Hypnagogia

Hypnagogia

     Hypnagogia refers to the state of mind experienced just before falling to sleep. Some people learn to extend this in-between state and some use it as an entry point for lucid dreaming. I believe I am safe in regarding the 1991 tome by Andreas Mavromatis as the definitive work in this fascinating realm of human experience. Like Robert Waggoner's book on Lucid Dreaming, Mavromatis includes an appendix in which he provides methods and procedures for prolonging this state.

     In his introduction Mavromatis writes that it is intended to be an exploratory book and uses it to touch on a wide number of topics. Under "Phenomenology", he addresses somatosensory phenomena, cognitive and affective characteristics. Regarding its relationship to other states, processes and experiences, he writes about dreams, meditation, psi, schizophrenia, creativity and other relevant states of experience. In Part III, he discusses the old versus the new brain as well as the functions and significance of hypnagogia.

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