A few questions on Astral Projection (false awakenings, exploding head syndrome)

[ausdreamer]

My experience:

I've been trying to achieve Astral Projection for a couple weeks now but lost interest until last night. It have to admit, I did ingest a moderate-large dose of synthetic cannaboids (known as Spice or K2 in the US) about 6 hours before falling asleep; something to keep in mind I guess.

I listened to an audio book called "Astral Projection - The best method" right before falling asleep and about 5 hours into my night during a normal dream I remembered what the book had recommended: try to focus on any sounds you hear when trying to project. So when I did this I immediately blacked out of my dream and had the "exploding head" feeling (which I've been getting ever since I had a bad trip on synthetic cannaboids which I always thought were flashbacks or something...) which quickly spread through my whole body. Then I was sure I woke up lying on my mattress with almost exactly the same room as I was sleeping in except it had a mirror on the wall. For some reason, I was very pannicky for no good reason and when I looked at my face it was surprisingly detailed but also scary, and I ran back to my bed and then I looked up and this little girl in a white dress was standing right in front of my face. I burried my head in my pillow and I got the exploding head feeling again, blacked out, and woke up (but not in reality) onto the same bed but this time it was day outside and I saw my neighbours car pull up. I was explaining to my 2 brothers that I was just dreamt I'd woken up and that it was awfully scary. But then I realised quite soon that I was just dreaming and once again my dream faded to black with the accompanying head explosion (or maybe this just happened spontaneously after a couple of minutes in this dream without me ever realising I was dreaming). I woke up again in my bed but now I wised up to what was going on and I once again went into a panic thinking that maybe I was going to get stuck inside this dream forever and that I'd become skitzofrenic. After about 5 false awakenings, which were more vivid than I've ever remembered dreams to be (and I've done quite a bit of lucid dreaming!) I woke up into my room (this time in reality) and searched the internet immediately about these false awakenings, astral projection and exploding head syndrome.

When I reflect on the experience I actually think my body and head was pounding this whole time, maybe this detail is important? I heard that until you stop the vibrations you haven't fully projected or something?

My questions:

1) Is it common to astral project while you're in a normal dream?
2) Is astral projection often, or even sometimes, a terrifying experience? If so, is it possible to learn to relax during the projections?
3) This exploding head syndrome...is it usual for this to occur before/during astral projection? Any thoughts why I got this exploding head feeling before I started trying to astral project? And again, my first exploding head feeling occurred during, and the nights following (and about once a week thereafter for 6 months and continuing), a bad trip on synthetic cannaboids.

[Xanth]

Hi there ausdreamer    Welcome to the Forums!

Now onto your questions:

1) Is it common to astral project while you're in a normal dream?

Ask yourself "what is a dream"?

To me, any experience that doesn't happen in this physical reality frame (while you're "awake") is a projection (non-physical experience).

So yes, in my perspective, it's not only "common"... it's what a "dream" actually is:  An astral projection where you're just not conscious of the fact that you're projecting.

2) Is astral projection often, or even sometimes, a terrifying experience? If so, is it possible to learn to relax during the projections?

That's the entire end goal.  To remain relaxed, and in complete control of the experience.  So yeah, it's not only possible... that's what you should be aiming for.  Your experiences don't have to be a jumble of random experiences.

3) This exploding head syndrome...is it usual for this to occur before/during astral projection? Any thoughts why I got this exploding head feeling before I started trying to astral project? And again, my first exploding head feeling occurred during, and the nights following (and about once a week thereafter for 6 months and continuing), a bad trip on synthetic cannaboids.

Those would be "normal" hypnogogic sounds.  It's best to attempt to just ignore them as best you can.

[Summerlander]

Hmmm...

The "head exploding syndrome"...

Do you mean something like crackling which gradually turns into a thunderous sound? I remember experiencing this a lot at the beginning...it sounded like a woman moaning as though giving birth...then...crackling, like distant thunder but in my head...

