switch of mental state.
Then look at the altar, play around a bit with the objects there.
It's the same whether it's 'art' or 'wizardry'.

 

[dandadan]

Ive been listening to binural beats and having a youtube video of an anja lamp session playing and it has been working to get deep. I am always looking for new methods though

It's great to hear that binaural beats are working well for you. This is actually the second time I've heard someone mention using them, and it's encouraging to see they're effective for others too. I also enjoy exploring new methods, so I hope this post helps you discover even more techniques to deepen your experience.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 5:07 PM

I just want to say thank you all I honestly didn’t expect so many people to reply, and I’m really grateful for that. I hope you all got something valuable from it, and I truly appreciate the support.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 5:21 PM

Shamanic drumming.

I haven’t tried shamanic drumming personally, but I’ve heard it’s really effective for inducing trance states and spiritual connection. Thanks for mentioning it.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 5:29 PM

Making art works, instant switch of mental state.
Then look at the altar, play around a bit with the objects there.
It's the same whether it's 'art' or 'wizardry'.

That’s a cool perspective I believe that any activity that resonates deeply with us can help induce trance states. Thanks for sharing your method it’s inspiring to see how many ways there are to access altered states.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 5:41 PM

Scanning the space and looking between objects, concentrating on the gaps rather than the objects, with no focus at all.
With enough practice, many subtle details begin to emerge through your peripheral vision.

Separately, repeating mantras while gazing at an empty point on the wall.

I appreciate you explaining these methods they give me new ideas to explore.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 5:59 PM

I've experimented with several techniques and can reach gnosis reasonably quickly - literally within a couple of minutes. It's remaining in this state for prolonged periods which is more difficult for me.

For short-term gnosis - charging a sigil, launching a servitor, banishing - I've had most success with:

• Slow breathing whilst staring at a light source (a candle works, but to be honest, I usually just stare at a lit lightbulb) until my eyes get used to the light and everything looks desaturated - I don't know why, but this makes me so calm, almost lightheaded.
• I also find that closing my eyes, breathing slow and deep, and asking myself, "What is my next thought going to be?" is an effective way of clearing my mind instantly, though this emptiness only works for a couple of minutes for me before my mind starts "waking" up and the mental chatter resumes.
• Habit - for example, a mentagram (in my mind, I draw a pentagram) at the start of every session. It's gotten to the point that my mind knows this is a short-cut to gnosis and my mind instantly clears.

For effective longer-term gnosis, I still do the practices above, but with the addition of:

• Burning incense
• Alcohol (in small quantities). I love a drink, but too much is counter-productive for gnosis (for me, anyway). A single shot of whiskey is about right.
• Masturbation (edging, without orgasm) - when you think about it, I guess this isn't all too different to dance/swaying that others have mentioned already. But it feels nicer

I still enter gnosis just as quickly, but I find it easier to remain there for extended periods. I still fluctuate between "normal" and "higher" consciousness from time to time, but I don't let this frustrate me; I acknowledge my intruding thoughts, and they soon move on.

That’s been my challenge as well I find it easier to get into the trance state, but staying in that state for prolonged periods is more difficult for me. I think my main issue is actually maintaining the experience once I’m there, rather than reaching it in the first place. It’s something I’m working on.

It sounds like what I’m experiencing is related to a few different things. I can typically enter a trance state, but staying in that state and maintaining the experience for longer is a problem for me. I think part of the issue might be that I have trouble reaching a deeper trance which causes my awareness to pull me out prematurely. It could also be an awareness or control issue perhaps I’m subconsciously aware that I’m in an altered state and that awareness makes me exit the experience sooner sometimes I find that I’m aware of the experience but not fully comfortable or integrated into it, which leads to me returning to normal consciousness after a few minutes. I also believe that my level of practice plays a role more experience might help me stay immersed longer.

Overall, I think it’s more about strengthening my focus and relaxation during the experience, so I can stay in that state longer and explore it more fully.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Post automatically merged: Monday at 7:32 PM

For me the simplest and best method is to simply lie down and start to astral project. The trance comes automatically, the energy and the brainwaves do what they need to do themselves. The deeper you project the deeper the trance. Projecting lying down makes it easier to relax and go deeper than sitting imo.

I believe you’re onto something lying down really does set the stage for relaxation, which can make the trance and projection deepen more easily. It’s amazing how the body and mind work together.

I've astral projected easily many times, but lucid dreaming is a different story for me especially when it comes to control and awareness. It’s definitely more challenging to maintain that level of consciousness and influence within dreams.

