All things astral - where to begin.

[laiana]

Ok.  Here it goes.

I am very new to Astral Projection/Lucid Dreaming/etc.  It started with the fact that I have had episodes of sleep paralysis and never much looked into it until recently.  I had just assumed it was a half awake/half dream kind of thing.  Then I saw some posts on other forums I regularly frequent pertaining to the same thing.  This in turn lead me to Lucid Dreaming, which in turn lead me to Astral Projection/OBE.

Up until now I had heard about these things but never had much thought to learn anything more, as it never really served a purpose.  At one point in my life I was going to church regularly, however this always raised more questions than answers.  I was told what was the truth, yet the questions always were how do I *really* know?  I don't believe that we are here, we are born, we live, we die, and serve no higher purpose.  But the "fact" that the only way to "heaven" was by accepting Jesus Christ as your lord and saviour bothers me, despite the fact that I made that decision and was baptized.  That is a whole different topic so I will try and stay on track.

My reasons for posting here, is that after reading many articles and viewing forums such as this one, where real people report all these wonderful experiences, suddenly I started to realise that what you are all experiencing *is real*.  The more I learn, the more I believe.  But the more I learn, the more I also realise the scary part which is if it *is* real, then I, too, one day, can experience it.

I'm not ready to exprience it now, even though I desperately want to.  I know I am not, because never in my life have I witnessed anything that was even remotely non-physical.  No ghosts, no lucid dreams, no spirits, no premonitions.  These things were all things that other people exprienced and wrote about in books or articles.  Nor had any of my friends or family experienced such things (except my grandmother who had an NDE but I dont know much about that).  This being the case, jumping straight into trying to experience AP or OBE would be insane for me, because I know it would be too much to handle.

What I want to know, is how some of you came to the point you were ready to handle OBEs.  Have you been used to this all your life?  Or were you like me, where you developed a fascination of the subject and the more you practiced the more you believed.  I want to start with something small, very base level, to then work myself up to the point where I am ready to face whatever is there when I finally do project.  I have started keeping a dream diary to record my dreams and am currently learning how to induce lucid dreams, but even that for me is a scary prospect.

I hope my post makes sense and I hope there is someone out there who has been in a similar situation (IE started with no proof, no experiences and gradually has worked up to a point where they can enjoy the experience and get used to it and not be afraid).

I hope this is posted in the correct thread, I wasn't sure where else to post.

[Selski]

laiana

Hello!  And welcome.

I feel I can relate to where you are coming from.  I was brought up a Christian, without being taught to question things.  Like you, I reached a stage in my life where I began asking myself why our religion was the right one, and everyone else was wrong.  Don't get me wrong, my childhood was very good and full of love and great morals, but it didn't teach me to question or wonder about stuff.

I also came to this website via a dreaming website (I've always been interested in dreams), then via a lucid dreaming website, and then to another OBE website, finally resting here (for now!).

I guess it all began for me when I used to sit at home in my chair on my own and "just be".  I had no-one around, no music and I used to simply enjoy being with myself, and the present moment.  I didn't meditate (I didn't know what that was at the time), but looking back, I suppose it was a sort of meditation.  It was more of introspection.  I used to think about the world, and humans, and animal life.  I thought that animals had it sorted, compared to humans (I still think that now!)

I had no revelations, or mystical turnarounds, but over time, I realised that I had an "inner" self, that was very peaceful and happy, and was very much a part of me.  Over the next few months, I also discovered that this inner self was indestructible and all-powerful (not in a "destroy the world" sense but in a "nothing can harm me" sense).

Again, at the time, I was happy with this - I didn't see it as a massive awakening, or anything like that.

However, I think this made me more "open" to the "spiritual" side of things and more willing to accept that there might be more to life than what we can comprehend.

I still maintain that my feet are firmly on the ground, but I've had some amazing experiences in the last year or two, and my whole belief system has changed.

Without rambling on, I would suggest that you sit quietly by yourself and see what the inner "you" is all about.  Don't get bogged down in terminology - "astral projection", "out of body experiences",  "chakras", "energy raising" - leave all that for the future.

Just sit by yourself in quiet moments and try to still your mind - see what comes from inside yourself.  