[AstralBlogger]

Do you mean something like crackling which gradually turns into a thunderous sound? I remember experiencing this a lot at the beginning...it sounded like a woman moaning as though giving birth...then...crackling, like distant thunder but in my head...
[/quote]

I agree with Summerlander I had almost the exact same experience mine was more like a fire crackling wood and my thunder sounded really cartoony and fake but other then that that's what would happen!

[ausdreamer]

Hmmm...

The "head exploding syndrome"...

Do you mean something like crackling which gradually turns into a thunderous sound? I remember experiencing this a lot at the beginning...it sounded like a woman moaning as though giving birth...then...crackling, like distant thunder but in my head...

Yeah that's one way I could describe this feeling...It lasts for about 5-15 seconds I guess, and it is also always accompanied by a physical sensation which spreads through my whole body (and quite honestly it doesn't seem healthy lol, but not painful). Glad to know this is fairly common!

I still can't believe how vivid this experience was, it was way more of an experience than I was expecting!! I'm going to practice multiple times during my day to astral project using different techniques from this audio book until I can get these every time I normally meditate.

I think, though, the biggest obstacle for me will be not freaking out once I get up out of my bed and realise things are different in this world/brain state... hehe

[Tee1234]

My experience:

I've been trying to achieve Astral Projection for a couple weeks now but lost interest until last night. It have to admit, I did ingest a moderate-large dose of synthetic cannaboids (known as Spice or K2 in the US) about 6 hours before falling asleep; something to keep in mind I guess.

I listened to an audio book called "Astral Projection - The best method" right before falling asleep and about 5 hours into my night during a normal dream I remembered what the book had recommended: try to focus on any sounds you hear when trying to project. So when I did this I immediately blacked out of my dream and had the "exploding head" feeling (which I've been getting ever since I had a bad trip on synthetic cannaboids which I always thought were flashbacks or something...) which quickly spread through my whole body. Then I was sure I woke up lying on my mattress with almost exactly the same room as I was sleeping in except it had a mirror on the wall. For some reason, I was very pannicky for no good reason and when I looked at my face it was surprisingly detailed but also scary, and I ran back to my bed and then I looked up and this little girl in a white dress was standing right in front of my face. I burried my head in my pillow and I got the exploding head feeling again, blacked out, and woke up (but not in reality) onto the same bed but this time it was day outside and I saw my neighbours car pull up. I was explaining to my 2 brothers that I was just dreamt I'd woken up and that it was awfully scary. But then I realised quite soon that I was just dreaming and once again my dream faded to black with the accompanying head explosion (or maybe this just happened spontaneously after a couple of minutes in this dream without me ever realising I was dreaming). I woke up again in my bed but now I wised up to what was going on and I once again went into a panic thinking that maybe I was going to get stuck inside this dream forever and that I'd become skitzofrenic. After about 5 false awakenings, which were more vivid than I've ever remembered dreams to be (and I've done quite a bit of lucid dreaming!) I woke up into my room (this time in reality) and searched the internet immediately about these false awakenings, astral projection and exploding head syndrome.

When I reflect on the experience I actually think my body and head was pounding this whole time, maybe this detail is important? I heard that until you stop the vibrations you haven't fully projected or something?

My questions:

1) Is it common to astral project while you're in a normal dream?
2) Is astral projection often, or even sometimes, a terrifying experience? If so, is it possible to learn to relax during the projections?
3) This exploding head syndrome...is it usual for this to occur before/during astral projection? Any thoughts why I got this exploding head feeling before I started trying to astral project? And again, my first exploding head feeling occurred during, and the nights following (and about once a week thereafter for 6 months and continuing), a bad trip on synthetic cannaboids.

(exploding head)
Im pretty convinced you experienced the vibrational stage.
Did you feel it all through your body, mostly in your head and like someone was screeching in your ears? It starts out low, than gets louder n louder n louder. Kinda like that noise you here when you yawn just multiplied by a million. If so, thats what it was. It can be mild or extremely intense but its always unforgettable.

