The core aspect described in both Neville's State Akin To Sleep (SATS), Monroe's Focus 10(F10), and "mind awake, body asleep," (MABA) is an altered state of consciousness. You can call it "The Sweet Spot" since it's the easier and more achievable state you can reach to start your shift.
If you fail when you do your methods it’s probably because you lack the required state to shift, so this will help you. Even if you believe you are achieving “Mind awake, body asleep” because you’re deeply relaxed, you can be in focus 3 instead of f10.
Don’t let other people’s limiting beliefs affect you, and also, you should eliminate your limiting beliefs. This is important, and I recommend it. If you’re 100% sure you get into MABA and methods don’t work, this is probably it.
In this state, the body achieves a deep level of relaxation, bordering on a sense of numbness or near sleep, while the mind remains consciously alert and awake.
This state is often marked by a detachment from physical sensations, a numbness, giving rise to a sensation of floating in a dreamlike realm, but not totally disconnected from your body. You can move if you want, but you don't want it. It's comfortable.
At Focus 10, you are right on the brink between human physical consciousness and non-physical consciousness.
Not exact numbers, but let's say you are 75% in the non-physical (inside your consciousness) and 25% in the physical. You still feel your environment, the sounds, everything, and maybe sometimes you don't really know in what position you put your hands or feet since you don't feel it. At least that is how I realized. But don’t try to relax your body, or try to feel if it’s asleep or not, that will bring you back to the physical. You’ll feel a numbness and think you aren’t in F10. Don’t stress it too much. Just try to enter this state as much as you can so you can know for sure.
When at F10, I have full waking consciousness so I am fully aware that "back there" somewhere is a physical body but my attention is taken up elsewhere. It's like if you were sitting reading and had become engrossed in a book. There is a part of you that is aware you are sitting in a room, reading. But because you are mentally focused on the book, awareness of your surroundings is heavily dulled. Of course, I realize saying this very much begs the question of where, exactly, should your focus of attention be switched to. This is where the tapes come in handy.
This state it's widely recognized as an ideal condition for a variety of practices such as meditation, visualization, manifestation, lucid dreaming, astral projection, entering the void state, and what we want to do: shifting.
Even though the Law of Assumption, Astral projection, Shifting, and other practices use different words and are used in different situations, the main idea that connects them is that they both involve really relaxing your body and keeping your mind awake to reach a certain “shift” in your awareness.
Some people claim to do it with their body awake, but since I don’t have experience on that, I won’t focus on that.
We can use the terms interchangeably, but for the purpose of this post, we will focus on Monroe's Focus 10 (no pun intended) since this label is well-defined, proven, achievable by practice, and it has guided tapes to learn how to reach this state.
It teaches you, step by step, exactly how to bring your body to a state where you are on the verge of being able to shift. If you can follow this correctly, all you need from then on is a little mental "push" and your intended reality will come into view.
You have to learn how to recognize it once you're there. You achieve this by consistently entering the state.
First just focus on listening to the tapes, don't attempt to shift. You're learning to walk, don't try to fly.
1. Orientation:
Begin by listening to the introductory session of the Gateway Tapes, known as the Orientation. The link goes directly to the folder "Wave I - Discovery", but in case these links get broken, remember the name. It's the first folder, the first tape. "Orientation". Adjust the volume until you can barely hear the guiding voice.
This session will provide you with a foundational understanding of the principles and techniques you'll be using throughout the program. And will guide you to focus 3, a relaxed state.
2. Introduction to Focus 10:
After familiarizing yourself with the Orientation, move on to “Introduction to Focus 10”. This is the initial altered state of consciousness where your body is deeply relaxed, and your mind is awake and alert.
The guided instructions will assist you in achieving this state, which is often characterized by a sense of detachment from physical sensations and a dreamlike awareness. I recommend doing this while you’re fully relaxed, and not before sleeping. Otherwise you’ll risk falling asleep.
If you have trouble relaxing or your body is tensing up you can try listening to "Orientation" and "Introduction to Focus 10" back to back, but don't proceed to the next one until you can reach Focus 10 easily and recognize the state because "Advanced Focus 10" doesn't have guided instructions.
