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

[Kellhuss]

Traditional vipassana meditation until I'm settled and balanced, and then proceeding into the non-focus meditation shikantaza technique of just letting go any attempt at focus on anything at all, so lapsing into just awareness. This can get me very deep within about 20 minutes.

 

[dandadan]

For me doing mantra repetition along with a rhythmic movement of the body or pranayama is what I most often use. Another one is singing.

That sounds like a powerful combination glad you find that mantra and movement really help you deepen your practice.

Post automatically merged: Apr 15, 2026

Traditional vipassana meditation until I'm settled and balanced, and then proceeding into the non-focus meditation shikantaza technique of just letting go any attempt at focus on anything at all, so lapsing into just awareness. This can get me very deep within about 20 minutes.

Vipassana followed by shikantaza must lead to some deep states of awareness I’ve heard that transitioning into non focus meditation can bring about deep experiences within a short time that seems like a powerful way to settle and then explore pure awareness.

 

[Thewanderingwarlock]

Try preparing and ingesting African dream herb. My time in a couple tribes in Africa have taught me their methods, seems to work and hits you hard few days after while sleeping.

 

[dandadan]

Try preparing and ingesting African dream herb. My time in a couple tribes in Africa have taught me their methods, seems to work and hits you hard few days after while sleeping.

It’s fascinating how these practices tap into deeper subconscious and spiritual realms creating powerful trance states respect for these traditions really highlights their wisdom in harnessing natural plant medicines.

 

[Sedim Haba]

How about Gateway Experience AKA Hemi-Sync, anyone have experience with that?

 

[dandadan]

How about Gateway Experience AKA Hemi-Sync, anyone have experience with that?

I've heard of Gateway Experience but haven't gotten around to trying them Focus 27 looks pretty interesting though It reminds me of Thomas Campbell's Tom's Park. Do you have any experience with it?

 

[Sedim Haba]

I've heard of Gateway Experience but haven't gotten around to trying them Focus 27 looks pretty interesting though It reminds me of Thomas Campbell's Tom's Park. Do you have any experience with it?

Had to cast the Google spell on "Thomas Campbell's Tom's Park" got an Amazon link says $570 for the paperback so probably not anytime soon.

 

[dandadan]

Had to cast the Google spell on "Thomas Campbell's Tom's Park" got an Amazon link says $570 for the paperback so probably not anytime soon.

I meant to do you have any experience with gateway experiences in general? I only mentioned Thomas Campbell because it reminds me of his work and I’m interested in that too also there’s a visual aid and guide on that you can check out if you want before deciding whether to buy the book and that’s what I did just to see if it’s worth getting. I’m planning on buying Thomas Campbell’s book because it has a colored map which I thought was pretty cool.

I won’t post the link because I’m not sure if that’s against the forum rules, but if you search for "Toms Park Guide," it should be on the first page.

Now, do you have any experience with the gateway experience tapes?

Post automatically merged: Apr 20, 2026

Had to cast the Google spell on "Thomas Campbell's Tom's Park" got an Amazon link says $570 for the paperback so probably not anytime soon.

cool profile pic btw

 

[Sedim Haba]

Now, do you have any experience with the gateway experience tapes?

Not yet, I did DL the tapes here in Book Shares it took a while it's like 16GB and some files are corrupt gotta DL them again.

I have gotten some good technical advice on another thread, like use FLAC and not MP3 and don't bother with the Youtube

versions both have audio compressions and you don't want that. I'm also looking for experienced users tips & recommendations.

cool profile pic btw

Thanks! it's a good likeness for my Familiar.

 

[Fausto]

There are people who need drugs for that, but it's not for me.

 

[borbponderer]

I typically start by putting my mind in neutral.
If there is any internal chatter focus on the gaps between the words or sentences and start expanding them.
A different technique I've used it moving my consciousness into another "room" of sorts where the chatter isn't happening. Often you are still aware of the chatter in the background but it becomes distant and incoherent and meaningless.
Eventually you can do this more or less automatically, even in quite busy public spaces.
Once you've done this all kinds of things become possible. By listening intently to your surroundings you can completely dissolve into your environment. I like listening to the birds this way.
So many things become possible.

 

[dandadan]

I typically start by putting my mind in neutral.
If there is any internal chatter focus on the gaps between the words or sentences and start expanding them.
A different technique I've used it moving my consciousness into another "room" of sorts where the chatter isn't happening. Often you are still aware of the chatter in the background but it becomes distant and incoherent and meaningless.
Eventually you can do this more or less automatically, even in quite busy public spaces.
Once you've done this all kinds of things become possible. By listening intently to your surroundings you can completely dissolve into your environment. I like listening to the birds this way.
So many things become possible.

It’s obvious that you’ve developed a deep awareness and a relaxed approach to calming the mind and expanding perception focusing on the gaps between words or moving your consciousness into a different room seems effective for creating space and detachment from internal chatter and listening to your surroundings with such focus like tuning into the birds seems like it can indeed dissolve boundaries and deepen your connection to the environment.

