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 As Napoleon Hill once said ""Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." !

  It would be great if someone could figure out a technique which allows us to just force ourselves to phase into the astral. Imagine being able to just lay down on your bed or sofa and *snap* you are projecting.

There is already. It is called "focused will and intent". You just have to apply the work, practice it often, throw in a lot of patience and you will too, persevere! 

It is as easy as just lying down and shifting. The shift is only a simple focus away. You just need to learn to release your physical hold long enough to be able to have that shift occur.

Changing your mindset, does indeed change your reality. 

 Today for my Phase session, I chose a simple square design for a my focus target. I did my usual quick progressive relaxation preparation and began to image a square box in front of my closed eyes. It took a while before I could get the image to stay. You will find that sometimes you can create vivid imagery right away. Other time, not so much. This was one of those times for me.

I finally got the image to stick and was getting bored just waiting for the 'morph" to occur. So, I began to play with the image. I began to trace the square outline and all of a sudden the square began taking a 3D design. My curiosity locked onto this and I stayed with the imagery. The square then laid down flat and now I saw that there was a landscape as well. But this landscape was in 3D as well. The visual was similar to what I had experienced years ago when I was playing Tiger Woods golfing on the Xbox and the game portrayed the green and lie as being 3D.

Now movement/motion starting to occur. I stayed with the landscape for awhile, just passing what I thought was really flat land, then it changed to rolling hills and soon began getting really awesome. It looked like I had hit a Ocean or Sea. The waves were kind of dancing in 3D, just like a flame dances when it burns. Soon I came across what looked to be some kind of tall grass field, but I was only seeing the 3D outline of the grass, which looked very cool.

Next I decided that I wasn't moving at all and that everything was coming at me and that I was only visually perceiving the motion. Now things got strange very quickly. The visuals sped up quite a bit and now I found myself in some kind of "Grid land". I had seen this place before years ago during a deep Phase session and I wrote about it somewhere here on the Astral Pulse Forums. Here it is:http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/tunnels_and_grids-t38301.0.html
There have been a number of people here and on other Astral related Forums that have spoke of this "Grid land" as well.

The Grid land was moving at a super fast speed and it didn't take much longer until it overwhelmed and actually was too much for my senses to bear anymore. The session pretty much ended then and there. Total time, about 50 minutes. It did take what I perceived to be about 15 minutes before I could actual "lock onto" a simple vivid image. Most of that time, all I experienced was relaxation and the regular darkness before my closed eyes.

Now to the questions you should be asking yourself pertaining to your own experiences, so you can go on and add them to your AP journal.
What was your chosen shape or focus target?
How long did it take to actually be able to keep it in view?
Did you play with the design and if yes, what did you do to it. Example: turn it, trace it, stack it, etc.
What did it morph into?
What did you do next?
How long was your session?
...and lastly writing any extra notes on the experience.

All of those questions give you a chance to take more of a experimental approach to your practice. They also give you something to go back and learn from as well.  

I have experienced this myself.  This was the first time I read anything on the subject of phasing.  One evening I was reading from the following website which I probably found somewhere on the Astral Pulse:

http://focus-4.es.tl/WELCOME.htm

That's Frank Kepple's work. That had the same effect on a number of people here. I still go back and read it today. There are so many tidbits that get more meaning once you are familiar with this practice.

Failing is what makes it all more thrilling as well, one can only expect to give his best to succeed or fail miserably. I would play basketball as a child in school tournaments, and the only year we won I remember spending every afternoon practicing dunking balls in the park. Dunk by dunk by dunk is how I learned not to fail those 3 points under pressure. I swear I believed every drop of sweat spent doing that counted to make me like michael jordan, the magic missed me it seems lol

It's funny that you mentioned Basketball. Many members that know me here on the Astral Pulse, know that I often use a focus on just shooting a Basketball. It's one of my favorite techniques, (even though I wasn't much of a Basketball player in school or when I was younger. Hockey and Football were my preferences then.). I just mentally launch the ball that is in my hands at the Basket in front of me. The thing is, when I begin all I see is the blackness before my eyes. But I know the Basketball and hoop to shoot it in is there. Very soon, the accompanying visuals show up and then I find myself in a game of 5 on 5, with a whole crowd to boot, lol. I have had so many unique experiences using that simple focus. Rowing a boat leads to awesome things too. The trick is to just be creative. But any kind of activity based focus will also create a "energy" response to the scenario at hand, as well. In other words, you really feel the movement.

