Developing patience

[Traveler_2649]

Hey all,

I have to ask. How do you develop the patience to allow things to reveal themselves to you? This has been the most difficult part of this journey for me.

My head has practically been spinning since Saturday night when I had my most powerful, profound experience yet. Since then, I've been looking back on my journals of previous accounts. As things progressed, I made the mistake of dismissing previous experiences as "astral projections" due to subsequent experiences revealing more and more of the potential of this journey. I'm a bit mad that I let myself make this mistake along the way, but I guess my realizations count as progress.

I've been reading books (Monroe's Journeys Out of the Body, Raduga's The Phase, and I just started William Buhlman's Adventures Beyond the Body), practicing yoga nidra meditations, The Gateway Tapes, binaural meditations, and trying to simply set intentions to help induce AP.

It's like the Dunning-Kruger effect, where each experience shows me how much more there is, andhow little I currently know. My issue is that with each experience, I just want to go further. It's my understanding that the more you try, the more difficult it can become, but I'm struggling to let it happen on its own.

I started on my journey almost a year ago, and I just want to immerse myself in this. I feel like I need a teacher. My experiences have changed my whole outlook on everything I know, but my biggest struggle is figuring out how to let it happen.

The solidarity of this, and the trial and error nature of this journey has been difficult. I feel like I'm dying of thirst in a hot desert, and each experience is a small sip of water that's barely enough to keep me going.

Any advice? Part of me just wants to talk about it with someone.

[Lumaza]

I have to ask. How do you develop the patience to allow things to reveal themselves to you? This has been the most difficult part of this journey for me.

2 things.
 
 #1. Passively observe everything with an "air of curiosity". In other words, "allow" your natural curiosity to draw you deeper. There is no need to act right now. Just observe!

 #2. TRUST! 

[tides2dust]

Hello!    Welcome to the AP. Astral Pulse, heh heh.

No practical advice for you here, darn! Just want to comment, something that may be obvious, patience is a noble quality worth developing. In all areas of life. So, instead of trying to develop patience for this one subject- try to practice patience in general.

Also, alleviate your perspective. Do you believe 100 years is nothing to God? What about when AI becomes Super-Intelligence and able to travel the cosmos- would time be as important to it as it is to a mortals limited lifespan?

Heh, heh, heh. That's fun to think about.

Well. It sounds like you've done all these great things, and continue to immerse your self in the subject. You're practicing and doing all the *right things. So it would seem.

You've even had some amazing experiences already, which are blessings in themselves.

But here we are, like children, aren't we? I want more! I want more now! Hahahaha. Oh yes you're making me smile something fierce.

It's also interesting to think, form a biological perspective, how particular drives dominate our consciousness. For example, the developmental phases of a child vs the now maturing young adult.

Maybe it's a good thing we don't get everything we ask for- or maybe we don't realize all of what we have. Maybe there's just no perceiving certain realities for as long as we're so occupied with our physical host bodies.

I'm also thinking now of the child that pleads its parents so desperately for a particular action figure. It means everything to the child, then, one of these parents begrudgingly gives in to the childs demands. The child enjoys it for some time but one day that toy ends up discarded in the closet. Its value escapes the teenager who years later discovers it buried among his or her things. Maybe it brings a smile, or maybe the rebellious teen feels repulsed for ever wanting something so desperately.

We're curious creatures indeed. 

Don't fret, you're not alone. We have a great community here, and your thread is sure to generate some interesting responses. I wonder if you've developed a little patience reading my post, as I occupy this space to entertain my self. Hehehehehe.

Why should something become more difficult for having tried? No, keep trying. Keep going. Lets see where you take you. And who knows where you'll be just 3 years from now. Three years is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Or maybe it's everything.   

Cheers ~

[Traveler_2649]

I know anything worth doing is hard, but I'm struggling to reach a point where I can passively observe. Each new step just feels immense.

Reading Monroe's first book, I made a point to note the dates of the entries he writes about his experiences. Some are so far apart, but other parts of the book describe an ability to consciously induce AP.

It's such a powerful, profound thing. It's just difficult to comprehend being passive about it.

[Tak]

Welcome to the Astral Pulse, Traveler! I feel your passion, that's very good! I suggest as Tides said, try to develop your patience in general, for all aspects of Life, it will be good. Because of the society we live in, we are programmed to want results, progress, goals, productivity, NOW... in the fastest way possible. Maybe we carry this way of thinking, to our personal goals. But I think for this field in particular, we have to approach it in a different way and broaden the perspectives a little bit. We have to learn to enjoy the process and, as Lumaza said, to trust. Trust that whatever is coming to you is what you need. I trust that I am on the right path, at the right moment and time, and when I am ready to know or experience something specific, it will happen spontaneously, even hope it or not.

