Hodgepodge: All things that don't fit on-going threads

[RunningDeer]

There are just four things that are able to manipulate a mammal's brain, and it spells out the word, FATE - focus, authority, tribe, and emotion - in that order.

If I can present a threat to you, I automatically and instantly get your focus back. Then I present an authority figure or something that sounds authoritative like the news quoting a celebrity or quoting some statistic that says, ”There's a new virus in town,” like we're hearing right now.

Then I go on social media and I see all my little echo chamber of the people that agree with me saying, ”This is a conspiracy.” or ”We need to worry about this.” So now we're in tribe of the FATE model.

And then we get in there and we feel vindicated we get dopamine when we see the people we agree with and then we scroll a few more times and then we get the idiot morons on the other side of the aisle and then we get pissed off and angry. We fulfill both ends of the emotion spectrum.

• It's Focus-Authority-Tribe-Emotion in that order. (FATE)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hgg43EkjXaM

[Ravenlocke]

r

Jun 29
Mayim Bialik promoted RocketGlow, a book showing an Israeli father-daughter watching rockets fired to kill innocent Palestinians. Mayim Bialik proudly laughing about Genocide of the people of Gaza and she is talking about She “felt fear” Over a T-Shirt


https://x.com/missmayim/status/17520...651845/video/1


https://x.com/bekhayalime/status/2071748551650967977

Daniel Mayakovski

Jun 27
Translated from Spanish
"I was in a parking lot with my children and I saw someone nearby wearing a 'Zionism is racism' T-shirt... I felt fear, like every Jew, that's what my children have to witness."

Mayim Bialik, fervent Zionist and actress from the famous series The Big Bang Theory, claims she felt fear because she saw a person walking around with a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Zionism is racism."

While children in Gaza see their parents dismembered by "Israel's" bombs, Zionists feel terror over a measly T-shirt

https://x.com/DaniMayakovski/status/2070816511959167199

https://x.com/bekhayalime/status/2071749118356013408

[RunningDeer]

• Every habit, relationship, or job requires a certain amount of your energy.
• When something begins to slip away, trying to hold onto it through worry, stress, or overwork uses even more energy.
• Instead of gaining energy from letting go, you end up exhausting yourself by fighting to keep what is leaving.
• This leaves you with less energy to heal, grow, or create new opportunities.
• Since personal change and healing come from within, conserving your energy is essential.
• Holding on too tightly means losing the potential to invest that energy in a better future.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=jAfmnAHiDhc

[RunningDeer]

Anti-Aging Expert: This Myth Is Costing You Your Health!

The secret to anti-aging, if there was one is, is the proper allocation of energy. If you don't waste energy stressing out about the future and the past, and you can spend more time in the moment, not being overly reactive to things, which is a lifelong effort, then more of that precious energy can go towards anti-aging.

• The Diary of a CEO
• July 2, 2026

The Mitochondria Scientist Dr Martin Picard reveals why stress is secretly burning 60% of your daily energy, the science behind reversing gray hair, and why your mitochondria - not your genes - determine how fast you age!

Dr Martin Picard is a Professor of Behavioral Medicine and Director of the Mitochondrial Psychobiology Group, who specialises in how stress, emotions and lived experiences affect your mitochondria. He recently published the world's first map of mitochondria in the human brain and is also the author of the upcoming book, ‘Energy’.

He explains:

• Why depression is really an energy problem, not just in your head
• Why eating more food won't give you more energy, and what actually will
• How training for a marathon can double the mitochondria in your muscles
• Why people with a strong sense of purpose have more powerful mitochondria
• Why cancer cells abandon their mitochondria, and what it means for treating them

