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I have been on this task for several months now. Stopping the dream narrative is really challenging.

At the time even though I knew I was dreaming I was not able to muster the incentive or awareness to leave the scenario. This has been my experience in a good 30 lucid dreams recently. Doing reality checks hasn't helped for me.

When I first become aware in a dream and am controlling my actions, I try to find out the "purpose" or lesson of the Dream. I found I had to do that though because if I attempted to change the dream narrative, many times the dream just ended then and there.

Now, I had no problems re-scripting the dreams, but attempting to end it and go somewhere else usually ended the dream itself. Mind you though, I could go back to sleep and have another LD in an entirely different scenario. But for me personally, when I become aware in the dream I know there is a task to be had. Many times that task is a "retrieval" or some kind of "heroic" adventure.

Sometimes the dream will just change itself. Example: I am in a dream with friends just talking around the neighborhood and suddenly I just find myself in a completely different scenario. I then have to get my bearings and search out the reason why this occurred.

When I begin to lose my awareness in any dreams, they tend to just spiral out of control and get really bizarre. I usually awaken shortly after that.

I don't use reality checks anymore. I just "know" I am Dreaming. There are normally enough dream triggers to be had that bring conclusion to bear.

I do use this every night before I go to sleep. It says the affirmations for me. I just repeat what he says in first person tense. I usually will only listen to about 10 minutes of it though before I got to sleep. I find that every bit helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRyDqwmnLAM

That mask does look like a superior design. The trouble with the mindfold is that the front is too rigid, making it only appropriate for laying your back.

The Mindfold was great for anytime meditation/AP sessions. But, I found it was not good at all during sleep. That's how I broke mine. That was the only reason I found it uncomfortable. While lying on my side it dug into my face. Like you said, it was too rigid for sleeping. But the "Escape Mask" is very soft.

Recently I have been having the most success from just doing "nothing". Sometimes using particular methods gets you too engaged on the outcome to relax sufficiently.

Ah, the good ole do nothing technique. You do nothing and await for something to occur. But, I find it really is hard to do nothing. Even with the do nothing technique you are basically still doing something and that is trying do nothing, lol!   

Personally I like to keep my mind preoccupied before the "show" begins!

I still have the same difficulty with automatic eye opening. I have given up on sleeping masks, they either do not have sufficient coverage or are so bulky as to become a new source of distraction.

I find the eye opening to be related to thinking about vision. As soon as I consider any imagery, my physical eyes start slowly drifting downwards and this unlocks the eye lids.

I am actually not so sure that eyes closed is the natural position for sleeping. My right eye in particular seems to open a tiny amount by default, it isn't much, but it is enough to let light through.

It is a really frustrating thing because it will constantly give you false positive symptoms. There have been multiple occasions where I believed I was successfully phasing only to find that my eye had opened a little and I was seeing some kind of blurry image.

The only thing that has remotely worked for me to mitigate this is to not think about vision at all, especially do not focus on anything you see behind your eyes as this can lead to the physical eyes becoming activated.

I used to use the "Mindfold". But after a year it fell apart. It was kind of uncomfortable too. But I swear by this one. http://www.dreamessentials.com/product-66/escape-luxury-travel-sleep-mask-w-carry-pouch-earplugs

I have used it for about a year now. I use it every single night because of a condition I have. I use it on my frequent hotel/motel stays and it is very comfortable. It doesn't put any pressure at all on your eyes. You can use it to sleep or AP. It totally blocks out all light. Plus, it's cheap! You could also make one yourself.

I had the problem of my eyes opening quite early in my AP practice. I beat it by using a blindfold and "knowing" that anything I see is in another reality. I used to wake up at nighttime and see my room. But then once I got my bearings, I realized I had my Sleep Mask still on and that what I was seeing was another realm's version of my room. I have also had many of my tunnel vision scenarios while wearing it.

I find though that in the end it's only frustrating if you "allow" it to be. It's just another hurdle to overcome. But you can do it.

But yes, you can just use another sense. Try to concentrate on something tactile, like your toes or any other body part. You don't need to see them. Just get the feeling of them and keep your focus there. You could also just focus within yourself or turn your focus outside as in the Vehram method. Once again, you don't need to view it, just feel it.

 Here's another "hidden Gem" that I found in the Astral Pulse abyss. It's an excellent way to lose yourself in the moment.

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/the_staircase_visualization-t37806.0.html

Another question; after a few(teen) minutes of trying I suddenly started to hear that sort of sound that plays in binaural beat-videos. Is this a sign of something?

