Bill, You don't define your terms, mind's eye, imagination, thoughts in raw form. But from what I can understand of what you describe, it seems on track.

Don't worry about surroundings being black; that is natural, and black is good. The important thing is not seeing your surroundings, it is realisation of your own presence - your self-identification. Whether surroundings are black or not, keep yourself the observer, objective and distant, well contained and identified. Develop control of yourself as your condensed core state, and get to know it really well. Your environment is not important; coming to know your central self is.

Positioning of your central self is relevant. Where it is normally positioned - like now while you're reading this - is for bodily sensory operations and from here the mental environment is a little above, so we are aware of visual thinking but can't necessarily make it out that clearly, even though we know what we are imagining. 

Practicing imaging helps develop the faculty of mental vision; drawing, contrasting, colouring, rotating images, imaging complex images with lots of contrast, detail, sights and sounds - but do so sensibly - desire/emotion follows thought; thought that stirs physical feelings causes physical enmeshment; and indulging in fantasy can lead us away from reality. Imagination is powerfully effective in beneficial and detrimental ways. Keep sensible. Like a scientist, not like a fantasist. Remain the investigator. Rational, in control, not desirous. Landscapes, maps, imagining extended surroundings, and wholesome projects, are good subjects to practice on. 

Distinguish between what is imagined and you who imagine it. Become familiar with your faculty of mental sight - the seeing, not what is seen. And no matter what is seen, put little credit in it; don't treat it as gospel truth; treat it like all things normally seen; keep objective; let reality slowly build up, always awaiting multiple verifications and proofs. Subject all things to reason and sound judgement.     

So positioning and visual ability go together. Learning to position yourself further back, within and upward, will be helpful. Learn to hold yourself steady there. Keep aware of yourself, inwardly of your own presence, and aware outwardly of your surroundings, and keep distant/distinct from your surroundings. Practice this meditatively and when performing daily tasks like walking, housework, gardening, etc.

Don't get dependent on the spirit guide. Conscience is better, and makes you strong and independent. It is in the opposite direction to looking outward at your environment. If you extend your inward awareness further inward and upward as far as you can, conscience is there, at the inner upper pinnacle of your core self, like a skylight. It may be dull and require a lot of "attention" and practice over time to brighten up.   

The little circle of vision you saw right in front of you is an aperture on the screen of mind. I expect it was opened for you, as an appetiser. It is like looking out through the pupil of an eye from the inside. It is mostly closed, and in most people nearly always closed. It only opens when you the core observant self are positioned on the right step/stage/level, and when things like degree of condensation/containment/identity of core self and distance from the screen of mind are right. Then while holding oneself there, and not falling forward towards it, breathe in through it, and maintaining your distance learn to open it. It is a steady, gentle and delicate task. When open it can see most vividly, any distance, and from the widest to smallest scope. Keep back from it, so plenty of the black screen of mind remains around it and contrasts with it. Keeping back from it, holding steady, breath management, is how you learn to control it. On the border of physical sleep but still internally awake, is a good time to practice it, but don't get too obsessed about it to the extent that you neglect physical responsibilities. Conscience and heart, relationships and life duties require the most work, and their progress must be well ahead of non-physical hobbies. 

Hello Bill:

Regarding not getting dependent on a spirit guide, a love-based and qualified spirit guide can help without dependence becoming a factor.

Robert Monroe spoke of his I-there.  Bruce Moen speaks of Disk. Beyond this there is the Soul Group factor. All of this implies numerous entities working and learning together.  Since in truth we are all one, it is fine that we learn from each other.

Some Disks and Soul Groups are more evolved than other Disks and Soul Groups. Therefore, there may be occasions when guidance from a more evolved being has its place.

It is important to remember that even if we don’t make conscious contact with guidance and the other influences that exist, they can still influence us for better or worse at an unconscious level.

Robert Monroe wrote in Ultimate Journey that he told his I-there that he was concerned about unfriendly influences. His I-there (which had been guiding and helping him even when he wasn’t aware of such “help”) told him that he his sensitive enough to be aware of when unfriendly influences try to mess with him. All he needs to do is refocus his receptors so they don’t. (I’ve found that tuning into and sharing love helps.)

I believe it is key that Robert’s I-there helped him for years without his knowing that they were.  I’ve read of non-physical experiences that some people have had and it seemed clear to me that they were being helped by guidance, yet they weren’t aware that this was the case.
If such guidance is there it isn’t a bad thing to be aware of. It isn’t like being in contact with an Earth-based guru who expects surrender and worship from his followers. It is like being in contact with a wise, loving and close friend who doesn’t have self-serving motives.

Self-dependence is one thing and an egotistical I don’t need anybody’s help approach is another.  Oneness exists in a way where it just isn’t possible for us to be completely independent from each other.

I can’t say with any certainty why some people perceive in color while other people perceive in black and white. There is probably more than one reason.  I perceive in color. I believe that if one grows spiritually one will improve one’s ability to experience non-physically.  In some cases growing spiritually is partly a matter of not closing the door to communicating with love-based spirit beings that are close to us.  When I experience divine love I believe that I am connected to the energy level where love-based beings exist.  Since this is the case, I believe it is okay to be open to their friendship and advice.

They don’t try to run my life. They provide me with perspectives and help me remember things I’ve forgotten about.  They help me have non-physical experiences that help me grow. Such experiences haven’t made me dependent and weak. They helped me become stronger and more in touch with my higher self. 

Albert

Thank you for saying so CB.

1796 wrote on Nov 18^th, 2014 at 7:11pm:

Right, even though there are common experiences, each person has a unique path. I've also found that things can progress in a way that is hard to anticipate.