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Topic: Exercises in Ascension

Hi,

I thought it best to start a new thread on the use of various tools and techniques that can be employed by everyone.

I will preface this with an extract from another thread for the benefit of those who have not followed the original thread.

The Human Energy Body

For those that are not over familiar with it, the human energy field can be likened to a circuit board , whereby there is an "optimal design" and energy will flow from point A to point B and thus activate the full expression of the multi dimensional human including their higher faculties.


Negative Resonance Fields / Blocks / entities, are formed or exist within this circuit board and prevent energy flowing as it is designed to flow. Energy, in the same way as water, will take the path of least resisitance, often creating many short circuits within this circuit board, reducing its efficieny and true function and then finally express themselves in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual illnesses.

It is this energy flow that activates the complete and permanent "switching on" of the higher faculties.

The reason why the vast majority of people have only intermediate access to their higher faculties is primarily due to their "Circuit Board" having any number of Blocks, Short Circuits and associated problems as a result of karmic debt from past lives, and any number of issues and traumas in their current lives.

So as I see it, the main way to achieve a permanent solution is to take the intermediate steps, that clear the circuit board, allowing the full quantity of energy to flow in the manner in which the circuit board was originally designed, thus activating the full switching on of the higher faculties.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW - New Energy Ways

I will contribute some other tools that I know of in a while but thought it best to start here:

This technique will allow anyone to start sensing the energy body, fully activating it and also to start the process of cleansing and optimising it.

The following link maybe known to some of you already, and whilst its context pertains mainly to the OBE phenomenon I can only say that the techniques involved are ones that I have also used and they are highly effective - use a technique known as "Tactile Imaging".

http://www.astralpulse.com/guides/new/new.htm

Contains the following:

INTRODUCTION


THE ENERGY BODY
Five Main Energy Circuits
Energy Flow
Secondary Energy Centres
Energy Exchange Ports
Energy Storage Centres


NO VISUALISATION
What's NEW About Visualization?
Mind's Eye Visual Ability - Or Visualisation?
Concise Use Of Imagination
Non-Sighted Advice


MOBILE BODY AWARENESS
Targeting & Highlighting
Localizing Body Awareness
Increasing Body Awareness Sensitivity
M.B.A Exercise


TACTILE IMAGING
Using Tactile Imaging
T.I. Stimulation Notes
Awareness Hands
Splitting Awareness


ENERGY BODY STIMULATION
Five Awareness Actions
NEW Instructional Notes
Preliminary Stimulation
Redefine Energy Pathways


FEET & LEG DEVELOPMENT



HAND & ARM DEVELOPMENT



ENERGY BOUNCE TECHNIQUES


ENERGY RAISING & STORAGE
Energy Raising
Full Body Storage Circuits
Direct Sub-Naval Energy Raising
Energy Flow & Effort


ENERGY MOVEMENT SENSATIONS
Energy Resistance
Energy Movement
Case Histories
SIDE-EFFECTS
Physical Side-Effects
Self-Healing Side-Effects
Continuing Energy Demands


MORE NEW ENERGY WAYS
Energy Centre Spin
Awareness Momentum
Etheric Wrap Technique
High Energy Areas
Daily Energy Raising Time
Mouth Centres & Exchange Ports
Food Energy Awareness
Crowd & Excitement Energy
Wind Energy
Energy Breathing
Scent Stimulation


ENERGY & IMMUNE SYSTEM
Disease - General
Disease & The Energy Body
Disease - Serious
Getting Serious About Energy Raising
Tumors & Dysfunctional Organs
Perpetual Energy Raising
Diabetes
Cancer
Other Diseases
Energy Raising During Sleep
Recommended Daily Regimes

Regards

JT

2 (edited by BlackBox 2004-05-15 09:16:13)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Hehe, nice. I've known about N.E.W. for a while. Mobile Body Awareness and Tactile Imaging were very useful. I did this about a year ago.

Most meditation movements do this naturally, however it is a great supplement. It is kind of frustrating to just jump into N.E.W. when one hasn't done any techniques like Qigong before. This is because most people are very asleep to their bodies bioelectric (chi/qi) currents. So holistic methods would serve everyone well to do first, then specific targets should be supplemented to the process with techniques like T.I. and M.B.A. Just my advice...

