Messages

Thanks Kodemaster.

I'm just finding my way around.

Tak

Phew! You certainly have a lot of patience!

There have been times when I've spent almost the whole night trying to become lucid or AP, but these can probably be counted with one hand.

I had a change of mindset a few years ago. For a long time I questioned whether a 30 second LD once a fortnight, if that, was worth all the effort. But I realised that the great feeling of it lasted for many hours so that made/makes it all worth it.

BUT it's also the whole package. A lot of the excitement and motivation is the potential. It's like being on a permanent high because there's a possibility of something amazing happening.

Lumanza

"Yes, in the bathtub. I was surprised to hear a few years ago that "Archimedes" did the same thing."

"Eureka! - I've found it!"

Having a dream-like experience whilst showering sounds really crazy. There is something magical about water.

I looked at that phasing article and it sounds really complex. It could take a while to get my head around it.

I have often looked into the blackness and seen hypagogic imagery. This has sometimes been incredibly real and has led to lucidity in the past.

EscapeVelocity

I go to bed about 10pm but I don't usually start my practice until at least 2 hours later. I pretty much always wake up within a few hours of going to bed.

Everything you said makes perfect sense and it's definitely something I need to experiment with.

I have only just got back into this dream-type stuff so things seem overwhelming at the moment.

EscapeVelocity

Please forgive me, I can be SO dumb at times!

My reply is still there. I didn't realise there was another page.

Phew! And to think that I'm trying to leave my body!

EscapeVelocity

That's strange. I replied to what you said but it's mysteriously disappeared. I'll have another go later.


Lumaza

"It used to take me a good 45 minutes to an hour and half to find success."

Haha, I'm just getting into the trance state then! No seriously, when I've had success I was trying for at least 2 hours. It was like I didn't want to give up after lying there so long. My logic is - spend ages trying and as time goes on, the time will get shorter. I don't see lying there for so long doing me any harm. Maybe in the long run it might cause me to feel worn out though. The most important thing though regarding time is not to give up too soon which has happened so many times. As soon as I start to feel uncomfortable it's like... "OK that's it for one night."

"I had swallowing/saliva problems."

I may not have had this as bad as you, but I've experienced it which had led to a coughing frenzy.

"I had the sensation often that my physical eyes were opening."

I don't think I've had this but I've often felt my eyes twitch like crazy. This might be something to do with REM???

"I had the pain in the legs and other body parts. I had the cramping."

I can often get through an itchy nose or head etc. but once my legs start playing up that's the end.

My last OBE stage ended about 6 months ago because I felt like I had a trapped nerve in my upper right arm. I thought it had got a lot better, but a few nights ago it came on again when I ended my practice and rolled onto my side. I'm pretty sure it was a result of doing too much energy work.

OBE must be like a maschochist's heaven!

"I am 6'2 and am cramming my body into a 5ft bathtub. Not only the bathtub, but that is also the size of the walls on both sides. My legs are left climbing the wall, lol."

It's great that you can see the funny side, and it made me smile, but I can definitely understand how annoying that is.

I'm not familiar with the 'phase' term. I've seen it on here a few times but didn't fully understand it.

Are you saying that you're trying to have an OBE or something similar in the bath???

All the best...

Lumanza

You said a lot of interesting stuff there which I want to reply to when I get chance, thanks.


EscapeVelocity

After being into this for a long time, I know from experience that the later in the night I practice, the harder it is to go to sleep. I usually go to bed about around 10pm. I see my ideal practice time to be between midnight and 2am. After that, my practice will seem easier because I'm more awake BUT I'll just be lying awake for an eternity.

In a way I do a mini version of WBTB because I usually spend about 15 minutes trying to get motivated to start my pratice. I understand though that it needs to be much longer which is too difficult right now.

Thanks for the help.

Lumaza

I REALLY want it BUT things can be REALLY tough.

I'll be lying there in the zone feeling like everything is going well, then suddenly a body part will start hurting. I'll try and ignore it but after a while I realise that it's an impossible task and give up.

Although I've been to the toilet before my practice, I often feel the need to go again because I've been lying there awake for over an hour.

I've realised that there is a really uncomfortable groggy point that is hard to get past but if I do things will get better. So many times, I'll call it a night and end the session.

Phew!

