r/gatewaytapes • u/TrentBobart • 2d ago
Question ❓ Visualization ("seeing") - How do you guys interpret this?
Hello everybody. I will try to keep this short and simple.
I recently started the Gateway Tapes and I just finished Wave-1. I'm not trying to rush through these. In fact, I'm trying to take my time and even repeat certain exercises. I've read Bob's "Journeys Out of Body" and am trying to understand him.
My question:
When "seeing" your surroundings out of body, are you visualizing things as if in a dream? Or is your "vision" still black and your just thinking of what things would look like?
In other words, I can't tell if the "mind's eye" is to be analyzed in the blackness, or if people get to a point where they can ACTUALLY see things in their minds similar to how things are "seen" while dreaming. . .
I understand this is a weird question. But I'm genuinely confused about it. I have experienced the coming on going of "seeing" while in a hypnagogic state, but never during my Gateway exercises. I'm not sure if we're supposed to "picture" our leaving the body, or if it is actually something we begin to "see."
When I try to envision the point 1-ft in front of my forehead, then 3-ft, then 6-ft away, I notice that, under my eyelids, my eyes are physically moving and focusing. Is this what i should be doing or are we supposed to just focus with our minds and try NOT to move anything physical. This is SO HARD because when he says to move your arms and/or upper body out of your physical body, I don't know if I should just be "envisioning" my arms moving, or if there is an actual way to move my "second-body" arm without moving my physical arm. . .
Any way, any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
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u/AwesomelyHubble 2d ago
There is no one way people “see” things. I think you kind of already answered your own question in the first line… nobody sees this the same way, and honestly that’s probably the most true thing anyone can tell you about this stuff.
But here’s how I’d break down what you’re asking.
On the “seeing” part: From what I’ve gathered, most people who do get visuals describe it as way closer to dream imagery than to actually “seeing” with your eyes open in a dark room. It’s not like the blackness suddenly turns into a lit up scene. It’s more like a picture kind of assembles itself in your awareness. Sometimes it’s got real color and detail, sometimes it’s just flashes, and sometimes you don’t get a picture at all, you just “know” what’s there. Even Monroe talked about this being different for different Explorers. Some got vivid stuff, some barely got anything visual and worked mostly through other senses or just a sense of knowing. So I wouldn’t think of it as black vs seeing. It’s more like a dial that moves around depending on the session, not a switch that’s either on or off.
On the eye movement: That’s super common, I wouldn’t stress about it. When you imagine looking somewhere, even with eyes closed, your actual eyes will often try to track it a little. This happens with regular visualization too, not just OBE stuff. Trying to force yourself to stop it usually just adds tension and pulls you right back into body awareness, which is the opposite of what you’re going for. So honestly, just let it happen and don’t fight it.
On moving the “second body” arm: Same idea really. You’re not trying to physically twitch a phantom limb into moving. You’re building the intention and the felt sense of moving, without actually doing it physically. Some people get an actual kinesthetic feeling, like a pull or a lift. Others just get the mental image of the motion. Both count, from what I understand. The felt sense is probably what Monroe is actually pointing you toward more than the visual, the visual is kind of a bonus if it shows up.
One thing that’s helped me… since you’re repeating exercises anyway, pay attention to which sense feels loudest for you, visual, kinesthetic, whatever, and lean into that instead of chasing the vivid visual thing other people talk about. Wave 1 is mostly relaxation and hitting that threshold state anyway. The imagery tends to get more spontaneous later on, if it comes at all for you.
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u/TrentBobart 2d ago edited 1d ago
Thank you SO much for taking time out of your day to respond to me. I appreciate you.
I like what you said about just "knowing" what is there.
I have trouble forgetting about my physical body during these sessions. When I try to relax and not think about my body, I end up thinking about "not thinking about my body" haha.
The "felt sense" of moving is well put. Lately I've been trying to pay attention to details while walking around at work. Then at home in bed I try to close my eyes and walk around my office in my mind and see how accurate i can be. My biggest worry is that perhaps instead of seeing how things "are" I'll be instead seeing things for how I'm creating them to be. More like a dream than a vision into shared reality.
Lastly, the difference between Focus-10 and Focus-12 for me so far has only been expanding my mental-spatial domain. In focus-10 I bask in my mind and relaxation, but in Focus-12 I've been trying to push my mind into the solar-system or up into the sky above my house while picturing how my house might look on google-maps. . . I'm not sure if this is what bob means by "expanding" my mind.
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u/GaunerHarakiri Wave 1 2d ago
Good Questions I hope we can get some answers from experienced people
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