Sensations without being very deep in a trance?

[Neo_one]

  Hey there. It's been a really long time since I attempted to have an out of body experience. I decided to give it a go a little earlier, and I have to say, I felt like I was close. I guess I will start off by detailing some of the experience, and then I have a few questions to ask.
   I relaxed myself quite quickly, and I decided I would focus my attention on a red circle. Periodically, I would get distracted, but overall, it was a nice anchor. I felt minimal sensations for the first twenty minutes, and then I was so distracted by an itch on my hand that I had to scratch it. Once I had done that, I went back to trying, and about a minute in, I felt some incredible things. It felt like my mind was doing backflips in my head. I guess you could describe it like a roller coaster. Anyway, I tensed up quite a bit, and i even noticed my fingers twitching. There was a very strange pressure in my cheeks. Also, it seemed to get darker. The sensations were actually very intense.
   Anyway, this whole time, I was completely aware. It didn't feel like I was on the verge of sleep like I had always been told to do. You know how when you get a bit deeper into a trance, your thoughts just pop up without any real conscious decision to have those thoughts? Well, every thought I had was on purpose. I guess my question is this: What kind of state does your mind have to be in to achieve an out of body experience? Why did I feel so close to having an out OBE if I didn't feel like I was in a trance or anywhere close to falling asleep?

[Astral316]

You don't need to fall asleep before you have a projection. Sleep is just sort of a "bridge" most people use to get from waking state to out of body. You were clearly going deep into trance. The perception of your physical body would've become clouded out to nothing as you experienced a variety of stimulus. You would've eventually integrated into a projection with sufficient focus... all without a lapse in waking consciousness.

[Neo_one]

What would you suggest I focus on? The sensations themselves? Or should I try to stay focused on that red circle image?

[Astral316]

What would you suggest I focus on? The sensations themselves? Or should I try to stay focused on that red circle image?

I'd say whatever got you into the trance, so yes the red circle.

[Neo_one]

Hello again. I have been trying ever since, and I haven't gotten back to those first sensations. What is the ideal level of awareness right before the sensations? Do I want to feel fully awake or should I feel like I am seconds from falling asleep? If the goal is to keep my awareness in a state equal to that of my every day waking state, what is the point of concentrating on something? Wouldn't it be equally effective to just lay completely still and have my mind wander? Is it the stillness of my body that is supposed to make me achieve my goal? In other words, is it the lack of sensation that allows my mind to create these sensations? If that is the case, then I would just need to stay still for a prolonged period of time and I would eventually reach an out of body state..but that can't be right. I guess I'm just confused. What am I missing?

[Astral316]

You want to feel fully awake... you want your body to be "asleep" or depleted of all mental energy so that the nerves that send messages regarding bodily sensation are completely relaxed and unresponsive. You should feel bodily numbness/tingling when this occurs. Then after you've made your body totally limp your goal is to place your thoughts away from your body's orientation/location in the physical. This isn't something that is accomplished by letting your mind wander, as this is what happens when we fall asleep. You need to overcome this natural process by maintaining awareness.. by maintaining focus. What is easier than focusing on two or three things? Focusing on one thing... a scene, a mantra, an object, tactile imaging, etc. Of course you can fall asleep into planned spontaneous projection like I do, but you need to keep your energy body in top shape with meditation.