Lehal Library

EXPERIMENT #EEG-5 July 19th, 1966. Arrived at the hospital EEG lab at 9:00 P.M., after driving seventy miles from Richmond. No particular sense of fatigue. Sleepiness earlier in the day, around 1 P.M., but no rest was taken. Active day from around six-thirty in the morning. By nine-thirty in the evening, all electrodes had been attached by the technician, who was the only person present when I arrived. I reclined on a temporary cot, in a semi-darkened room, using a pillow and sheet, no shirt, but retaining trousers. Experienced usual difficulty in getting head comfortable, especially the ear pressed against the pillow. As a "side sleeper," it made no difference which side; each was equally uncomfortable due to the electrodes attached to my ears. After a semblance of ease, I attempted to relax naturally, but was unsuccessful. I went finally into the fractional relaxation pattern (count up from number one, associating each number with a body part starting with feet, fixing closed eyes in direction of body part as number and mental command to relax were thought). Experienced usual mind "drift" at various points, and forced attention back to relaxation technique. Went through entire sequence without complete relaxation, so 1 started again at the beginning. After about forty-five minutes of this without attaining full relaxation, I decided to take a break, sat up (halfway), and called to the technician. I sat up partially, smoked a cigarette, and talked with the technician for about five or eight minutes, then decided to try again. After some time spent in attempting to ease ear-electrode discomfort, concentrated on ear to "numb" it, with partial success. Then went into fractional relaxation technique again. Halfway through the second time around in the pattern, the sense of warmth appeared with full consciousness (or so it seemed) remaining. I decided to try the "roll-out" method (i.e., start to turn over gently, just as if you were turning over in bed using the physical body). I started to feel as if I were turning, and at first thought I truly was moving the physical body. I felt myself roll off the edge of the cot, and braced for the fall to the floor. When I did not hit immediately, I knew that I had separated. I moved away from the physical, and through a darkened area, then came upon two men and a woman. The "seeing" wasn't too good, but got better as I came closer. The woman, tall, dark-haired, in her forties (?), was sitting on a love seat or couch. Seated to the right of her was one man. In front of her, and slightly to her left, was the second man. They all were strangers to me, and were in conversation which 1 could not hear. I tried to get their attention, but could not. Finally, I reached over, and pinched the woman (very gently I) on her left side just below the rib