Where should my focus be while in trance?

[Starmaster]

Ok, I've been doing this for a while now, but this is something that still trips me up and I need some advice, provided I can explain it well enough.

Most of the files I use are EMG's, hardly surprising, and most of his inductions tell me to focus intently on what he is saying. Now, I can do that, but what I have noticed with other inductions that don't say that is that my mind tends to wander after a while, seeing images and whatnot, not related to the file, and I lose focus and drift away (though not sleeping). Then when the awakener starts, I come back, and generally don't remember much of the file. I can remember that I was listening to it (how I know I wasn't asleep) but generally not a lot of details about what was said. Now this is clearly not what EMG would be telling me to do, but somehow it "feels" like a far deeper trance than when I concentrate on the voice. When I do that, it feels like I am still too much "in the present", with a greater awareness of what's going on around me. When I let my mind wander off though, I lose that, so that is why it feels more like a deep trance to me.

So I can't figure out which way is best, as I've tried both, but keep switching because of EMG's commands to focus. The wandering method may be bad because I'm not listening to the suggestions, but then again, isn't it supposed to be my subconscious listening to that stuff, and not my conscious awareness? I think perhaps it should be wandering off so that it doesn't analyse and critique what I am hearing, because isn't that what hypnosis is all about, bypassing the critical faculty? (I remember reading that somewhere, probably on the forums here.)

Maybe it's a preference thing, but I'd like to hear from other people on this so I can finally decide and stick to one way or the other. Thanks for any help!

[ocntrl]

Just my 5 cents based on my personal opinion.

Your conscious mind can wander all it wants during a trance since the file is not really addressing the conscious mind. Whether you remember the file or not is not really relevant. The less you remember the more likely your conscious was far enough to not care about the file anymore. Many say this feels a lot like sleeping.

Your subconscious will focus on the words, because that is the about only input it is getting when listening. Pointing out during a file to focus on the words to me does two things: start the initial trance by directing the focus of the conscious mind and then have the subconscious mind pay attention when the trance starts. For some people this works counter productive because the read the words 'focus on my words' as the fact they have to remember all of them.

So in the end it is all up to what works best for you. I have a subject that will drift into trance during my induction and when I explicitly mention during the trance I am talking to his subconscious,he will hear every word crystal clear. When awoken, he will know he heard the words, but the actual words are irrelevant and thus not remembered.

Myself I have a similar experience with my own files. A drifting off during the induction and a sudden awareness when mu subconscious is addressed directly, but still in trance. I do 'remember' the words though since I knew the content of the file as the author :-)

And I think your comment about being 'in the present' sums it up pretty much. When in a deeper trance the 'present' becomes less relevant. And a conscious focus my not be the best thing for you.

So just do what feels best and all will work out fine.

[Starmaster]

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to try focusing (heh) on not focusing for a while and see how that goes.

[ocntrl]

All the best of luck!

[angel123]

Having been using the files from here for quite a while, but not posting for sometime, I find my mind wanders but in the enhanced file I always jump back to EMG's voice when he states I will only listen to his voice, and it happens every time ... so it appears to be perfectly normal ... and I am still in trance when it happens ... :)