00:00 Intro
03:36 Why Everyone Is Talking About Energy Right Now
04:35 Why I Dedicated My Life to Studying Mitochondria
05:51 The Fascination With Mitochondria—and What a PhD in Them Really Means
08:46 How Understanding Energy Can Help You Feel Better Every Day
10:03 Where You Should Start If You Want More Energy
14:26 Why Mitochondria Are the Foundation of Your Health
16:42 How Mitochondria Made Complex Human Life Possible
19:04 What Insulin Resistance Reveals About Your Body's Energy System
20:36 How Mitochondria Influence Cancer Risk
23:17 What Really Causes the Warburg Effect?
24:43 Why Diabetes Raises Your Risk of Cancer
26:10 The Real Reason Smoking Causes Cancer
31:04 Why Hair Turns Gray—and Whether It Can Be Reversed
39:57 What Cortisol Is Really Doing to Your Cells
42:47 Does a More Resilient Mind Save Cellular Energy?
45:20 Acute vs. Chronic Stress: Why the Difference Matters
45:54 Understanding Resistance—and Why It Drains Your Energy
48:18 What Happens Inside Your Body When the First Gray Hair Appears?
51:43 The Real Secret to Healthy Aging
53:37 How to Make Your Body More Energy Efficient
55:34 How Food Changes the Way Your Cells Produce Energy
01:01:02 What the Energy Crisis in Your Cells Means for Alzheimer's Disease
01:05:32 Is Dementia Really "Type 3 Diabetes"?
01:12:07 Why Some Communities Avoid Dementia—and What This Means for Alzheimer's Risk
01:13:54 Ads
01:15:56 How to Eat for Optimal Energy and Health
01:17:27 Why We Overeat Even When We're Not Hungry
01:20:46 Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?
01:22:43 How to Stop Scattered Energy From Running Your Life
01:30:58 How High Performers Filter Signal From Noise
01:39:52 How Energy Resistance Shows Up in Parenting
01:41:54 Why Meaningful Goals Become Magnets for Your Energy
01:42:35 Does Having a Purpose Improve Mitochondrial Function?
01:46:22 What Being Judged Does to Your Body's Energy System
01:51:07 Why Stress Causes Visceral Fat Gain
01:51:30 What Happens When Chronic Stress Turns Into Disease?
01:53:03 How to Reduce GDF-15—and Why It Matters
01:56:28 Can Supplements Actually Improve Mitochondrial Health?
02:00:23 How to Trust the Wisdom of Your Body
02:02:22 Ads
02:03:26 Can Red Light Therapy Really Support Your Mitochondria?
02:05:12 What You Need to Know Before Trying Red Light Therapy
02:10:33 How to Listen to What Your Energy Is Telling You
02:27:11 The Best Exercise Routine for Healthier Mitochondria
02:28:11 Which Blood Tests Can Reveal Your Mitochondrial Health?
02:30:14 The Personal Loss That Changed Everything

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=6xlmaorRY0w

[RunningDeer]

The Scariest Line in Truman Show (1 minute)

Somebody finally asks Christoff the only question that really matters - “Why has Truman never come close to discovering the truth?”

Christoff answers this question without even blinking, ”He could leave at any time, if he was absolutely determined to discover the truth, there's no way we could prevent it/him.”

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhgm3WMp9qY

Truman Got Out - It’s Worse for You

• The central message is that genuine insight comes through personal observation and reflection, and that seeking truth is often uncomfortable because it requires giving up familiar stories rather than simply acquiring new information.

Chase Hughes argues that The Truman Show is not just a film about surveillance, but an allegory for how people become trapped in comfortable, socially reinforced versions of reality. Rather than relying on force, Truman's world is maintained through habit, fear, incentives, and relationships that discourage questioning. The speaker connects the film to ideas from Plato's Cave, Gnostic philosophy, and The Matrix, suggesting that people often reject evidence that challenges their worldview because accepting it would threaten their identity, relationships, and sense of stability.

He extends this interpretation to modern life, drawing parallels with social media, advertising, reality television, and public narratives that shape emotions and behavior. They argue that people are often guided more by comfort and fear than by truth, but caution against turning this into a grand conspiracy theory. Instead, they recommend cultivating self-awareness: questioning one's own assumptions, paying attention to inconsistencies, resisting emotional manipulation, and allowing uncertainty before accepting easy explanations.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SlQtB9Xuxlk

[RunningDeer]

July 2026 Energy Update | A Rebirth is Upon Us

• Lee Harris Energy
• 782K subscribers
• July 2, 2026

Hi everyone, the July #EnergyUpdate is here, and we're entering a powerful phase of awakening and transformation, both personally and collectively.