I should definately motivate myself to do the process again. I seem to be procrastinating.

Robert Bruce also has two other training programs (all free). (1) Training to see Aura's and (2) out-of-body-experiences (OBE).

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Core Image Removal is another technique developed by Robert Bruce, to remove a certain class of negative entity attachments:

http://www.astralpulse.com/articles/rob … les_31.htm

This is somewhat related to the technique of recapitulation discussed on another thread. Both involve discovering and discharging the harmful effects of traumatic thoughts and memories. Core Image Removal is more sophisticated as it deals with negative entity attachments, and in my opinion could also work to diffuse some self-destructive posthypnotic commands installed during abductions.

Robert Bruce's techniques are effective because they are based on personal experience and experimentation rather than tradition.

Acquiring fringe knowledge is like digging for diamonds in a mine field.

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Reading some of threads got me thinking.  I've come up with little tricks here and there to achieve particular things.  Some tricks I took from reading things and some I just made up as I went along.  I'm also thinking that anyone that's really working on this stuff will probably have come up with their own little things to assist them.  Tricks to help with meditation, thwarting attacks, staying in the present moment, utilizing the energy body, and so on.

I've never had a forum that I actually felt welcomed such things.  I would like to hear what others have come up with.  And I will use the thread to post my own.  I've never written any of it down so it won't be in any particular order and some things I may not recall right away.  Without further ado...

Non-Thinking:  I use this to tap into the awareness of the energy body (subconscious).  One trick I found was to concentrate on concentrating.  The idea for me is to remember the feeling of intense concentration.  Then, without thought, concentrate on intensifying that feeling of concentration.

Energy-Body:  If anyone has read the C's and I think it's "Bringers of the Dawn" they advocate spinning.  I've tried this on several occasions.  The problem is that when I'm done it's all I can do to keep from feeling ill.  If I'm concentrating on not feeling ill then I'm not feeling the energy body still spinning.  So I came up with a trick for this.  I used to try to astral project.  The farthest I got was being able to get my arms out-of-body.  However, that at least gave me the memory of what the energy body feels like.  From that point I was able to concentrate on the feeling in order to feel more of the energy body.  So what I do for spinning now is relax the physical body and mentally spin the energy body from left to right.  By default I started with concentrating on the left arm and spinning from that center of the body area.  But after awhile I found that it was easier by doing it from right above my head.  Less area to cover mentally and I can spin faster.  I also visualize the energy body spinning around the light body.  The light body is visualized as a 2" tube of light running the length of the body.  Kind of like a 4D/5D electro-magnet.

Meditation:  I found meditation to be rather difficult because I liked to put the body into paralysis like I did when trying to astral project.  The problem is that my physical body seems very proficient at creating meletonin.  So much so, after 8 hours of sleep I can lay back down and be back to sleep in like 5 minutes.  This has come to the point where it's almost impossible to stay conscious and jump that gap into non-physical acute alertness.  So, I've put that strategy to rest for now.  I currently meditate standing up.  I simply recall the feeling of the energy body, use my non-thinking tricks, and wham I gotz me sum spatial awareness.

That's all I can think of at the moment.  Please add to the list if you can.  I would love some other perspectives.

5 (edited by PleiadianHealer 2006-03-31 09:54:00)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Interesting ideas!   I like the non-thinking, since it's so universal to so many widely read book's.    My "trick" for getting this done is just to "BE quiet".    It's as if you don't want to "do" meditation, you just want to move into stillness, and experience that "presense".   Once you get good at this, the next step would be to move into "intense presense" (which is described in "Praciticing the power of Now" by Tolle).   Intense presense takes practice, you have to be good as just stilling the mind, then take it a step further.   All this can be eaiser than you think, the problem I seem to run into is the ego dislikes this, but aside from that, it is easier than you can imagine.

So being quiet is something you just relax into, try not to force it  at all.

The next thing, which I mentioned already in another thread is to go into the "soul merge".   It takes 60 second's or less and is very easy to do.   Just imagine a column of light coming down into your head and passing through your body into the earth.   Once you have this done, just said out loud or to yourself "I now intend to merge with my soul" and then see see a large ball of goldern/white light coming down the column and merging with your physical body, which in turn expand's your aura, try to stay in this state for a short time.