I read on the condition you mentioned, I didn't know that depending on the part of the nerves affect, even the Sun could trigger an active response of pain in the ocular nerves. Has light ever bothered you enough to attempt to project? I bought a regulator switch for my bedroom so I0 can gradually turn it very bright or dimly lighted. Of course it's still in the box though.
It is not clear to me how you can achieve that tremendous level of discipline-clarity and concentration to project, but don't need to know how, it just makes me think more people should practice AP or try to have any other NP experience in general to gain insights of themselves on the many levels of their beings. Thanks.

I wear glasses named "Theraspecs". They are great. They have a rose filter in them. They are also "wrap around" glasses. So they block the bright light from all angles.

When I do a serious Phase session, I will normally wear a blindfold mask. That completely nullifies the light. I sleep with the same mask on every night. It actually quite comfortable and doesn't touch the eyelids as well. When I first started to learn to "consciously shift", I had a bad problem, more like a hurdle I had to jump, that involved my eyes always feeling like they were opening just as the sift was coming to a peak. It was very annoying and just like any other hurdle in this practice, it needed to be passed.
Here's the website, if you are interested. http://www.dreamessentials.com/product-66/dream-essentials-escape-luxury-sleep-mask-with-earplugs-and-carry-pouch

Yes, you do need a lot of mental discipline and the ability to "think on your toes"

I agree. More people should practice this. The World would certainly be a lot less stressful!  

I listen to various things when I go to sleep.  I cycle thru various audio programs thru my headphones.  I listen to some Solfeggio audio clips and was currently listening to Chapter 16 of 'How to Have an Out of Body Experience' by William Buhlman.  This chapter is about 1/2 hour of affirmations.  I listen to these specific audio clips for 3 weeks straight and than move to another audio program.  I eventually cycle thru them and repeat.  My first OBE occurred at the end of a 3 week cycle of these affirmations.

Your immersion in this is paying off. Brain entrainment is a great way to find success. Many people have reported NP experiences occurring simply after just reading a book on "non local states of consciousness", hearing an interview, speaker, or listening to a youtube video on the subject. That's usually all it takes to get the "curiosity fluids" flowing.  Mind you they are very brief. But that "sneak peek" is all it takes to "hook'" you in.
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Hello Lumaza, it is a fine technique you developed here, I was having difficulties focusing on it since I wasn't very visual at first, throughout the years I've learned the shapes come spontaneously in my mind and only then can the forms that you describe in the Doorway begin to take shape. I was not aware of those subtle thought processes leading me unaware into a state of no-being until I realized your technique was actually describing the pathway to ease my mind into progressively relaxing to accept the visualizations she would always come up with. It is indeed difficult to let go of all that noise and thinking patterns and ideas we sustain, but it worked just like counting sheep, meaning it would drag me unaware of myself into whatever I had previously focused my intent to be. The bright side is I can now allow myself to be drawn in deeper until the shapes start taking a form in themselves without me trying to control them and I saw them become the gate to launch into a wonderful experience, it was just like you said It's nice to be back in the Astral Pulse, it's the first place I found had people very open to discussion and friendly, it's easy to connect intuitively with them.

Thank you for your kind words!  I am happy to hear that you are finding success with this! 
It works just like that. It's like tic tac toe or connect the dots. One part leads to the next. First you start with something simple to create a focus and pretty soon you have actually tricked a "shift" into occurring. Your initial focus is totally on the simple shapes and the next thing you know you aren't in "Kansas" anymore. You have shifted. Now the realization of that shift normally knocks you back to your physical focus, but at least you got a "taste" of what could be.
It really is that simple. We just need to get our Human conditioning out of the way and allow the process to progress.

I read in your work teaching people how to project and it's amazing you had such a great rate of success, I'd say two of the ten is a pretty low rate of failure lol watching your commitment indeed fuels me to want to become that committed to the Art too. I'm thankful since my guides show up everywhere and I'm always paying close attention, I could not sleep in bed comfortably not even in a million years without them.

Still 8 of them interested. We will see what next week brings. It's easy to fall off the wagon though!

There is also another you mention which you use to alleviate pain, this would be something that could help humanity it seems, in the Hand of Creationwhen I would sit for too long in the computer I would have slight chest pains that would come during the next day, what I found is that the desk was unaligned with the pc up front, and this foreced me to turn my legs to a side a bit, so my body was turning even slightly to face directly at the pc, after months with this internet told it was my posture, so your technique sounds like it could help me since even now I don't realize when i'm slightly turning and I have had to use diclofenac potassium to alleviate the slight sharp pains in the chest area. How long did you practiced it before it worked for you? Thanks.

