Don't know what to do...

[Anubis]

I'm at a lost. :( I've been practicing for so long, for more than 4 years no joke and I can't get into a trance no matter how hard I try. What am I doing wrong? I keep hearing on other people how they just get instant trance on day 1-5. My mind is quiet, no thought is going through my head, except a mantra, but I just don't feel any different from regular waking consciousness. Then some days, this happens quite a bit, my mind wanders, I reel it back to what I'm doing and the process repeats over and over. All that ever happens is I fall asleep each and every time, sitting, lying down, I don't know what to do. I stayed up 4 hours just trying to achieve a trance last night from 12:00-4:00a.m. and I just ended up sleeping. I practiced all day ,literally, yesterday to. Never felt so down, for once my hard work is getting me no where. I'm starting to think that first time I think I projected could've been a dream. I was extremely close to using Salvia D. until I read it can harm you. I don't know what to do. What am I doing wrong? Its like my mind is two extremes, either FULLY awake or Dead sleep. Why can't I get it in between?
I recently bought the book 3 months ago. I have been doing it digilently up to day 30 and I'm still no where. I'm on day 30 after 90 days because I tend to stay focused on one section for a long time to make sure I get it right. Energy body sensations I feel but getting into a trance is like trying to survive living in the sun. I relax by body well to the point when I get up after my attempts I feel REALLY groggy. I just can't get into a trance and I ponder daily what am I doing wrong. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks.

[CFTraveler]

Sometimes timing is the issue. Some people can stay in trance for a long time, some people just fall asleep. I found that an easy way to bypass all that trance anxiety is to practice in the wee hours of the morning. (Not the full practice, that would be inhumane.) But the way I do it works for me. It is:
In the afternoon I do all the energy work: The secondary centers (legs and arms), primary centers, whole body bounce, energy raising circuit, whatever part you are on. Then before sleep (at night) some affirmations and/or presleep suggestion- Then I go to sleep. Then I get up at 4:30 or 5:00 (I don't use an alarm for that time, I get up automatically then; I set it for later when I really have to get up). I get up, take care of anything that needs taken care, and sit on my recliner. Then I do a bit of relaxation and energy raising, not too much, and then settle in an 'observing' state, and wait for the hypnagogics. When these come in, I stay watchful and wait for exit sensations. I have found that I either feel exit sensations and go on from there, or I fall asleep. Either is good.
Some people project more at night, some in the AM. I found I'm better at projecting in the early morning.

What is your definition of "trance"? That may be where the problem is. You may be experiencing trance states and not aware of it because of your expectations of what it is. There are multiple levels of consciousness. There are no highway signs that tell you what level you are on. All trance is is a relaxed FOCUS of attention. When you are watching a movie or TV program and don't notice someone in the room is talking to you...that is a trance. If you are old enough to drive a car, you might be thinking really hard about something and miss your exit. That is a trance. We go into trance state many times during a day. Most people just don't realize that is what they are doing.

So, to start, I would recommend relaxing. That is more important than anything else. In trance states, for the most part, you are able to think, notice noises around you, remember everything. If you are using a mantra, just keep bringing your focus back to it. Instead of worrying about your trance state, instead notice very subtle things that might be happening. Involuntary body jerks, tearing eyes, lightheadedness, eyes moving rapidly under your eyelids can all be signs of a deeper trance state. Notice if your body is starting to feel a bit heavier. The purpose of a trance in trying to OBE is to get to body asleep/mind awake. So, notice more what your body is doing than what your mind is doing. In a light trance, you might feel a little heaviness or a little lightheadedness. As the trance deepens, your body will feel heavier, maybe even feeling a bit of a sinking sensation. In deep trance, your body will be asleep, and it's very possible you don't even feel your body, or notice it. Relaxation is the key to ALL of it. Sounds like your frustration level is so high that you might be stopping the whole process by tightening your muscles. So, relax. You are working too hard.

i agree. working too hard at it. too many expectations.
it's a very simple thing.

relaxing is the most important. spend a few days in a row without wanting to project at all. no projection. just relaxation as the goal. removing the need to want to project will be very difficult in itself, but worth the effort.

another thing i'd suggest...only bcuz you've been at it so long, and what is the waste now?!? spend one entire day in bed. you can get up to eat, go to the bathroom, etc...but sleeping is the goal. sleep until you can't sleep any more, and keep laying there. think about whatever you want to fill the time. daydream in great detail. you can do energy work, breathing, trance, whatever. see what the effects are. do this regularly as time permits. once a week, once a month, whatever. you're getting your body use to super relaxed state...the "in between" state you've been missing.
let your mind wander!!!
don't worry about your body, or whether you're doing it right or not.
you aren't really doing 'anything' and that's pretty much the point.

oh...and no tv!

[Anubis]

You said "All that ever happens is I fall asleep each and every time, sitting, lying down, I don't know what to do"

I think this is a combination of several factors:

1: Tiredness. If you practice trance without head support, your head would tilt and wake you up, and it would feel like you were blinking in and out of your session. If this happens, it is because you are overly tired. More excercise, better sleep. No T.V., no stimulants. Try doing trance without head support and see. I don't know your level of self-awareness, but if the type of "falling asleep" you are experiencing does not sound like this blinking type, then its probably:

2: Lack of present moment awareness. How often are you aware of yourself thinking throughout the day? 99.999% of people are asleep in the sense they are totally lost in thought. Their consciousness gets "carried away" from the present moment in a stream of thought that hooks their attention. This is nearly identical to the process that occurs when entering Dreaming. Mind taming helps with this but what you really want is to be the awareness of yourself.

For two weeks I had virtually no sleep because I was painfully aware of my entranced body while another part of me just "wanted to sleep" i.e. go into a state of unconsciousness. It's just a bad habbit, that's all. We associate physical sleep with going unconscious. This second type of sleeping I am referring to is purely psychological. You can test yourself to see if you are actually getting swept away in very subtle streams of thought by counting to yourself when going to bed "1: I'm dreaming. Two, I'm dreaming. Three, I'm dreaming". As you go deeper into a state of trance and your consciousness starts to transfer to other parts of your being, these streams start becoming perceptually real (hypnagogic) and can quite easily suck you into them. Unless you have excellent shadow memory and present moment lucidity, for all intents and purposes you "fell asleep".

Give the counting technique 100% and you will absolutely learn about how and why you fall asleep. You might find yourself "daydreaming" of something when suddenly you say "87; I'm dreaming" and find yourself back in your body, a little deeper into trance than before. Have the patience to allow your body to fall asleep, and relax enough so that the streams are allowed to flow. But try your very best to keep counting and realize you ARE dreaming!

edit:

"What am I doing wrong? Its like my mind is two extremes, either FULLY awake or Dead sleep. Why can't I get it in between?"

The trance state is when your body is asleep and your mind is awake i.e. you are aware. We've been trained to use sleep time as a reason to go unconscious and escape, so It's highly possible you are simply habituated in going unconscious everytime you are about to enter trance (when your body is falling asleep). You also mentioned your mind wandering and then coming back to what you're doing. If you were aware of your body while this happened, you would find that it has entered a level of trance, your "mind" was simply not present; you were not awake.

I shall do as everyone suggested. I'm not one to quit even if it takes a long time. :D Thank you everyone. :D I'm grateful for all the help. In another board I asked for help one person thought I wasn't even bothering to try and just went to sleep even though I was serious when I said I practice all day Whatever, those people are use to having everything handed to them in a golden platter. Apparently they can't understand the concept of hard work...

[Apex]

Keep in mind there are many people both on this forum and 'that forum' 8)

Glad to hear that all the advice people gave paid off.