Doing the soul merge before any activity will improve it slightly, this is a very practical exercise.   If you're taking a test in school, you'll notice you might do better on the test.   If you're going to a job interview, you'll notice you'll say just the right thing's at the right time.    The soul merge makes everything a little bit better, but you have to pay attention and know as you take on soul you become more expert at just about everything.    This should be done on a daily basis at least once a day, or as many times as you wish.   Over time more and more soul energy will actually merge with you, it's a slow process, but worth the trouble, since it's one of the most important things you can do for your spiritual growth.

6 (edited by z3n3rg 2006-03-31 09:00:27)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Absolutely.  However, for me, it took many years of work to stop the ego sts thought loops I had created from my journey through hell.  I mean childhood.  Now, I can initiate a stop instantly, anywhere at anytime.  And intensifing it is merely a step beyond.  Also, it's now quite easy to see my thoughts in real-time and pick up the ones that are still ego based.  Then I can grab them and find their root.

It may not be as easy as that for other people.  Was it that easy for you when you first arrived at the concept?  If not, did you have any tricks to help with it?  I'm looking for gathering things that can help others that may not be at that point yet.

Soul Merge.  Sounds good to me.  I'll throw that in my arsenal.

Currently, I working on real-time full realization of my 3 body complex.  I'm trying to go a step beyond my mere visualization.  Attempting to feel and think from the conscious, subconscious and unconscious simultaneously.  This requires, of course, being able to think from the soul.  That is, thinking above the dual forces of physical existence.  A place of rest and quiet contemplation.  I figured hey, I got 3 bodies.  Let's see what I can do with them.  The short distance I've gotten so far has shown a synergy (or zenergy?).  My consciousness is loving it.

Edit:  Simultaneous thinking and feeling of...

Rest and quiet contemplation. (soul)
In service...to others. Giving energy to help sustain STO entities. (energy)
Exercising Free-Will in a restricted environment. (physical)

Just giving a brief summary.  Basically, I add the concepts learned for each level.  The concepts form thought units.  Then I can hold the thought units in place simultaneously while at the same time visualizing and feeling the 3 bodies.

7

Re: Exercises in Ascension

z3n3rg wrote:

It may not be as easy as that for other people.  Was it that easy for you when you first arrived at the concept?  If not, did you have any tricks to help with it?  I'm looking for gathering things that can help others that may not be at that point yet.

Easy is a relative term, I think the concept kind of grew on me.   You do ask good question's here, but as alway's we all have our own realization's, when we're ready for them, so the trick's that work for us, may not work for others.

But I do see your point here.    If I were to point out one thing a person would do well with practicing is getting into a silent mind-state when you're out in the world, shopping or whatever else is mundane to you.    I've noticed that the silent mind, while you're wide awake walking around, can be a very useful tool at times and can also serve to give you real life examples of how other part's of us can instantly take over and guide us through life.

I guess you could call this a good trick to know or practice, so that when you really need it, you have the past experience.

While out shopping for a shirt once, I walked into a store and as I got to the men's dept. I noticed how the shirt's piled up on the counter's were a total mess.   It was amazing to see how many shirt's were all over the place, I had never seen such a mess before, I thought to leave the store and come back later when the people who worked there had straightend it all out.   But rather than leave, something inside myself made me stop, and in the next instant my internal dialogue just went quiet.  I started to wander around in this silent state, going from counter to counter, without really looking at anything, it was as if some other part of me had taken over.    Needless to say, I wandered up to one counter and there right in front of me was the exact shirt I had planned to buy, the right color, size, everything I needed.   All I had to do was pick it up and pay for it.   I can't remember the last time I found a shirt in a store so quickly, or so easily and all because I had shut off my internal dialogue.

It's small things like this that make you go "holy smokes" when you learn to do such an easy thing as quiet the mind and let go.   It also bring's to mind how a quiet mind can be turned into a useful tool, something we can use on an everyday basis on practical things.

Having this happen to me made it easier to see how something like silence is so important, so I guess this is one way to get in on some "trick's".

So this was easy for me, but will it be easy for other's... I have no idea.

There are plenty of everyday thing's that you can do with a silent mind that will make you really start to tune into your "Higher-Self/Soul".  I think this "tuning-in" is what we really should be focusing on more for spiritual develpment.   And it's easier than most think it is, BUT you have to keep practicing it as much as possible.