When I was younger it would happen sometimes when Id wake up during the middle of the night and as I would fall back to sleep it came. Scared the sht outta me until the day I confronted it. Now I actually induce it on purpose, almost every night.

Nxt time it happens remain calm. Relax, let it run its course. It may last 15/30seconds just make sure ya dont move, lay there as if you were sleeping. When it finishes just sit up, youl be sitting-up with your astral body.

If this is what you experienced, theres actually not alot of people on this forum that experience it this way besides myself n a few others from what Ive been reading on here. ..WeLcoMe

[ausdreamer]

(exploding head)
Im pretty convinced you experienced the vibrational stage.
Did you feel it all through your body, mostly in your head and like someone was screeching in your ears? It starts out low, than gets louder n louder n louder. Kinda like that noise you here when you yawn just multiplied by a million. If so, thats what it was. It can be mild or extremely intense but its always unforgettable.

When I was younger it would happen sometimes when Id wake up during the middle of the night and as I would fall back to sleep it came. Scared the sht outta me until the day I confronted it. Now I actually induce it on purpose, almost every night.

Nxt time it happens remain calm. Relax, let it run its course. It may last 15/30seconds just make sure ya dont move, lay there as if you were sleeping. When it finishes just sit up, youl be sitting-up with your astral body.

If this is what you experienced, theres actually not alot of people on this forum that experience it this way besides myself n a few others from what Ive been reading on here. ..WeLcoMe

You describe it very well, and ever since my first exploding head experience I've felt as though I should just submit to the experience as I felt it was shift in my consciousness. And this sensation occurred right before I woke up in my astral bed!

May I ask when you first started experiencing this exploding head syndrome? And also, how exactly do you induce this feeling?

[Lizelle]

Yeah that's one way I could describe this feeling...It lasts for about 5-15 seconds I guess, and it is also always accompanied by a physical sensation which spreads through my whole body (and quite honestly it doesn't seem healthy lol, but not painful). Glad to know this is fairly common!

That's EXACTLY the way I'd describe it. I'm so glad I found this forum! This explains everything that started happening to me a few years ago. The vibration is honestly very strange, but doesn't seem harmful, so now I let it run its course. I didn't even know what to call it until I started reading here. I wasn't even trying to AP!

What I thought was pathology (hallucinations, creepy presence in the room) is suddenly very interesting and maybe a portal to another world. How exciting!

Last night the vibration happened spontaneously, with no aura or indication that it was one of those nights. I didn't try to "sit up" so maybe I AP'd and didn't know it.

Tee1234, you said
"theres actually not alot of people on this forum that experience it this way besides myself n a few others from what Ive been reading on here."

What did you mean by "this way"?

[Tee1234]

That's EXACTLY the way I'd describe it. I'm so glad I found this forum! This explains everything that started happening to me a few years ago. The vibration is honestly very strange, but doesn't seem harmful, so now I let it run its course. I didn't even know what to call it until I started reading here. I wasn't even trying to AP!

What I thought was pathology (hallucinations, creepy presence in the room) is suddenly very interesting and maybe a portal to another world. How exciting!

Last night the vibration happened spontaneously, with no aura or indication that it was one of those nights. I didn't try to "sit up" so maybe I AP'd and didn't know it.

Tee1234, you said
"theres actually not alot of people on this forum that experience it this way besides myself n a few others from what Ive been reading on here."

What did you mean by "this way"?

Most people on here dont experience this huge vibration for the exit. Alot of people on here have different definitions on an obe or how you can have 1. Some consider just simply becoming lucid during a dream as an obe experience depending on who you ask.

As for me I believe the only way to have an OBE is through the vibration. Relax, maintain awareness through the whole duration of it(15/30SEC) and when it finishes your out. Just sit up and explore. Next time it happens, whether on accident or by inducing it, just ride it out.

