Title:           Day 4, Friday Feb 1st
Author:          QuestionsGuy
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/ycBqrmnq
First Edit:      Friday 1st of February 2013 04:32:39 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Friday 1st of February 2013 04:32:39 PM CDT

I've just completed my longest attempt at visualization session yet, almost 40 minutes total. During this time I attempted an exercise suggested by Angelpony:
 
"Clear your mind, yo. Practice by counting your breaths, each inhale and exhale. Go this up to ten, then start over. When you can consistently do this without getting distracted by a random thought or losing count, start doing it but only count on each exhale. Then count only every other exhale. Eventually you should be able to keep your mind clear and focused without having to count.
 
When a thought DOES occur to you, just let it pass you by. Don't try to push it away, and don't get worried or anxious about your mind not being perfectly clear.
 
"Who can make the muddy water clear?
Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear."
-Translation of an Asian man trying to sound profound."
 
I found 10 too easy, so I went straight up to 100. Both the first and second set of 100 were quite easy still, but only counting every other breath proved trickier, it took me three of four tried before I completed it. I still however found my thoughts were running behind my counting, just moving from one topic to the next, as soon as I would let one pass another would show up, they never really settled down entirely. Somewhere around 75 in my final count, I also starting thinking of a beach scene again, a suggestion from Chupi's visualization guide. This is what I was attempting when I got the flashes of light the first time on Wednesday, but this time I only though of the sun. While I didn't get anything bright, I did managed to get a plasma blob to appear. I was able to change its color slightly, and move it about, but I believe that might have involved moving my eyes underneath my eyelids without really noticing it, but I didn't feel like I was putting particular pressure on my closed eyes. This has been a mixed session overall, adding 33% to my existing time was good progress, but the lack of even colors wasn't fantastic, but I was occupying myself counting as opposed to reciting lines describing a beach scene like before, so hopefully when I can concentrate without counting I can make some progress. As with the other sessions, I still don't feel like my body is completely relaxed. Usually there's a problem with my neck as I get farther in as my head starts to fall forward, but this time it was more the fact I was sitting on the floor and still not being sure where to place my arms. I will also continue working on stretching so I can achieve a comfortable full lotus, which is supposed to help relax while being a comfortable and supportive sitting position when done properly.