8 (edited by z3n3rg 2006-03-31 15:53:09)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

The usage of the word "trick" was just a short method for describing a mental movement that allowed me to go outside my pre-existing programs in order that I might see them for what they were instead of being those programs.

I sense that it was easy for you relatively speaking.

I'll attempt to explain where I'm coming from.  I was emotionally and spiritually attacked by the people closest to me from the earliest of ages.  My defense was these ego based (victim) sts thought loops (STLs).  They were the predominant force in my youth.  These were a weakness that was picked up by others and were used against me for further feeding off that victim mentality that I created.  So the attacks grew stronger by all those around me which reinforced the STLs.  This feeding loop caused all sorts of issues that I didn't want.  Around the age of 20 I had enough and set out to undo these mental knots.  It wasn't easy nor quick to undo 20 years of damage and programming.  I am now 30.

Your example about the store is an application of quieting the mind.  It is not a method.  When I was running on programs I searched for a method.  Application would come only after I was successful.  I'm certainly not discouraging the sharing of applications, I'm simply keeping in mind those that may not be at that point yet.

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Hey z3n3rg-- cool name.

I too have been working on not thinking. I've been reading Eckhart Tolle's books which have helped me to realize how important it is to quiet the mind. It helps tremendously in reducing one's ego which in turn increases one's awareness. One thing I like to do is not only quiet my mind but my environment as well, to avoid as much human-made and machine-made noise as possible. This helps you to tune into very subtle energies. I'm hoping to train my awareness in this way, to tune into the subtlest energy fields around me, and then try to achieve the same state in increasingly noisy environments.

I also used to spin a lot but gave it up because the energy influx was usually so intense that it left me (or my ego) feeling confused and off-balance.

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Right on seeker!

Reducing noise in the environment.  *thumbs up*

Including things like completely unplugging any computers, TVs and such that leave electronic residue.  The sound of silence is loud.  I suppose that sound of silence could also be used as a focus point of awareness for further quieting of the mind.  I like it.  Thanks for sharing.

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Hey, interesting your timing in bring this topic up.  I've recently been trying to disconnect my mind from words - trying to do thing like quiet that little babbling voice speaking words in my head, not mentally saying words while i'm reading, and prayer with thoughts instead of words.

I'm not sure why, but for some reason I think this is an important part in evolving beyond the physical.  To free the mind from the brain, etc.

I too end up just falling asleep many times when I try to meditate, so unfortunately I've never been too successful with things like meditation, AP, RV, etc.

This is no time for the righteous
Only the wicked survive
Bake up a batch of the Yellow Cake
Bake up a batch of the lies
- - - - -[ Yellow Cake - Ministry - Rio Grande Blood (2006)

12 (edited by z3n3rg 2006-04-01 07:50:00)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Risen,

Here's something you might want to try.  It's a bit different than most methods I think.

Turn on some music.  I usually put on something without words or very few words.  Techno, ambient, stuff like that.  Music soothes the savage beast.  In this case, the mind is the beast needing to be tamed.  Next, do some light exercise.  Concentrate on feeling each movement of the exercise.  These two things will keep the mind and body somewhat occupied making it easier to control thought.

Another thing I did was post a "mind guard".  That would be an awareness point looking for runaway thoughts.  The thing that happens is that a thought comes and we animate the thought.  Animate, in as such, as the mind goes through all the files and adds thoughts that relate to that thought.  Then those thoughts bring their own related thoughts.  In short order, our mind is filled with thoughts.  The "mind guard" is tough but it was one of my starting points.  Basically, when a thought comes gently say "no thoughts right now".  It takes awhile and some practice.  Be gentle though.  Tell your mind that there's plenty of time to think all it wants but right now you don't want any thoughts.  If a thought comes, watch it come and go.  Wave it on and be very aware of our tendency to animate them.  Just think of a guard at the gates of your inner sanctum.  If a thought comes and you allow it then soon you'll have the whole outer courtyard filled with that thought's friends wanting to get in.  It's easier to wave the first thought on.  But don't get me wrong.  This wasn't easy for me when I was starting out.  It took lots of practice.  Lots of gently saying "no thoughts right now".

