THE LOGIC OF SLEEP-LEARNING: Page 17

waking hours. It is no longer necessary to make a conscious effort to concentrate, to eliminate distracting thoughts, or to call up the will to learn. The procedure, as described, is to begin listening to the recording before falling asleep, during the beginning stages of Reverie (the light sleep period). The first thing heard is "relaxation affirmations," designed to help prepare the subconscious for the proper degree of receptivity after falling asleep. This pre-sleep relaxation is considered especially important during the first few weeks of sleep-study sessions, for the new student must often overcome the tension and nervousness attendant on a novel and exciting experience. For some, there is no difficulty at any time, but many beginners, eager for success and keyed up in anticipation and foreknowledge of what is to happen, awake at the sound of the recorded voice— in many cases even a moment ahead of time. This problem is usually overcome in a few nights. The next stage is described as the most trying period, the period during which the 'original barrier* must be overcome. This is the resistance to sleep-learning, which can be eliminated by gradual conditioning of the subconscious to be receptive to audible directed sound. Once this is achieved, the barrier had never been known to reappear, and material can be easily learned in a few nights, in many cases in a few hours. The length of time it takes to overcome the barrier varies from student to student, but tests have proven that complete reception begins within fifteen to thirty