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hypnopompic

hyp⋅no⋅pom⋅pic  /ˌhɪpnəˈpɒmpɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hip-nuh-pom-pik]

–adjective Psychology. of or pertaining to the semiconscious state prior to complete wakefulness.


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hyp⋅na⋅gog⋅ic  /ˌhɪpnəˈgɒdʒɪk, -ˈgoʊdʒɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hip-nuh-goj-ik, -goh-jik]


–adjective 1. of or pertaining to drowsiness.
2. inducing drowsiness.


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hypnagogic

Origin:
1885–90; < F hypnagogique; see hypn-, -agogue, -ic


Related Words for : hypnagogic

hypnogogic, somniferous, somnific, soporiferous, soporific


hyp·na·gog·ic also hyp·no·gog·ic (hĭp'nə-gŏj'ĭk, -gō'jĭk)

adj.

Inducing sleep; soporific.

Of, relating to, or occurring in the state of intermediate consciousness preceding sleep: hypnagogic hallucinations.


[French hypnagogique : Greek hupnos, sleep; see hypno- + Greek agōgos, leading (from agein, to lead; see ag- in Indo-European roots).]


Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: hyp·na·go·gic
Variant: also hyp·no·go·gic /"hip-n&-'gäj-ik, -'gO-jik/
Function:adjective
: of, relating to, or associated with the drowsiness preceding sleep —compare HYPNOPOMPIC —hyp·na·go·gi·cal·ly /-ji-k(&-)lE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster

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psychopomp

Origin:
1900–05; hypno- + Gk pomp() sending away (see pomp ) + -ic

psy⋅cho⋅pomp  /ˈsaɪkoʊˌpɒmp/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [sahy-koh-pomp]

–noun a person who conducts spirits or souls to the other world, as Hermes or Charon.


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Origin:
1860–65; < Gk psȳchopompós conductor of souls. See psycho-, pomp

psychopomp

noun
a conductor of souls to the afterworld; "Hermes was their psychopomp"




I find lately that for poetry (but not for prose) the hypnopompic state is the best for me to be in when I'm writing.

The hypnagogic I use more to begin poems, but then I think the sleep process does some necessary work on the poem. When I wake up, I try to finish the poem. If you do this, stay in bed!

Move as little as possible. Move only the pen lol.

It won't work if you have people or pets bugging ya. Hide.

I just put the three words above to show how I think they are a necessary trinity.

The Psychopomp is your guide in the Unconscious or your bellwether in the Underworld. The way it was Virgil for Dante. There are some spiritual intelligences we trust enough to follow. For me, it's Dead Philip Whalen. He prefers to speak through the cut-up machine, because he likes larks. But he seems to know what he's talking about most of the time. Even when he's just a Severed Head. Even then, larks fly out of his mouth.

Whatever you choose to call it. It doesn't really matter. Call it nothing. If that works for you.

But I do believe they are triune states.

And these three words all support each other, like that creepy table made of three human legs. Tripod of the subconscious mind.

This is nothing new. Poets have known this forever. Bernadette Mayer in her celebrated, playful advice on ways to start poems often stresses the importance of writing in altered states. Most of her list of experiments is really just attempting to put you in positions where you might not put yourself, and where your consciousness might be forced to break out of its regular holding pattern.

She wrote a book in collaboration with three (four? I think three...) other women poets, where over a period of time (a year?) they all would wake at like three in the morning. I forget the exact time. That was the title of the book. Like 3:17. Although if I remembered the exact time correctly, it was a lucky guess.

I never read that book. But I want to.

I think that was a very cool idea. I know her Tender Buttons publisher Lee-Ann Brown was one of the other poets. The other two (or three) are escaping me.

I could Google all this and fix this post up, but...

If you want to know more you'll find the book on your own anyway.

I'll go look for it on ABE.

If there's an inexpensive copy, I think I'm going to buy it.

I can't afford it right now.

But who can afford poety...ever??

lol...