When you can stop thoughts completely for a few seconds something extraordinary happens.  A space within is formed.  You may not notice it for awhile.  Each time you can stop thoughts completely for a few seconds, more space is added to this inner space.  Nothing is ever taken away so you don't have to worry about stopping thoughts for long periods when you start out.  Each person has their own levels with this.  Some can create a space very quickly.  For others, it takes longer.  But when that space is big enough you consciousness will notice it.  It's like an inner ball of peace.  When you become aware of it then you can go there quickly, instantly even.

Another thing is that there is a specific feeling when you completely rid the mind of thoughts.  For me it was quite profound.  So I memorized that feeling.  After awhile I would simply recall that feeling first.  Then it was easier to keep thoughts away.  I think that feeling was the subconscious.  Memorizing feelings has helped me in other areas of self-work as well.  We often get caught up in only remembering thoughts (events and such) and let the feelings have free reign whenever they come around.  I learned to tame them both.

Here's something else to remember.  I'll quote Montalk from another thread...

http://forum.noblerealms.org/viewtopic.php?id=3122

In high school I tried practicing the art of stopping my thoughts. Not only did I stop the internal babbler, but I erroneously suppressed everything else inside my head as well, assuming this was "meditation." Well, this screwed me up enough that when I was nervous, my mind would habitually go blank. Being in this state all the time would have made me a zombie fit for a TM cult, but I recovered.

Later I came across Michael Topper, Castaneda, Steiner, and Higher Balance Institute material that explained it was possible and necessary to stop the internal dialogue and runaway fantasies while actually heightening one's state of awareness rather than suppressing it. I think that's what you're talking about, z3n3rg. It's bringing the subconscious into the conscious rather than vice versa and sharpens rather than suppresses the mind. So hopefully everyone understands there's a difference between mindlessness and nonthinking.

It is definitely possible and fruitful to perceive, receive, sense, discern, contemplate, or do something without thinking, without the babbler redundantly narrating every step and tangent of the process and slowing it down. It's interesting to practice this "spatial awareness" - the power of Now and all, being present in the moment, inner silence etc...

The trick is to concentrate without thinking.  Once you can do it, it will become easy.  You'll be able to enter meditative states in the New York subway during rush hour.  It's powerful stuff.

I too think it's an important part in evolving beyond the physical.  Simply because you are tapping into subconscious awareness.  The subconscious being the awareness of the energy body.  It's a spatial awareness instead of the linear awareness we are used to in the 3d physical sense.

Hope it helps.

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Another trick I learned was using combinations.  Use separation of concepts for identification purposes.  Also use separation to expand one concept out as far as possible.  For application purposes, combine concepts.  If two concepts work a little then combining them will increase effectiveness.  For instance, if you find the music and exercise help then add in the "mind guard" and it should be easier to do.

14 (edited by z3n3rg 2006-04-05 10:00:48)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Going to add a post of mine from another thread.  I want to be organized, so when I update this I won't be repeating myself.

http://forum.noblerealms.org/viewtopic.php?id=3139

I went about identifing the things that caused the anger and other negative emotions.  I went about it in a cold calulated manner.  Two examples follow.

1.  This situation caused anger.  The anger caused these thoughts.  Those thoughts would trigger additional related thoughts that would keep the loop of anger going until I was living in those thoughts.

2.  I felt inadequate.  This particular situation caused feelings of inadequacy.  The feeling caused thoughts that delved into self-pity.  Those thoughts triggered other thoughts of situations that caused those feelings.  I was living in past situations that fed these feelings.  I would go over and over in my mind of what I should've said or done.  I would create senario after senario to make myself feel better.  The movie projector would go non-stop with me saying or doing the "right thing" to gain acceptance by others.

The above two paragraphs are me identifying and forming 'thought units' of the complete issue for each emotion and program that I wanted to end.  The ego hates one thing above all else.  Honesty with self.  The ego cannot survive when one is honest with themselves.  This identification and categorization was my first attempts at being honest with myself.

(I will use the "anger program" as an example throughout but there are many others as well.  That was just a predominant one for me personally.)

I still lived in these emotions and programs for several years after starting the work on myself.  The difference was that each night I would go over what happened that day and put the appropriate emotions and programs into their 'thought unit' categories.  I would examine them and start to work on finding their root.