EscapeVelocity

I just want you to know that I've read your reply several times now and I appreciate your help.

I desperately wanted to reply to some of it to do it justice so I'll just take this part...

"The experiences are seemingly random and non-repeatable; you cannot seem to find the formula that worked in any experiences."

I don't think there's been a time after an experience, mostly lucidity, where I haven't expected to have success the following night. I feel like it's so easy to get conned into thinking that I've found the magic formula only to come crashing back down to Earth when nothing happens for the next 6 months or so.

Haha, I came on this site to talk about OBE's and I've ended up talkikng about comedies!

Modern comedy is a mystery to me. I just don't get it. I believe that if I liked one, it would lead me to liking lots.

I'm really struggling to think of any movies right now but I can think of a lot of TV shows that I like.

I'd struggle putting them in order BUT 'I Love Lucy' is definitely my favourite. I discovered it about 10 years ago and I've watched it all twice.

'The Honeymooners' is a recent discovery and I'm about half way through it. I LOVE IT!

So, things I've watched entirely that I really like are...

I Love Lucy
The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour
Cheers
Rising Damp
Steptoe and Son
Fawlty Towers
Monty Python
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
I Dream of Jeannie
The Addams Family
Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister
George and Mildred
The Young Ones
Till Death Us Do Part
In Sickness and in Health
Blackadder

There must be more but I'm struggling to think right now.

Things I like that I'm in the process of watching...

The Honeymooners
The Lucy Show
Allo Allo
Hogan's Heroes
Bewitched
All Gas & Gaiters (only 11 episodes survived out of 33)

Thanks Volgerie, I knew things wouldn't be that simple.

One day when I have more than one OBE every hundred years I hope to do lots of experiments like this.

Actually, I can feel one coming on, maybe tonight.

I'll see you in the void!

Thanks omcasey, I'm enjoying all these nice welcomes, that's for sure!

Thanks Volgerie, that was fascinating!

I love the idea of having something like a playing card hidden to see if it can be seen out of body.

WOW! So many responses! Haha I don't know where to start!


If you're anything like me, it takes a long time to get words together so I REALLY appreciate your time and effort.

I will need to take some time to digest what you've all said.

I come from a time when you was lucky to get any replies, and half the time it was from a scammer.

Does anyone remember 'The Lucidity Board'

I literally lived on it because it was one of the best forum's around back in the late 90's.

Thanks again! I owe you all a fortune!

A big thanks guys for your great responses. I am very overwhelmed with the amount of help on here so please bear with me.

EV - I need time to digest what you've said because it deserves a lot of attention.

This is a reply to Tides...



Hello!

Phew! That was some reply! Where do I start!

I can see how you transitioned into an OBE-er.

I've had the occasional sleep paralysis, and some other scary moments where I couldn't breathe properly etc. I'll know to wiggle my big toe now!

I had all kinds of worries as a kid that would've played a part in how I am today, but the way I got into this dream-type stuff was just completely instant. One minute I just went to bed to sleep, the next I went to bed to do anything but sleep! If my mate hadn't told me to look up 'OBE's' as a test because I was bragging how good the internet was, I would've carried on my miserable existence probably drinking myself into an early grave!

"If I'm being honest, my desire to do the work is quite lazy compared to most who come here."

The reason I feel extremely frustrated is because I've made a massive effort which hasn't come easy being a lazy sod, and I feel like the little success I've had hasn't been worth it.

To be honest, and I might be just trying to make myself feel better, I look for all the positives.

Thinking back, I was on a constant high for several years because of the potential even though almost nothing was happening. I questioned whether a 30 second lucid dream every fortnight was worth the effort. My exitement came from the thought of discovering some magical lucidity formula that I believed I would find.

In the early 2000s I thought I'd found it but unfortunately it was very short lived.

When my lucidity ended I was able to get it back, so I often had a string of back to back LD's.

One magical Friday night, it must've been about 6-7, maybe more! After being more than satisfied with the several I'd had I didn't want any more because I was tired, but it was like I'd become incapable of sleeping normally. They just kept coming like it was the easiest thing in the world.

My mindset the next day, or the same day really, was split. One part of me was really excited because I felt like I'd become a lucidity master, and the other part was anxious that I might be heading for some kind of sleep health disaster. I was on such an ego trip, it was difficult to imagine that lucidity was far away.