I first practiced "deferring" pain. Example, my back would hurt, so I would focus on my big toe. Other times I would begin my Tetrahedral point practice and that would take my focus right away from my physical body. Once deep enough, I just kind of "melted" into the 3rd darkness before my eyes. It took a while at first to totally close the pain down. I would say maybe a couple weeks or so of constant practice. But right off the bat, I received instant results, in that for the time being, I could temporarily shut the pain down.
With my Trigeminal Neuralgia it was all energy work/manipulation that would calm the spasms. For a time, I couldn't create a NP visual focus. That caused more pain. So, I had to learn to work around it.

 I used to train new people in "Cold Call/Door to Door Sales". I had kind of a 3 week make or break prototype. The first week the new person did great on complete and total enthusiasm. The second week was a balance of enthusiasm with some product knowledge. For some reason though, the 3rd week was always just product knowledge and in 3 weeks you really didn't know anything, but the basics. This is when I either saw if they could see the error of their ways and regain that enthusiasm or were they just going to fall.

The same is with this practice in general. The people I am "tutoring" are now commenting once in awhile how this can be kind of boring. Just waiting for imagery to occur when you are new to this and being able to fully create a strong focused will can take quite a while. It used to take me an hour, sometimes longer to get not the zone.

So my new instruction for them was to start playing with the shapes they are seeing. My favorite way to do that is to "mentally" trace the outside of the shapes. Many times while tracing the circle, I will actually "feel" the rotating as well. This will be your first actual proof of some kind of "energy work" occurring.
You can stack the squares, you can move the triangles all around your "inner screen". Be creative. What this does is it improves your ability to create a stronger focused will and it helps you "lock on" to what you are seeing. In other words, it takes you more into "there" and further away from "here".

I know that regular practitioners of "non local states of consciousness" don't have to wait an hour for the "show" to begin. They have put the patience, practice and perseverance in their work and likely do that in every aspect of their lives as well. I have put over 4 years now into extensive practice and see that it really does pay off. It's like learning how to play Guitar or any other instrument. You must practice and practice regularly and often, usually for years, before you can excel at your chosen goal.

With this practice, you normally receive "sneak peeks" of what it can really be like, earlier on. You normally get enough of a "sneak peek" to either persuade or in some cases "dissuade" you from going further. Many people say they can handle their fears. That is until they actually have to confront them head on. The same thing goes with "ego". I notice if you don't reign your ego in, you will be taught to very soon.

While phasing I can pretty easly immerse my consciousness into scenarios with touch,sight,taste,tempurature, and sound, smell is kind of hard for me. I excel at touch not sure why but anything I see or think about I can feel the texture and everything about it with almost if not 100% accuracy. I feel if I put more effort into trying to phase and lucid dream I will get far. I just need to stop being so lazy lol.

Some people excel in a "textile focus", others at a more visual base and still others talk about the "audio" portion of their experience. I don't seem to focus too much on textile, because I like to go beyond the "physical aspect" of the Astral.
My beginning Mantra to my practice is "By my act of will, I release my focus over my physical body". To create a focus based on textile, would contradict my approach.

.I don't project as often tho... When I focus on projecting for some reasons, I find the answers I'm looking for before even reaching the astral realm.
I often get those "downloads" sessions where everything seems to just complete puzzles.

The "knowing" is really one of the greatest results of this practice in general. That and the more you do it, the more you train yourself to just be it.

Many times, I know I received a "download", it's just at the time, I don't recall the info. But I know it's there when it's needed.

 This is all great. Thank you for sharing fellow travelers!  

I hope this gives incentive to new members and those lurking in the shadows, to see that the rewards for seeing this through are fully worthy of the work it takes to be successful.

 ST, you have shown time and time again the importance of "Journaling". I like to take my Journal out every couple of months and read them thoroughly. It's fun to "connect the dots".  
...and yes, giving "Gratitude" is  vey important. I am constantly thanking my "aides" for help they are constantly giving me.

Lightbeam, I love that you are being inspired to seek out your "Musical" talents. I awaken quite a bit with a song on my mind. I then go to the computer and look up the words of that song. It doesn't take long to find that "message" that was being shown to me. I find that there really isn't just a simple form of communication there. Everything seems to be wrapped in some kind of puzzle that you need assemble. Hence my constant repeating of the terms, quests, tests and challenges.