A mass awakening is now unfolding in ways many never expected, as more people begin to question old systems, beliefs, and the world around them. It can feel disorienting, but it also opens the door to deeper truth and greater compassion.

You may also notice that timeline confusion is very real right now. Everything is moving so quickly that what once felt certain may suddenly shift, inviting us to stay present rather than trying to predict what comes next.

Above all, remember that you are a balance creator. The steadier and more grounded you become within yourself, the more you naturally bring calm, hope, and perspective to those around you.

There’s much more inside this month's Energy Update, so be sure to watch the full video and explore all of the themes.

Big love,
Lee x

0:01 - Intro
2:22 - A Mass Awakening is Now Activated
7:35 - Spirituality, Religion or Atheism?
12:16 - You Are a Balance Creator
16:10 - A Rebirth is Upon Us
20:26 - Timeline Confusion is Real
23:31 - Developing Self-trust in Times of Loss of Trust
27:01 - The Healing Heart and The Time It Wants and Needs
28:40 - Beware the Division Disciples

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9LmknMqrq8Q

[RunningDeer]

[RunningDeer]

Will Harlow’s “Independence FOR LIFE” book arrived. It includes easy to follow instructions and photos. Check out his videos @ Will Harlow – Over-Fifties Specialist Physio to see how his teaching and writing styles are similar.

Below are the main chapters. There is a “List of Exercises" page, and a total of 190 exercises, each includes what to aim for - example: 10-15 reps each side X 3 sets. Most don’t require equipment beyond a chair, or dumbbells, loop resistance band, broom stick handle or a towel.

Part One: The Foundation of Independence

• Chapters 1: The Four Pillars of Independence
• Chapters 2: Your Personal Assessment
• Chapters 3: Building Your Independence for Life Plan

Part Two: Centered, Mobile and Strong

• Chapters 4: Rebuilding Muscle and Strength
• Chapters 5: Improving Balance
• Chapters 6: Building Stronger Bones
• Chapters 7: Maintaining Mobility

Part Three: Freedom for Pain

• Chapters 8: Relieving Back Pain
• Chapters 9: Easing Neck and Shoulder Pain
• Chapter 10: Improving Hip Mobility
• Chapter 11: Restoring Knee Health
• Chapter 12: Fixing the Feet and Ankles

***********

“The progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function as we age is called sarcopenia. It is a natural part of the aging process that typically begins in our 30s or 40s and can accelerate after age 60, often leading to weakness, poor balance, and loss of independence.

While sarcopenia happens naturally, you can slow or even reverse its progression by incorporating regular resistance training (weightlifting or bodyweight exercises) and ensuring adequate protein intake in your diet.”

***********

Will Harlow
Published May, 2026


From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Thriving Beyond Fifty.

• Sample
• Summary:

Getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down. Discover how to create a personalized plan to build strength, protect bone health, restore balance and improve mobility at any age.

Physiotherapist and over-50s health specialist Will Harlow, who has helped millions through his YouTube channel, shows you how to build your own transformative, step-by-step plan based on his Four Pillars of Independence – strength, mobility, balance and skeletal health. First, you’ll assess your starting point, then choose exercises to target your weak areas and create a routine that grows with you. This isn’t about fixing one issue at a time – it’s about building a plan to keep your whole body strong, mobile and independent for years to come.

Inside, you’ll find science-backed strategies, easy-to-follow exercises and simple self-assessments to help you track your progress and stay motivated, whatever your starting point.

You’ll learn how to:

• Build muscle and stability safely at any age, even if you’ve never trained before.
• Improve balance and coordination to prevent falls and move with confidence.
• Protect and strengthen your bones to reduce the risk of fracture.
• Maintain and restore mobility with targeted stretching and movement routines.
• Reduce pain so you can stay active and get back to doing the things you love.
• Create a structured routine you can follow week by week and adapt as you improve.

Independence for Life is more than a collection of exercises – it’s your complete guide to building a clear, personalized roadmap for ageing well. You’re not too old and it’s never too late – you just haven’t had the right plan. Until now.

