Healing and hypnotherapy Volume 4, Special Mega Annual Issue , 15 June 2020 | Page 31

Hypnagogia: The Trippy Mental State
That is the Key to Deep Self-Discovery
What is Hypnagogia?
We all know that there are two primary states of consciousness: wakefulness
and sleep. But did you that there is also an in-between state? This state is
called Hypnagogia, a word that derives from the Greek words
“hypnos” (sleep) and “agogos” (leading), meaning the state that leads into
sleep.
Have you ever had a nap and experienced a strange trance-like state in
which images, colours, sounds, even dream-like stories play out in your
mind? Have you ever found yourself falling asleep and seeing a kaleidoscope
of colours and shapes fleet in and out of your mind ... or strange things like
horses turning into helicopters? These experiences are hypnagogia in action
and it’s likely that you experience hypnagogia multiple times a week, or even
every day before you fall asleep!
So how can this unusual limbo state contribute to our self-understanding and
spiritual growth? In this article, I’ll explain how.
Types of Hypnagogia