In fact, my best experiences have been spontaneous, and not when I look for them, including the presence of Guides or Instructors. These are like little gifts. My advice to you is: With that same curiosity as a little child who wants to learn, relax and enjoy! Like children who learn by playing, just enjoy and have lots of fun, progress will come on its own. You will see that over time, if you are consistent and really committed, you will probably have spontaneous experiences. Let yourself go, relax, enjoy, have fun and be happy, live in the present, and above all, feel open to the new, and something new will come. That's my advice.

Every night before going to sleep I do a guided meditation and then I start playing with the geometric shapes, colors and different scenes that appear in my mind's eye until I fall asleep. I do it just for fun, immersing myself in those abstract worlds that invite me to explore. Without thinking about any progress, just like a toddler with her toys. And without realizing it, I think this helps me progress. 

You are doing a great job! Keep it up. 

[omcasey]

Hey all,

I have to ask. How do you develop the patience to allow things to reveal themselves to you? This has been the most difficult part of this journey for me.

My head has practically been spinning since Saturday night when I had my most powerful, profound experience yet. Since then, I've been looking back on my journals of previous accounts. As things progressed, I made the mistake of dismissing previous experiences as "astral projections" due to subsequent experiences revealing more and more of the potential of this journey. I'm a bit mad that I let myself make this mistake along the way, but I guess my realizations count as progress.

I've been reading books (Monroe's Journeys Out of the Body, Raduga's The Phase, and I just started William Buhlman's Adventures Beyond the Body), practicing yoga nidra meditations, The Gateway Tapes, binaural meditations, and trying to simply set intentions to help induce AP.

It's like the Dunning-Kruger effect, where each experience shows me how much more there is, andhow little I currently know. My issue is that with each experience, I just want to go further. It's my understanding that the more you try, the more difficult it can become, but I'm struggling to let it happen on its own.

I started on my journey almost a year ago, and I just want to immerse myself in this. I feel like I need a teacher. My experiences have changed my whole outlook on everything I know, but my biggest struggle is figuring out how to let it happen.

The solidarity of this, and the trial and error nature of this journey has been difficult. I feel like I'm dying of thirst in a hot desert, and each experience is a small sip of water that's barely enough to keep me going.

Any advice? Part of me just wants to talk about it with someone.

Hello, Traveler

As students on the path we grow ( on our path ) through various stages. You are noticing this. Good!

We often begin somewhat on our own and see how far this takes us. When we hit the crossroads where it seems we may go no further, or that the pace at which we are moving seems to be too slow we tend to look for a teacher, and hopefully that teacher has classes that put us in touch with other students who are also on the path; most will be beginners themselves, a few will be intermediate and perhaps 1-3 quite advanced. This is the perfect alchemy for us to enter when this point is reached. Although the teacher is indeed pivotal, most of what we learn as students is from the student-body. This is why it is important to seek a notable teacher who will draw a high quality student-body. What we are learning as Explorers is not often taught in person, but at a certain point it will be important to graduate from simple text/forum boards, to at least online Zoom talks and practice sessions.

The most important space for a student to hold for him/herself is an accurate view of exactly where they are on the path. Steamrolling too fast through the foundational aspect of that upon which we walk will be ripe with pitfalls and setbacks. This is why the question you have brought to us today is SO important. It is best for a beginner to realize they are a beginner, and therefor work diligently at laying for themselves a proper, sturdy, sustainable foundation-for-practice.

Our reason for practicing what we are should be known by us. The quality of our reason can be a roadblock, or that which sets us free. Our reason should be investigated deeply, and contemplated for a long while.

We are experiencing in every moment- every moment is and should be of equal importance to us in our practice. An inability to hold a singular point of focus, and purely observe, is the culprit behind our not being more aware of depths of what we are experiencing. This is why, more fundamentally to AP/OBE the practice is to learn to hold a point of focus and purely observe. Ie: meditation. We experience something in EVERY meditation. Each one should be logged, just as dreams should be every morning. There is no hierarchy in consciousness states. Each is equally important and holds critical data.

When coming into that advanced state on the path, practice is everyday. It is both solo and in groups.

There is much to do before arriving at this juncture.

What is your first thought for your next step?

[Traveler_2649]

I've been making an effort to wake up early and meditate in the mornings, though in the past month or so, I've been slacking, or I end up falling back asleep.