Have you had any experiences with these techniques that stood out to you? I’d love to hear about what you've encountered on your journey.

Post automatically merged: Apr 21, 2026

Not yet, I did DL the tapes here in Book Shares it took a while it's like 16GB and some files are corrupt gotta DL them again.

I have gotten some good technical advice on another thread, like use FLAC and not MP3 and don't bother with the Youtube

versions both have audio compressions and you don't want that. I'm also looking for experienced users tips & recommendations.



Thanks! it's a good likeness for my Familiar.

That's good to hear I wish you the best on your journey hope it goes well I'm not sure if there's a specific thread about that but it might be worth checking. I used to watch Michael Superstar but I think he deleted his channel. There was also a guy named My Gateway Experience who was very active but he hasn't posted in almost a year for OG content Phase Evolution hasn't been active in nearly a decade but he had some good videos on it and even some of Michael Raduga's work on phasing so you might want to check Youtube too and definitely check Reddit there’s a lot of useful info there again good luck and I hope everything goes smoothly for you!

 

[Suayakoat]

I don't know about trance but my favorite "meditation" technique (which unlocks worlds for me) is what I call Deep Dive. You lay down on the bed (I have quite stiff mattress) or even better-on the floor-some hard enough surface, and you imagine you are in an ocean. But the ocean is huge. It's actually infinitely huge for all effects and purposes you would experience. Then, you imagine you start diving into the ocean (or to be more precise-you fall ever deeper and deeper into the water but you don't drown-you can somehow breather underneath it). It's a controlled descend. You keep the pace of the fall connected to some other thought you have-most of the times for me it's something I wanna know or a see. The two thoughts than merge into one or to be more precise-you couple your descend pace with the intensity you want to get that information or see that vision you want to experience. Thus, you dive deeper and deeper into the ocean. You stop seeing anything external. You close your eyes and concentrate only on the question you want answered or the vision you want to get. And as you dive deeper and deeper suddenly you feel at once with you environment-you dissolve into the water, or the water dissolves into you-it's just the same. Then, if you have practiced it correctly, you start getting information or a vision on the topic of your choosing. It may take some time but that Deep Dive always works for me.I can concentrate and see things-get visions or have my questions answered in one way or another. I can't properly put it in words but I just...get the info I wanted or simply what I needed. Put straightforward for me this technique just...works. It's not like a trance or something but it does alter my consciousness and I experience deep connection and information flows when I just "dive". So I would recommend this technique to anybody. You will need some practice coupling the descend with the concentration on the query you have in mind but in general I think this is a supreme technique for getting your consciousness into an altered state.

 

[dandadan]

I don't know about trance but my favorite "meditation" technique (which unlocks worlds for me) is what I call Deep Dive. You lay down on the bed (I have quite stiff mattress) or even better-on the floor-some hard enough surface, and you imagine you are in an ocean. But the ocean is huge. It's actually infinitely huge for all effects and purposes you would experience. Then, you imagine you start diving into the ocean (or to be more precise-you fall ever deeper and deeper into the water but you don't drown-you can somehow breather underneath it). It's a controlled descend. You keep the pace of the fall connected to some other thought you have-most of the times for me it's something I wanna know or a see. The two thoughts than merge into one or to be more precise-you couple your descend pace with the intensity you want to get that information or see that vision you want to experience. Thus, you dive deeper and deeper into the ocean. You stop seeing anything external. You close your eyes and concentrate only on the question you want answered or the vision you want to get. And as you dive deeper and deeper suddenly you feel at once with you environment-you dissolve into the water, or the water dissolves into you-it's just the same. Then, if you have practiced it correctly, you start getting information or a vision on the topic of your choosing. It may take some time but that Deep Dive always works for me.I can concentrate and see things-get visions or have my questions answered in one way or another. I can't properly put it in words but I just...get the info I wanted or simply what I needed. Put straightforward for me this technique just...works. It's not like a trance or something but it does alter my consciousness and I experience deep connection and information flows when I just "dive". So I would recommend this technique to anybody. You will need some practice coupling the descend with the concentration on the query you have in mind but in general I think this is a supreme technique for getting your consciousness into an altered state.

That’s a really fascinating technique how did you come up with it or discover it and have you noticed any particular benefits or changes in your life since you started using this method?

