You are in an alpha state periodically throughout the day and it's really no big deal. I wouldn't spend any money to learn how to do it because doing the 321 thingy on the PR tapes gets you to it. It's just a state of relaxed alertness where you perform better. Deep "belly" breathing (expand your stomach) helps get you there while you do the 321 thing. Whenever you are doing something and you forget about YOU, you are in one. Waking consciousness is Beta, then there's alpha, and then I think Delta and then Theta, Theta being deep sleep, the type that boosts hormone levels and keeps you healthy. So alpha ain't too far away from waking consciousness.
I don't really know how you can recognize you're in one but it really doesn't matter and you're worrying about it can prevent it, alot like worrying over getting to sleep will keep you up. Do the 321 exercise while doing deep breathing for 5 minutes and then assume you're in one and do what you got to do.
[This message has been edited by Andy030 (edited September 23, 2001).]
