Messages

 This is a great conversation. Thank You for starting it Grumpy!   It is something that many of us have experienced or still are experiencing today.

I agree with Lightbeam's excellent explanation. In a NDE you have already abandoned or are still in the process of abandoning your "physical vessel" for good. Now you are in what they call in Buddhism the "Bardo" state. The state between. We see this evident by rituals that have been used in Funerals to "release" the soul, aka consciousness form this Earth. I used the word "ritual" there because some people, especially those of a religious upbringing, seem to be quick to attack the word or practice of "Magick". Magick is "the Science and Art of cause change to occur in conformity with will". The exact same thing applies to "Prayer" as well.

My point there was that because they appeared to be not coming back, they at the time would be what we call Ghosts. Because they are still on this Earthly plane, they could see and witness everything around them. A good friend of mine that was not likeminded with me at all had a profound NDE. He went on to have a few more before he finally transitioned for good. He told me about his experience living a lifetime as a part of a home. He said he was a 2x4 in the wall. But at night time he frequented the bars with some ladies. During the day though, he just watched the lives of the couple that owned the home. He felt he lived a lifetime during that experience.

Now back to the cards. One thing I find very difficult is reading in the NPR. I went through a series of NPR tests and challenges based on reading and things like that when I was first new to this practice. When you find yourself in the act of "noticing", which is a big part of Phasing, you will find very faint almost ghostly  fading in and out visuals/imagery will occur. When that does your mind will immediately kick in and attempt to fill in the blanks. Example of this: I see clearly the letters BLu on a door. In the past immediately my mind would kick in and try to fill in the blanks there. Nowadays though, I am just observing it while passively aware. If I need to see the whole word, it will reveal itself. If it all disappears, so be it. Soon there will be a more vivid visual that will reveal itself in entirety.

Lightbeam is also correct when she speaks of the many other dimensions and versions of ourselves.

l I spoke above about your mindset still being physically oriented. When I was first new to the practice of Phasing I went through a series of strange teachings that had to do with me learning the importance of disassociating myself from my physical self. This came through imagery such as seeing my etheric body being eaten "Pac Man" style. When I do a Phase soak session, I am kind of cramped in my bathtub. My body is much longer than it, so my neck is raised against one wall and my feet and legs climbing up the wall on the other side of the tub. After I do my healing Mantra, which normally takes a few minutes, I feel nothing at all. No body, just emptiness and vastness. I have talked to other members here that experienced very similar thing too. Once I learned how to disassociate my focus from my physical self, I began experiencing the NPR through the focus of a single point of consciousness. I experienced what it was like to be a wave on the water and a leaf on a tree, all kinds of unique things. This showed me there is "limit" to what you can do or see. The only limits seem to come when you attempt to explain things you see and do there to people that are only physically focused.

Now when I awaken in full SP or at the onset of a SP experience, my focus is on my physical body or what I perceive to be my physical body. I sense vibration. I hear the Astral Winds. The next thing I know, I feel my body rising. With me, it begins with my ankles. First I feel them being lifted. Then I feel my legs rising and many times the next thing I know, I am being dragged by my ankles quickly down my hallway, to my dining room and out my patio window. I have always questioned this because we have two large windows in our bedroom!   So yes, at that time I am still in a physical focus or mindset. I could easily stay around and explore whatever version of my bedroom I find myself in, but at that time, I am being whisked away to something that seems to be necessary or more pressing at that moment.

I have never really attempted to validate anything that happens in the "Otherwheres", although I know many people attempt to. I have had NP experiences that came true though. Today I still create my Crystal Amplifiers that were first shown to me in a NPR Art Museum. Years ago I had a NPR experience that helped us avert a bad situation that was going to occur in our Company. That was a saving Grace there.

I know some people that do "Retrievals" attempt to validate them as well. My first and only thought when I do a Retrieval is how to help the soul I am working with move on. I never think of "self" during them.

  Here lies the problem Grumpy! You are rolling out of body into what "seems" to be your immediate surroundings, yet, you are already in a NPR. The likeness of your room seems to be there, but if you look around you will find "reality fluctuations" that show you that you are in some kind of dimensional double of your real physical surroundings. Hence, you are in the RTZ (real time zone) already.

I know that may be hard to swallow. So, you need to investigate that on our own. Go explore the surroundings you find yourself in. You will soon see what I mean.

Right now you are using the "roll out technique" for OBEs. Almost always, that technique will lead to a RTZ experience. Why, you may ask? Because it is still a technique that uses a focus on a "body", whether that body be your physical body or your "etheric" one.

When you Phase, your first focus is anything that is not involving your physical form,. Those techniques revolve around counting, visualizing, there are all kinds of ways to do it.

Also, the fact that you have placed your intent and desire to have a RTZ experiences is coming through due to your "expectations" of that fact.

