In order to use this technique, approach any door with the strong belief that it leads to the required location. After opening the door, the practitioner will see and be able to step into the destination. If the door was originally open, it must be completely shut before applying the technique.

A drawback to this technique is that its practice always requires a door. If there is no door, users of this translocation technique should create one using an object finding technique.

Techniques used to gain direct entrance to lucid dreaming are exactly the same as those used during indirect attempts. The only difference is in the method of implementation. However, since direct techniques mostly require passivity, not all techniques work equally well for both direct and indirect entries into lucid dreaming. For example, active techniques like straining the brain cannot be used to gain a smooth entrance into lucid dreaming.

Direct techniques differ from indirect techniques in their implementation because of the slow, halting production of results that occurs from the beginning of a direct attempt through the end of it. If upon awakening something happens to work, then this can practically always lead to entrance into lucid dreaming. For example, the same phantom wiggling before sleep can begin quickly enough, but range of movement will not be easy to increase, and the entire implementation of the technique will rely on protracted, rhythmic movement. Results take much longer: ten minutes instead of ten seconds. These differences also apply to every technique described in this guidebook.

Like with the practice of indirect techniques, to begin the practice of direct techniques, a practitioner should choose 2 or 4 of the most suitable techniques from those that prove most effective for the individual.

The primary difference in working with direct techniques is the time that it takes to exercise each. If testing a specific indirect technique takes only 3 to 5 seconds, then in this case several minutes will be spent. Duration varies depending on certain factors.

There are three primary ways of performing the techniques: classical, sequencing, and cycling – similar to the cycling used with indirect techniques. To understand which variant should be used, consider the following table:

Variations of Using the Techniques	When to Use It
Classical (passive) variation: One attempt of 1 technique. The technique may be alternated after each attempt.	– when learning direct techniques; – when a practitioner generally sleeps poorly; – if attempts lead to waking up; – if attempts with other variations occur without lapses in consciousness; – if the body and consciousness are in a relaxed state;
Sequencing (middle): One attempt with 2 to 3 techniques for 1 to 5 minutes. Techniques are alternated infrequently. Aggression fluctuates with the length of time that the techniques are performed.	– used if falling asleep occurs while using the classical variation, or if cycling results in becoming wide awake; – when a practitioner generally falls asleep quickly;
Cycling (active): Algorithm of cycling 3 techniques like with indirect entry to lucid dreaming, but performing each technique for 10 seconds to 1 minute, and not 3 to 5 seconds.	– if the classical and sequencing variations put one asleep; – when one generally falls asleep very quickly; – can also be employed when exhausted or sleep deprived;

A practitioner should always begin with the classical variation, i.e. using one technique over an entire attempt. Due to the unusual nature of the efforts involved, a beginner’s enthusiasm may sustain a completely alert state. Later, however, strong, prolonged lapses of consciousness into sleep may occur. Here, it may be necessary to increase the level of activity by transitioning to the sequencing variation.

Sequencing is the primary variation used for direct techniques because of its elasticity in application. It can be passive if a practitioner alternates two techniques for five minutes each over the course of 15 minutes. It may also be aggressive if three techniques are sequenced for one minute each. Everything between these two extremes allows for proper practice of the techniques and selection of the best variation to achieve a free-floating state of mind.

If falling off to sleep stubbornly occurs even with the active form of sequencing, then one should start cycling through indirect techniques, but performing each technique for 10 seconds to 1 minute.

As work over many months with the techniques is implied, one should not torment oneself if on one day one does not want to do something. Otherwise, one may quickly tire out. Everything should be a pleasure to do and not cause any excessive emotional tension.

Applying the as-needed sensory amplification technique is no different than constant sensory amplification. It is used only when a foul (a return to a wakeful state) is imminent or when lucid dreaming vision starts to blur and fade. For example, while traveling in lucid dreaming everything may start to blur, signaling a weakening of lucid dreaming. At this moment, the practitioner should touch every available object and observe everything in fine detail. As soon as everything returns to a clear and realistic state, actions may be continued without needing to perform amplification.

If the first cycle of 3 techniques does not yield any clear results, this does not mean that all is lost. Even if the techniques do not work, they still draw the practitioner closer to lucid dreaming state and it is simply necessary to continue using the techniques by again observing images, phantom wiggling, and listening in – and repeating this process at least three times.

