This post is so overdue. I have been wanting to make it for months now, but for some reason something would happen and show me the time wasn't right at that moment.
I sub-titled this "Awareness and Observation" because that is exactly what we are going to "do". We are going to utilize our awareness as we observe. Yes, we are not going to "try", we are either going to do or not do. It's that simple. For more on the difference between the two, read this thread I created here. I know it's hard to to take the word "try" out of our usage. Many times it is the right word for your sentence. The thing is, we are going into this with a positive attitude and absolutes. Being aware of your own use of the word "try" and changing it to something more positive and absolute will help you in any of your endeavors in life in general.
If you do read that thread, please pay particular attention to the post near the bottom of the thread where I give "Thanks" to Xanth and all of the active Moderators that are still here today. I also want to say Thank You to the Moderators that came before them. Without them, we wouldn't have such a great Forum or any Forum here today to come to, period!

They don't hear this enough and they should!
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/quottryquot_over_quotdoquot-t47794.0.html Now that we have that out of the way, we can move on to the "Awareness and Observation" part of my post.
What we are going to do is very easy. It can be used by new members to get a "feel" for what it's like to have a non physical/altered state of being experience. For those more experienced, it makes a great launching pad for very quick shifts. If I were a new member and serious about learning more about this practice in general, I would invest in or acquire a book that you can use as a Journal to log and go back to when you wish to review/view your progress.
When I do what I call my Phase soaks, which is Phasing while lying in bathwater in my tub or even when I close my eyes to go to sleep at night, I say in my mind "By my act of will, I release my focus over my physical body". The term "By my act of will" has been used in Magick for years now. I have studied Magick and Hypnotism for many years now. Both of them are very similar in this practice here. By mentally stating that I have already started the mental disengagement or disassociation process from my physical body.
As a teen. I thought that Magick would instantly create what I wished to have manifest immediately upon request. Yes, I was young and foolish, lol! I studied all the disciplines. I studied the work of the past famous Magickians of all times. I came to see after years though that Magick was "focused will and intent" itself. It's the same as Prayer and this practice that we do here. Any action, mundane or magical that helps fulfill one's "True Will" is Magick. Both work on a principle theologians call ex opere operantis, or “by the work of the person working,” meaning that a person’s preparation and other measures of “fitness” or “skill” will affect the outcome. Why all the talk on "Magick"? It's because of the use of ritual. The use of chants/Mantras, Sigils/symbols and the like. I have found that that is where the true Magick lies. The "Energy signatures" that are being utilized time and time again. Some dating back to the times of the Ancients!
I have found that those things, the Mantras/mental chants, Sigils and symbolism are also found in our practice here. Look at the Monroe Institute and others like it. They are involved in group work sessions and because of that they use the same non-physical meeting locations, the same Binaural Beats/Hemi-Sync, the same mental prep. The Monroe uses a large Crystal for it's NP meeting area. Many meditations use the use of giant Crystal to "get in sync" as well. Fancy that! Just as many Magick users will use the same Sigil, that has it's own meaning or chant the same words that have been uttered by Magick users for ages. It's almost like a "energy signature" has been created. I too use a Mantra at the start of my sessions, I will talk about that a bit later. Why all the ritual? Because it has in the past and still does continue to work.
So now onto this very simple technique. What do you need to do? Sit down/lie down, whatever is more comfortable for you. Take a few breaths and relax for a moment, open eyes of not. Just take a few minutes and relax.
Now close your eyes and just notice the darkness before your eyes. You are now a "Observer". What does it look like? Is it completely dark? Is it grainy or grey? Likely if you are doing this in a lit room or near a window, you will have some kind of light, although dim, still being seen through your closed eyes. If you wish it dark, use a "Blindfold" of some kind. I sleep every night with a Sleep Mask on because I want the darkness black as it can be.
So, now you are just noticing the darkness there. What do you hear? What do you feel? Mentally note this and still just observe. Now, look up at the left hand corner of the darkness. After a few seconds there, switch over to the right side corner, then go down to the lower left and lastly the right. At this point your eyes are chasing these locations. That's okay. That will change in time. Repeat this for a few minutes. Don't strain your eyes. Just look over in those direction. After a few cycles of this, return your focus back to the center of your screen and just look at the darkness there. What does it look like" Can you describe it? What do you hear? What do you feel? Be aware of all those things. Mentally note them and move on.