[Eva2]

'Itzhak Bentov - The Illusion of Our Separation


Itzhak Bentov was an amazing teacher, inventor, mystic and much much more who unfortunately was killed in a plane crash in 1979. He was however very far ahead of his time.

There is very little of him and his work available for our consumption unfortunately in this age of Technology Luxury. But, this short clip is profound. He explores the connection we all have to one another on another level. And, the privilege of a disconnected experience Earth offers us.'

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rG4DlLQuiwg

[RunningDeer]

Here’s the full lecture.

Itzhak Bentov ~ From Atom To Cosmos

Itzhak Bentov was a scientist, inventor,and an early pioneer in the research of consciousness. By blending analytical knowledge and intuitive insight, Bentov was the first to develop what is now widely accepted today as a holographic model of reality. This rare recording of Bentov's last television appearance (1978) and his inspirational exploration of consciousness and the cosmos, is presented in its original form by his wife Mirtala.

• Stalking the Wild Pendulum: On the Mechanics of Consciousness

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KMbeK_6ATxQ

Overall Summary - AI generated from transcript

The lecture is best understood as a metaphysical and spiritual worldview, not as a presentation of established scientific theory. It combines terminology from physics—including holography, black holes, quasars, electromagnetism, resonance, and cosmology—with ideas drawn from mystical traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, Kabbalah, Theosophy, and broader esoteric philosophy.

While it occasionally references genuine scientific concepts, it extends them into claims about consciousness and the structure of reality that are not supported by mainstream empirical evidence.
Viewed as a philosophical narrative, however, the lecture presents a coherent vision: consciousness is fundamental, reality is deeply interconnected, love is the organizing principle of evolution, and every individual is ultimately an expression of a single universal awareness exploring itself through creation.

Whether accepted literally, symbolically, or simply as an imaginative cosmology, the lecture invites reflection on humanity's relationship to the universe and the possibility that the boundaries between self, others, and the cosmos are less absolute than they appear.

Posted by Eva2 (here)
'Itzhak Bentov - The Illusion of Our Separation
Itzhak Bentov was an amazing teacher, inventor, mystic and much much more who unfortunately was killed in a plane crash in 1979. He was however very far ahead of his time.

There is very little of him and his work available for our consumption unfortunately in this age of Technology Luxury. But, this short clip is profound. He explores the connection we all have to one another on another level. And, the privilege of a disconnected experience Earth offers us.'

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rG4DlLQuiwg

[RunningDeer]

********************

[Sue (Ayt)]

Posted by RunningDeer (here)

Sorry, Runningdeer, but I just had to add a bit of humor.
The opposite, materialistic viewpoint, I'd call this!

[Vicus]

[RunningDeer]

How to Develop Greater Presence in the Moment

Developing greater presence means strengthening your ability to notice what's happening right now—your thoughts, emotions, surroundings, and actions—without being constantly pulled into memories, worries, or distractions. It's a skill that improves with practice rather than a permanent state.

Here are some effective ways to cultivate it:

Train your attention
A simple mindfulness practice is one of the most direct methods.

• Sit comfortably for 5–10 minutes.
• Focus on your breathing.
• When your mind wanders (and it will), gently notice where it went and return your attention to the breath.

The goal isn't to stop thinking. It's to notice when your attention has drifted and consciously bring it back.

Engage your senses
When you notice yourself lost in thought, reconnect with your immediate experience.
For example:

• Notice five things you can see.
• Listen for three distinct sounds.
• Feel your feet on the ground or your hands resting where they are.
• Pay attention to the temperature of the air or the texture of an object you're holding.

This anchors attention in the present instead of abstract thinking.

Do one thing at a time
Multitasking often fragments attention.

Whether you're eating, walking, washing dishes, or talking with someone, experiment with giving that activity your full attention. Notice details you normally overlook—the flavors of food, the rhythm of your steps, or the other person's facial expressions and tone.

Create small "awareness pauses"
Choose a few recurring moments during the day—before opening your laptop, answering the phone, or entering your home.
For just 10–20 seconds:

• Notice your posture.
• Observe your breathing.
• Ask yourself, "Where is my attention right now?"