Next time this occurs, explore the area you find yourself in. Ground yourself to that scene to prolong the experience. There is normally some kind of teaching to be found there, otherwise you wouldn't have found yourself there in the first place. Allow the scenario to manifest as "it" wishes, not how you do. Take a back seat at first and become aware of your surroundings. For some reason people say you should get a distance away form your physical body. I find though that that could be because you would still be tempted to look back at our physical self, which normally ends the experience then and there.

You are doing great though. Keep it up! I can see you are learning on the go. That seems to be the way of the NPR!  

The only thing I can pinpoint is that I had clearly verbalized my *intention* for the past week-ish. I did the affirmation as much as possible. 30 mins a day, 60 mins a day, that sort of thing. By gum, I think it worked! I was skeptical that something so simple could be effective, but I'm pretty convinced by now.

You would be correct in your assumption here. Everything in this practice here and in life in general revolves around a "focused will and intent. Ask and you will receive, kind of!  You will get "something". It's not always exactly the way you expect it to be though!

Maybe one day there will be a cure for us. Until then, I just plod along and still hope that at some point I can use AP to figure out how to heal myself, so I can truly live again. Then maybe I can help the rest of my fellow patients. That's my dream!

Perhaps you don't really want to heal. To do that means the term "Wounded Healer", wouldn't apply to you anymore. Not just apply to you but being healed might take you away from your current path that you have found yourself on. I see that if I wouldn't have went through what I did earlier in my life and what I am now today, that I wouldn't be on the path I am today either. Just saying! It's something to think about though!  

I have found that many of the negatives in our lives sooner or later begin to show their positive sides!  

haha, don t get me wrong Nameless and Lumaza, I LOVE food! I go purposely to county and state fairs to pig out on deep fried candy bars lol and other things, but I reward myself with these treats ONLY once every month or two and just for a weekend at a time. So, that keeps me happy and something to look forward to. The rest of the time I eat super healthy and that makes me happy as well, because it makes me feel pain free and vital.

LOL! Like MJ here always says, "everything in moderation"! 

All of these are good!, but I won't be greedy and put you to work copy/pasting. 

It will be good to have someone save myself posting experiences. I wonder if there are fewer people popping out than there were a decade ago when things were booming.

What do you think?

Yes, there definitely is. But I find the people that stuck with it have moved up a few levels on the "NPR Totem Pole"!  The experiences can be so intense, but also "rewarding"!

Hey LightBeam, no picken on the fried chicken. LOL That's our state bird you know.
Just kidding, I rarely eat fried foods and I'm from the south! Go figure. (laughing)

LOL!  

Our State Fair here in Minnesota is based on "Fried Foods". If it can be deep fried you will find it there. I have seen "deep fried pickles" and last year the new thing was "deep fried Macaroni and Cheese/Spaghetti" on a stick and "deep fried Snicker Bars" on a stick. Minnesota State Fair likes to keep everything on stick!  

Just stay away from fried chicken lol. Working in medical research, we always have to read stats on every new indication we test new meds for. Stats on areas where diseases are more prevalent. Guess where in the US are the unhealthiest people. The south where everything is deep fried.

That's the one thing you won't find at our home. No deep frying at all, lol! 

Thanks for kudos on the latest article..   they write themselves more than ever now-a-days.

Your welcome!  That praise was deserved! 

I know what you mean about them writing themselves. It seems nowadays all we need to do is close our eyes and something just seems to be there. The sense of "knowing" is incredibly strong as well. I think that comes from finally unpackaging many of those subconscious transmissions that we seem to be experiencing. Not all of them are "subconscious" though. I prefer the consciously aware ones, like the ones I get while in my Phase soak sessions. But I stay open to learning and understanding more in any way that "They" seem to choose fit. As you already know "They" could be singular in nature or a collective thought stream. I also use the word "They" to title the system of "structure" that is found in the "Otherwheres".

Hi GrumpyRabbit - Lumaza . .

The thing I found in the beginning is that the conscious mind is inherently intertwined with the physical body. So as we are consciously going out, a greater quantity and quality of information and energy is likewise coming into the physical system. Greater quantities and qualities of information and energy are being processed through the physical system. This often, in my own case led to the need to drink a good deal more water than usual. It led to effortless alterations in the diet *I quit eating meat without even realizing it until years later as an example. During the phase ( years ) of awakening into the greater states, of steady, regular OBEs / APs, rest is certainly critical because integration of experiences is critical. I am someone who already rested a lot, who enjoyed ample awareness of the inner fields and synched in with them without debate. But - yes - I can see how one who is generally active and engaged in the physical field to a greater degree, who limits time spent in the non-physical or otherwise in states of rest and relaxation....will get pulled in - more.

There is so much that does happen. I wrote this some time ago :

Transfer Value Effects of the OBE on Physical Reality

♥︎

Thank You for your informative reply here and joining in the conversation here. I had read that linked blog of yours already in the past and do agree with what you said in it. I particularly enjoyed this new blog of yours. It answers the question why so many people have problems with this practice in general.
https://consciousnessexploration.com/2019/12/11/the-central-nervous-system-your-back-body-guard/

I also find myself quite thirsty after my Phase soak sessions. Thirsty and hungry. I usually will have some kind of healthy snack then.

