Involuntary access to the conscious-astral state

[Ephemera]

Hi..
I'm sure people have posted many similar things before but I'm just having a bit of trouble and would appreciate some help and guidance from those more experienced.

For the last couple of months, with increasing regularity, I have been having involuntary (to an extent) experiences a little out of what I am used to. 
Only involuntary to an extent because I've been keenly interested astral plane/alternate dimensions/trance phenomena and even desired to experience it consciously and intentionally, and halfheartedly tried some techniques in the past. Now I seem to have it I don't really know what to do with it.
I also have no history of, experience with or knowledge of how to deal with lucid dreaming.
I do however have occasional experience with sensitivity to energy-lights (auric lights, vague spirit shadow or light forms, etc), some very strange and sometimes intuitive dreams, and some other spontaneous and erratic forms of sensitivity, so I'm not completely out of my depth here.

I wake up early in the morning when my partner goes to work. I don't get out of bed, and when he leaves I then usually go back to sleep. Often when I awaken again the second time I am aware that I am dreaming and I am "locked" in dream state.
It looks like reality, for the most part, but doesn't feel like it.
And there is often a strange light or "mood". Sometimes comfortable and light, as was the case this morning, sometimes not, as was probably the only really unpleasant experience I have had during a very stressful couple of days recently. I can discuss this negative experience later if anyone wishes to hear it.

So I know my body is paralysed, and the only way I can surface is by focusing on the thought of wiggling my feet until it happens in the physical and I snap out of the dream state. This is sometimes very difficult as it is hard to focus.
When I do awaken, there is a blurred transition where I can't tell at what point my eyes opened, and if I don't make a conscious effort to get up and move around physically straight away, I get "sucked back into" (that's kind of what it feels like) the dream-paralysis state. This also does not feel particularly pleasant and I think knowing this is coming is most of the reason why I panic.

This morning I moved my "arms" around. I could feel them moving, and even brushed my "hands" together, but could see that the motion was not being translated physically. This was I guess the point where I realised I was in an alternate state, and frequently when I awaken in this manner I have an instinctive mild panic and try to wiggle my feet like mad as soon as I can.
I don't feel any danger on most occasions, I feel mostly as if I am being challenged to let go of the physical and embrace this alternate state.
My main reason for posting is that I am having trouble "letting go" and getting past this.

The other day I tried to test leaving my body and I swear I turned upside down, feet toward the ceiling and my head stuck place in the pillow, but I could only feel this, there was no visual.
Only one occasion where I have briefly left and that is because my mind tricked me into thinking I had actually got out of bed to see where my partner was. I was in the same house as I had fallen asleep in, and yet obviously not in the same house. So I snapped out of it and straight into another trick of thinking I was awake. Best I can explain the feeling is like there is a limitless Rolodex of alternate universes my mind was prepared to slide me into before I forced myself out of it and woke up.

I don't think I have covered the depth of the experiences, but I do want to keep this fairly short.

I think I've figured out it happens when these factors are in place:
I have woken properly and then gone back to sleep
I get overheated
I have slept a full night and am no longer in need of rest.

Er.. any suggestions, tips, thoughts? I look forward to hearing what anyone has to say.

Thank you for reading! 

[Lionheart]

 It sounds to me that you are doing fine. Don't try to analyze it, enjoy it. It's good to make a log on what works for you and what doesn't though after your session. During it just let what happens happen, when you feel you are there you can change your intent to whatever you wish to experience at this time.
 Good Luck and Safe Journeys 

[Astral316]

This is a pretty normal situation for someone who can project naturally. I went through it as an adolescent... many nights puttering around the bedroom knowing the second I closed my eyes I'd fall into paralysis and be subject to any number of horrifying dream scenarios with full awareness. It's a lot to take on psychologically. These occurrences went away eventually but a decade later after stumbling on Astral Projection and researching meditation I brought them back... and it was still a challenge to face the paralysis at that point. I remember thinking why I didn't just leave well enough alone, lol. But then I projected from a dream (not the paralysis) and had some of the best few seconds of my life shooting across my neighborhood. After that, I learned to just let go in the vibe state... and now I pretty much thrive in it. So what I'm saying is, you just have to hop that one (albeit major) hurdle and after that, you'll have a blast and wonder what you were afraid of. Good luck, anyway.

[Ephemera]

Didn't realise I would get such a speedy response.
Thank you both! Very reassuring and helpful. 

I've only just learned through this forum and an internet search today that "false awakening" is a fairly common occurence, and I don't really need to fear it. there are a lot of similarities between what I experience and the experiences other people have written about. Seems to be the precursor to an OBE/lucid dream. What a blessing.

Seems I've got to keep myself calm and positive to keep the nasties away. I now believe one of the main issues is I have had no intent, no purpose, except perhaps the desire to snap out of it and wake up.

[CFTraveler]

Hi Ephemera.
One way to take control of the situation (besides wiggling your big toe to break the paralysis, it's what always has worked for me in the past) is to actually try an exit technique when you find yourself stuck like this, and I also do recommend energy work in this case.  I have found that when you do energy work (such as NEW sponging) it helps to focus your awareness on your energy body and take control of it- this was very helpful for me when I was in similar circumstances many years ago, and it brought control to these experiences.

[Ephemera]

Hi CFTraveler,

That's a good idea.. Haven't explored techniques really, and as stated I did try to exit once and ended up upsidedown in blackness (from laying down to feet to the ceiling) because my head wouldn't let go.. in retrospect there was a vibrational stage to it too.
I somewhat instintively try to surround myself in Light when I get really confused.. Haven't heard of sponging before, I'm just checking it out now.
Thanks so much for your suggestion. 

[Lionheart]

 The "New" technique known as energy work is something developed by Robert Bruce to aide people that are blind in experiencing Astral Travel.

[Ephemera]

Sounds like something for me then. 

[Ephemera]

Wait.. Sorry Lionheart..  Didn't realise you meant actually physically blind and not as a metaphor. I was excitable and not paying attention to detail.
I'm not physically blind, I do however really struggle with visualisation based techniques. I think it could only help to try it.

I am glad someone has thought of this technique.. In the past I have figured that astral sight wouldn't correlate with physical and had wondered if anyone had developed a way to explore that. Thank you for answering that subconscious question.

[CFTraveler]

Wait.. Sorry Lionheart..  Didn't realise you meant actually physically blind and not as a metaphor. I was excitable and not paying attention to detail.
I'm not physically blind, I do however really struggle with visualisation based techniques. I think it could only help to try it.

Er... Robert developed NEW to help blind people do energy work, since visualization techniques were useless.  However, that doesn't mean he made it for blind people only.  He made it for anyone who wants to do energy work or deepen their experience of it rather than just visualize the energy.  Once you do it, it actually helps when you do visualize in images, such as working a chakra tactilely while looking at its color, for example.

[akashicmuch]

This morning I moved my "arms" around. I could feel them moving, and even brushed my "hands" together, but could see that the motion was not being translated physically. This was I guess the point where I realised I was in an alternate state, and frequently when I awaken in this manner I have an instinctive mild panic and try to wiggle my feet like mad as soon as I can.

It's exciting isn't it. Keep at it.

[Ephemera]

Exciting, yes.
Can't seem to get past the "Oh.. I'm not really awake.. I should be awake.." panic stage, cause even though I wish to develop it, I am not doing it on purpose.. Will try to relax and "roll out" next time..