The Raven method is one of the simplest ways to try reality shifting: you lie in a starfish position, shut your eyes and count to 100 at an unhurried pace, slipping affirmations like “I am shifting” between the numbers as you hold your desired reality in mind. That’s the whole method. Many shifters like it for exactly that reason, and it’s one of the reality shifting methods for beginners people try first.
Some people see shifting as a kind of lucid dreaming. Others believe it’s a full experience in its own right. Either way, the Raven method is a quiet bedtime practice, and it works best when you go in relaxed and curious. Desperation to make it happen tonight tends to keep you wide awake. If you’re new to shifting, read is reality shifting dangerous? before your first try.
The Raven Technique for Beginners
Here’s how to use the Raven method to shift from your current reality to your desired reality.
- Pick your moment. Try it when you’re slightly tired and ready to rest, ideally at your normal bedtime rather than late into the night. A clear, calm mind helps with this method and any other. A few minutes of gentle yoga or meditation beforehand can get you there.
- Lie down in a starfish position. Spread your arms and legs out so your limbs aren’t touching each other. Let your body go loose, from your jaw to your toes.
- Close your eyes and count from 0 to 100. This is the heart of the method. Count slowly, and between numbers repeat shifting affirmations such as “I am shifting” or “I can shift”.
- Keep picturing your desired reality the whole time you count and affirm: where you’ll wake up, who’s there, what it sounds and smells like.
- At 100, notice where you are. Many shifters say this is when they arrive. If you haven’t, you can start the count again. We’d stop at one or two extra rounds, though. After that, let yourself drift off with your desired reality in mind, which is how sleep shifting methods are meant to work anyway. Fighting sleep for round after round mostly leaves you tired the next day.
Before your first attempt, it helps to write down where you’re going. Our shifting script template walks you through mapping out your desired reality, and having that clear picture makes the visualizing in step 4 much easier.
Learn the art of scripting –> Shifting Script (Free 3 page PDF Template)
You can also pair the Raven method with the pillow method by putting your written script under your pillow while you count. Plenty of shifters play subliminals or ASMR quietly in the background to help them stay focused.
Something this simple appeals to so many people because counting, picturing and repeating one phrase give a busy mind a single easy job, so the usual chatter about tomorrow has less room. It’s the same idea as counting sheep. Shifters see that quiet, focused state as the doorway to their desired reality.
○ If You’ve Had Sleep Paralysis Before
Sleep paralysis means waking up, or drifting off, unable to move or speak. The NHS calls it scary but harmless. It also warns that lying on your back can make it more likely to happen. The starfish position is on your back, so if sleep paralysis has happened to you before, do the counting lying on your side instead. The counting and affirmations are what make this the Raven method. The pose is just the usual way in.
○ Using the Raven Method for Manifestation
You can use the same routine to manifest something in this reality. Instead of your desired reality, hold a single goal in mind, such as a new friendship, a calmer exam season or a job offer, and swap the shifting affirmations for ones in the present tense: “It’s already mine” or “I have my dream job”. Count slowly to 100 while you picture the moment it comes true. Many people like doing this at bedtime so the last thing on their mind before sleep is the thing they want.
What You Might Feel During Reality Shifting
Every shifter describes the moment of transition differently, but some sensations come up again and again. People report tingling, feeling heavy or very light, a floating or weightless feeling, a rush of excitement or nostalgia, flashes or shapes of light behind their eyelids, and a buzzing or humming sound. Some say they keep seeing the same number sequences, or angel numbers, in the days before a shift. Many shifters read all of these as signs they’re close, and our guide to reality shifting symptoms goes through them in more detail.
Several of these are just as familiar to anyone nodding off on a normal night. The sudden jolt or twitch you might feel as you drift off is called a hypnic jerk, and NHS Borders calls it a normal occurrence that most people have at some point. These jerks happen more often when you’re over-tired or lying in an uncomfortable position, and more rarely they come with sounds or visions. So a twitch at number 73 means your body is slipping toward sleep, whatever else it might mean to you.
○ Feelings That Aren’t Part of Shifting
Some sensations are never a sign of shifting, and they’re your cue to stop, sit up and look after yourself.
- Trouble breathing, or a chest that feels tight or heavy. The NHS says to ring 999, or the emergency number where you live, when you’re gasping, choking or can’t get your words out, or if your chest feels tight or heavy.