Nameless, that seems to be it in a nutshell. The love for new information and learning/teachings. That creates the drive in us and always keeps the curiosity fluids flowing.

Karxx, just know you are "never" alone.
...and yes, you need to be able to face those fears or you will find many self imposed "roadblocks" ahead.  
If you are "willing" to do the work and listen, "they" are ready to teach you.  

Ha that's how I am with my Lucid Dreams 

Same difference! 

I will try it your way  and put a twist in the methods, its hard not to have expectations, is there a way to avoid this,i always ben a results kinda person, I get frustrated when i wake the next day and nothing has happen, not during the process tho only after finding out nothing happen.

Yes there's a way to avoid it. When I first had success, I was like a "kid in a candy store". I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself and that awe and excitement knocked my out of many, many sessions. I "flitted" around often. I couldn't stay focused on one thing at a time. Until one day my "deceased Brother in law" appeared and told me to "JUST OBSERVE". Mind you he had to repeat that quite a bit, lol. Once I learned to just passively observe things there, I learned how to "navigate" my new "surroundings". I actually still use the "passively observe" mindset today. Many times I just do a Phase session with the simple intent of seeing what I need to see at that given time. Then I just trust. I "observe" it first. Then I join the scene at hand.

why: because i have something i want to achieve, that may not be achievable in the first place, at least most don't think so cause no one has done it, but its been my mission and goal to try it, but every since i came to the conclusion to try to do it, my projections stopped all together, making me thing maybe i'm onto something that something don't want me achieving. well let me ease your mind already, i been trying to met my higher self to try to merge with it, so that i can come into my psychic abilities so that i can try and help heal this world and its people and inspire millions of people through psychic means like no other, not in the way of these real and so called fake mediums, but in my own way.

Never give up or give in!

Most people think that this entire Art is a hoax and unachievable. I have done quite a few things and seen quite a few things that aren't "achievable" in this physical realm. Just as my "sig" says "To be successful with Astral Projection/Non Physical Exploration, your will to succeed must be much stronger than your acceptance of failure." It's not a "ego" thing. It's a test of your will and desire.

Go back to the ones that worked once or twice. Experiment with them. They worked before, they can work again. Maybe you just need to alter or tailor them a bit. Lose the expectations of see anything particular right now, like your "higher Self". Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves and our "Higher Self"/sub consciousness automatically creates a "self imposed" block/hurdle that we need get by or jump, to relieve that undue stress.
Your "Higher Self" is always there. That's your true form. This form we live in now is just our "physical form" being accessed through a kind of computer of sorts. You have been programmed your whole life, just like a computer. Now, you need to "re program" yourself to think in a different way. For now, just get there. Once you get familiar with process, then you can start using your full intended wants there.  

[AWESOME]

 How many of you members here still "actively" practice in some form on "non local states of consciousness"? Whether that be meditation, conscious shifting through intended OBEs or Phase session, Remote Viewing, etc. If you wish to elaborate further, you could also include why. I will start.

Yes I active practice, my favorite method being Phasing.

Why? Because it is AWESOME
 
You can be anywhere, anytime, with just a single intent. Thought = action instantaneously. So you can go there to see the future, work on things in the present or if needed resolve past issues. Right now I am working on new designs for our company there. We make handmade Dragon sculptures, Dragon wearables (that are new, thanks to my Phase Sessions) and I am currently working on some other new designs there. I don't need "physical" clay or even any tools there. Everything appears with just a intent to see or realizing it is already there, if you want to take that a bit deeper. I can understand why Einstein, Tesla and some of the greatest minds period, engaged in "non local states of consciousness"
...and just to add a couple of last things. The sky is the limit. No, it's not, lol. There is no limit. You can go there to learn. You will find there are many tests, quests and challenges that await you there. You can go there to heal and help others. You can go there for peace and tranquility. You can go there to access your "higher selves", your guides (which some think are the same as Higher Self) or you can go there to visit "others", whoever those "others" appear to be.

So, last question. After stating all that above. Why would you stop?   

I like the spinning top idea although I have not tried that one. Shiver your timbers you could have had a bad accident in the shower with that one. I've had a few like that, fortunately I usually get a small warning before hand although not always.

