How do I obtain Astral Travel?

[Selski]

Hi phase190

Before I respond, can you just clarify your question - do you mean how do you relax your physical head, or how do you relax your mind, as in mentally?

Sarah

[phase190]

oh yeah sorry, i meant to relax it physically

[Selski]

Hi phase190

No need to apologise - sometimes people say 'head' when they mean 'mind' and I just wanted to make sure you meant your head! 

The head area is one of the most difficult areas to relax.  There is a specific relaxation of the head on the Monroe's Wave I Discovery CD, but if you don't own it, it's not worth the money just to relax your head!

Here's a very rough version of his rundown (very rough as I can't remember the words he uses).  Anything similar to what I've written will suffice - it doesn't have to be exact.  Concentrate on the parts that you personally find difficult.

You should be saying these words to yourself in your mind while you are relaxing, and after you have relaxed your body...

Write your own script down and get to know it very well, because each time you say these words, the parts of your head will know that it's time to relax.  Over time, you will simply be able to use just the numbers and it will be a lot quicker...

The words should be said slowly with (say) a 2-second gap between sentences and a 5-second gap between numbers.  Again, it's up to you - do whatever works for you.
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1.  Focus your mind on your cheeks.  Allow your cheeks to relax.  Feel your cheeks slowly and surely going to sleep.

Wait 5 seconds - relaxing - checking on your cheeks that they are relaxed.

2.  Focus your mind on your mouth and jaw.  Allow your mouth and jaw to relax.  Feel your mouth and jaw slowly and surely falling asleep.

5 seconds.

3.  Focus your mind on your eyelids.  Allow your eyelids to relax.  Feel your eyelids slowly and surely going to sleep.  Relax.

5 seconds.

4.  Focus your mind on your eyes, on the nerves and muscles that control the movement of the eyes.  Allow those nerves and muscles to relax.  Feel your eyes slowly and surely falling asleep.

5 seconds.

5.  Focus your mind on your forehead.  Allow your forehead to relax.  Feel the tension release outwards and upwards from your forehead.  Feel your forehead slowly and surely going to sleep.  Relax.

5 seconds.

6.  Focus your mind on your scalp.  Allow your scalp to relax.  Feel your scalp slowly and surely falling asleep.  Relax.

5 seconds.

7.  Focus your mind on the whole of your head, from the top of your scalp to your neck.  Allow the head to relax, to let go.  Feel your head slowly and surely relaxing.

5 seconds.
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It is deliberately repetitive and monotonous - to help you slowly drift away to a more relaxed state.

I have found that I struggle with my forehead.  Often I go to check it (mentally) and find it's in a slight frown - I think this is down to concentrating on being relaxed (which is a bit of an oxymoron!).  The eyes are a problem for a lot of people - I overcame this by buying an eye-mask.  The mask keeps the eyes closed, even if they want to open.

If you find you want to swallow at any point - then just swallow.  The swallowing action will bring you to a slightly less relaxed state, but that's ok, you just talk yourself down again.

Over time, as you learn that 1 = cheeks and 4 = eyes, you will simply be able to count down using the numbers only, and those parts of your head should respond accordingly.

It might seem like a lot of hard work just to relax your head - but it is worth the effort.  Once the body and head are relaxed, you've only got the mind left and after you've mastered that, you should have all sorts of weird and wacky things happening!   

Hope this helps.  Have a bash with it - play with it for a couple of weeks or so.  Any questions in the meantime, just shout!

Sarah

[phase190]

oh wow this is very helpful, thanks sarah! =)

[zorgblar]

For me the easiest method is saying affrmantions to my self in my mind while I fall asleep.

[cavernstoy]

This is not the answer that I would have appreciated a few months ago, but in the begining of my attempts, using techniques was the biggest reason that I didn't succeed.  Just lay down (or sit), get into a meditative-alpha state.  Try to lower your brain frequencies.  You'll eventually feel like you are no longer in the same world; its called a trance.  Stay as relaxed, and aware as you possibly can.  Know consciously that you intent to phase into another realm.  Be conscious of all that sourounds you.  But also be conscious of your internal feelings.  Once you reach the hypnogogic state, you will see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that are comparable to day dreaming.  At this point, forget about projection.  Follow what you feel.  Don't get over excited.  If you see something interesting, follow it.  It may sound weird, but you don't need to think.  Don't think.  Feel yourself move towards visions, sounds, or fealings that arouse you.  Forget about this life.  You have just been born.  You know nothing anylitically, but you know everything emotionally.  Do not anylize.  You can't project with the left side of your brain.  Do not try to astral project.  You've already told your subconscous mind the plans.  It is doing everything it can to guide you.  Follow your subconscious mind.

Eventually (if you practice regularly) you will begin to enter a new demention.  Its like entering a lucid dream, yet more real.  At this point (which is not difficult to achive) you will probably fail to enter completely.  This is because at this point, you have shut out the left side of your brain.  You turned it off, probably forgot about what you where doing, and instinctively followed your subconscious mind.  But, anytime you experience this shift, you become excited.  You think in your mind "ow my god, its finally going to happen!"  A thousand thoughts are penetrating your brain at the speed of light.  "Am I going to do this?  I can't wait to tell alsdf!  What if I fail? a;lsdfjalsdfj!!"  Then you will return to where you began. 

Why?  Because you have activated the left side of your brain.  You over excited your thoughts, lost concentration, became doubtfull, and activated beta frequencies.  The only way to surpass this obstical is to shut off all of those thoughts completely.

Cavernstoy

[cavernstoy]

Also, do not allow the information you have learned about astral projection hold you back.  In a lot of cases, its best to forget these things.  For example, the traditional method of obe is "leaving" your body and entering RTZ.  Don't let your mind brainwash itself over these ideas.  Mabey you are about to phase into the magical realm, but instead, you don't believe it works that way.  Instead of following this vibration, you try to exit your body.  You just won't get anywhere.

Knowledge is usefull, but can be toxic to the creative mind.

One more thing;  Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you didn't experience the exact same thing as another person, it's not real.  Daydreaming is phasing in my opinion.  what we want to do is reach the highest level, and luckely daydreaming and this higher state differ greatly.  Its not just one way or another.  Your not just inside, or outside.  Its all about phases; exploring different phases, and grasping all of the experiences that you find.

Cavernstoy

[Novice]

Excellent advice Cavernstoy. I agree completely.

Sometimes reading too much about somethign can actually hamper your attempts. Everyone is different, so keep what you read in the back of your mind as a side note only. Don't get hooked on specific signs.

And lastly, it is all about consciousness. Daydream, trance, lucid dream, OBE, phasing, everything is simply a matter of various focuses/awareness of consciousness. If you can do one of these (and we all daydream and dream) then you can do all of these.

Personally I find mindfullness extremely helpful. It is a way to focus on your awareness throughout the day. It helps keep you from getting lost in thoughts. When you can do this it becomes easier, at least in my opinion, to do the following: become lucid in a dream, OBE, phase. If you already can do these things, mindfullness helps to increase not only the quality of your experiences but the quantity as well. (you have more of them and they become more stable and realistic with more control).