Hypnagogic State and some more of the ' fight set '

"Only when I am on the brink of sleep,
with the consciousness that I am so..." ~Edgar Allan Poe

Hypnagogia is the experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep: the hypnagogic state of consciousness. The related words from the Greek are agōgos "leading, inducing", pompe "act of sending", and hypnos "sleep".

Hypnagogia is not new, however it was a subject I knew very little about until I began training with the International  Academy of Consciousness.  With them I learned exercises to develop my conscious awareness of this state . I find it interesting that even though I transitioned through this state each time I fell asleep and awoke I had never before been consciously aware of it. Having said that, it does take some focus to remain in that inbetween state very relaxed almost asleep and still conscious. I have been working on it since about last May and have only recently become more aware and ' awake ' during it. One of the difficulties is that when I notice it I get too delighted that I'm noticing it and that brings me right out to a more wakeful state.

Many writers and scientists have used this state to gain insights from Plato to Edgar Allan Poe .
 The best-known example is probably August Kekulé’s realization that the structure of benzene was a closed ring while half-asleep in front of a fire and seeing molecules forming into snakes, one of which grabbed its tail in its mouth. Many other artists, writers, scientists and inventors—including Beethoven, Richard Wagner, Walter Scott, Salvador Dalí, —have credited hypnagogia and related states with enhancing their creativity.

 Why does this state interest me, well I am naturally curious and fascinated by all states of consciousness that our minds can produce. It is part of my ongoing investigation of my mind and my life.
I feel that the more conscious awareness  ( or presence ) we possess the more fulfilling our life can be.

Increasing one's level of lucidity through working on awareness in any exercise enhances one's presence in all aspects of life from listening to a loved one, to ' fighting' in T'ai