I have a journal that I write my meditations in, but I've been making the mistake of not writing down each meditation, only the "productive" meditations. I have a separate dream journal that I write in as well.

I know there's no "one size fits all" course to follow in all of this, but a big reason I started posting here was due to feeling kind of lost in all of this.

I guess I just have to get back to the basics and be better about recording every experience, no matter what they are.

Thank you for the insight, it's made a huge difference.

[tides2dust]

I just want to chime in something you helped me realize.
Patience allows us to solve problems.

Without saying too much, I witnessed my Father impatiently slam something down with the hopes that would fix the problem.    He left and said, "your in charge."

I stood there for a minute and breathed, focusing on the areas needing attention. In the calmness of my breath a solution presented itself, and the problem ended up being an easy fix.

Take from this what you will. There was something satisfactory to, not allowing my irritability to deter me from seeing the solution.

[EscapeVelocity]

Good advice from all around; I would say you have all the teachers you need right here, at least for now. After a year's efforts you are doing fine!

To reinforce the ideas-

-Learn patience (we never stop learning)
-Passively observe (like watching birds around your feet, don't interfere, just watch; keep your emotions in check)
-Relax and let go, even if you fall asleep
-Go With The Flow (of whatever transpires; it may not be what you expected, but just GO with it)


Regarding the books mentioned-

I haven't read Raduga, but William Buhlman's books should give a good, balanced perspective on the territory, and at the present time you won't need much more than that. Monroe's three books are excellent, entertaining and inspiring BUT, they can be very misleading and frustrating for these reasons: Monroe was a one-of-a-kind, truly gifted individual and served as a modern-day pathfinder into the Non-Physical Realities; he was a natural at his various exit techniques and as such, his books are very limited in offering techniques for the beginner; also, his many varied experiences are mostly his alone and unreproduced by many others...and with that caution in mind, I still recommend them as great reads.

The Gateway Tapes/CDs-

They can work wonderfully for some people and prove frustrating for others. They were difficult for me until I learned a few ideas. First, relax into them and actually let yourself fall asleep 6 or 7 times. Even asleep, the Hemi-Sync tracks will deliver the learning into your subconscious and more importantly, by allowing yourself to fall asleep you will discover just how much deeper you can be relaxed. In my own case, I realized that I was not letting go and relaxing...nowhere near it. By allowing yourself to fall asleep on occasion, you will have a better chance to discover your own personal 'sweet spot' of relaxation.

Focus 10- Mind Awake/Body Asleep-

Just like finding that relaxation 'sweet spot', I could never feel that I was at Focus 10. I never felt the full MABA state except only after returning from several spontaneous OBEs. Then a Monroe Trainer explained to me that Focus 10 is not a specific point of consciousness, but rather a range or spectrum within consciousness...so sometimes I may achieve a shallow or low F10 and other times I may achieve a deep or high F10; either way, the work can still be done. That was a very helpful concept for me and it only cost $2,300 bucks to go there and hear that, lol! With that knowledge, it has made the Gateway and other Hemi-Sync materials much more workable for me...still not 100%...but then what is?!

[Traveler_2649]

Raduga's book was short and discussed an induction technique. Besides that, the guy is definitely a bit "out there" (he performed at home "surgery" with a power drill and put a hole in his skull to stick a probe literally into his brain in an attempt to induce AP at will. I'm definitely not interested in trying that. He didn't discuss trips to the hardware store in the book, but it did strike me as fairly eccentric).

Since learning about the Monroe Institute, I was curious about what a retreat there would be like. It never struck me as a realistic goal, being married and having a daughter coming up on a year old. I can say I've had some definitive and unexpected results from the tapes, namely the patterning tape. I followed it and put out the intention to get a new job in a different field from what I currently do, and within 2 weeks met someone who insisted I had the resume to get hired at their job. I've been applying, and have an interview in 2 days with his organization, so fingers crossed.

Like in the original post, the patience required almost feels like someone/something making a game out of all of this. I'll practice Anna follow until my desire almost starts to waver, and immediately I'll have a monumental event that can only be likened to gasoline being poured on a fire. Then my focus and desire is reignited, but I'll see no further results because I can't control the expectations I have. These OBEs are just so incredible. It's hard to not want to experience them all the time.

I've done numerous F12 meditations and asked what I need to do to move forward and the only messages I've ever received in response is the same answer in countless different ways. "You have to let go." When I ask how to let go, it just goes into a loop. I've had an experience where whatever entity, whether it was my own subconscious or an external source, was being very blunt in essentially telling me to "let go" for the millionth time, almost to the point where it felt like it was annoyed. I "thought" to the entity, "you're being very blunt", and the response I got back was, "wouldn't you?"

