Hi dude,

I have no idea! And I'm equally confused as to why NMS is recommended for 'no more than ten minutes' in some cases and 'no more than 30 minutes' in others.

Perhaps from experience some have figured out that this is the optimal time, but I wish someone would explain why or publish test results that explain why...

I can imagine it could cause problems if it were done a lot (maybe the brain might start going through the procedure automatically when you didn't want it to, like a facial tic or something)?
Best,
AR

Yeh sorry dude that was a bit unclear  :  )

Afaik, EMDR has no known problematic side effects, and I always wonder how/why time limits are calculated and justified in such circumstances. I would have thought that personal experimentation to find the right amount of such input to suit each individual should be the best way to go about things, and it would be helpful if the reasons for any recommended time limits were explained with reference to the data they are based on.

Timing can be very important for rate of improvement; for example the recommendations for 'timed exposure' and repetition during the learning process were found out after a lot of experiments with a lot of people trying different timing methods.

Can the same be said of EMDR? We don't know, so if you are going to deviate from recommendations, be sure to keep notes because you are literally exploring new territory and your data is valuable. If enough people eventually explore this we may discover that everyone is different and needs different exposure, or we may find there is a 'goldilocks zone' for all. Such discoveries are helpful to everyone.

It would also be interesting to explore whether 'optimal timing' changes with state of mind (wakeful vs sleepy, drunk vs sober, hungry vs full)...Put a little merriment in your experiment  :  )

Best,
AR

Hi dude,
Totally sensible choice  :  )
If you meditate regularly, then meditation is part of your normal 'default state', and to be objective you should start from that same default state (in the same way, if any of you dudes regularly take drugs or do exercises as part of everyday life, you should continue your current habits while trying out new methods.) The idea that there is an ideal 'straight' you who doesn't need drugs or meditation or coffee or fags, doesn't fucking swear and never gets dirty, is nonsense. Most of our habits are unconscious attempts to find balance, because balance (dynamic equilibrium) is the truly healthy default state for all of us.

Certainly there may come a day when we don't need meditation or working out or drinking to stay in balance, and that's what we're working towards. But to get a first clear picture and 'know yourself' you need your everyday state as a baseline. The same is true of doing a Functional Analysis.

When you say 'dealing with feelings', I assume you mean troublesome sentiments? If so, it's good you've spotted that, because you'll be aware that you're vulnerable when sleepy, and it's exactly that sort of 'know yourself' awareness that speeds progress.

Party on dudes,
AR