That's my advice.

If you wish to PM, please feel free.

Sarah

[Rastus]

Ask yourself is the AP/OBE the 'thing'?  or simply a side affect fo something bigger?  Can you see the forest for the trees?  Mountain for the forest on top of it?  Island for the mountains on it?

Sit quietly for a time and ask yourself "What am I truly seeking?"  Listen closely to yourself for a responce.  From there the next steps become easier, but more is within your grasp than you realise now.  Don't think small, think BIG!

-Namaste

[vannostrom]

I looked into only within this last year although i've been having sleep paralysis for about 8 years. I told my daughters psychic grandmother about it and she told me a few things and here i am. Still haven't had an OBE yet but i've reached vibes a few times and still have heaps of sleep paralysis.

I'll get there.

[laiana]

Selski - Thank you very much for your advice, it really does make a lot of sense

I guess one of my other questions is that I've been reading about all these negative entities that are around the place but that's not necessarily what concerns me.

What is frightening to a degree (I have realised) is the day that I do have some sort of experience (be it positive of negative) (be it Lucid dreaming, AP or OBE) and all of a sudden all these things that I have read about and have seen people talk about is a REALITY.  Does that even make sense?  I am excited about the fact that it could be a reality, but I am scared (hence why I said in my first post I'm not yet ready to have an OBE even though I desperately want to).

Has anyone else actually felt scared about the day this becomes a reality?  Am I even making sense!  I am excited about the whole journey as I can see what a powerful and positive process it could be.

Please do excuse my ramblings, its hard to get all my thoughts and feelings out but I feel that I need to!

[Rastus]

I am of the opinion that many 'NEGS' are self induced.  That is self-generated or summoned.  Thought=reality.  Keep your thoughts on NEGs and you will get negs.  Keep your thoughts on positive goals and you will get possitive goals.  Is it really that simple?  Only if you believe it is.  If you think it's a hard and long process, then it's a hard and long process.

Have I encounterd NEG's?  Sure.  Do they frighten me?  No.  Knowing what they are greatly reduces their power to affect you.  Many are like Mosquitos or Ticks, basically Astral parasites.  Just swat them and move on.  With a little effort, you can make your home into a place of light and love and never worry about some stray parasite.  Are there strogner things?  Sure, but are you seeking elemental energies?  Then don't worry about them.  

NEG's are Gods creatures also, they do have a purpose.  Sobering thought?  Think that thought stream all the way through, and what does that imply???  God is a kind and loving God, sometimes a little adversity forces you to grow and change.  And a NEG can't affect you unless you let it, they knw that but most humans don't.  Know all that you are and have no fear (caution is not fear).

-Namaste

[Frank]

I hope my post makes sense and I hope there is someone out there who has been in a similar situation (IE started with no proof, no experiences and gradually has worked up to a point where they can enjoy the experience and get used to it and not be afraid).


Hello:

You are describing me, I would say. I came across this topic 20-odd years ago after by chance coming across Monroe's Journeys Out Of The Body, displayed in a bookshop window. I thought the author was either insane, or had genuinely hit on something. My curiosity got the better of me and I gave his technique a fair go. Much to my surprise, I began experiencing some definite effects. The rest, as they say, is history.

Prior to that I had no notion whatever of anything to do with astral projection. I enjoyed my own inner-space, as it were, and I was definitely an introspective person. I liked my own company and being amongst nature (still do) but I was by no means a loner. I have always enjoyed physical life and in my youth, I was ambitious to the extent where I cringe now thinking about it. I had my dreams just like any other person, but never attached any particular significance to them. To me they were just dreams and that was that.

You could say then I didn't have a mystical or religious bone in my body and, despite my 20-odd years of non-physical experiences, I still say the same.

When I first started, there was no Internet I could count on for additional pointers, so I made slow progress from simple trial and error. It took me almost 5 years before I realised the place I kept finding myself at was a place where thought equalled action. During which time I fought all manner of wars, battled with every kind of demon and slayed dragons galore... I had quite a difficult upbringing!

Anyhow, realising all the different environmental ground rules that applied was a major turning point for me. Particularly as it allowed me to move on from the quagmire of self-defeating thought, that had previously been repeatedly dragging me down. Which came as a big relief!