We are now still focusing directly straight in front of us. Now without moving your physical eyes to look, I want you to be aware of your upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right corners of your visual screen. Don't look at them. It's time to just be aware. The physical eyes aren't needed for that. After a few cycles, return your focus back to the center of your screen. Just be aware of it. What do you see? Has the darkness changed at all? Is it still the same flat dark screen or is there now a sense of depth? What do you hear? What do you feel? Do this for a few cycles and either abort for the day or you can move onto the next step. The next step involves adding a sense of motion to the exercise. But if you are new, you already have seen enough for now. Baby steps!
For those that want to move on, we are now just being aware of the darkness in front of us. See it as a dark cave or hallway. Now we want to very slowly put a mental intent to move forward into the darkness. I do want to say that there is a difference between you moving into it and it moving towards you. When you move into it you still have a sense of control. When it moves towards you, it can get very intense quite quickly. I wouldn't suggest that for those of you that are new to this practice.
So now we have engaged a mental focus of the movement forward. Once again, the mental noting. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Are you sensing the etheric tactile feeling of moving forward? Be aware of any visuals that appear here. Your only intent right now is to mentally move forward into the depth before your closed eyes. At this point you may experience a visual that you didn't intend of creating. People that are new to this practice will likely chase that first visual with their physical eyes. That's okay though, no harm no foul. It takes awhile to learn enough control over your mind while practicing Astral Projection.
Now go adventure. You have a choice, you can engage your focus/lock onto the first visual that appears. That experience will likely be short lived though. I mentally note it and observe it with a air of curiosity, but then I move on. Sometimes though the visual is incredibly detailed right away and I can join the scene at hand.
That's it. That's all it takes. Do this often. Get used to the many depths and layers of darkness or light sometimes. It doesn't always have to be dark. Many times it's a swirling vortex/tunnel of color. Make it a welcome part of your own "Ritual"!

Now to the section of my Mantra and why it was chosen for me. It was prefect fit for my mindset as well. Those of you that know me here know that MJ and I have been Merchants at Renaissance Faires for years now. Our "claim to fame" there comes from the beautiful Dragon Sculptures that MJ, my beloved, has been creating for years now. We call them Elemental Dragons and I have a special Scroll that accompanies each Dragon. That's why the Mantra I use is so powerful. It has been used for many people for years now. Many people use it in the intent of "Healing". I use it in the same way as well. For healing those that will "accept" it. I have found that many people don't or won't accept it. That somehow they are being blocked on some level, even though in their physical mindset they are fighting tooth and nail to survive.
So here it is. It is based on the Elements and Sprit within as well. What so special about the Elements, Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Well, they are our "lifeforce" here in this reality. Everything revolves around them.
The Mantra uses the syllables "RA, MA, DA, SA, SA, SAY, SOH, HUNG".
You can listen to being sung beautifully at this link here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OGjZST8aRc&feature=emb_logo I use a accompanying visual to go with each individual syllable. For RA, I see a flame, some kind of fire or the Sun. MA, has to do with some kind of flowing water visual. DA, represents the Earth. Trees, flowers, land etc. For SA SA SAY and SOH, I see a sky. It can be blue sky, cloudy sky, even a dark sky at night. For HUNG, I feel a burst of energy flowing outwards from my being, dispersing my Healing intent to those that need it. Many times the visuals will just appear as "mental associations" of each symbol's meaning. I just observe as they do.
I mentally repeat this Mantra 3 times. By the time I am finished this Mantra I am already experiencing a change in the depth of the darkness behind my closed eyes. Because of the brief visuals that accompany each syllable, i have already lost all of my focus on my physical body. Wish is what we want and strive for. That's when the shift is free to occur. Lastly, when I am finished my Mantra, I go back to another term that is used in Magick and that is "With harm to none and only Peace and Harmony in the Multi-Verse, so mote it be, so it is done". I then move onto my next intended or chosen destination/focus for that session.