3. Repetition and Practice:
The key to mastering Focus 10 lies in repetition and practice. Listen to "Intro to the Focus 10" multiple times IN DIFFERENT SESSIONS. Allow yourself to become comfortable with the instructions and the sensations associated with reaching this state. With each session, you'll likely notice an improvement in your ability to enter Focus 10. Also, if you’re neurodivergent, don’t be disappointed. I’m ADHD/AUTISTIC and this also helps me calm my racing thoughts. Don’t desist, with practice it will become easier and easier.
4. Using other Binaural Beats or Ambient Sounds:
As you become more proficient in entering Focus 10 with the help of the Gateway Tapes, you can begin experimenting with using binaural beats or other ambient sounds. These auditory aids can help induce and deepen your altered state of consciousness. However, continue using the Gateway Tapes during this phase to ensure consistency and stability in your practice. The binaurals are training wheels, nothing more.
5. Advanced Focus 10:
Once you've reached a point where you can consistently enter Focus 10 with the aid of the Gateway Tapes, you can gradually transition to advanced practice. This involves attempting to reach Focus 10 without relying on the tapes. You can use “Advanced Focus 10”, binaural beats or other sounds to support your practice. The goal is to develop your ability to achieve Focus 10 independently.
6. Gradual Progression:
As you progress, you might notice that you can reach Focus 10 more easily and quickly. This indicates that you're becoming more attuned to this altered state of consciousness. Continue practicing both with and without the tapes, gradually reducing your reliance on external aids.
This will be of fundamental help when practicing the methods I will explain ahead. By cultivating a strong foundation in Focus 10, you'll be better equipped to navigate and explore these states with greater awareness and control.
Remember, patience and consistency are key.
This sweet spot is required for most exercises and methods that will follow. Take it as a launch platform.
If you don't practice this until you can achieve Focus 10 easily, most methods likely won't work as expected and will hinder your progress. I'm not saying this to be rude.
At first it is hard to maintain. The tendency is to drift off on some other, more earth-bound thought(s). But this goes away with practice.
The technique does not require you to first create the meditative "empty mind" state (though if a person could already do that it would be a bonus). The idea is, you flood your mind with other, more beneficial thoughts, i.e. those more likely related to shifting realities, as opposed to wondering what you're going to have for breakfast.
If you follow this, it will be proven useful for the exercises that follow, and for whatever awake method you try in the future.
I apologize for repeating it too much. But if you take something out of this guide, it’s how to reach this state. It’s very important since it’s the launchpad to shifting realities.
Also this state has made it possible for people to contact guides with a much higher degree of reliability and you can even practice "channeling" information or contact deceased people while at the Focus 10 state, again, with excellent results.
It’s not. But as I say, it’s structured and guided. And the key is to understand how to enter, and more importantly, to recognize. You can try for years thinking you were in the right state, and in the end you weren't. And that’s what this is about, to simplify that and save you years of mistakes. If you know how to enter this state, use it a few times to learn you’re entering the right state, and use your regular method.
What I would do is work on getting to the stage where there is a definite difference in feeling when you return to normal physical consciousness. What I mean is, I progressively feel my physical body less and less; such that by the time I settle into my bed at a relaxed state, I've normally lost touch with it more or less completely.
From then on, the going through the motions of the journey should be the focus of your attention. The feeling is just the same as if your attention was absorbed by watching a favorite movie. Only difference you’re in the realms of your non-physicality/consciousness.
But what I do know is that, for a beginner, the myriad of different "techniques" out there must be so darned confusing. For most of these people it must surely be a case of wondering, "Where the heck do I begin?"
Again, that is why I like Wave 1 (cd 1, orientation + intro to focus 10) so much; as it give a total novice a very simple and structured plan to work to, and it is recorded in a very effective format: it's one thing reading about something in a book, but it comes across on a guided audio so much more effectively.
That's what the tapes give you. It's a specific count from normal physical consciousness through to Focus 10 (mind awake, body asleep).