Check out this new thread here. It may hold some of your answers. http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/exit_symptomssignposts-t46206.0.html;msg359534#new

To answer your question "What am I doing wrong?". Personally, I think you are trying to hard. You need to create the right atmosphere per say, then just passively observe what occurs. Anything you see, feel or hear is considered progress. But then you will get to the next step, which is just "being" in the moment.

 Ok, so to add to the list we now have Szaxx's #17, which is feeling you are deep in rubber. I have had this feeling before as well. It feels like you are in some kind of suspended animation.

Lightbeam's experience makes #18, which would be buzzing in the head. Her "earthquake" analogy would sum up the intensity that the vibrations could be. That's why I posted that the vibrations are different from the gentle buzz that one may get upon the beginning processes of "non ordinary states of consciousness" as Stanislav Grof labels it.

EscapeVelocity, I was just coming here to add some more symptoms/signposts that I thought about last night, but you beat me to it. #18 Energy Sensations. These can come like you said as the feeling of expansion, contraction, floating up/down, spinning, tumbling, single pointedness reduction, etc. These sensations could also be "waves" of energy permeating up and down or in just one area of the body.

The last one that you said would be #19, the "click". The click could be known as a sound but also as a sign of a shift. I feel that the click would be one of the last things here experienced that shows you are already out per say. That term is also used in clicking in and out of consciousness. It was coined by Robert Monroe in one of his books.

Thank You guys for helping in this thread. I know some new members will find this information quite useful. The first time a spontaneous OBE happens to a person can be quite scary. It's also exciting. But now they can see that these symptoms are normal. But people don't have to "look" for them or attempt to initiate them. If they do happen it's best to passively observe them and stay the course. Like was said above, many people won't experience them period. You may in the beginning, but as you delve deeper into this practice they will just disappear.

 The title says it all. What symptoms/signposts if any do you experience when you attempt or a achieve a OBE/AP from any technique? Here's a list of possibilities.

I think this will help new members see that they aren't alone and that almost anything that they have experienced during a OBE/AP, has been experienced by others as well. Possibly we can find some commonalities with what the most experienced symptom/signpost are.

1. Vibrations. By this I mean any vibrations other then the gentle buzz that you may feel when you first begin to have a OBE/AP.
2. Temperature change
3. Hearing an Astral Wind, high pitch or in some cases hearing nothing. Sometimes I experience the sensation of water plugging my ears, just like a person does while showering and they get water in their ears. It isn't really the lack of sound, it's just my hearing becomes muffled.
4. Eyes twitching or spontaneously opening.
5. Hypnogogic Imagery, as in shapes or colors that appear without any visual intent.
6. Heart palpitations. The feeling of your heart beating faster.
7. Loss of breath/feeling of suffocation or irregular breathing.
8. Physical pain. Some people report physical pain while attempting a OBE/AP.
9. Twitches or a part of the body spasming.
10. Sleep Paralysis. The lead blanket sensation falls under this category as well.
11. Hearing voices or any other external sounds not from your immediate surroundings or environment. By this I mean let's says for example hearing the sound of a Helicopter landing on your roof when there is no physical Helicopter present. I have experienced this one and it got surreal very quickly. Another good example is being screamed/yelled at. I had that happen too, lol.
12, A touch or grab of a body part. A feeling that you have been touched or that something external is holding/raising you. In this I don't mean the lead blanket/SP sensation. I mean the actual sensation of a "hand" or hands on your body.
13. Astral wind. With this, you feel like there is some kind of wind flow blowing on your skin.
14. Inner vibrations. With this you normally will feel the same situation you get when you get chills, but it lasts for much longer.
15. Phantom or etheric body movement. In this you normally feel like a body part is moving, even though your physical body is staying completely motionless.
16. None of the above. Some people never have experienced any symptoms/signposts of a up coming OBE/AP.  

Personally I have experienced every single one of these at one time or another. Sometimes I did and still do experience some of the things on the list simultaneously. Many of these come in different intensities, from mild to extreme.

If I missed out on any symptoms/signposts please feel free to add them to this post. These are the ones that I personally am familiar with, but I know there are more of them. Feel free to elaborate on the intensity you experience/d and any other helpful information you may have on this topic.

Thank You!

There's really only one "exit" point... you simply phase from here to there.
Any "location" where you feel you exit from and where that location will "take you" is entirely belief based.

See this is where I beg to differ. I have simply phased from here to there many many times. But in the beginning, as a very young child I spontaneously exited from my feet/legs before I even knew a belief in this stuff existed. I actually still do today.