The "spinning top" works very good. 
It would have been different had I intended on seeing something. But what I experienced caught me completely off guard. The next time it happened, I was showering and closed my eyes just to find myself in the middle of a busy City street. Nobody was noticing me, but I definitely felt my "nakedness", lol.

I love that the water is helping you. Looks like you have found your element in a very real way. I can see that combination giving you a great boost in NP. I like that word - morph. They are never what you expect. I try not to react to strongly and mostly I succeed but sometimes it'll just knock my socks off.

My true Element is Air. But I work with the others often as well. Water brings in the healing and cleansing. I just kind of melt away in the hot water of the bath. It is very easy to lose my physical focus.
...yes, sometimes, it just knocks your socks off and blows you away. I find those times it's hard to hold the focus. Just when you least expect it ..........!

I do sometimes have a problem. When I try to focus I will get a sinus like pulsing pressure. It's very much like a head cold feeling. Is that common? It can make it hard to concentrate.

Is it just pressure or do you get a runny nose as well? I ask because your "sinus pressure" sounds to me like the onset of a "exploding head" signpost. I had that happen often and still get in once in awhile today. It always begin as a pressure. But I notice that I can create that pressure, if I wish, by just focusing on my 3rd eye location.

Also interested in how your students come along as time progresses.

Still 8 on board. I just returned from a show, so I hope I still have 8, lol. I need to give them some new challenges. But I am walking them along very slowly. They have also noticed that they are remembering their Dreams more and a couple of them have had very vivid LDs. That doesn't surprise me though. Opening yourself to a "new awareness" has it's perks, as you already know, Nameless!  

thanks for the input Lumaza. I also agree that for the most part you should go with the flow of the senario while lucid. what I'm wondering now if you still go with the scenario can you use learned abilitys? and if so I would like to learn some.

As Robert Moss says "Dreaming is waking up".
Yes you can still use "learned abilities" as long as they are second nature to you. Meaning, as long as you already know you already have them and that they are natural to you. Any doubt will knock you out.

don't always want to just completely minipulate a dream. but I would like to experience a lucid dream with 100% control. If its possible how could you get to that sorta level of control?

Try Subtle Traveler's excellent advise. Commands in the "other realms" are very powerful. I stay in the LD with control by allowing myself to become part of it. Like I said, the thought that I am Dreaming is a afterthought. At the time, I am in the scenario as deeply as I am in the current physical scenario right now. It becomes automatic after awhile. You just begin reacting with your current mindset wherever you find yourself.

and how exactly do you become a point of consciousness and what have you experienced there?

You need to be able to separate yourself from your "Human conditioning". This happens with practice and a little help from your "friends". Ask and you shall receive.
I experience immense Grids. Sometimes I experience and explore areas of just pure information. Other times realms of energy, immense lights. It's really hard to describe in "Human term". Be open to everything. Experience it now, question it later. I have found that if you think there is no end, then there isn't. In other words, keep open. Too many times people that experience the "other realms" come to some conclusion what it really is. When they do, they go no further. I see this often, especially here on the Astral Pulse Forums. Once you decide that you "know it all", School is over and you stay where you were. Many times, when I thought I knew what was really happening, it all changed. I kept open to the change and found myself in a more advanced School of learning.

Wow, Lumaza! Thank you for such insightful advice! I'll be sure to put a mantra to the test and to try different visualization techniques. It's always been "stick with a few for awhile" for me. Again, thank you for your help! It's very much appreciated!

"Stick with a few for awhile" is a great way to learn. It gives you a chance to thoroughly explore the technique at hand and to "tweak" it to your personal liking. All the written techniques are basically "blueprints". But you don't have to follow them as "to the rule". You will find what works and what doesn't for you personally, then you can "hone" it to your liking. 

So I need too figure out way to minipulate my envioment to do as I please.

Why? 

There is plenty to explore in a Dream already. Try to find out the purpose for that particular Dream. In other words, don your "Raider's of Lost Ark" mindset and have some fun. That should and usually will keep you busy!   

When I stopped trying to control everything, as in manipulating the scenario, I found that there was a adventure in every experience. Many times when I began to manipulate it, the scenario ended then and there.

At first I observe what is going on. Then I keep the fact that I am in a Dream at the far back of my mind. I then react to whatever scenario I find myself in. It normally begins in a 3rd person view and as I observe further, it soon changes to a 1st person view, just as it does while consciously shifting during a Phase session. But it always leads to some kind of test, quest or challenge.

