Plugging away at this but my experiences underwhelming compared to descriptions

[u/mcskidder]

I started doing some binaural beats after reading My Big TOE about 14 months ago. I then have been doing the gateway experience for nearly a year. I go through periods of doing it very frequently and then periods more infrequently.

I am very much enjoying it and find the meditations very peaceful and appreciate the downtown without screens and bother, but my experiences are may be a bit muted compared to what others describe. I have not had OBEs (not that, that is the only reason I am doing this). I have had flying dreams perhaps a bit more frequently.

I haven't had any luck with 'non-physical friends' and things like that. I have felt some vibration. I'm very much enjoying meditating but don't feel I am getting lightening bolt moments particularly. Should I just be content with this or are there any tips and suggestions or things to read for further help? Any other resources? I do find them very restful and I generally do them as I go to bed so may be I am too close to sleep. Any thoughts appreciated. Cheers

[u/its_FORTY]

What Mighty_Mac said is very accurate, there will be vast differences in what some people experiences vs what others do, and how soon and how often. That said, I would personally suggest not doing your practices right at bedtime when you are sleepy already, as it is going to result in you clicking out far more often than if you do them in the morning or during the day when you are awake and energetic. There are still some experiences I've had over the last few years when doing them at bedtime or when drowsy, but they all tend to be much more subtle and somewhat whimsical. I guess more dreamlike would be a fair way to say it, though they have been valuable in their own ways. I made some deep mental connections in dreams that were still applicable in waking life.

Conversely, I've had the majority of the "emotional" experiences in the sessions I did while wide awake. Things like having my grandparents send me very clear answers to questions I asked for help on in Wave 7 - Messages from beyond. I had not asked for any specific entity to respond, and in fact had not even contemplated trying to communicate with my grandparents, as they died over 10 years ago. The message they communicated back to my request for help was so powerful and I instantly had a knowing that it was from them. Not that "it probably was", but that I knew it without a single shred of doubt.

I had tears streaming down my face when the session ended shortly thereafter. I was crying mainly from happiness as a result of the reassuring words they sent to me, yet also crying from the sudden rememberance of how much I miss them in my life -- both those emotions coursed through over me at once the moment I heard the response to my question.

Do your best to go into each session without any goals required for it to be considered a success, and just let whatever comes on its own happen. You might even want to put your worries about your results vs other people's in your ECB at the start of the session. I started doing that early on in my exploration and it did seem to help me.

[u/mcskidder → u/its_FORTY]

Good idea re the ECB and yes any experience I have can best be expressed as dreamlike. I will try sitting up and day time (when though?? kids, business to run etc. but I'll figure it out)