These brief check-ins help interrupt autopilot.

Notice thoughts instead of becoming them
A helpful mental shift is to observe thoughts rather than immediately identifying with them.
Instead of:

• "I'm anxious."

Try noticing:

• "I'm noticing anxious thoughts."

This creates a bit of psychological distance, making it easier to respond intentionally rather than react automatically.

Reduce unnecessary distractions
Constant notifications, endless scrolling, and switching between tasks train the mind to seek novelty.
Setting aside periods of uninterrupted time—for work, reading, conversation, or rest—helps rebuild sustained attention.

Spend time in environments that naturally encourage presence
Many people find it easier to be present while:

• Walking in nature.
• Looking at the night sky.
• Listening attentively to music.
• Creating art or playing an instrument.
• Gardening or cooking.

Activities that fully engage your senses often quiet the mental chatter that pulls attention away from the present.

A simple daily practice (5–10 minutes)

• Sit quietly and notice your breathing for 2 minutes.
• Spend 2 minutes observing sounds without labeling them as good or bad.
• Spend 2 minutes noticing bodily sensations from head to toe.
• End by asking, "What is actually happening right now, as opposed to what I'm imagining?"

Over time, presence becomes less about trying to "stay in the moment" and more about recognizing when your attention has wandered and returning it gently. That process of noticing and returning is the practice itself.

How to Expand Consciousness

• Meditation and mindfulness: Practices that cultivate sustained attention and awareness of thoughts, emotions, and sensations without immediately reacting to them. Many people report greater clarity, emotional regulation, and a broader perspective over time.
• Self-inquiry: Examining your assumptions, beliefs, and automatic reactions. Questions such as "Why do I believe this?" or "What evidence supports this view?" can reveal unconscious patterns and reduce habitual thinking.
• Learning from diverse perspectives: Reading philosophy, science, history, psychology, and spiritual traditions broadens your mental models. Exposure to differing viewpoints can make your own thinking more flexible and nuanced.
• Reflection and journaling: Writing about experiences, decisions, and emotions helps identify recurring patterns and blind spots. Reflection can deepen self-understanding and improve judgment.
• Experiencing awe and novelty: Spending time in nature, engaging with art and music, traveling, or learning new skills can expand your sense of connection and challenge familiar ways of seeing the world.
• Compassion and relationships: Many traditions argue that expanding consciousness isn't only about introspection but also about cultivating empathy, listening deeply, and recognizing the perspectives of others.
• Healthy habits: Sleep, regular exercise, stress management, and balanced nutrition support cognitive function and emotional well-being, making it easier to sustain attention and insight.

Resources:

• Mindfulness for Beginners
• mindful.org
• mayoclinic.org
• hopkinsmedicine.org

[Raskolnikov]

Thought this belonged here better than anywhere else, out of respect for all your inspirationsal posts RunningDeer. This forum, this world, needs you more than you know. Rock on sister!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3MFmXXU_g2E

[RunningDeer]

Dear Raskolnikov

Posted by Raskolnikov (here)
Thought this belonged here better than anywhere else, out of respect for all your inspirationsal posts RunningDeer. This forum, this world, needs you more than you know. Rock on sister!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3MFmXXU_g2E

[RunningDeer]

Bernhard Guenther: Psycho-spiritual Development For The Conspiratorial Mind

2 Snippets from the podcast:

When did Spirituality Become A Performance?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2X-jhX0buSI

AI, Humans and the “Soul” Debate Nobody Is Talking About

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=HdNTmq0okkk

• The Higherside Chats Podcast
• July 1, 2026
• 113K subscribers

In this episode, Bernhard Guenther shares his extensive insights into the deeper architecture of reality, the influence of hyperdimensional forces, and the importance of inner work in navigating the spiritual and unseen realms. We explore the spiritual battle beyond the material layer, the role of shadow work, and the impact of unseen entities on human consciousness. Bernhard Guenther and Greg Carlwood explore the depths of spiritual warfare, the influence of dark entities, and the importance of inner work in navigating the current spiritual and societal upheavals. This episode offers insights into hyperdimensional forces, the true nature of evil, and how to align with divine will for personal and collective transformation.

Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Podcasting: From Audio to Video
04:25 Understanding the Hyperdimensional War on Consciousness
10:31 The Inner Work: Shadow Integration and Personal Responsibility
16:16 Collective Shadows: The Role of Evil in Society
22:16 Navigating the Dark Realities: Epstein and Beyond
29:53 Levels of Consciousness and Responsibility
37:56 The Ongoing Journey of Inner Work
49:09 The Spiritual Implications of the COVID Vaccine
01:00:50 Soul Embodiment as Antidote
01:06:57 Conscious Agreements with Dark Forces
01:12:27 The Problem of Evil
01:18:46 Hyperdimensional Entities and UFOs
01:23:59 The Future of Disclosure
01:33:32 The Teaching Function of Evil
01:39:17 The Dangers of Ayahuasca and Shamanism
01:44:19 The Rise of Dogmatic Christianity
01:54:27 Becoming Seeds for the Next Cycle

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=jS3i0lxDoX4

[RunningDeer]

“Patient #1” Inside the Most Insane DMT Study in History | Carl Hayden

• Danny Jones
• 1.25M subscribers
• July 13, 2026

Carl Hayden Smith was the first participant on the nnDMT study at Imperial College London and most recently on the DMTX phase of the study. His research also explores the combination 'functional sound' with the application of psychedelics.

OUTLINE
00:00 - Carl's Psilohuasca trip
02:14 - DMTx trials at Imperial College
11:57 - Your brain is "asleep" on DMT
16:56 - What happens to your brain on psychedelics
21:59 - People who get locked out of DMT
27:22 - Cyberdelics - devices that change consciousness
33:46 - Natural vs. synthetic drugs
39:47 - Rick Strassman's theory on psychedelics
42:19 - Life reviews on psychedelics
47:08 - Carl's journaling practice
53:04 - Carl's DMTx trip visualized with AI
59:55 - 3 motifs of a DMT trip
01:07:36 - Upcoming DMT research goals
1:12:56 - Evidence for a 2nd Sphinx in Giza Plateau
01:16:24 - 3D modeling ancient sites & memory palaces
01:23:50 - Filippo Biondi's pyramid scan claims
01:28:37 - The power of sound on consciousness
01:37:27 - The Drake Passage
01:40:12 - Using tech to become more human
01:43:07 - Mystery schools & Eleusis
01:45:37 - Essence of the human experience
01:53:01 - Danny's experience with DMT
01:56:40 - Umwelt hacking
02:02:33 - Existence of telepathic abilities
02:10:13 - Noise pollution from data centers
02:17:37 - Next steps in DMTx experiment

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=uQPAVic3Jok

[RunningDeer]

The hypnagogic state is the brief transitional period between being awake and falling asleep. It's a perfectly normal state that everyone experiences every night, although most people pass through it so quickly they don't notice it.

During hypnagogia, your brain is gradually shifting from wakefulness into sleep. Because parts of the brain involved in dreaming begin to activate before you're fully asleep, your conscious awareness and dream imagery can briefly overlap.

What it can feel like

People commonly report experiences such as:

• Vivid geometric patterns or flashes of light behind closed eyes
• Brief, dream-like scenes or faces
• Hearing someone call their name or hearing music that isn't actually playing
• The sensation of falling, often accompanied by a sudden body jerk (a hypnic jerk)
• Feeling as though they're floating, spinning, or becoming very heavy
• A strong sense that they're "still awake" even though sleep has already begun

Most of these experiences last only a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Why is it interesting?

Researchers think hypnagogia is a unique state because:

• The logical, analytical mind becomes quieter.
• Visual imagination becomes much more active.
• Creative insights can appear spontaneously.
• Dreaming begins before you're fully unconscious.

Many well-known creators reportedly used this state deliberately. For example, Thomas Edison, Edgar Allan Poe and Salvador Dalí described techniques for drifting toward sleep while holding an object so that, when they dropped it, the sound would wake them and allow them to capture ideas that arose during hypnagogia.

It is Related to Lucid Dreaming

Many lucid dreamers intentionally try to remain mentally aware while entering hypnagogia because it can become a gateway into a lucid dream.