Having a resource like this forum has been incredible. I appreciate everyone who responds to my questions here. Your insight and experience is such an invaluable thing. You guys are all awesome. Thank you.

[Lumaza]

Like in the original post, the patience required almost feels like someone/something making a game out of all of this. I'll practice Anna follow until my desire almost starts to waver, and immediately I'll have a monumental event that can only be likened to gasoline being poured on a fire. Then my focus and desire is reignited, but I'll see no further results because I can't control the expectations I have. These OBEs are just so incredible. It's hard to not want to experience them all the time.

It does seem like a constant challenge. But look what you are attempting to do. Many people are given "sneak peeks". You have to work at it if you wish to go further. But work smart, not hard. I found that you can "entrain" yourself for success. How? Well, with me, I do it my constantly listening to Binaural Beats/Isochronic tones and just recently "Sound Bath Meditations" before I go to bed. I have learned what each brain wave level "feels like". Because of that, I can tell where I am in the process.
This one has become my personal favorite for the last month or so. I listen to it every night for about 15-45 minutes before I go to sleep. His Sound bath with waves crashing is very good too.

You say "you can't control the expectations". Change your mindset to the fact that you "don't need" to control anything. Set the stage, prime your pump, whatever method you choose and just "observe" what happens.

One thing that led to my success was learning how to "hold my focus" for a period of time on just one thing. I would begin with a simple focus on just shooting hoops. I would mentally launch the ball into a net in front of me and somewhere along the line, the scene would take on it's own life. It would start doing things that I was not consciously imaging. Why shooting hoops? I have never been able to answer that, I never really played or even cared for basketball. Before I started mentally shooting hoops, I utilized a "spinning top" imagery. I got that idea from the movie "Inception". It worked too. Staring at a live candle flame was also a very good focus target.

Then I started playing around with motion faster and more exciting mental motion imagery, like "driving simulations" or "roller-coaster rides". I would be barreling down the road or the track at high speeds and not having a clue what was behind the next curve. It was exhilarating. My curiosity was the driver. This taught me how to hone my focus on the darkness and just move deeper in, to see what I could see. Many times, the darkness began to show signs of a hallway or a cave. I donned my "Explorer's cap" stayed the course.

I've done numerous F12 meditations and asked what I need to do to move forward and the only messages I've ever received in response is the same answer in countless different ways. "You have to let go." When I ask how to let go, it just goes into a loop. I've had an experience where whatever entity, whether it was my own subconscious or an external source, was being very blunt in essentially telling me to "let go" for the millionth time, almost to the point where it felt like it was annoyed. I "thought" to the entity, "you're being very blunt", and the response I got back was, "wouldn't you?"

I was constantly told that as well. The words were always "relax, release, let go". I was like a kid in a candy shop every time I got into the NPRs when I first "consciously" and willingly started in this practice. Luckily, I had a Mentor, a deceased Brother in-law (he just appeared spontaneously), to help me and teach me some of the dos and don'ts of the NPRs. His most important lesson was first "observe" everything with an air of curiosity. Later on we worked on other things like "lust, ego, all kinds of other things that one needs to control. This is a learning process just like any other thing you wish to learn in life. You don't just pick up a guitar and play like Eddie Van Halen. That takes years and years of practice and patience to finally persevere. There is a learning curve with everything and some things, like the "passively observing' step cannot be bypassed or ignored, that is, if you wish to go further in this practice. You will also hit walls, "dry spells". A dry spell to me tells me that I need to find a different way to achieve my current goal. Sometimes, that is to go back to square one or even the "drawing board" to create a new plan. A few times my dry spells were caused by own stubbornness and failure to conform. A lesson that you can't control everything there and not everything is going to play out how you would like it to.

When my wife was first diagnosed with terminal Cancer, every chance I had to Phase, I would attempt to force healing energy on her. I was told not to, but I chose to ignore that. For that, I was given a lengthy time out. By who or what? I don't know. That just showed me that there are indeed rules and "structure" there. I was introduced to "Retrievals" in the NPRs. But I was not allowed to help her, other than giving her support here in the physical. I was told, "she is the Author of this book, not you". I had to learn to accept that too.

Hopefully something in my words will help you. This is not a race or a contest. This is something you "become"!   

[Traveler_2649]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely give them a try. I've been experimenting with generating a blank state of focus, but your single point of focus technique sounds like it will be alot more productive.