We eat a lot of chicken here. We basically gave up the red meat years ago. Salads, chicken and potatoes are on the menu quite a bit here. Once in awhile MJ will make a few burgers, but that doesn't happen often. Living in Minnesota here as we do, we eat a lot of fish as well. Fresh fish, can't beat that!  

This may have been discussed elsewhere, but I'm wondering if many of you find that APing is seriously draining. Since starting to AP regularly a month ago, I've been going through a hypersomnia phase. Last night I "slept" 15 hours! And a lot of that was in and out twilight lucid dreaming that didn't quite feel like deep, restful sleep.

I do have a chronic illness, but normally I'm on the side of waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep. So this pattern is unusual for me. Does APing affect anyone else like this? And if so, is it a phase that will pass, or is it always like this? Recommendations to "deal" with it?

I hate being the only one answering your questions here!   There are other members here. They are just busy doing other things at the moment. I have and do still experience what you asked about, so I will answer this to the best of my own knowledge, based on my own experiences.

Yes, I find that at time I am depleted after a NPR experience. I have had LDs that many times would set my mood for the entire day, sometimes the entire week.

When I finish a Phase session, I now have to give myself some time to re acclimate myself to my physical body. I have gotten up to fast from the tub, just to find that I was dizzy or woozy. I see this happening because of the shift in brain wave activity. Meditation/APing/Phasing has a lot to do with lowering the brainwave frequency, bordering on the state of sleep. I have found that a constant almost daily practice does actually give you the ability to not only switch the frequency on demand, but also hold the state for lengthy periods of time.

I also find times during the day where I just need to lie down and relax. When that happens, I do. Recommendations to deal with it? Get used to it. Let it become your new normal.

I have had to get used to other things that I found to be a problem where this practice was concerned. One would be when I went to go to sleep at night. I would close my eyes and automatically "noticing" would kick in. Some nights it took me hours to fall unconsciously asleep. This did though have a silver lining because it also taught me Tibetan Dream Yoga. I have Trigeminal Neuralgia too, so that aided the Tibetan Dream Yoga teachings as well. There were nights where I had to hold onto the left side of my face as I attempted to go to sleep. The spasms can get that bad at times!

Thank you for your reply Grumpy!   You certainly don't seem like a "GrumpyRabbit" to me, lol. If that's a Shamanistic nickname, you will have to tell us the story  behind it!  

Lumaza, I'm so sorry to hear about your wife and your friend. On what level do you think they have "blocked" that healing? Do you have any idea of how to help them unblock it? What do you mean by "stasis"?

Thank you for your kind words! I think it is on the level of their "higher self". I have no idea how to "unblock" this. But as I said, I have ways to work around it. Possibly that's where the lesson was!   The "stasis" that was meant was that she wasn't moving forward or backward. She wasn't healing, but she also wasn't getting any worse either.

Part of shamanism is understanding that that shaman is not the one with the healing powers. The shaman is just the conduit. It's the guides that have the ability to heal, and the guides work through the shaman. That's part of why we say that no one can just decide to be or call themselves a shaman. The guides decide when you're ready, and the community will begin to call you a shaman when they see you getting results. Another note (and I want to add that I speak for absolutely no indigenous communities at all!) is the element of trust with the guides, that nothing will be released or brought up that cannot be processed in the session by the client, and always asking the guides for whatever healing the client needs most today. So that's trusting and relying on the wisdom of the guides to direct the shaman to do what is needed in that moment. And it may not be what the client wants most in that moment. For soul retrieval specifically (reclaiming lost soul parts/bits of vital essence for a living client), some "results" may be seen as regaining some aspect of physical health, for sure. Or, it may be something more subtle. Feeling more like oneself, feeling more grounded or centered, colors seeming more vivid, feeling more at peace. It may be that other people, like friends/family, notice a change in you, that you don't even see yourself! It may be an emotional release, memories coming back, feeling the need to release old maladaptive patterns - sort of a mental/emotional or even interpersonal or occupational "spring cleaning." All these things can be signs that some healing has taken place on some level.

Unfortunately I didn't find that teaching about the Healer just being a "conduit" until much later in my life. By that time, I had absorbed many people's pain into my own being. I didn't have the discipline or knowledge of a Shaman. No one taught me how to do it.  I just had the ability naturally. I found out years later that my Father did as well. Yet, he saw it as a curse. I saw it as a "blessing".

Now I realize that I am just the conduit. I realized that about 10 years ago. But by that time, I was the one in need of healing. Like you said, I was the "wounded healer" and still am today. I have learned quite a bit since then. For the longest time I was a practitioner of Magick. Then it all hit me that all of this has to do with the same thing. All of these "disciplines", whether they be Buddhism, etc., all cycle around a focused will and intent. Prayer included. The stronger your intent is the more likely you are to manifest your desired action.

