Part One.
I wanted to share these experiences with the intention of starting an open ended discussion with any of my friends who have similar interests. If anyone has had moments like this I would love to hear them!
Experiment: Observing images through closed eyes.
When one relinquishes the tendency to let the gaze fall inward towards unconsciousness and instead maintains an outward observation of the black space in front of one's vision, watching what ever arises with a detached observation, the following scenarios may arise:
1:
The clouds which appear in the blackness, often viewed as purple mist floating in one's vision may begin to take on a crispness and clarity, becoming defined and taking on a greater sense of depth. If the gaze is maintained, these clouds may begin to form in to dream like objects or scenes which then, if no attempt to alter or influence them is made, become a dream in which lucidity is maintained from the beginning. The separation between witness and witnessed is maintained and one may do as one pleases like a normal "recognition" lucid dream.
2:
The experience of the room or surrounds being seen through closed eyes from the point of view as if the eyes were open may occur. I have heard this described as "astral sight."
Both these situations seem more likely to occur after a period of sleep or in the early morning after sleep.
If one focuses to hard on the images as they appear, they seem to fade. It seems better to maintain a more passive gaze which has the experiential effect of a deepening distance between observer and observed and a felt feeling of more spaciousness. The images arise within this field of spaciousness. Focusing to hard brings observer and observed together and dissipates the space needed for the images to occur.