 

[aims]

Suayakoat,fantastic technique

 

[borbponderer]

I don't know about trance but my favorite "meditation" technique (which unlocks worlds for me) is what I call Deep Dive. You lay down on the bed (I have quite stiff mattress) or even better-on the floor-some hard enough surface, and you imagine you are in an ocean. But the ocean is huge. It's actually infinitely huge for all effects and purposes you would experience. Then, you imagine you start diving into the ocean (or to be more precise-you fall ever deeper and deeper into the water but you don't drown-you can somehow breather underneath it). It's a controlled descend. You keep the pace of the fall connected to some other thought you have-most of the times for me it's something I wanna know or a see. The two thoughts than merge into one or to be more precise-you couple your descend pace with the intensity you want to get that information or see that vision you want to experience. Thus, you dive deeper and deeper into the ocean. You stop seeing anything external. You close your eyes and concentrate only on the question you want answered or the vision you want to get. And as you dive deeper and deeper suddenly you feel at once with you environment-you dissolve into the water, or the water dissolves into you-it's just the same. Then, if you have practiced it correctly, you start getting information or a vision on the topic of your choosing. It may take some time but that Deep Dive always works for me.I can concentrate and see things-get visions or have my questions answered in one way or another. I can't properly put it in words but I just...get the info I wanted or simply what I needed. Put straightforward for me this technique just...works. It's not like a trance or something but it does alter my consciousness and I experience deep connection and information flows when I just "dive". So I would recommend this technique to anybody. You will need some practice coupling the descend with the concentration on the query you have in mind but in general I think this is a supreme technique for getting your consciousness into an altered state.

You ever meet any creatures or entities of the deep while you are diving? Do you ever reach the seabed or is it an endless void where you never touch the bottom?

 

[Suayakoat]

That’s a really fascinating technique how did you come up with it or discover it and have you noticed any particular benefits or changes in your life since you started using this method?

Well I believe it's something I remembered from a previous lifetime. I think I used to know many meditation techniques back then to achieve superb concentration. But this one has stucked with me and when I needed to access meditation techniques this lifetime it just...surfaced.

P.S. I'm glad you people appreciate it. This technique has really drove my experiences a great deal during this lifetime too and I believe it could help your own development as well.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 5:36 PM

You ever meet any creatures or entities of the deep while you are diving? Do you ever reach the seabed or is it an endless void where you never touch the bottom?

I don't ever touch a seabed or anything like it ever during my meditations. As far as I can tell the ocean I'm diving in is endless and possibly infinite. Therefore, there is no bottom to it. As far as creatures are concerned sometimes, when I'm searching for information about a particularly difficult and far-off topic, I meet other entities residing in the infinite ocean but I don't recognize them as creatures of the deep but rather as spirits inhabiting different realms than ours. I mean the Deep Dive meditation technique serves me as a kind of conduit between this world and their worlds-the deeper you dive the closer you bring your consciousness to their realms and then you can communicate with different spirits. I have had many encounters with spirits during my meditations but they are rarely initiated by me. I only search for information and they happen to be able to provide me with such.

 

[dandadan]

Well I believe it's something I remembered from a previous lifetime. I think I used to know many meditation techniques back then to achieve superb concentration. But this one has stucked with me and when I needed to access meditation techniques this lifetime it just...surfaced.

P.S. I'm glad you people appreciate it. This technique has really drove my experiences a great deal during this lifetime too and I believe it could help your own development as well.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 5:36 PM

I don't ever touch a seabed or anything like it ever during my meditations. As far as I can tell the ocean I'm diving in is endless and possibly infinite. Therefore, there is no bottom to it. As far as creatures are concerned sometimes, when I'm searching for information about a particularly difficult and far-off topic, I meet other entities residing in the infinite ocean but I don't recognize them as creatures of the deep but rather as spirits inhabiting different realms than ours. I mean the Deep Dive meditation technique serves me as a kind of conduit between this world and their worlds-the deeper you dive the closer you bring your consciousness to their realms and then you can communicate with different spirits. I have had many encounters with spirits during my meditations but they are rarely initiated by me. I only search for information and they happen to be able to provide me with such.

That’s an interesting way to look at it and that’s a good description I find your description really beautiful the concept of an endless ocean of consciousness is very deep it raises interesting questions about expierences like these like do they come from a deeper place within memories being remnants of our soul’s journey the notion of accessing skills from previous lives the continuity of consciousness infinity the nature of reality and how much is beyond our understanding.

Your words mean alot I appreciate your willingness to share it’s inspiring to see how this technique has helped you I hope it can help others as well.

 

[Desentient]

Being in a state of acceptance and calm usually finds me in a place of things being admitted into my consciousness. Relaxing my face muscles, especially those of the forehead also seems to promote calm and equanimity.

Breathing regularly and just dispelling any notion of 'I shall achieve 'x' today' will facilitate the things that need to be found to become evident. Grounding with sensory focus, such as really attuning to the floor/seat you are on always lends itself to me becoming a conduit ready to receive.

 

[Dènye Patwon]

Just to keep it simple, Music. That as well as good breathing is always a must. I currently am uplifting and going through some highs and lows with the music.

Sometimes keeping it simple is the easiest path.

I'm sure there are other forms of trance that involve some intense thought processes but it definitely depends on what you're after really.