Having performed one cycle of techniques, one can easily go on to doing a second cycle, a third one, a fourth one, and so on. It is quite probable that during one of these cycles, a technique will suddenly prove itself, even though it had not been working at all just a few seconds beforehand.

A serious practitioner should commit to a minimum of 4 cycles. The problem lies in the fact that it is psychologically difficult to do something that has shown itself not to work, and one may give up taking further action, even though one could be at the cusp of falling into lucid dreaming. Keep trying, and then try again, and again! There have been cases where it took ten cycles to produce results. A monumental effort, yes, but one worth the outcome. But don’t do it for more than one minute.

The key to practice is the quantity and quality of attempts made that hone a practitioner’s skills. There are several windows of time best suited for employing indirect techniques.

To begin, it should be stated that sleep follows a cyclical pattern. We awaken every hour-and-a-half and then quickly fall asleep again, which gives rise to sleep cycles. Furthermore, we experience two primary stages of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep includes many internal stages. The more we sleep, the less the body needs deep NREM sleep, and the more time we spend in REM sleep. lucid dreaming entrance is most likely to occur during REM sleep.

The best way to implement indirect techniques is by the deferred method. The aim of the method is to interrupt a sleep cycle during its final stage and then disrupt it again after falling back to sleep, which makes sleep light during the rest of the sleep cycle. Sleep accompanied by frequent interruptions can be put to productive uses.

Interesting Fact!

When the deferred method was first made mandatory at a 3-day School of Out-of-Body Travel seminar in June 2008, the overall success rate immediately doubled.

For example, if a practitioner (let’s call him Jack) goes to sleep at midnight, then Jack should set an alarm for 6 o’clock in the morning. Upon awakening, Jack should engage in some sort of physical activity, like going to the bathroom, getting a drink of water, or reading a few pages of this book. Afterward, Jack should go back to bed thinking about how, within the next two to four hours, he will wake up multiple times and make an attempt to enter lucid dreaming during each awakening.

If Jack goes to bed earlier, then his alarm clock should be set back by that amount of time, since six hours of initial sleep is the optimal length of time. If Jack sleeps less than six hours, then the second half of his night’s sleep will be too deep. If Jack sleeps longer than six hours, then there will be little time remaining for attempts, or Jack may not even be able to fall asleep.

If a practitioner naturally wakes up in a forceful manner, it will be difficult to regain sleep. Thus, it will not be necessary for the practitioner to get out of bed with the aid of an alarm. The practitioner should attempt to go right back to sleep.

If a practitioner is able to fall back asleep after as much as 45 minutes of being awake, then it’s better to keep to that very interval, as it allows one to obtain the highest probability of success during subsequent awakenings.

Naturally, the deferred method is most applicable in cases where it is possible to sleep as long as a practitioner desires, without having to wake up early. Not everyone enjoys such luxury on a daily basis, but nearly everyone has days off when time may be set aside to practice the deferred method. It is in large measure due to the deferred method that classroom courses at the School of Out-of-Body Travel allow up to 2/3 of class participants to enter lucid dreaming in the course of a single weekend!

The second most effective window of time for entering lucid dreaming is ordinary morning awakening. This generally occurs during light slumber following a full night’s sleep.

Another effective time to practice indirect techniques is after awakening from a daytime nap. Once again, this type of sleep will be light and short, which provides the body needed rest while allowing memory and intention to be kept intact through the moment of awakening. Again, not everyone has the luxury of taking daytime naps, but if such a chance arises, then it would be very beneficial to take advantage of the opportunity.

Nighttime awakenings are the least effective times for lucid dreaming experimentation because the brain still requires a lot of deep sleep at this time. Awakening at night, the mind is quite weak and hardly capable of any effort. Even if some results are observed, awakening often ends with quickly falling back asleep. This is not to say that normal practice of lucid dreaming cannot occur at night; it just won’t be as effective as at other times. The nighttime option is best for those who lack an opportunity to use other windows of time for practicing lucid dreaming.

Understand that we awaken at night every 90 minutes, which is why a minimum of four awakenings is almost guaranteed when sleeping, even for just six hours. When the practitioner knows about this and strives to seize those moments, with time he will actually seize them and take advantage of them.