struggling with projection!

[barkington]

hi , I'm new to this forum, but I have been researching astral projection, and attepmting to have have a OBE since the beginning of augest. one morning I was woken up by my alarm but I decided to go back to sleep, what felt like minutes later I woke up again but I didn't really feel like I was awake I felt somewhere between awake and sleeping , I felt a strong buzzing in my body and I was excited thinking these were the "vibrations" everyone talks about , I remember intentionally tying to feel like I was getting lighter and lighter, floating away to induce seperation. eventually I started to feel a more intense vibration and it didn't feel like I was actually breathing. The darkness I was seeing became lighter and lighter untill I was gazing into the brightest light I have ever seen....but I have no recolection of what happend after and I awoke in my bed hours later, my question was what could have cause this , and has anyone ever had a similar exprience?
I'm also having a number of problems:
-I can't seem to put my mind to rest ( I constantly recall the days events)
-I always feel a little unsure or anxious
-I get so close but loose concentration and fall asleep.

anything that could help me with these problems would be greatly appreciated.
thanks, barkington.

[Prophazuh]

-I can't seem to put my mind to rest ( I constantly recall the days events)
-I get so close but loose concentration and fall asleep.

Focusing your attention on something, like your breathing for example, will help keep your mind clear and possibly prevent you from falling asleep (because your mind wont be wandering).

-I always feel a little unsure or anxious

Yea, that'll definitely affect your chances on having a successful OBE. Just be patient and calm but with the desire to project.

[TNAstral]

I'm new here too! I'll tell you what I tell my sister, who really wants to have an OBE but cant make it happen yet (she's scared but there's no reason to be). I turn on new age music on my computer to help me relax at night. Keep you eyes open and just breathe evenly- don't think about anything about the day-just focus on creating a pulsing in the center of your forehead. This is my signal that I'm going to have an OBE. When I first started having OBE's, I always had my eyes open- now I can do it with them closed, but open can help you determine when you're switching over to the astral. When you're putting yourself in this "trance," think about ripping, or sitting up from your body. You may do this physically a few times, but when you're ready to astrally sit up, it'll happen. Try moving your "astral limbs" around-move your arms and legs-they look white to me with my blue aura around them. When I first started having OBE"s, I'd stick to my room. I'd fly around my room, look in the mirror etc. Then after a while I flew out the ceiling or the windows and ventured outside. I fly (still do) like I'm driving- I stick to roads and near the tree tops- but you can evolve from there and think about a place and appear. For now tho, just concentrate on that pulsing feeling in the center of your forehead, and creating that sitting up/separating feeling. It'll happen!

[fowlskins]

last night i managed to get some very strong vibrations my head felt as if it was pushing and pulling against itself at the same time the more i focused the stronger they got until a wave of fear came over me and i freaked out
this has happened to me on several occasions and i think fear is my main factor in being able to project
does this sound like I'm getting close to exiting
i need to tell myself that this is what i have been trying to do for a very long time but i think my subconscious is holding me back

[classikcage]

the thing is whenever i try to concentrate on my breathing my mind still wanders

[2432615184]

Should I open my eyes when the deep vibrations start? How can I see in my astral body if my eyes are closed? when should I open them.

[EscapeVelocity]

wow, you guys bring up a few issues here,

barkington,
that sounds like a great early morning first attempt. It appears that you projected your double, but didn't transfer your awareness to it sufficiently to go with it. Then, when it returned, your physical memories superceded or 'overwrote' its memories. It 'felt' like something happened, but you didn't have any memory of it, right? That's okay, still a good start. Nobody said this is easy, otherwise everybody would already be doing it!  Keep up with the early morning attempts, after 5 or 6 hours of sleep. Set a simple goal, like just standing in your room, or standing outside your house, or seeing a playing card you left on the kitchen table. Keep it simple; we're like two year olds when we start doing this.

Keep trying for a couple weeks and if you get frustrated, then take a break for a week or two; sometimes our 'inner self' needs time to decompress or absorb what we've learned. You might be surprised that something unexpected happens in the meantime. Then keep on...

fowlskins,
sounds like pretty good exit sensations to me, you're getting closer. Ah yes, the Fear Layer. We all have it to varying degrees. Some of it is no doubt enculturation and belief system, some is simply survival mode. It can be trickier than we think. You can accept the idea of OBE on an intellectual level, but still have to deal with the fear on a deeper level.

With continued practice, you will pass beyond it. Affirmations can help as well. Just keep on...

classikage,
I need more info...we all wander. And wonder! Get more detuned! Try the early morning method.

243...,
don't worry about your eyes, just go with the flow. Whatever 'flow' presents itself. It's different in so many ways; just dive in a few times without 'looking'!

Best to all,

EV

[NightLight]

barkington,

Your first problem is that you mind can not focus enough, this is natural if your mind is untrained. Your second problem is that you have a fear of the unknown, again perfectly natural. Your third problem i think is linked to the first.

OK, for your second problem, honestly there is nothing to be affraid of. I imagine that most people are more at danger in the physical world than in the Astral plane.

For your first problem you need to do some mind exercises to stop your mind from wandering as much. For 15 minutes everyday do the following and it will help you. Choose an object (start of with something basic at first). For 5 minutes, look at it, touch it, feel and imaging the texture, the colour, all of the line etc. and then after you have done this, close you eyes and try to recreate it in your mind (try to redraw it). At first this is going to be very difficult, you mind will try to wander to other things and you will forget what the object looks like. If your mind wanders, bring it back straight away. If you forget what the object looks like, open your eyes for a few second and look at it again then continue on.

Like I say, it will be difficult at first but it will gradually will become easier. The more your practice, the easier it will become and the easier it becomes, the more focused you mind is becoming. Another thing that you can do is to gradually use more advanced objects e.g. more textures etc.

If you can do this exercise then it should benefit you greatly, not only when trying to project, but also when you are in the astral plane. Being able to focus your mind with as little distraction as possible is the key.

[Lighten]

Great post NightLight