I then spent a number of years projecting to the astral by the technique of waking up during a lucid dream. I found this came about around 3 times a week on average. Plus, I would get other projection feelings too, like vibration sensations and what I called my "cannonball exit". So termed because it literally felt like I had been shot from a cannon only to appear within the astral environment somewhere, a few moments later.

All this time I thought of the astral realms as just some huge adventure playground. In his book, Monroe talks about people inhabiting the astral who passed over from the physical, but none of it really sank in at the time. It never really occurred to me the people I was interacting with and having fun with in the astral, were in any way dead. I just assumed they were ordinary physical people simply doing the same as I was. If there were any dead people there, I figured for some reason, none of us ever saw any.

About 12 years ago, events started taking on a more serious tone. I began accessing areas that were very different in character to the normal places I would visit. The people I would meet were different too, far less playful and only ever wanted to get serious and teach me things. Where I just wanted a bit of fun and excitement. After all, this was my playground and the more serious side of life took place back there, i.e. within the physical. Anyhow, my curiosity about these new places got the better of me and I decided to adopt a more serious outlook. In other words, I began to look at what was happening with a more scientific eye, in the same way as I did in my physical profession.

Doing that was another major turning point for me. It set the stage for a completely new way of learning, together with a wholly different understanding of how our physical lives are put together.

Exploring non-physical realms has become second nature to me. I am never afraid, not because I am particularly tough or I have developed the perfect "shield" but simply because I know the ground rules to the extent where putting them into practise has become a habit. This prevents me now from making the typical kinds of mistakes I used to make as a beginner.

I thoroughly enjoy my work within non-physical realms. I started by doing what is commonly called "retrieval work" and now I work primarily as a tour guide, but still do retrievals when the opportunity presents.

HTH

Yours,
Frank

[laiana]

I am of the opinion that many 'NEGS' are self induced.  That is self-generated or summoned.  Thought=reality.  Keep your thoughts on NEGs and you will get negs.  Keep your thoughts on positive goals and you will get possitive goals.  Is it really that simple?  Only if you believe it is.  If you think it's a hard and long process, then it's a hard and long process.

Have I encounterd NEG's?  Sure.  Do they frighten me?  No.  Knowing what they are greatly reduces their power to affect you.  Many are like Mosquitos or Ticks, basically Astral parasites.  Just swat them and move on.  With a little effort, you can make your home into a place of light and love and never worry about some stray parasite.  Are there strogner things?  Sure, but are you seeking elemental energies?  Then don't worry about them.  

NEG's are Gods creatures also, they do have a purpose.  Sobering thought?  Think that thought stream all the way through, and what does that imply???  God is a kind and loving God, sometimes a little adversity forces you to grow and change.  And a NEG can't affect you unless you let it, they knw that but most humans don't.  Know all that you are and have no fear (caution is not fear).

-Namaste

Rastus -  I do thank you for your response, and I do believe in what you are saying!  I understand about the negative entities, however right now that isn't what I am "afraid" of right now.  Afraid isn't really the right word, however I will use it anyway.

Its the realisation that all of this is REAL, and not just some "hocus pocus" that I read about or that other people experience.  The realisation that one day I too may be able to experience this is exciting, but I know that if I DID experience it right now, I wouldn't be able to handle it.  I have never experienced anything even remotely supernatural or "spiritual" in my life (apart from believing in myself and knowing that I dream) and so want to work up gradually and experience the different levels of "discovering oneself".  Already I am beginning to be more aware of my inner self, and my dreams, and the difference is that now I am determined to concerntrate on expanding that and growing in a spiritual way, rather than just having some "phase i go through".

I guess in the end it will be a progression and by the time I get to the point where I experience the astral realm, I will be ready.  I think I just want somewhere where I can get all my thoughts and feelings, my excitement and fear, off my chest.  I do thank you all for your input and for sharing your thoughts and for listening to what I write!

[Rastus]

Your path is like Selski's.  Everyones is different.  Some people jump in the deep end fo the pool and swim.  Others start at the shallow end and slowly get wet.  Whatever works for you is a good path.  Only you can choose the rate you travel