Here lies the problem. Some people have decided to move on. Some people achieved what they came to do or didn't achieve the goals they set out to before they incarnated into this physical form they now find themselves in. I see people praying all the time for loved ones. But many of those people don't realize the pain and suffering that their loved one is going through, whether that pain is physical, mental or even spiritual. Yet, because the suffering person is part of their life, they don't want to let go. I see that as being "selfish". I know my views aren't accepted by most. But sometimes we need to let go.

So yes, when I speak about their being some kind of "structure" in the NPR, I do it because this is what many others and myself have seen. Many people have come to this conclusion based on their own NP experiences. In other words, there seems to be do's and don'ts. Once big "don't" is that you don't force anything upon anyone.

I do understand what you mean though, that healing occurs on all levels. I have seen that as well. Not all of the people I have "healed"/helped" in the past had physical ailments. I have been involved in all kinds of things, Suicides, sudden deaths, spousal abuse, etc.

Like I said though, I didn't come at it from the mindset or viewpoint of a Shaman. I didn't use "Spirit Guides/Animal Guides" etc,. I just did what came natural to me and I still do that today. In the past I was invited by different interest groups to become a part of them. Most of them were during my time with Magick and I received invites from Groves, Covens, etc. It was just like the study of Magick itself. I always wanted to remain "Eclectic". Yet, with many of these groups it was their way or no way at all. I would read and study what they had to say, but then I would find something that didn't sound or "feel" right to me. When I did, I moved on.

We had a dog years ago named Boots. Unfortunately she got Lyme disease and suffered from it. There was a time in the winter that Boots went in the woods, the snow was deep, so she couldn't see the barb wire fence. She walked over, got snagged and tore her stomach badly on it. It was a life or death situation. We got her help, but it was still a might not make it to morning moment. I nursed her back to health as any dog lover would. A few years later she was succumbing to the Lyme disease. She went out into the woods to die. I found her and stayed with her there. I put all my intent on healing her and when I closed my eyes I saw in the NP, two dogs encircling her and me. One was a little yippie dog that wouldn't stop yipping. the other was a large dog and he was not happy at all. I knew then and there that I needed to go and let her be alone to die. I did and we buried her the next day. I guess those two NP dogs were her own guides. They knew it was her time to go and weren't going to let me change that, even if I could. So, I have met "Guides" per se. IO don't actively work with them though unless they initiate the contact. The same goes with my own Guides. I know they are there. I speak with them, but haven't necessarily seen them.

Do any of you know anyone who was sick like me, and nothing helped, and they they learned now to astral project, and finally managed to heal themselves while out of body?

Like I said, you are talking with one now! This is healing to me. Healing is helping others. Helping others is healing!

Funnily, in all my adventures so far, if you've read them above, not once have I asked for personal healing! I have only asked about my mission, and then ultimately, to be taught *how* to heal so I can help others. Maybe I just should get on with it and put the question of my own healing to them directly.

I think you already have. You came to this Forum. That's a good start!  

 GrumpyRabbit, I know these words won't make sense to you right now and I really wanted to get a conversation going with you on what the Shaman thinks about this. I have worked with healing people for years. Right now my wife, the Love of my life and a very good friend both have "blocked" that healing. In the physical they are fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. I was told though, rather directly, that my wife was in stasis. I was told that a few years back when I saw the signs of her Cancer worsening. For a time, I even found that I wasn't "permitted" to have a OBE/AP, solely because "they" knew that I was going to do everything in my power to help her. She has now had the terminal Cancer going on 6 years now and the Doctors can't figure out why she is still alive. Her form of Cancer is supposed to be very aggressive. When she was diagnosed, they gave her less than a year to live and that was with Chemo. She didn't do the Chemo or any treatments at all. I was told many times, because I am stubborn, that it wasn't my decision to make.

Who "They" seem to be is another question for another time. I very rarely see a Being. It seems more like a telepathic "knowing".

Every day I add her and my good friend to my "Healing mantra/modality". When I focus on them, I can't even see or visualize them at all. I have no problem visualizing. That is a strong part of my Phase technique. Yet, I can't visualize either of them. My imagery always gets "hi jacked" to something else. So, what I do now is I summon forth the golden Temple of Healing and invite them inside of it.

I hear how the Shaman are successful with their healings. But what happens when their Higher Self/Spirit decides against it? How does the Shaman help there? Giving/sending them "strength" is important, but that doesn't necessarily heal the ailment.

As Lightbeam pointed out, we have discussed this here on the Pulse a few times now. We never came to a conclusions on it, other than the fact that the "Higher Self/Spirit has the last say!  

I read through this thread with interest. What you guys are describing and call "retrievals" we in the shaman world call it psychopomp work - helping people cross over after they die. What we call "soul retrievals" is bringing back lost soul parts for people who are still alive! Thank you for these descriptions =)

I was curious about what you were going to say when or if you read this thread. Once again, similarities! 