People practicing meditation, yoga nidra, or "wake-induced lucid dreaming" (WILD) often learn to observe the images and sensations of hypnagogia without reacting to them.

While many people also associate hypnagogia with ideas like astral projection or reality shifting, those interpretations are personal or spiritual rather than established scientific conclusions. The underlying sensations themselves, such as vivid imagery, floating feelings, and hearing voices or sounds, are well documented in sleep research.

Your brain starts "dreaming" before you're asleep

Dreaming isn't an all-or-nothing event.

Even before entering deeper sleep stages, parts of your visual cortex and memory systems begin generating imagery.

Meanwhile, your prefrontal cortex—the region heavily involved in logic, planning, and self-monitoring—starts reducing its activity.

That means:

• Imagination increases.
• Critical thinking decreases.
• Odd combinations of ideas feel surprisingly natural.

This is one reason artists, inventors, and writers have long valued this state.

Sensory processing changes

As you fall asleep, your brain gradually stops prioritizing incoming sensory information.

Instead of building a picture of the external world, it begins generating its own internal experience.

That's why people may:

• Hear their name being called
• See flashes of light
• Feel like they're floating
• Experience the sensation of falling (often followed by a hypnic jerk)

These experiences are considered normal features of the transition into sleep.

Why creativity often peaks

Neuroscientists think creativity benefits because two systems are balancing each other:

• Executive control hasn't completely shut off.
• Associative networks have become much freer.

The result is that your brain forms connections it might reject during normal waking thought.

This is why people sometimes wake with solutions to problems they couldn't solve the night before.

********************

How to intentionally notice the hypnagogic state

You can't force hypnagogia. The more you try to "make something happen," the more your brain stays in an alert, beta-wave state. The skill is learning to observe the transition without interfering with it.

Here's a practical approach that's grounded in sleep science and overlaps with techniques used in meditation and lucid dreaming.

Step 1: Set yourself up for sleep
The best time is:

• At your normal bedtime, or
• During an afternoon nap when you're already sleepy.

Lie comfortably on your back or side in a dark, quiet room. Don't try to stay awake with effort; instead, simply become curious about what your mind does as it falls asleep.

Step 2: Pick a gentle anchor
Choose one thing to pay light attention to, such as:

• Your breathing
• The feeling of your body against the mattress
• A simple mental phrase like "I'm noticing."

The key is light attention, not intense concentration.
Think of it like watching clouds drift across the sky rather than chasing them.

Step 3: Notice the first changes
As your brain shifts toward alpha and theta activity, you may notice:

• Random thoughts that don't quite make sense.
• Brief flashes of color or light.
• Faces appearing for a split second.
• Fragments of conversations.
• A sudden feeling that you're somewhere else.
• Your sense of time becoming fuzzy.

These are called hypnagogic images.
The important thing is not to analyze them.

• If you think,
• "Oh! It's happening!"
• you'll often wake yourself back up.

Step 4: Observe without participating
Meditators sometimes describe this as sitting on the riverbank watching the water flow.

Instead of following a thought, simply notice:

• "Interesting... there's a face."
• or
• "Now there's a sound."
• Then let it pass.

The less you react, the longer the state often lasts.

Step 5: Expect your body to feel strange
Many people become alarmed because their body begins behaving differently.

You might notice:

• Your hands feel enormous or tiny.
• You're floating.
• You're gently spinning.
• Your body disappears.
• Vibrations or buzzing sensations.
• A loud "bang" or whooshing sound (a harmless phenomenon some people experience).

These are all reported during the transition into sleep and don't necessarily indicate anything unusual.

Articles

• Sleep Foundation: Hypnagogic Hallucinations
• Healthline: What Is Hypnagogia?

[RunningDeer]

I build little people out of acorns and sticks, then photograph them in the wild with real animals. Join me as I share my process of building and photographing. Learn more and buy prints at davidmbird.com.

• Becorns | David M Bird
• 456K subscribers

Becorn Highlights 2023

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=wY0ugtSK0pM

Becorns and the Yellow Jackets

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=gHCCWGY4UTY