People fall asleep from habit. As your physical body goes to sleep, it's like there is some signal that says, "Physical is going to sleep... now initiate Mind cut-off."
Somehow you have to break that habit. It isn't hard to do (unless you think of it that way.) It's just a tricky mental balancing act you need to get into the habit of doing. Which can take time to get your head around. In other words, you need to go through a phase where you are working on swapping habits.
I used to do the "relax your body, etc" stuff. But found it was far more efficient to first relax what was going on in my head and my body would, in the main, automatically relax.
That is why I am so eager to recommend the Gateway Wave 1 because it basically shows you right away "exactly" how to do it. Whereas it took me years of trial and error.
When you find yourself in the mind awake body asleep state, you have plenty of ways to shift.
Noticing and mental rundowns; as we will discuss multiple times in the document being two of them.
The tapes are a help for you to enter the state smoothly; GUIDED.
Once you have this down, you can enter f10 on your own, without the tapes. With or without visualization, with or without breathing, however you want. however it’s easier for you.
There’s also a case where you prefer to be guided, and this is for you:
I’ve found it helpful to be guided, but on the tapes, you’re woken back up out of the state.
I personally want to spend more time in focus 10, so I cut off the part of the audio where he guides you back to being fully awake.
I ONLY recommend this to those who have already practiced with the original first 3 tapes, having knowledge of what they offer, so PLEASE, make sure to tackle them before the chopped off version.
The selected tape to do this is “introduction to focus 10”:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ySeZqTTN957UY3KjRIhdbAQD0qTg99xq/view?usp=drivesdk
As it’s cut off, it does end abruptly, so I recommend you to edit it along with a binaural/ambient/noise audio if you want.
I chose rain, so here’s 1h of rain in case that’s what you’d like too:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12m0U4_ULNxhafewl_EMI2gwuflSxVl78/view?usp=drivesdk
Once the tape ends, you can either enjoy being in f10 or start your shifting technique.
This is not necessary, of course, but I added it just in case you have too much body tension.
What I have also discovered is that tension in the body (of course, provided you have no injuries or other physical problems) is directly caused by tension in the brain. Such that, releasing brain-based tension can cause some amazing and immediate effects in the physical body.
Once I was practicing seeking out any brain tension. I'd first gotten to the stage where I was relaxed to the point where normally I'd have around 15 to 20 minutes more work in deepening the relaxation state and I'd be at the point of sensing "stray energy" (noticing).
I imagine (no visualization required!) the part of the brain that holds the tension is like a squashy rubber ball that has gone a little hard. I think of these tiny hands gently manipulating and massaging this ball and, as I do so, the ball softens and parts. So, on this occasion, I was allowing my sense of conscious awareness to drift upwards to plug into the threshold of my consciousness, what I feel when I shift, as per usual, and perceive the normal sense of resistance.
What I would normally do, at this stage, is imagine I was "looking out" from a point on my forehead that was situated between and just a little up from my physical eyes. Setting the intention like in the silly little finger bending exercise, but in my forehead/third eye. Eventually, I would lose all physical-body feeling and begin seeing stray energy. But instead of doing that, I was practicing trying to reach the part of my brain that was "resisting" the drifting upwards movement of my sense of conscious awareness.
So there I was, imagining this part of the brain as a squashy rubber ball that was gradually softening to the point where the two halves would part. This would form a pathway in order to allow my sense of conscious awareness to continue drifting upwards.
It was a tricky thing to do. Sometimes it felt like I'd got it spot on, and other times I simply wasn't sure. However, on this occasion, after about 5 minutes of massaging, suddenly all sensation of my physical body simply went away. And instantly, I thought, "Wow!"
So, you've diligently practiced your shifting techniques, followed the steps to the letter, and perhaps even felt like you were on the brink of a shift – but it hasn't happened yet. Don't be discouraged! Shifting realities is a skill, and like any skill, it takes time and practice.
Here's some troubleshooting advice to help you overcome any challenges:
Trust in the Process: Shifting is a natural ability that exists within you. Trust that you have the capacity to shift realities. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is your own doubt or impatience. Surrender to the process. Remember, you're not losing anything; you're opening up to your true self. Be who you are, trust the process, and it will guide you.