I miss having a bathtub so much. ( nice )

Mine is a 5ft standard one that you find in older homes. I am 6'2, but I make it work, lol! 

Thankfully you can buy air pillows and cushioned back mats, otherwise getting comfortable and staying comfortable for in it for lengthy periods of time would be pout of the question. I still have to readjust once in awhile, but then I just return my focus back to where it was. I find it very easy to re-attain that focus once again. I do also find that afterwards that I have to give some time to reacclimate myself once again to my physical body. That shows me that there is indeed a noticeable change in mental frequency/brainwaves occurring during my sessions.

Yes, I love Michael Harner! One of the authors I recommended. His book _The Way of the Shaman_ is a true classic. I remember watching this video a couple years ago a few months after I began journeying. I will be curious what you experience using drumming. Some shamans also dance and/or use rattles.

I really enjoyed it as well. I love the passion that all in the video transmit! 

The funny thing, tho, is that when I started projecting a few weeks ago, I *expected* that I would see my regular crew of guides. Anything I expected, didn't happen. So at least I know that my "expectations" didn't influence what I saw! I appreciate the link you posted to the discussion of tests and challenges. I'm really stumped so far to understand what's happening in my astral projections. I have very clear intentions and questions, and I just don't see what's so hard about giving me some straight answers!

Many of us here have the problems understanding why there is no simple yes or no answers. Yet, it seems to be the way of the NPR. So, we take what is given to us. Your questions will be answered in some way, shape or form, but a simple "yes or no" doesn't seem to be the way. I find my answers come through the tests, quests and challenges I incur. Case in point a few days ago a good friend asked for healing. I saw a outline of a body and saw that I should see it strong. Immediately though, a series of "etheric body movements" began to occur and I just knew then and there that this was something my friend needed to do. The one thing the NPR does give you is a very strong sense of "knowing".

On that note, is there anywhere in this forum where people can post transcripts of their AP experiences (I type everything out in a Google Doc) to get feedback/analysis from others? Maybe some of you, who have been doing this for a long time, will recognize certain things. Like, Oh, what's happening here is XYZ. They're trying to teach ABC, etc. I'm still so new to the forum I haven't totally gotten the lay of the land, yet. Since I have only had ~7 APs over the past month, my Google Doc of those adventures isn't too long, yet! Not overwhelming reading =)

But if so, I'd be grateful for any insight, just let me know where it would be appropriate to put it. Thank you! Altho I've only been "here" for a short time, I'm quite happy with how kind and welcoming people are being!

You can make a personal thread in this section here. I would love to read your adventures. I am lax on posting my own for a few reasons. One being I really do hate to type!  Another being, I find that other people seem to expect that they will have similar experiences and as I have seen, that doesn't seem to be the case!  When they don't, they seem to get discouraged!
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_projection_experiences-b24.0/

 After watching that video again and refreshing my mind on what it was saying I see why there is a difference. It's all based on "mindset" and yes expectation. The Shaman way of teaching is based on the "Spirit" and the "Soul". You hear terms like Spirit Helpers, Spirit Animals and Spirit Teachers. Robert Monroe came from the mindset of what he knew best and that was "frequency". Dr. Stanislov Grof uses "Holitropic Breathwork". Each of these Teachers have their own system of achieving the same thing. The thing is though, the Shaman way has more of a "lead in" as kind of setting the stage for what you will experience. The other teachers, Monroe, Grof, Buhlman, even my own techniques will lead you to your "Doorway", but don't create expectations on what you will see or experience once you get there.

I often say, I will help you get "there", but what you see is up to you and your higher self, Others, etc. I have had people PMing me in the past that said they didn't care for my techniques because they seem  "devoid" of Spirit or more of a Spiritual focus. You can do any kind of preparative "ritual" that you wish. Some burn candles, some use Mantras. I personally have rituals that I use every time I do a Phase session. The first being most of the times my sessions are done in water. Then I have a Healing Mantra that focuses on the Elements. That Mantra is more of a mental spoken thing, but also includes visual representation or imagery that corresponds to the proper Element/Elemental. That's the way I "prime the pump" for a non local state of being. Then I just leave myself open to what I need to see or learn. I normally don't have a certain intent other than that.

For the next few weeks though I am going to do a session on my lazy boy using solely Shamanic Drumming to achieve my trance state. You really got my curiosity peaked on how it will differ from my usual Phase sessions. My ritual will also be of a Shamanic nature using more a focus on the Spiritual aspects of all of this. I will use a mantra that aligns with a Shamanic Prayer as well. I love to explore new things and new frontiers!  

Thank you for joining our Forum here and for replying in this thread. I look forward to some of your own teachings!   I know that DarknChildlike and others here will appreciate your knowledge as well.  

Thank you, Lumaza, I think that "phasing" might be how some shamans access non-ordinary reality. I hope you're right about encountering similar teachings, etc., during AP as with journeying. I'm quite stumped so far, because nothing is the same! Completely different locations, "guides," and methods of communication. I thought for sure, when I lifted up out of my physical body for the first time a few weeks ago (well, technically I did it once quasi-accidentally in high school, but not since), and I said/thought, Take me to my spirit guides! The helpful invisible hands came and carried me off, but I saw nothing and no one familiar. A real head-scratcher.