The fun really begins when you leave that Human aspect of a body behind and just become a point of consciousness. You find yourself in the most unique and extraordinary places. That's where the real and intense "teachings" occur. In other words, change your mindset, you change your reality.

Hey There, I've been meaning to drop in on this sooner. I'm really excited to see you back I think we were all worried.

Thank You for your concern Nameless!   Lessons are taught in many different ways. It's amazing how so many positives can actually arise from negative situations.  

I tried your shapes, I chose the circle and interestingly no matter what I did it kept changing itself into a heart. I've had some shifting going on with this although nothing much to actually share at this point. One thing I have noticed is simple truly is best. Before this I did some work focusing on nothing but color. It takes work but I try to focus only on the chosen focus point while leaving behind any preconceived notions.
What I have found is the colors and the shapes will do what they do no matter what I think. And what they do rarely resembles what I would normally think. Like with your alphabet the imagery is off the chain. Once I feel like taking a break from the shapes I'll switch to the alphabet and see how that goes. I did have one full on shift that occurred right between the colors and the shapes. I think the exercises helped with that.

Simple definitely is the best. This whole practice can get pretty complicated. But I find that for people new to this or people well versed that find themselves "stuck", that following a simple "blueprint" really is helpful.
Never fight what it is morphing into. You usually know when to lock on though. Many times I have the morphing begin right at the beginning of the exercise. If it is strong/stubborn, as in your circle turning to a heart, then I will just go with the flow and continue to "allow" it to take whatever shape it wants. That's when your curiosity becomes a blessing.

I used and still occasionally do, use a focus on a "child's toy spinning top" to begin my visuals. Many times it would change into a "figure skater". That, I definitely did not expect. At first it caught me by surprise and caused me to lose my focus. But after a while I learned to just go with the flow and let it do what it wanted to. At the time though, the last thing I expected was that visual. The same thing occurred while in the shower one time when I got shampoo in my eyes and momentarily shut them. All of a sudden I found myself teetering at the edge of a raging waterfall. I immediately lost my "real" balance and almost ripped my shower curtains down trying to steady myself. At the time, I wasn't attempting to shift at all. I had just reacted to the shampoo in my eyes.. The shift was spontaneous. That was surreal and I realized from there on that for some reason I have some kind of strange connection to water and projection. I now lie in the bath for about 1/2 hour a day and to project. The water is very healing as well. It has helped me handle my chronic pain without the use of meds anymore.

The hardest part is basically not reacting to whatever the "morph" will be. Like you said, rarely does it resemble what you would "expect". But this practice in general (Astral Projection) requires that we put any "expectations" on the "back burner", at least for now. You can explore more once you get deeper into a scenario. I like to trust that I am seeing or experiencing what I need to see or learn. School is always in session there, as it is here in this physical realm as well!  

Over the past week, I've decided to give meditating a shot in hopes that it will help me focus when I astral project. And it has actually worked, when I try and astral project, I'm able to get into a state of stillness and focus. However my problem is that I always feel awake don't know where to take it after that. Any suggestions?

Take it to the "Basketball Court" or to White Water Rafting. Try a "Rollercoaster". In other words, "jumpstart" a experience. I don't know why people are training others to have a "mental stillness". You can be mentally active and still project. Actually, it's quite a bit more thrilling that was then just sitting there with a creating a "still mind" for a period of time. I enjoy being "proactive".

As EV said, a "Rundown" works great as well. He also gave you some very sound advise.

I like to be occupied until I just find myself "there". Once there, I enjoy my new surroundings. You wouldn't believe how fast a simple shooting a Basketball into the darkness before your eyes can create a game of 5 on 5 with full crowd to boot, lol.
You don't need to see the Basketball at first or anything like that. Just know it's there and keep mentally shooting it into the air. It will soon reveal itself. When it does, don't question it, don't change it. Just go with the flow. Human beings feel they have to control everything. Sometimes it's better to jet let your curiosity get the best of you when you attempt to shift. That will bring you deeper and create a another page for your "Journal"/ log book!  

So, I was wondering if anyone had problems getting their torso, neck, and head to fall asleep when they started Projecting. And if you did, can you please offer me any and all advice for some method or remedy for this? I've just been practice for awhile and I recently realized that I could always lose feeling in my arms and legs, but my chest and head don't ever get that sense of being asleep. Thanks!

