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Often when I'm falling asleep, I hear a buzzing sound in my head (not via my ears). It occurs right on the point of sleep and usually stops me actually dropping off. For some reason it is enjoyable. It feels possibly like a portal to something, if only I could be conscious of it happening for more than its fleeting existence.
It's almost got a vibration to it as well as sound.
Anyone else experience this?
Ghoul
I read somewhere - it was either in a Robert Monroe book or Carlos Castaneda book that the buzzing occurs just before one enters an altered state of consciousness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Holographic Ghoul
Regardless of beliefs concerning the astral, the buzzing is an indication of a shift in consciousness and sometimes even a upcoming loss of consciousness. I've experienced it on occasion before falling asleep and I've also experienced it just before fainting or on the brink of it.
M.
Thanks Marisa, that's interesting to hear you've had this too, and that others have written of it. I'm going to try to find out more. Certainly this backs up my instinctive feeling on it, i.e. that it is, or represents, some kind of bridge between states of consciousness.
Ghoul
Okay, now I'm curious so I'm going to take a deeper look into this as well. We can compare notes. :)
M.
Hey Ghoul
In your case, the buzzing is one of the things that happens with the onset of sleep paralysis (part of Stage 1 Sleep]
"Either during the hazy state just before sleep or on arousal, the person's body feels heavier and heavier. This may be accompanied by a tingling, buzzing or vibrating sensation." (Source: Sleep by Carlos H. Schenck, M.D.)
The pleasant feeling that you get makes sense because your brain would be in an alpha state progressing to theta.
It's also interesting to note that lucid dreaming occurs during the sleep paralysis state (Stage 1). This explains the Casandra "Art of Dreaming" stuff because it is in this state where very realistic hallucinations occur.
"Sleep paralysis is most likely caused by inappropriate intrusions of the atonia (lack of muscular tone) of REM sleep into wake-sleep and sleep-wake transitional states. It's believed that the atonia of REM sleep either sets in too early or hangs around too long, along with the associated dream state (predisposing to hallucinations) - despite wakeful consciousness." (ibid pg 167)
M.
Oh, I forgot to mention - while the buzzing before fainting is also an indication of a forthcoming change in consciousness, it's cause is not related to sleep paralysis and is more likely to do with a shift in blood pressure.
M.
I see... I'll report back if I find out much more on the subject...or if I manage to use it as a gateway to enlightenment! :icon_wink:
Hi Marisa, I missed your longer message last night somehow..
Thanks that does seem to make sense re. alpha state progressing to theta. The bit about lucid dreaming is interesting too, as this is something I have experienced many times and it is an amazing thing.
The buzzing / vibrating thing seems evident in other areas too, such as out-of-body experiences. I have experienced this (reglardless of what such experiences really are) - a heavy, juddering vibration as you get 'out' - enough to scare one into staying 'in'. Although, that's a bit different to the milder buzzing thing of the sleep-point thing.
Ghoul