Interestingly, it feels a bit backwards astral projection seems like it should be the more difficult experience, yet I can do it easily many times. On the other hand, lucid dreaming, which I would expect to be simpler, is much harder for me in terms of control and awareness.

I think a lot of it comes down to how well the body and mind work together when they’re in sync everything flows more naturally. It’s a fascinating process, and I’m learning to trust that if I relax and let them cooperate, I can go even deeper. The trance state really is like a foundation it’s where everything comes together, and understanding how that collaboration works has really helped me progress.

 

[Ben Gruagach]

I find that I go into trance most effectively in the evening before I go to bed although it's harder to do if I'm over-tired. I sit up on my bed cross-legged, leaning back on the headboard or wall. I have two pebbles that I keep for trance work; I hold one in my left palm and the other in my right. The feel of them in my hands helps encourage the trance.
I usually use headphones to listen to music, sometimes to a recorded guided meditation. I've also tried using binaural beat music (also called hemi-sync music) and it works too. I'm not sure in my case if it's any better when it's binaural beats compared to just music without lyrics or a guided meditation though.
I've also had some very deep trances while lying on my back but most of the time when I try to do it that way I just end up falling asleep.
If you're looking for guided meditation recordings, meditation music, or binaural beat music there are a number of free ones on Youtube.

 

[moonbow]

I believe you’re onto something lying down really does set the stage for relaxation, which can make the trance and projection deepen more easily. It’s amazing how the body and mind work together.
...
I think a lot of it comes down to how well the body and mind work together when they’re in sync everything flows more naturally.

I believe it's important to leave the technical stuff and all the little details to your energy and your system, while you use your focus only on what you want to do. The rest will be done by "itself". Like when you create your own astral world, you don't start by creating consciously all the molecules and do the chemistry in order to create a stone, and you don't manually shape the stones into bricks, and you don't painstackingly put all the bricks together, you don't reinvent gravity all over again in your own astral place etc... you just imagine your astral castle and it is created like this by your energy and your mind without caring about all the tiny details.
Like this it should be possible and recommended to let trance and altered states come naturally by themselves while you focus on what you want to do and not get in the way of your own energy and system as much as possible. All the brainwave stuff and energy balancing and chakra activation and so on will be done for you by your system if it needs to be done.

 

[FraterFraxinus]

The most effective way for really deep trances for me is firing up ableton live and start creating. I never "finnish" any songs but the stuff i produce and the act of producing itself hypnotizes me like nothing else can.

Also dancing to monotone rythmic music can really help.
I once did that on a fastival unintentionally. I had a medical condition and was in pain so i tried to dance it away. After some time the pain vanished and i entered a deep trance. After that night i felt like i had a ball of light in my chest that lifted me up, i feld energetic and light. Sadly this vanished after about a week later and i hit the floor kinda hard. It was only years later that i kind of understood what i did there, fun times.

 

[Durward]

There are so many variations of altered states and trance, where to begin?
I think my favorite is laying down and practicing flexing and relaxing muscles, while box breathing. When I'm totally relaxed, I prop my right arm up at the elbow and let myself drift past the fulcrum (a 10-12 Hz state between sleep and wake). When my arm falls, it jerks my focus enough to generate more recall and alertness in that altered hypnagogic state. Steering that wild thing is a whole different discussion topic.
The main thing I've learned is that it has zero to do with ego and waking consciousness. Dragging that heavy ego beast anywhere colors things with bias and morbid nonsense, not to mention the endless chatter from that filter, lock and block system that keeps us from experiencing anything Psi related. There are many of these lock, block and filter systems in place, and they appear to have moving boundaries that will adjust if you bypass them, a moving goal post system. Very slick design!
My second favorite is scrying. You can do that with just about anything. So an eyes-wide-open technique where you step back and allow things to drift past focus and attention and just learn to float as an observer. Your mind chatter and daydreaming, the objects in front of your vision, and everything else in this time and space, just become something to monitor from a distance, floating if you need a name. You are none of it, but all of it. When you reach this state, you become aware of other sensory and connective systems that have nothing to do with your ego time, space, or regular senses, and these are not usually connected to your regular personality, your regular memory systems, or your waking desires. So, not the ego.
I'm a big fan of filtering, locking, and blocking mechanisms that keep the linear mind from other formats of time and space, and one of the major players there is the human ego, the mind connected to that ego, and the personality and memories that define who you think you are. Discovering our other formats of existence, and how to function in them, is likely one of the major players in any form of practice.
If you then wonder what good a filter, block, and lock system is, during COVID there was a Poltergeist or Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis (RSPK) case where a young teen's phone kept dialing 9-1-1. Explain that to the responding police... Just imagine a world where every subconscious whim actually happened? Lucky for us, even when some people break through the filters, locks, and blocks, there are many of us so grounded that we cancel affect and effect and keep things to the standard conditions at rest. If you want to stop RSPK, simply point a camera at it.