[Lizelle]

It's not upon exit because I haven't "entered" it yet, as far as I know. It (the vibes) is just something that happened a few times, and only recently have I had any idea what they are.

I suppose the first time it happened because I was too lazy to turn over, and the noise sounded relatively benign, so out of curiosity I let it get louder until (surprise!) it got inside me. That was weird, but no harm done, and I chalked it up to the various mind-expanding experiences I'd had since seeing a UFO last summer.

It's only hit two or three times since reading about OBEs but I go to sleep now with intentions to enter that state later on. I think it's helping.

So now, when I feel the aura or hear the noise, my plan is to relax as much as possible and see what happens. I've found I like the vibes now. I would really like to know what happens in a physiological sense. Has anyone ever been hooked up to electrodes or whatever fancy technologies they have now so we can learn, objectively, what's happening? (I don't have an S.O. to ask)
Cheers

[ausdreamer]

Hmm that's interesting Lizelle I also know what started my unintentional "exploding head" episodes (read first post).

Anyway I just woke up this morning and happy to report the last 1 hour or so of my life I've been in and out of the "dream" reality, "astral" reality, whatever you wish to call it...And it was from Tee1234's advice.

When I woke up this morning I got myself lying comfortably on my back (since apparently on your side it's harder to achieve) and tried to remain aware of my body falling asleep and the pending OBE to come. I felt my legs and arms start to feel numb, and before I knew it that sensation came through my whole body (but with less intensity than I've ever remembered) and I woke up in a room with bunkbeds and a mirror. I didn't recognise the room, and when I looked at myself in the mirror I was once again amazed at how vivid and realistic it appeared, but within seconds, from right corner to left corner, my vision started going black. So I closed my eyes and just tuned into the feeling of my physical body being so lead-like, and when I opened my eyes my vision was back, but again started to fade within seconds.

I guess my brain seems to run out of power to keep generating the astral plane or whatever, I guess I'll have to read around for tips on that. But overall I'm happy that I'm sure I will be able to astral project right after I wake up in the mornings quite easily and consistently; I did it first time I tried!

Also 1 last thing - the last time I tried to projection this morning, I had all the correct physical body sensations but when I sat up I was in physical reality...That was weird and a bit disappointing but oh well

[Lizelle]

Also 1 last thing - the last time I tried to projection this morning, I had all the correct physical body sensations but when I sat up I was in physical reality...

That happened to me too last night. A relatively mild set of vibrations which, again, seemed to come almost from nowhere. I did hear a bit of noise first, it sounded only half-heartedly menacing, and so I decided to try PUL and mentally said "I LOVE YOU!!" (which was maybe going overboard). Then the zapping/shaking, after which I sat up a little but it felt normally physical...
My vibration events are short, perhaps 5-8 seconds at most.

I haven't loaded up my iPod yet with stuff or dug out the earbuds...  I think I'll aim for Friday night. Some of us have to sleep you know.   

[Skywalker]

Aaarhh exploding head syndrome  I just love it
This is really strange, I had 5 OBEs and in everyone I have got the exploding head syndrome. Sounds pretty scary that syndrome, doesn't it. luckily I had read about before I got the first one - so i could relax and think to myself - this isn't dangerous. An incredible experience in itself - almost feels nice because you know whats going to happen next. But for me its indescribable - I really can't think of anything that describes the Exploding head syndrome.

These 5 OBEs where alle early morning, me lying in bed trying to meditate going into "mind awake/body asleep-state"
Ive been taking a break lately in doing LDs and OBE - attempts because me and the wife had our 3 child a year ago. Now things are easing up and I going to attempt going astral again.

[Lizelle]

That brings up a great question, Skywalker - what happens if you get interrupted during a projection?? Like spouse shakes you awake, baby is crying, etc.

[Skywalker]

Sadly, I think that the only thing happening is that the whole thing is aborted... though I would always make a reality check to see if its a false awakening...

[Summerlander]

Skywalker! Good to see you again!

[Skywalker]

  glad to be back...