- Chest pain. Sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that doesn’t go away is an emergency too.
- A racing or fluttering heart that doesn’t settle once you’ve sat up and slowed your breathing. The NHS lists palpitations alongside difficulty breathing as reasons to get urgent medical advice.
- Twitching that doesn’t stop. Jerks that keep happening while you’re awake, or carry on all night, need checking by a doctor, according to NHS Borders.
Other warning signs show up in how you think and sleep. If any of these ring true, put the Raven method aside for now and tell someone who can help, like your mom or dad, a teacher or school counselor you trust, or your doctor:
- Sleep paralysis has become a regular thing, and now bedtime fills you with dread or you feel worn out all day. That’s the point at which the NHS suggests a GP visit.
- You feel strangely distant from yourself, or the people and things around you start to look unreal, “lifeless” or “foggy”. The NHS describes these feelings as signs of dissociation.
- You’re seeing or hearing things nobody else does while you’re fully awake, away from a session. Sights and sounds right as you drop off or wake up can be temporary, but the NHS says to get medical help for hallucinations, so ask for a doctor’s appointment soon.
- Your desired reality is starting to feel more real than your actual life, or your attempts are pushing out sleep, homework, proper meals or your friends.
If shifting has started to feel like your only escape from a life that hurts, or ending your life has crossed your mind, please don’t carry that alone tonight. In the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answers calls and texts on 988, free and 24/7. In the UK, ring Samaritans on 116 123 from any phone, free, whenever you need to. In India, Tele MANAS, the Government of India’s mental health line, is free on 14416, around the clock. Elsewhere, ring your local emergency number. You don’t need to be in danger right now to call any of these helplines.
Some Extra Pro Tips for Successful Shifting
- Have a glass of water earlier in the evening. Some shifters see water as a way to raise their vibration before a session. Just skip gulping a bottle right before you lie down, or you’ll be up for the bathroom halfway through your count.
- Take breaks between attempts. Trying night after night can leave you mentally drained. Leave a day or two between attempts so you come back fresh.
- Protect your sleep. For 13 to 17 year olds, the CDC’s figure is 8 to 10 hours each night. Try the Raven method at your usual bedtime, and never stay up into the small hours for extra attempts.
- Stay positive. The more you doubt yourself and your ability to shift, the harder it gets to relax into the count. A doubtful night isn’t a failed night, though. Just try again another time.
- For more ideas, read our shifting tips for beginners.
Try not to obsess over getting it right. Reality shifting is meant to help you de-stress and enjoy time in your desired reality, and the method works best when it feels like a treat. As shifters put it, the more you let go of your limiting beliefs, the easier it gets to move your consciousness where you want it to go.
Good luck and happy shifting!
FAQ About the Raven Method
What is the Raven method for shifting?
It’s a bedtime counting method. You lie in a starfish position with your eyes closed and count slowly from 0 to 100, saying shifting affirmations such as “I am shifting” between the numbers as you imagine your desired reality. Many shifters like it because it’s one of the simplest methods to learn.
What if I don’t shift by the time I reach 100?
That’s very common, so don’t treat it as a failure. You can start the count again once or twice. After that, let yourself fall asleep with your desired reality in mind, and try again another night after a day or two’s break.
What if I fall asleep while counting?
That’s fine. The Raven method is usually done at bedtime, and many shifters intend to shift as they fall asleep. Go to bed at your normal time so your practice doesn’t cut into the sleep you need.
Do I have to lie on my back in the starfish position?
No. The counting and affirmations are what make it the Raven method. If you’ve ever had sleep paralysis, lie on your side instead, because lying face up can make it more likely, according to the NHS.
Is the Raven method safe?
The counting itself is gentle, and twitches or jolts as you drift off are a normal part of falling asleep. Stop straight away if you have trouble breathing, chest pain or tightness, or a pounding heart that doesn’t calm down, and get medical help. If you feel detached from yourself, notice sights or sounds nobody else does while fully awake, or keep having sleep paralysis, take a break from shifting and talk it over with your mom or dad, your doctor or a teacher you trust.
Can I use the Raven method for manifestation?
Yes. Keep the same steps, but hold one goal in mind instead of a desired reality and use present-tense affirmations like “It’s already mine” while you count to 100.