At this point, my biggest regret was waiting so long to make an account here and not asking for all of this assistance and insight sooner.

I feel like I came here looking for some simple advice and the whole A-Team showed up. I'm so grateful. You guys are all so awesome for taking the time to drop some knowledge.

I took a lot of what you all shared into account last night and had the first vivid dream I could clearly recall in months. I went to sleep and put a clear intention that I understand that I will experience what I'm supposed to experience, and that I accept it and I'm open to whatever happens.

I'm following omcasey's advice and journaling all of my meditations, dreams, and AP's now, and I'm working on framing my mindset more passively as Tak, tides, Lumaza, and EscapeVelocity have suggested. You guys are incredible.

[Lumaza]

 Years ago, on the Astral Pulse, I came across a 14 year old girl here, named Destiny or Destinee that wished to learn how to Astral project. She wanted to learn but she also wanted to help others in her age range learn to do it as well. She came up with a plan for a thread called "Destinee's/Destiny's Plan". In this plan, we would pair up an experienced person with a person newer to this practice. in turn, that person became a "mentor" to them. Many of the experienced volunteers were Moderators and Xanth was involved as well. So, whoever the "student" was, they were in good hands!

 Unfortunately, the idea crashed and burn almost immediately. To some it was the "flavor of the day", to others, it was too much work. My student, was told by his psychiatrist not to go down that road. I was amazed at how quickly it fell apart. The thing is, there was a lot of great information being shared there. I wish I could find it here on the Pulse. I search in the search engine, but no hits! 

 Xanth had it on his Forum, too. I shared a great youtube video there that's sole purpose was to teach you how to maintain a strong focus. You were to watch the center of the screen where a small dot was. As you did, the background of the video came alive with all kinds of motion-based visuals. The challenge was maintaining your focus on just the black dot in the middle. It was a fun thing to do. rather challenging as well and found it was a good "priming the pump" tech for a soon to be LD.

 I remember one time while in a Phase session, I became aware I was in a series of caves. At first the motion forward was very slow. It soon sped up until I found myself jetting around corners at breakneck speed, that is until I came to what seemed like a dead end in front of me. I kind of braced myself for the incoming impact of the wall in front of me, but none came. I had gone right through the wall and into a whole new reality on the other side of the wall. I was so cool. I love initiating mental movement into the darkness before my eyes. It almost instantly changes the black "screen" you are seeing, from a flat screen to a high definition one.   

[LightBeam]

So many great suggestions! Traveler, I imagine you feel like you have discovered Wonderland and you want to explore it all in one day, to know everything about it as soon as possible. But Wonderland is so big beyond imagination. It wants to be explored. It contains the same materials from which you are made of. But it also wants to give you the opportunity to feel the thrill and amazement through infinite number of moments, infinite number of thrills, infinite number of different discoveries. Not all at once, because it will deprive you from the pleasure of being on a journey, form your own adventurous stories, instead of giving you the coordinates of the destination. The good thing is that you know there is a Wonderland. Now, relax, step into the exciting unknown, and take your time to explore and soak up every moment along the way. Dont worry about where are you going next or what you may encounter. Live in the now.
One very important thing is to balance between your physical life and the non-physical explorations, as the physical life is also an important path of your spirit journey that you had chosen. Take advantage and apply your knowledge to your physical life, always follow your highest passion at every moment of every day and you will see an incredible transformation in all aspects of your experiences no matter where is your focus.

[Traveler_2649]

That stinks that the idea fell through. Having someone to regularly check in with would be great.

[Lumaza]

That stinks that the idea fell through. Having someone to regularly check in with would be great.

That's okay. EV created a new Sticky that unfortunately no one really used either. The help has always been on this Forum. Not everyone wants to do the work though! I think it's due this "I want it now", "everything at your fingertips World", that we live in today.
https://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome-to-out-of-body-experiences!/the-astral-pulse-hotline/

[Lumaza]

 I found the video I was looking for in believe it or not, the actual "Astral Hotline" thread that I talked about above. Go figure, lol!

[Nameless]

Lots of great commentary here. The whole Pulse community is so awesome. Lots of Love!

So I'll add my little 2 cents worth. Patience is something you have no say in, you WILL develop patience. Patience is simply not getting what you want when you want it. So the longer whatever you are seeking drags out and the more time it takes you to understand then the more patience you will develop as a side dish.

Ever wonder how those old geezers back in ancient times could sit on their mountain top retreat for so long and pass out wisdom? It wasn't patience, it was reality. LOL

[Methen]

I have no patience to develop patience