It takes more than a few experiences to gain a level of control while Phasing or having a OBE. The first thing we have to do is to lose our expectations and just take what is "given or shown" to us for now. I think that is where people get frustrated with all of this. They read about someone's exciting adventure and expect to have one like it right off the get go. What I am many other here have found is you seem to get a few "byes". I call these "sneak peeks". After that, you need to work for them.

My OBEs normally lead to RTZ experiences. My Phase sessions have no limitations. Both lead to different experiences per se. But in the end, they are both NPR experiences.

There does seem to be some kind of systematic way of teaching in the lessons we are shown. I talked about the hurdles in my post above. I see the NPR to be filled with tests, quests and challenges, just as this "physical school here is". I created a thread here years ago with that title and a explanation of it as well.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/tests_quests_and_challenges-t46546.0.html

I also wanted to respond on your comment to Nameless about you having the problem having your mind wander or that you experience daydreaming while just listening to something of a auditory nature. That's kind of what you want. i have created techniques to keep the "monkey mind" busy. While using them, you are supposed to "drift away". The further and quicker you release your physical focus, the faster you will find yourself in a NP one.
You can find more about that in this thread here. I have fine tuned a techniques that works great for myself. I share many techniques there to help people be able to find something that works for them as well. My Doorway technique started with a focus on simple geometric shapes and colors. They led to imagery that was created by the mind associating things that correspond to those simple shapes, forms and colors. After a while I added some "etheric tactile" exercises to stimulate motion into the process. No technique is written in stone. They are all just "blueprints" and can be altered or tailored to whatever the person using them needs to be. That normally comes through practice and personal exploration though.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/the_doorway-t46013.0.html

The Shaman creates a "walk through" of sorts that leads many times to a guided Journey. Anyone can create their own walk through. They just need to experiment and explore things for themselves.  But and this is where the real teachings begin, you will find that you will be challenged to come up with new things to lead you deeper. A technique that worked today will soon no longer work tomorrow. That in itself keeps always keeps you on your toes.

There are many "self hypnosis" techniques and walk throughs that lead to trance as well. Once again though, they share similar traits to those of Phasing.                        

Edit: Here is one of my favorite videos pertaining to the Shaman and a Shamanistic way of being:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&v=JNloOTQoRzA&feature=emb_logo

Hi everyone. I'm new here,

Welcome GrumpyRabbit!  

I've been going on shamanic journeys for the past 1.5 years, approximately. I started off by going to a guided group meditation on the winter solstice, and the experience was profound but unnerving. I wanted to look more into it, so found a local shamanic practitioner who teaches. I've been working on it ever since, and am currently in the healer's practicum (e.g., doing soul retrievals, power animal retrievals, that sort of thing).

Awesome! I have met some Shaman in my Ren Faire through the years. One I got to know as a friend used to make a point to stop by a talk to my better half and I every year. He and his wife volunteered every year sharing great stories of their culture. He was very well spoken and according to members of his entourage/Tribe, he was highly respected in his community. Although the time we spent talking was brief, it had a lasting impression on me!  

Just this month, I started astral projecting (I did it once in high school, but dismissed the experience). I wondered if I would encounter the same guides that I do while journeying, but it's completely different. There doesn't seem to be any overlap, so I'm really wondering about this. The OBEs are accompanied by things that will be familiar to you all - vibrations, feeling parts of my "body" lift/float up, the invisible "helping hands" carrying me where I want to go, or sometimes shooting straight up and out like I'm blasting through a wormhole. When I'm out, it seems like I'm seeing, hearing, and physically feeling things like I normally would, if not a little weird/distorted/unusual!

But shamanic journeying is very different for me. There's no vibrations or "leaving" my body, although the entire idea of shamanism is that you enter non-ordinary reality - the 'walkers between the worlds'. I use drumming (sometimes it's been live, but when I'm home by myself I use a recording through headphones). And it feels like regular visualization, but the kind where things seem to "pop into" my mind's eye, rather than me consciously driving a narrative/daydream, if that makes sense. Like, Where did that come from in my mind's eye? Where did that idea come from? Why am I "imagining" that? My very long "early period" of experiences were very classic shamanic initiation journeys: dismemberment, being burned alive, being cannibalized, being ripped apart, being put back together/rebuild, etc. I knew nothing about shamanism when I started, and didn't read up about it. These were just the things I saw in my head when I journeyed, so there's really very little way I could have come up with that content "on my own" since I had no idea that's what indicates "initiation" in shamanism! It was the practitioner I was learning from who had to interpret them for me and say, Hey, you're experiencing an initiation. You're being initiated *as* a shaman! I had no idea.