We shouldn't always just explain everything away as simply cut and dry. You could if "you" haven't experienced the latter beforehand. But to those of us that have experienced this, these experiences are as real as a phase from here to there is.

When I awaken spontaneously in SP, I feel my feet being touched. The next thing I feel is my legs being raised, then in a flash I am out of my body and zooming down my hallway, then out my patio window. Now, when I was a child I experienced the same exit process, unbeknownst to a 5 year old child. Was that still caused by my belief system? Because at the time, I didn't even have one, lol.

Time and time again I see how we say something doesn't exist, simply because "we" haven't experienced it. In a way we here have become like the people that come here to debunk us. Try to listen to what others have to say. There are certainly more answers to be found then just the party line that seems to get toed here all the time.

 Here is a new very short video by Robert Moss. I'm sure this will help people that have been searching for communication with a loved one that has transitioned on.
Robert is one of my favorite speakers and his words hold a lot of wisdom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDbLn7fdgJM

 In a recent video interview that I heard on a subject known as "The Grid", Marie D. Jones quoted  Dr. Wayne Dyer's saying "What you focus on expands. What you focus on becomes your reality". This is why allowing a simple shape or visual to blossom is so important in AP.

The entire interview was very good. Here is a link to it. It's only about an hour long. I have experienced this "Grid" that she talks about many times. I also believe that it could be the possible "missing link" in our practice that explains what actually might be occurring from a scientific point of view. I created my "Doorway" technique using simple geometric shapes because if you allow these shapes to expand, you too will  experience a grid per say. I have seen the Grid even before I began creating my own visuals. It was very early in my practice and really made me ponder the possibilities.

Here's Marie's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiqUddPXIZA

For those of you that might wonder what the Doorway technique is, here is a link to that as well: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/the_doorway-t46013.0.html

I just wanted to share a new project I've started with all of you.

yes i notice when i practice my dreams become more vivid I suppose with every bit of practice something is happening on an sub conscious level. 

Every bit of practice helps you to get your conscious and subconscious mind in sync. You could call it a form of "Brain Entrainment".

Also its amazing that most of my expectations were wrong, I imagined going out of body looking at myself or my room but I am definitely the lucid type which seems to be a whole different ball game.

Yes, that is a whole new challenge/ball game. First you have to become aware, then you need to get your bearings, then you need to figure out why you are there and what's your next move/action. There's an adventure just awaiting you! 

That's why I don't alter my Dream scenarios any more. I just stay in the scene at hand, but I am consciously aware of my actions. Sometimes I can just fly and have fun, but other times the situation is of a serious nature and has to be dealt with accordingly.

Thank you for responding to my post.  I do believe I need something more to look forward to when out of body.  I've done really amazing things like going to space.  But being in this lust cycle has kept me too grounded.  Feels good to be understood.  

Just like there are lessons to be learned here in this physical reality, there are lessons in the "other realms" as well. I consider all realities to be schools of a kind. We learn to grow and evolve no matter where we go or where we are!  

 We all have a "non physical" personality. Many times it is different from this one. I find that my own seems to be quite a bit different. When I become aware in a Dream, I find myself in predicaments that my "other" personality got me into. From there I need to right the wrongs per say.

For the longest time I too had a problem that when I found myself out of body the first thing I would be doing is trying to satisfy some kind of lust. I had to learn how to control that. I achieved that by first noticing the problem, then creating another intent to do something else.

This wasn't all a bad thing though. This did really help me to become more consciously aware in these other realms. Perhaps that's why it happened in the first place. I have found many silver linings hidden in something that I first deemed unpleasant. Mind you though, there is nothing wrong with Astral Sex (as it's been labelled). But, there are far more other adventurous things to do there!  

 Thaomas, your answer was great, I added my own technique to Vehram's method. One word of warning though, be careful not to roll your eyes back to far though. That could cause a bad headache. Learn from my mistake, lol! 

I too awaken in bouts of SP. For the last year though I have become aware (awoken) just before it started. So, I could actually watch the entire process occur. First there is a "hyper awareness", then I hear the high pitch/Astral winds approaching. Next I feel a slight buzzing sensation, which quickly builds into a full blown sometimes violent vibration. Then it just stops and I feel something touch my feet. Then I feel my legs raising and the next thing I know I am exiting through my feet and jettisoning down my hallway and out my patio window into another realm. This entire process has occurred over and over again over the last two years now. Also, this occurs without any intent on my part. If anything my only thought is that I will go, experience and see whatever it is I need to. I just trust and enjoy the ride.