Embrace Elasticity: Understand that your ego may resist the shift. It's comfortable with the familiar and may try to convince you to doubt or give up. Think of it like a rubber band that you've stretched for a long time. It wants to snap back to its original shape. You may need to gently mold it several times and apply a bit of force until it no longer returns to its old shape.
Ensure You Address Limiting Beliefs: As mentioned in the helpbook, engage with your "limiting belief holder" while in Focus 10/MABA. This crucial exercise helps you confront and resolve beliefs that may be hindering your progress. Be patient with yourself during this process.
Consistent Practice: Shifting is a skill that improves with practice. Just as you wouldn't expect to become an expert at playing a musical instrument overnight, shifting realities takes time. Continue practicing your chosen techniques regularly. It may take a few months for some people, but it’s better than half-assing for 3 years.
Let Go of Expectations: Sometimes, the anticipation of a shift can create resistance. Release any expectations about when or how the shift will occur. This may seem contradictory, but focus on the process itself, rather than fixating on the outcome. It's like holding sand in your hand. If you grip too tightly, it slips away. But if you hold it loosely, with an open palm, it remains. The same principle applies here. This doesn’t mean you can enjoy fantasizing about your Intended reality. Just don’t try to push it or force it. Enjoy the moment, be present.
Connect with Your Higher Self: Trust in your higher self, which is your inner guide on this journey. It understands the path better than your conscious mind. Allow it to lead you, and trust the guidance it provides. Remember that your higher self is already a master shifter, and is connected to other expressions of yourself, and a lot of those other selves are already master shifters. Don’t hesitate in asking for guidance once you’re in focus 10.
Persistence: Be persistent in your efforts. The path to shifting can be filled with twists and turns, but each step is a learning experience. Keep going, and don't be discouraged by apparent setbacks. Be patient with yourself and understand that it may take some time before you notice results, but you’re stacking experience.
Variation and Adaptation: If a particular technique isn't yielding results, don't be afraid to adapt or try different methods. What works for one person may not work the same way for another. Explore various approaches until you find what resonates with you. Remember you have Mental Rundowns (for people who can visualize), Noticing (for people with aphantasia or poor visualization skills), and you can create your own method once you know how it works.
Explore Different Times of Day: Shifting might be easier at certain times of the day when you're more alert and relaxed. Some find success in the morning when they're well-rested and their minds are clear. Others prefer practicing during the afternoon. Experiment with different times to find what works best for you.
Try the "Waking Back to Bed" Technique: This method involves waking up after a few hours of sleep, staying awake for a short time (from 5 to 60 minutes, you need to find what works for you), and then returning to bed with the intention of shifting. This can be an effective way to access the sweet spot (F10) conducive to shifting. I recently experienced body pain that prevented me from fully relaxing or focusing on anything but the pain, and for that I recommend doing the WBTB for those scenarios.
Remember the No-Method Approach: Sometimes, the techniques can become a crutch, making you believe that without them, shifting is impossible. Sometimes, trying too hard can be counterproductive. Embrace the "no method" approach, where you simply let go of all techniques and expectations. Trust your higher self to guide you naturally. Don’t analyze it. Trust, let go, and allow the process to unfold naturally.
Keep a Journal: Record your experiences and attempts in a journal. Document the methods you've tried, the times of day, and any thoughts or sensations you've encountered. This can help you identify patterns or insights that may lead to your successful shift.
Remember, shifting realities is a personal journey, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one person may not work for another. The key is to stay persistent, trust yourself, trust in the process, remain patient, and enjoy the process of exploration and discovery. This doesn’t mean this guide doesn't apply to everybody. It does.
Shifting realities is a learned skill. Just as you trust in your ability to learn other skills, trust in your capacity to shift.
It's not about 'losing' anything; it's about opening up to your true self. Your journey is unique, and each step, even if it doesn't lead to an immediate shift, is valuable. Enjoy the process and let it unfold naturally.