Phew! I soon came crashing back to Earth when not much happened for weeks on end, and my droughts got longer and longer.

This is when I started getting really frustrated which led to not wanting to hear anything about it.

Like I said, several years ago I got a massive boost when I managed to have an OBE. Whatever the scientific explanation behind it really is, the way I moved away from my body was absolutely magical. After trying so many times I was getting close to giving up for good. What happened was an absolute godsend!

"I don't imagine we will have it figured out even when this body of ours returns to the Earth. It has recently been said in another thread, but I encourage this belief- cultivate patience and try to engage the mystery of life in your day to day not just in the bedroom."

I guess that not having it figured out is a blessing in disguise because there wouldn't be any need for books or forum's like this.

My mindset has been all over the place writing this so please bear with me. I found myself writing as a friend, more than a response.

I am conscious that I don't waffle on too much and end up telling my whole life story!

Anyway, good luck to you and everyone else on here.

Thanks for the reply, it's much appreciated.

This kind of feels a bit strange at the moment because it's been many years since I chatted like this.

I REALLY was completely worn out with it all. Especially with Lucid Dreaming.

I would love to have that refreshing feeling again, but it's going to be difficult to dilute over 2 decades of frustration from my brain.

Your great post was the perfect start though so thanks again.

I think you're spot on about awareness. I wondered whether all dreams are actually OBE's in some way???

"If we can get to the point where we can move past the filter that makes for these varying degrees, wow that'd be something."

Yes, it's definitely something to get excited about.

Have you had any success with OBE's yet???

Hi everyone.

This is my 1st post, although I did use this forum many years ago.

I could write a book here but I'll try and keep things as simple as possible.

My journey started in 1998 which completely changed my life.

I'd just got on the net and as a test to see how good it was, my friend told me to type 'Out of Body Experiences'.

I thought he was mad because he wasn't even into it, but I was surprised at how much it found.

I stumbled on a free online book by Robert Peterson and strangely enough I became interested.

Before this I was SO bored and needed some excitement in my life. WOW! I'd just found it!

It was several years later when I read the whole book but I could see the potential in the exercises etc.

I soon discovered Lucid Dreaming, and this became my main focus.

I tried everything in my powers to have LD's and pretty much failed miserably.

I've probably had more than 100 over the years but most of them have barely lasted 30 seconds.

I've got to say that reality checks never worked for me. I think most of my experiences came from the methods an OBE-er would use.

It got to the stage where I was into both LD's and OBE's at the same time. In fact, I still see them as pretty much the same.

I would LOVE to be proved completely wrong.

I was never into these all the time. For years I'd go through stages of trying every night followed by a break for a few months.

In fact, that's where I am now.

I always wondered whether some of my LD's were actually OBE's??? I say this because my LD's sometimes took place in my bedroom.

One night around the early 2000's I was drifting in and out of consciousness and suddenly started floating upwards.

My mind was all over the place and I awoke about the time I hit the ceiling.

This was the 1st time I really believed that OBE's were different from LD's.

Several years ago after another OBE/LD attempt I had a feeling that something magical was going to happen.

I did what I'd tried countless times before which had failed, but I never learn so tried again.

I slowly imagined moving my body in a position where I could get out of bed.

It was like I was lying down in a diagonal position with my legs sticking out of the bed.

I then stepped out of bed and I couldn't believe it. I'd done it!!!

The first thing I did was see if I could see myself lying in bed.

I wasn't there. This didn't make any sense but I carried on.

I never record my experiences so can't remember what I did. I did pass through my bedroom door though. Then it was pretty much all over.

What happened was an absolute godsend! Motivation is SO important and I was definitely running out of it!

Haha, I got a bit cocky after this and was thinking that I'd soon have more experiences.

I think it was about a few years later when I had another one???

I used the same technique but what I was experienced was more like a LD because things were much different such as the layout of my bedroom etc.

To cut a long story short, I've probably had about 4-5 of these encounters all starting the same way.

I personally don't like to say that I left my body etc. BUT whatever the real scientific explanation is, it did feel like it.

The reason I decided to join this site again is because I feel like I'm close to starting another phase and am looking for motivation.

I have much more to say about why I know the reason behind my lack of success etc.

Thanks for reading. Phew!