 

[dandadan]

I find that I go into trance most effectively in the evening before I go to bed although it's harder to do if I'm over-tired. I sit up on my bed cross-legged, leaning back on the headboard or wall. I have two pebbles that I keep for trance work; I hold one in my left palm and the other in my right. The feel of them in my hands helps encourage the trance.
I usually use headphones to listen to music, sometimes to a recorded guided meditation. I've also tried using binaural beat music (also called hemi-sync music) and it works too. I'm not sure in my case if it's any better when it's binaural beats compared to just music without lyrics or a guided meditation though.
I've also had some very deep trances while lying on my back but most of the time when I try to do it that way I just end up falling asleep.
If you're looking for guided meditation recordings, meditation music, or binaural beat music there are a number of free ones on Youtube.

What you’re doing brings to mind Salvador Dali’s plate technique, also known as slumber with a key. Dali used this method to explore hypnagogia the brief vivid hallucinations that occur as you transition into sleep. He would hold a heavy key over a metal plate while seated and as he relaxed into sleep the key would fall and wake him up capturing surreal images that inspired his art.

It also resembles Robert Monroe’s recliner method which aims to induce deep conscious altered states like astral projection. Monroe suggested sitting upright or reclining in a chair to stay alert while relaxing the body preventing the quick slide into sleep and allowing the mind to remain consciously aware.

Both techniques highlight the importance of posture, sensory cues, and timing to access those liminal states similar to your use of tactile objects, music, and posture. It’s Interesting how these methods share common principles despite their different origins.

Post automatically merged: 8 minutes ago

There are so many variations of altered states and trance, where to begin?
I think my favorite is laying down and practicing flexing and relaxing muscles, while box breathing. When I'm totally relaxed, I prop my right arm up at the elbow and let myself drift past the fulcrum (a 10-12 Hz state between sleep and wake). When my arm falls, it jerks my focus enough to generate more recall and alertness in that altered hypnagogic state. Steering that wild thing is a whole different discussion topic.
The main thing I've learned is that it has zero to do with ego and waking consciousness. Dragging that heavy ego beast anywhere colors things with bias and morbid nonsense, not to mention the endless chatter from that filter, lock and block system that keeps us from experiencing anything Psi related. There are many of these lock, block and filter systems in place, and they appear to have moving boundaries that will adjust if you bypass them, a moving goal post system. Very slick design!
My second favorite is scrying. You can do that with just about anything. So an eyes-wide-open technique where you step back and allow things to drift past focus and attention and just learn to float as an observer. Your mind chatter and daydreaming, the objects in front of your vision, and everything else in this time and space, just become something to monitor from a distance, floating if you need a name. You are none of it, but all of it. When you reach this state, you become aware of other sensory and connective systems that have nothing to do with your ego time, space, or regular senses, and these are not usually connected to your regular personality, your regular memory systems, or your waking desires. So, not the ego.
I'm a big fan of filtering, locking, and blocking mechanisms that keep the linear mind from other formats of time and space, and one of the major players there is the human ego, the mind connected to that ego, and the personality and memories that define who you think you are. Discovering our other formats of existence, and how to function in them, is likely one of the major players in any form of practice.
If you then wonder what good a filter, block, and lock system is, during COVID there was a Poltergeist or Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis (RSPK) case where a young teen's phone kept dialing 9-1-1. Explain that to the responding police... Just imagine a world where every subconscious whim actually happened? Lucky for us, even when some people break through the filters, locks, and blocks, there are many of us so grounded that we cancel affect and effect and keep things to the standard conditions at rest. If you want to stop RSPK, simply point a camera at it.

I’ve heard about the arm up technique in relation to lucid dreaming, but I’ve never quite understood how it’s supposed to help is the idea to use it as a way to enter hypnagogia first and then transition into a lucid dream from there also scrying isn’t really my thing but, I’m glad it works for you.

How long have you been practicing these techniques and have you noticed significant changes over time and What advice would you give to someone just starting out with these practices?