In my personal experience and what I see, Phasing sounds like the same thing as a "Vision Quest" or "Journeying". A Shaman will use Drumming, which achieves the same goal  as the use of Binaural Beats/Isochronic tones do, to shut down the left brain, to get you seeing with your "Mind's Eye". The use of Aya/DMT, Mushrooms and other mind altering substances work to achieve same goal as well. Here is a full definition of Phasing. It's basically a shift from "here" to "there", without all the bells and whistles, aka exit symptoms.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_the_astral_faq/what_is_phasing_and_how_can_i_do_it-t17413.0.html

A classic OBE differs in these respects. Almost all of my OBEs came as the result of spontaneous SP (Sleep Paralysis} experiences. Like many others, during my first 100% consciously aware experience, I encountered what is known as the Dweller of the Threshold". How popular is this phenom? Popular enough to be given the name "Dweller of the Threshold"! In other words, it was a fear test. The Shaman knows full well that almost everyone on their initial "Vision Quest" or "Journey" is going to come face to face with their worst fears. That's why they are present there, so they can talk the person through the experience.  We can call the fear test the first hurdle. After a few Quests the experiences seem to be about breaking down or taming the "Ego", the I. The same thing is experienced in Astral Projection. You will find a similar pattern to the teachings you receive via the NPR (Non Physical Realities/Realms), otherwise know as the "Otherwhere", as Kurt Leland calls it. Szaxx, a Moderator here, shared a article in the past with a man that called it "Etheria". Both names are fitting here.

OBEs seem to also lead to more of a RTZ (Real Time Zone), almost physical experience. Why? Because the mindset is still stuck on the physical. They still find the need to walk to move. They still see things as solids. In other words, they are still "limited" according to their beliefs. Many people report Demons or Demonic beings during their SP episodes. Why? Because they find themselves unable to move, in paralysis and now their mind goes into panic mode and creates the scariest thing imaginable. At that time, thought = action instantaneously. So their first thought of the Demonic being manifests right then and there. I have personally found that when you become aware in SP, you seem to be in a ultra heightened sense of awareness. It doesn't matter if you are exiting or re-entering the body. Yes that's right, you can have SP upon re-entering the body from a unconscious OBE that you just had. When that happens you seem to be aware that you just had some kind of profound experience, yet lack any recall of it. Then you find instead of the vibrations and Astral winds growing, they seem to be diminishing.

I have had a few Phase sessions in the past that turned into a full OBE. They are very rare though. Normally they occur with me while doing some kind "Etheric" body exercise.

Once they learn to passively observe while in SP and see it through, they will find a unique and educational adventure awaiting them. But first they must learn to confront and jump those hurdles.

Good Luck and Safe Travels or should I say "Happy Journeying"!  

I got to explore the blackness a little more... mostly I just was tired of fearing it so when I next saw it I just started walking down the street into the dark.  What I saw in the darkness was that it got darker but at the same time it came with a great clarity that it was Empty because it needed to be so clear. The darkness was dark not because of evil or negative emotion ... it was dark because reality was so clear and  sane.

That 3D darkness has teachings as well. I love just basking in it. It's so peaceful and tranquil. A great place to ponder and many times your ponderings will be answered in some way, shape or form.

You need to rid yourself of the brainwashing throughout your life that the "darkness" is evil.

 Today's Phase soak began as usual. I got into the bathtub. Got comfortable. Closed my eyes and did my healing Mantra . I then made the intent to see the "spinning top toy" that I often use as a imaged focus target. I replied to another member here today about this target of focus that I often used. So, I decided to use it today.

Like usual the spinning top began to fade in and out. At first being just the outline of the top and soon moving into a full visual. At least enough that i could see it spinning. Then it began morphing into different things in what seemed like 5 second intervals. I stayed aware and went through at least 20 new morphed targets. It was like "Morph-a-mania", lol. Some of the things were extremely vivid, others took on more of a ghostly appearance.

The thought then came to my mind about how we see "ghosts" here in the physical. Sometimes  you see a outline, other times it's a vivid human form with clothes and all. That made me think about how we might be visually appearing in other dimensions as well when we have APs/OBEs, even LDs.

That thought immediately triggered some kind of teaching on levels of awareness. There are so many. At first you may see a outline or very fuzzy, fading in and out form. Then the visual gets stronger and now you can make out more the target. The target then seems to become second nature to a actual environment that is beginning to come into view. Next it moves into a full scene. The next levels of awareness are hard to describe. They are extremely vivid, but your "viewing screen" seems to have changed into "sensurround"/360 degree vision. You no longer need to turn your head to see, everything is just there. When the visual became vivid for the first time, you likely experienced your Peripheral vision" widening as well. When everything goes into sensurround mode, it is so surreal and extremely hard to maintain the state you find yourself. This doesn't happen to me all the time, but when it does, I can normally only hold it for a few minutes before I have to abort. It seems like it gets so strong that it puts my mind into "tilt". It's akin to when you get a strong "download" and it's so overpowering that it forces a "click out".

