by iadr
I first learned about image streaming from a book I read about 4 years ago called the Einstein Factor, as it was supposedly a technique that Albert Einstein used to come up with ideas.
I am thinking that image streaming might be a good way to produce a WILD at will, and have been able to get this to work a couple of times already.
The times I have been able to enter a WILD from it, I simply eased up on providing the verbal feedback, after getting a good stream of images flowing, and just concentrated on getting into the images.
Please let us know of any experiences you have with this, so we can update the procedure as we get more feedback.
Facts About Image Streaming
Image streaming can open the mind to a flow of imagery as potent as that of any dream, and can often be just as vivid as a vivid dream.
Unlike dreaming, image streaming can be practiced while a person is wide awake, and can be done almost anywhere.
When a person first begins image streaming, their image streams will probably be weak, since they have spent most of their life ignoring and suppressing these kinds of images, however as a person practices image streaming, they will find that their images will grow stronger and more vivid as their practice progresses.
Although the book I read on image streaming suggests performing it in a position called the gravity position, in which ones legs are put up on a chair to be higher than the rest of the persons' body, I have had success with image streaming while lying in bed at WBTB times.
Steps to performing image streaming
Either sit in a comfortable chair, lie down in the gravity position, or lie down in bed like I do, and begin describing the flow of mental images that come through your mind.
It is important to describe the images that come to you out loud, as this provides the feedback necessary to cause the images to flow better, and it is suggested that they be spoken to either another person or a tape recorder.
I usually begin by describing the images out loud to myself when starting out, and then start recording them on a digital voice recorder when my subconscious takes over and begins providing the images.
It is important to use all five senses when describing the images. What does the image look, feel, taste, smell, and sound like?
All descriptions should in the present tense, such as "I am now looking at this large lemon, which is very large and yellow, has a smooth texture on the outside, tastes very bitter, and has a strong smell to it. I can taste the bitterness of the lemon as I put it in my mouth."
One way to get started with image streaming is to start describing something in your physical surroundings out loud, such as the room you are in, or an outdoor scene that you might pass during the day. You might also recall a beautiful landscape or other scene and describe it out loud.
There is no right or wrong way to describe something, and it is also unnecessary to see anything, as images can come in many different forms, such as a feeling, a sound, in addition to something you might see. Describe whatever you are experiencing out loud.
The important thing is to stay alert to the thoughts and impressions you receive, and describe out loud in detail any images or impressions that comes to your awareness.
Don't worry about accuracy. It can sometimes be helpful to exaggerate or make up parts of your description, in order to give the image more vividness and life, which in turn can sometimes start an even better thought flow.
Alternate Methods of Image Streaming
Concentrate on the last dream or image stream until a new one appears. This could be referred to as chaining, and works by putting the mind in the proper state for having additional image streams.
Hold the mind blank while expecting to begin seeing images. Expectation is what causes the images to appear with this method.
(Both of these methods work best if dreams or image streams have already occurred, such as after a few hours of sleep).