Here is a great thread on creating energy sensations. http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/how_exactly_do_you_perform_the_phantom_wiggle_method-t44583.0.html

Now, I've tried various methods but I'm only able to AP spontaneously and I can never see clearly or get out.
Any thoughts, suggestions, advice? Was this a real AP?

Hello and Welcome.

Yes you were successful. Demand "CLARITY NOW" the next time you can't see clearly. Also try to ground yourself to the area you find yourself in. You do that by engaging your other senses. It has also been noted that the further you get away from your physical body, as in from a OBE, the clearer the view gets to be. Just don't ever think of your sleeping body on the bed. That's will always end a AP immediately.

 Hello Ahewam.

What you have described are known as "signosts". Signposts are the possible sensations that may or may not accompany an AP attempt. You could also see them as "fears tests" of a sort. It has been found that there is no faster heart rate recorded during a AP attempt or even deep mediation/trance.

You don't need vibrations to AP. You don't need signposts of any kind for that fact. They do seem to help in the beginning though by showing you that some progress has been made. Make sure to log these results in your AP journal.

The key to the AP process is to release your focus on your physical body. How you do that is up to you. "Noticing" is a great way to do it, so is visualizing.

Here's a link to some helpful exercises.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/the_doorway-t46013.0.html

It's interesting that you didn't see your physical body. If I recall correctly, this accords Frederick Aardema's view in Explorations in Consciousness, and contradicts what other authors like Robert Bruce say you should expect.

Congratulation Tomek

Rainbow_light, expect nothing, observe everything! 

So has anyone succesfully done this? Did you know about it? I have Heard from several sources that people have been able to do this, but they are rather rare.

Intent is intent. You can be "no body" as well. Yes, that's right, you can be just a simple point of consciousness.

I have become aware many times in my Dreams that I was someone else. Other times I will see myself from a 3rd person view, then soon I am right in the scene from a 1st person view. This happens more often then any other experience. Especially when I become aware in a Dream.

I have heard of this before, shapeshifting, some call it "soul sharing" or "body snatching". Some people try to go into other people's bodies too. But I have never intended on doing this myself. It would take a good measure of non physical control to achieve. I would say you would have to be quite experienced to do this. Szaxx probably has though, lol. It seems he has experienced almost everything that the Astral could throw at him in the many years he has been actively and consciously projecting.

It sounds like a fun experiment though! 

Thanks guys. So when you phase can you go down to real time and observe your body?

Sometimes it can start that way, but the scene normally changes. One second you can be looking at a tree here and the next you are speeding towards "destinations unknown". I never intend/try to see my physical body though. That is normally what knocks people out of their non physical focus. You don't ever want to focus back on your body, that's counterproductive, unless you are attempting to do some kind of healing. But with that, you normally just use a image of a form of a body and focus on your name.

Phasing bypasses the "need" to exit the physical body. Phasing is a shift in consciousness that can be performed almost instantaneously. But like Szaxx says, that comes with years of practice.

Thanks, Lamaza,

As for why...hadn't really thought that much about it beyond "the whole idea of exploring things outside of this physical reality seems really cool" until you asked.  The aforementioned, certainly, but I also like the idea of being able to "visit" people or places, say for example, family out of state (though of course it would be a one way visit, since they wouldn't know I'm there, plus, while I've read of people doing this, I've also read that the realtime zone is a copy of the physical, not actually the physical, so not sure how feasible it is to actually see what's going on in the physical).

I had asked that question so you could answer it to yourself!   

When I read the linked doorway thread, I had to smile when you mentioned people saying they can't visualize, because, well, that's me.  Ask me to close my eyes and visualize an apple, and I'll close my eyes and visualize...wait for it...my eyelids.  I dream though, so obviously I can visualize, because I do.  It's just the visualizing on demand that I've always had trouble with.  Back to my apple example, I can think about it in words, and describe its color, shape, texture, etc., but not actually "see" it.  Same with the other senses.  If I take a bite of this imaginary apple, I can describe the taste, but not actually "visualize" for lack of a better word, the taste.

Ok, so visualizing on demand is difficult for you. How about this, what did you do a half hour ago? Close your eyes and retrace your steps or better yet, close your eyes and see your refrigerator. What color is it. Try to open it with your "etheric" hands. What else is there? That's all visualizing. Close your eyes and think about this one. Where is your "happy place"? See it, feel it. You say you like to engage your other senses, well then engage them. What's the smell there, how does it feel? Immerse yourself in that scene. If it disappears, like it normally does, bring it back.