Finding the root was time consuming.  I went back through the years, one by one, and placed all the experiences into their appropriate categories.  I would do this after going over the day that just ended.  I continued until I started gaining epiphanies on the origin of these programs.

By creating these 'thought units' I was able to see my reactions from an outside perspective.  I was able to put them in a box to be examined.  These 'thought units' became my second mental tool for ridding myself of the ego way of thinking.

Slowly, they started losing their control over my mind.  Little spurts of awareness would show up throughout the day reminding me of the overall picture I was putting together.  I would, of course, slip back under their influence.  The "predator's mind" hated the honesty.  It hated the light I was shining on it.  Things would trigger in the external world to get me back running the anger program.  But I wasn't about to give up.  "Resolve" would be my next weapon.

Catching these glimpses of awareness gave me an idea.  I created my next mental tool.  The "alarm clock" as I call it.  I set my alarm to go off when I slipped into any negative emotion.  When the alarm went off I set my mind to bring back to the surface the related thought unit.  I would then jump into the moment and examine the thoughts occuring and feel the emotion completely.  I no longer added to my thought units at the end of the day.  I was doing it in real-time.  The ego's days were numbered.

My arsenal was building...
1.  Honesty with Self
2.  Thought Units
3.  Resolve
4.  Negative Emotion triggered "Alarm Clock"

Now that I was gaining some real-time awareness I needed to go back to examine the roots.  I needed to find out if these programs were still necessary.  If not, then I needed to analyze myself, my situations, and such at the time of the formation of the roots.

Epiphanies followed.  I was treated as less than adequate because those people felt less than adequate.  I was forced to go down to the altar and ask forgiveness because they felt guilty themselves.  I was the brunt of their deep-seeded emotional issues that they never were honest with themselves about.  They projected onto me the very things that they were hiding from others.  I was treated as a possession because that's how they were treated.  They were doing to me what had been done to them.  They were projecting all their anger and negative emotions towards me because I had no defense.  I was the child.  They were superior.  They never felt that superiority before.  I could be blamed for everything they were guilty of.  As a child I accepted it.  I didn't understand.  But as an adult I then knew better.  It wasn't me at all.  I wasn't responsible.  I wasn't inadequate.  I wasn't guilty.  And I wasn't their possession.

Initially, these epiphanies led to more anger.  More feelings of being the victim.  That didn't last long though.  I had already opened the gate wide.  I was gaining deeper understanding.  I understood the victim part of the ego equation.  It was time to understand the aggressor part.  I used my tools to look past the agressors (the feeders, the predators, the psychopaths).  To look at their roots.  To walk in their shoes (without actually involving others of course).  I became both so that I could understand.  As the understanding grew, my forgiveness grew.  As my forgiveness grew, my anger diminished.  As the anger diminished, the other negative emotions disappeared.  As the negative emotions disappeared, the victim mentality fell away.  As the victim mentality fell away, so did the ego.

15 (edited by z3n3rg 2006-04-05 09:45:59)

Re: Exercises in Ascension

Had another thought.  Just tried it and it seems to work well.  This is for helping to end the inner dialogue.

What I've found for myself is that anything that can stop the normal "movie projector" inner dialogue will assist in clearing the mind and making way for the subconscious awareness to seep through.  Here's the technique.

Counting.  Have you ever heard of the calming technique of counting to 10 when you're angry?  Pretty much the same thing with an added dimension or two.  Counting is the main component.  But since counting can quickly become automatic something else needs to be added.  So, visualize the numbers as you count.  And make each visualization a different color.  Don't want to be concentrating on thinking of a color necessarily although I guess that could work, so use the rainbow.  Red 1.  Orange 2.  Yellow 3.  Green 4.  Blue 5.  Indigo 6.  Violet 7.  Red 8.  Orange 9.  And so on.  Whenever it becomes too automatic add something.  Make the number 3D.  Turn them upside-down.  Not only will this keep your mind too busy to keep running the STS thought loops but it will also add to your visualization skills.  That is if you aren't already a pro which some people on here are.

Just had another thought.  Whenever a thought interupts your counting, start over.  That way you can guage how long you go without your normal thought process.  Also, keep aware of any difference in feeling when you go without your normal thought process.  If you do feel something different, memorize the feeling.  Then you can recall that feeling later.