Drowsy State: a Joseph Murphy practice guide

How to practise

Settle physically, choose one short constructive statement or scene, and return to it gently as you become drowsy. The exercise is attention training—not a guarantee that an external event will occur.

Relevant source passages

Source page 63. …of the New Nancy School of Healing, who in 1910 taught that the best way to impress the subconscious mind was to enter into a drowsy, sleepy state, or a state akin to sleep in which all effort was reduced to a minimum. Then in a quiet, passive, receptive way, by reflection, he would convey the idea to the subconscious. The following is his formula: “A very simple way of securing this (impregnation of the subconscious mind) is to condense the idea, which is to be the object of suggestion, to sum it up in a brief phase, which can be readily graven on the memory and to repeat it over and over again as a lullaby.” Some years ago, a young lady in Los Angeles was engaged in a prolonged bitter family lawsuit over a will. Her husband had bequeathed his entire estate to her, and his sons and daughters by a previous marriage were bitterly fighting to break the will. The Baudoin technique was outlined to her, and this is what she did. She relaxed her body in an armchair, entered into the sleepy state and, as suggested, condensed the idea of her need into a phrase consisting of six words easily graven on the memory. “It is finished in divine order.” The significance to her of these…

Source page 79. …your thought and feeling, your idea and emotion, your desire and imagination. You avoid all conflict between your desires and imagination by entering into a drowsy, sleepy state which brings all effort to a minimum. The conscious mind is submerged to a great extent when in a sleepy state. The best time to impregnate your subconscious occurs prior to sleep and just after we awaken. In this state the negative thoughts and imagery which tend to neutralize your desire and so prevent acceptance by your subconscious mind no longer present themselves. When you imagine the reality of the fulfilled desire and feel the thrill of accomplishment, your subconscious brings about the realization of your desire. A great many people solve all their dilemmas and problems by the play of their controlled, directed and disciplined imagination, knowing that whatever they imagine and feel as true will and must come to pass. The following will clearly illustrate how a young girl overcame the conflict between her desire and her imagination. She desired a harmonious solution to her legal problem, yet her mental imagery was constantly on failure, loss, bankruptcy and poverty. It was a complicated lawsuit and there was one postponement after another with no solution in sight. At my suggestion, she got into a sleepy, drowsy state each night prior to…

Use with care

Treat this as educational reflection. It does not establish causation, predict outcomes, or replace medical, mental-health, legal, financial, relationship, or safety advice.

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