In the beginning, I had that problem as well. To alleviate it, I created daily practices focusing on things outside of the body. I also started each session with a kind of "Mantra" stating, "By my act of will, I release my focus over my physical body". This created a immediate mental preparedness to the session at hand.

Focusing too much on the body can a will create "roadblocks". You will find that your subconscious/higher self, whatever you like to call it, does seem to created obstacles for you overcome.
Progressive Relaxation helps as well. You begin with your focus on your toes and mentally say "My toes are relaxed, relaxed, relaxed, my toes are relaxed. Then feel them relax. Work your way all the way up to your head and lastly your eyes.
In the past I have used some visual imagery as well, whereas I actually unzipped my "physical shell" and since it was gone, there was no more focus on the body needed. Another time while in a session, a visual began of a "Pac Man" actually eating my physical body as a outline. That was very cool and I learned quite a bit in the lesson.
You will find with time and experimenting that you can "hone" your technique to fit exactly what you need it to be. But to do that, you need to constantly experiment and explore. Constantly experimenting anew will never give you a dull moment. I think many people get bored with AP after awhile. I don't get bored. I get "creative".

 First off. Thank You to the "Powers that Be" for making this thread into a Sticky. There is some good helpful info for those that are just starting and I hope to keep adding some other helpful tips to this thread as well. 

I just returned from a road trip to a Renaissance Faire in Oklahoma I was a Merchant of. It was a 13 hour drive, but it gave me plenty of time to think.

One thing I have noticed is that in the past 2 or so weeks, my ability to "visualize" at will has been a bit sketchy. So, I have been learning new tricks to "trick" visuals to begin to appear.

I would be just noticing the darkness in front of my closed eyes and then I would begin slowly mentally reciting the Alphabet. After I did the total Alphabet in order, if nothing kick-started a visual, I would then move on to mentally writing each letter on at a time. At first, my visual screen would be stay blank. But very soon that changed. Many times I would just continue to mentally write the letters, ignoring the "Hypnagogic Imagery" that was appearing in brief flashes. I did not try to "hone" in or "lock" in on the images just yet. As the images prolonged longer and longer, I soon did begin to lock on or hone in and soon found myself deep in some kind of fun exploration. You kind of learn when it's time to go "all out" and grab/join the visual or to just keep a "passive focus" on it.

I also noticed that certain letters that I was mentally writing created a "association" with some kind of pictorial or imagery. Example, F for fish. This is the same thing I noticed with the Doorway technique in general. Focusing on basic shapes, colors, etc. does create visual imagery associated with each of them. The same I find happens with the Alphabet/letters as well. This is a helpful little trick for you next time you may find a difficulty with a focus on visual imagery. The important thing is, even if you can't see it yet, just know its' there and it will soon appear. Many times I focused on a Doorway in front of me. At first, there was nothing there. But I knew it was there. So soon one appeared.

I hope this helps you!   

 Welcome to the Astral Pulse! It's nice to see people come "out of the shadows" and join the conversations!  

I tend not to rely on Dream Interpretation by others because there are so many things in "you" have experienced that left some kind of footprint. But the person/website with the "Dream Interpretation info" may have not. Like Bees. To one they may show pollination (the spreading of life, etc) or they could be a flashback to a nasty memory, like you being stung in the lip by one of them.
The good thing those websites is they give you ideas on possibilities. But some of them are "my info is the only answer" and I don't go for that. We may all be one consciousness, but we all experience life in our own way.

Sometimes it takes me months before I can finally see the message of a Dream. That Dream is normally one that is re occurring and has many parts to it. Other times I have "Re entry Dreams", which I call "Dream Re-Scripting". Whereas I go back in to taken a second, third or fourth shot on whatever the task, challenge of the Dream at hand was. Keeping a Dream Journal is a great way to discern patterns. Reoccurring people and places in our Dreams shows you that we can live in many realities at the same time. Especially people and places that aren't currently in our physical lives.
I think you might like this thread I made here on the subject of Tests, Quests and Challenges we undergo in our "nightly" adventures or conscious AP sessions.
  http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/tests_quests_and_challenges-t46546.0.html

Another name to add to your list of great Authors/Mentors for learning about AP is Robert Moss. You don't need to read his book though. He has some great informational free YouTube videos that explain quite a bit. He is more into "Dream Walking" and follows the Shamanic path in his talks. He also speaks of Tibetan Dream Yoga, which is something I practice quite a bit.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_dreams/dreaming_is_waking_up-t39742.0.html