The exercises in the doorway thread seem interesting.  I wonder, if I practice the doorway exercise enough, if I will actually get beyond the point of thinking of adjectives that describe the door.   

They can't hurt, lol. Those exercises use simple geometric shapes and colors. They also use past, present and future experiences. There is a lot there if you just concentrate long enough on one of them that "something" unintentional will start to happen.

Lightbeam gave you some great tips there. Focusing on action scenarios is great way to AP. Use a sport or action that you are familiar with. Driving is a great one. Feel the action. You don't necessarily have to see it. You will see it eventually. One day the images will just appear and I'm sure that success will knock you right out of your focus, lol. It takes awhile to be able to "hold" one image. In the beginning I had a ton of bouncing, I think they call it "flitting" about. I couldn't hold on to just one thought. That's why I was told to relax and just observe. That counseling by my "guide"/deceased brother in-law was priceless.   

School taught you how to do things that you had never done before. You didn't know those things until you were taught them. Well, think of Astral Projection as a school of sorts. Everything in that school has a learning curve. Just wait until you finally do start projecting on a regular basis. You will see that my "school" analogy" is dead on. For now you will be going to a different school of sorts where you will be taught all kinds of things. Astral projection is cool at first. Well, actually your first visits there are normally quite scary, until you get past the "fear tests". But once you get past those fear scenarios you will be shown things you could never have imagined possible. Just remember thought = action in the "other realms/non physical realities (NPR), so you must learn to control those thoughts.

The whole point of any exercise when related to AP, is to learn how to get and maintain a strong NPR focus.

 First off, Congratulations on your first AP. Yes that was a real projection. You just got a sneak peak of what's yet to come. The screaming was likely a fear test and it worked, lol. We have all been there though.

My first conscious AP came after watching a video on staring at a Candle flame. I did what the guy did and soon I felt incredibly strong vibrations and I could swear a Helicopter was going to land on my roof. It was that loud. It scared the "beejeebus" out of me, lol. But, I couldn't wait to do it again. I was hooked.

Any way, I could ramble on for hours.  Has anyone else experience white noise or snow in their vision after they started APing?  Did it get better or worse?

Yes I do experience the same thing and after awhile you will get used to it. It comes and goes with me though. It's harmless. It's just a constant reminder that there really is more to this physical realm than we know. Just remember to say Thank You! 

U experience this? What is it exactly. Energy manipulation ?

I think it's energy period. I can see it too. But I don't wish to say anymore about that though. That's when people who aren't in the know begin to doubt my words and teachings in general anymore.

Is there s difference between phasing and projection or just different methods.

Phasing leads to projection.

Here is a example. Yesterday I was sitting at my computer. I looked out my window and saw approaching dark clouds. I closed my eyes and tried to reach out to them with my etheric hands. For some reason it felt like I was diving towards them. The visual I had, that I didn't intend on seeing, had my hands in the same "V' position that a person does while diving. I stayed with that and soon the scene just morphed into someone in front of me bouncing on a trampoline. I let my curiosity draw me even deeper and soon I felt the up and down motion that the person on the trampoline was experiencing. Soon that person was me. It was quite enjoyable.

So, in turn I used a imaginary intent, which led to a shift in my consciousness. There was no looking back or even thinking of my physical body at the time. I was completely engulfed in moment.

This happened really fast too. That's what happens when you keep up with daily practice. I "know" that it's ok to shift. I know there is no harm involved. Once you have this kind of knowing, you see that a projection is just a simple shift away.

Practice just "being" non physical. It doesn't take a lot of time. You could be sitting watching TV or at the computer and just simply close your eyes and reach out to your refrigerator, etc. handle with your etheric hand. Make it as real as you can. Once you can get the visual, try to get the feel of the handle. Exercises like that can be done any time. One of my favorites is using my etheric hand to reach out to a tree in my backyard, while sitting at the computer in my home. I feel the bark, then all of a sudden something shows up that I didn't intend on and I just watch as a full blown scene begins to arise.

Nowadays, many times when I just close my eyes I will see something already there. This took about 3-4 years of daily practice, patience and perseverance to achieve, but I believe everyone can get to this stage. That's if they really "allow" it to happen. To allow it, your conscious and subconscious must be on the same page. Daily practice helps you to align the two.

 This is just another of the exciting and sometimes bizarre abilities that come from an open awareness. At first it scared me, but then I learned to control it.