Layer Cards

Physical Layer

What it feels like
Experiences in this layer feel grounded in the body and environment. Events follow familiar physical logic, and the sense of time and self remains stable.

Common signs
  • Strong bodily sensations
  • Clear sense of location and sequence
  • Little to no symbolic distortion
What to log
Note physical sensations and environmental details rather than interpretation.

Informational Layer

What it feels like
Experiences resemble receiving data rather than living through events. Information may arrive compressed, fragmented, or oddly exact.

Common signs
  • Sudden knowing without context
  • Non-linear or incomplete scenes
  • Clarity without emotional buildup

What to log

Write down what was known or conveyed, even if the scene felt incomplete.

Perceptual Layer

What it feels like
Perception becomes subtly altered. Details may feel sharper, stretched, or slightly unreal, while identity and awareness remain continuous.

Common signs
  • Heightened or dulled senses
  • Mild distortions of space or scale
  • Familiar places feeling subtly different
What to log
Record changes in perception rather than narrative meaning.

Observational Layer

What it feels like
The experiencer feels present but detached, as if watching rather than participating. Emotional involvement is reduced or neutral.

Common signs
  • Third-person perspective
  • Lack of urgency or reaction
  • Clear awareness without engagement
What to log
Note position and distance from the scene rather than its content.

Symbolic Layer

What it feels like
Experiences unfold through symbols rather than direct events. Scenes may appear illogical, yet feel meaningful or emotionally precise.

Common signs
  • Repeating images or figures
  • Actions that feel metaphorical
  • Meaning without clear storyline
What to log
Focus on symbols that persist after waking, not the plot.

Transitional Layer

What it feels like
A boundary state where scenes shift quickly and identities may blur. Movement between states becomes noticeable.

Common signs
  • Rapid scene changes
  • Blurred sense of self
  • Feeling “in between” states
What to log
Track moments of transition rather than stable scenes.