I haven't read any threads here that talked about that aspect of Phasing. After experiencing it I can see why though. Words fail you when you go to explain it.

I posted here today because the "Morph-a-mania thing was so bizarre. It was really hard to hold my focus on just passively observing it all. I knew the second part though, the part about "levels of awareness" was meant to be a teaching moment, so I am here sharing it with you all now.

Thanks, Lumaza. Sounds like I'm on the right path. I am a "rule follower" and like Nameless said, I feel like I need to do "every thing just so" and imagine that if I do, it will all start falling into place. I guess our experiences can be as unique as we are. Your shower experience, for example--I've never heard anything like that before. I'm sure there are so many wild experiences people go through as they make their way into this new and fascinating NP world.

Your welcome, like we said, you are doing fine! 

I'm also journaling my dreams which is helping me remember more of them.

Journaling is a great idea. So is using affirmations before you close your eyes to go to sleep. Use affirmations that are "already done or happening", like "I am consciously aware in my sleep, knowing I am sleeping. I remember my experiences when I awaken for the day". You will find that repeated use of nightly affirmations will lead to repeated LDs and OBEs.

Night before last, I did my usual practice but this time I chose to create an image in my mind (flying over the ocean...one of my favs) and try to... is it called WILD? Anyway, I went straight into a lucid dream flying over the ocean. Ah! Just loved it...but short lived. I fell into a dream, still pretty vivid but forgot I was dreaming. But get this... (so I'm in my bed asleep) I dreamed that I was chatting with a friend and said, "Let's go back to sleep...I'm gonna try to AP." I fall asleep on the couch and then AP and walk about the house. Then my AP turns into a dream and then I wake up (in my dream). And then I wake up for real. LOL So, while in bed sleeping, I dreamed that I fell asleep on the couch, APd and then dreamed and then woke up. Hope that's not too confusing. The whole thing reminded me of the movie, Inception (I assume you know it) which was what I had talked about the day before this dream within a dream thingie. Strong subconscious. Sheesh.

That sounds like a LD that turned into a "false awakening", then back into a LD again. Those really catch you off guard, lol!

Speaking of the movie Inception, I began to use the same focus target that Leonardo used, his "spinning top toy". I use it as a focus in my Phase sessions though. I will imagine it and hold that imagery, then just observe as it morphs into something else. When it does, I continue to passively observe it with a air of curiosity. Soon a whole vivid scenario will begin to appear. I observe that until I am now fully immersed in the scene, then I react. I use the focus of a simple candle flame in the same way. Motion based sports work great as well. I find the target needs to be something that has motion.

 I saw it as well. It was a rerun, but still a great episode. I really liked how they showed the "disillusion" on the faces of the three Astronauts during their public interview after they landed. I'm sure their private briefing was of a whole different nature!  What they didn't say spoke volumes!

  Here are my answers based on my own personal experiences.

Question 1: Yes you can. It all has to do with your level of awareness. During any of those scenarios you are already in a "non physical state of being", so all you need to do is change your intent. I used to try to control everything. After awhile I learned to go with the flow. If I found myself in a lucid scenario, I would just explore this and see  it through. There is always a meaning/message or teaching behind it. If there wasn't, why did I end up there in the first place?

Question 2: Yes. There are many levels of awareness. Grounding yourself to the scenario at hand and opening your peripheral vision in it will help you greatly here. William Buhlman teaches the use of the command "Clarity NOW". I find that works quite good as well! 

Question 3: Do what got you there in the first place. Like they say "if it ain't broken, don't fix it"!

Question 4: What are you doing wrong, nothing. You just need to change your mindset on this. Remember, you naturally have a "non physical experience" every night. We call it "Dreaming". But what I have found, it is so much more. The trick is to hold your conscious awareness in the scenario at hand without "clicking out" and losing the conscious memory of it all. It's a true "balancing act".

Question 5: Yes, I have listened to most of Tom's many, many interviews. Sometimes it can take him half an hour to answer 3 questions!  He is very deep and thorough. But look who his audience is. He has to keep his talks to something explainable, even though he is speaking of a zone that can only be understood upon entering it oneself.
Years ago I sent a email to Tom. I was having a very strange occurrence. I was in my shower shampooing my hair, closed my eyes to avoid shampoo burn and saw very vividly that I was teetering at he edge of a raging waterfall. Vertigo immediately kicked in and I began to fall. Luckily I managed to grab my shower curtain as I was falling and it saved me. The next time it occurred, it was once again in the shower, I closed my eyes to avoid shampoo burn and saw I was dead center in the middle of busy street. Nobody noticed me, but I seriously felt my "nakedness'.
Tom's reply to my email was that I had reached a new level of teaching and that the shift is just a simple thought away. We just need to get out of it's way.

I second Nameless's final statement "You are doing fine"! 

Oh no, I just checked. I think he will come back. He just needs to take some break from people that are attacking him. Some of them are calling him satan and that his gift is from the devil LOL.

Sounds like "Social Media" sharing it's love again!  So sad, so sad!