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Hi

I've been lurking for a while, grateful for the many wise and useful posts on this forum.  I had an experience today that is pushing me to finally take the plunge and create a post.

I'm hoping somebody will take an interest in my experience and shed some light on how I can progress.

First, a little background:  I am interested in becoming consistent and proficient in OBEs.  I have an eclectic approach, drawing from disciplines I've studied over the years.  I mostly use Monroe CDs to anchor focus states.  I've gotten pretty good at quickly getting into F10 & F12 on my own, though I suspect I need to go deeper into the trance.  I suspect this because I usually have my best results after slightly emerging from being unaware ("asleep").  When I regain conscious awareness, I evoke the vibes, usually (but not always) by 'squeezing' my astral body.  That is typically where my experience finds its limit.  I'm working my way through Bruce's Treatise, and just this evening read about the ribbon.  I am excited to use it, as I was having difficulty with his previous method of moving my awareness in front of me.

So today, after going into the trance state for a while, then going unconscious, I regained conscious awareness and felt like I was loose but within my physical body.  I squeezed and immediately the vibes came on full body.  They were different this time; instead of the usual 'purring' vibes, they felt and sounded like a single engine propeller plane.  I even 'saw' the propeller before me (physical eyes closed).  After trying several methods of getting out, unsuccessfully, I reached out with my left arm and it immediately went out.  I remained calm.  I got my top half out from the torso up.  I ended up spinning around, attached to the physical at my midsection.  I did not become dizzy, though it was a bit disorienting.  The experience was also energizing to a great degree.

I would be grateful for your thoughts on this experience and how I can progress.

quebec,

My experience with the CDs has been inline with the general concensus regarding them.  That is, consistent usage will cause your brain to form a permanent bridge between the left and right hemispheres (via the corpus colossum).  I can feel this neural pathway now anytime I tune into that area, and sometimes spontaneously.  I don't know about the 'permanent' part yet, but I can say it is persistant.

I practice phasing every day, though I do not always use the CDs.  In the beginning I did use them every day (this is necessary to build the bridge).  As I posted before, I use them now when I want to deepen or need to re-stabilize F10 and/or F12.  Though I have days where I'm more responsive to the CDs than others, they always have an impact.  However, I recall that in my early work with the CDs I would frequently wonder if anything was happening.  I stayed with them, because I trusted Bob Monroe.  And I'm glad I did.  By incorporating them into my practice I began to project on a regular basis.  This was years ago (when they first came out with the CDs).  Then my father did a horrendous thing that halted my spiritual practice.  Just this year I have begun again, from the beginning.  Using the CDs has greatly accelerated my progress.

Only you know if the CDs should be a part of your spiritual practice.  If you think they should, I would encourage you to keep using them daily until your brain and consciousness respond.  Be sure and read the little booklet in the CD case; it gives guidelines on when to proceed to the next lesson.

Robert Monroe wrote 3 books; "Ultimate Journey" and "Far Journeys" are the last two, and, have the most information regarding the focus levels of consciousness.

I also wanted to comment on the question asked earlier regarding whether or not CDs are required.  I agree with Nick that, no, they are not required.  But if used as designed, as training tools, they can be most useful.  I have particularly found them useful in training my consciousness to stabilize Focus 10 (mind-awake/body-asleep) and Focus 12 (gateway to the astral).  In the first  set of CDs in the Gateway series by the Monroe Institute ("Wave I"), the last track on the last CD, called "Free Flow 10," the CD takes you to F10 then there is no more voice on the CD until the session ends.  I use this CD to help me stabilize and deepen the F10 state.  The first track on the first CD of Wave II, "Intro to Focus 12," has you go to F10, then F12, then back and forth between the two.  I have found this really helpful in training my mind to tune into F12.

So, while I agree the CDs are by no means required, I have found them useful and they have greatly expedited my journey.

Thank you Douglas - your thoughts make sense to me.  Today I went back to my original approach, following Monroe's approach as I understand it (hence, my intense interest in Frank's posts).  After 2 hours of staying in F10 (trance state) I entered the vibrational state by squeezing my etheric body - a technique I thought of myself (if others use this method, I'm not aware of it).  It was brief, a few seconds, but I am happy to have something happen.  I have an intense, chronic, health condition, and one of the many things I've learned in 5.5 years of physical suffering is patience.  So, during my flat period I remained engaged and happy.  But I asked the question to find out what other(s) do during flat periods.  My understanding from your post is to just keep practicing.  I hope Frank's move goes well, and still hope he finds this thread upon his return.

Frank, I hope you are still watching and interested in this thread.  I have been studying it and working with the incredibly helpful ideas and thoughts you have posted.  Thank you so much.

At the beginning of the thread you said you wanted to learn about where Monroe was coming from with regards to phasing into the astral.  What have you learned in this regard?  What is your current working definition of 'phasing'?  At what specific points in your process do you phase, and exactly what is it you do?

Also, farther up this page of the thread, on April 29th, you referred to a post you made on the previous day regarding " I basically do the same as detailed in my Q & A post yesterday".  I have searched for this post/thread and haven't found it.  Can you suggest a search strategy?

This next question may be impossible for you to comment on, but I was making perceivable and repeatable progress until the last month or more.  For the last 4 - 6 weeks it appears as though nothing is happening at all - no progress.  Heck, I can't even get as far as I was getting before (partial exits from the physical).  Have you had any flat periods?  If so, what did you do?

I would be most grateful for any comments.

Though some interesting work is happening in the area of robotics, neural networks, etc., no rigorous computer scientest would say that we've managed to come close to replicating the human brain.  We've built some interesting simulations of it, which is not the same as replication.  And the work is not yet advanced enough to be able to use it or results from it to prove or disprove theories of memory.

quote:Originally posted by fredhedd

i've always thought that our brains were kind of like big receivers that tuned  in to certain information when we needed it.  i think all thought exists somewhere other than the physical, including memory and when we want to access it we just use that part of our brain that scientists/doctors believe we use to store them/it.  kind of like our body uses our brain to interact w/ our mind, which is not 'in our heads'.

fredhedd,
Years ago I read something about our brains being receivers, and decided to see if I could verify this for myself.  At the time I was changing jobs, and my new job was in a completely new area of technology for me (I did 18 years in Information Technology).  Not knowing how to find stuff to tune into, I started by thinking about how there were people who had this knowledge and applied it daily - so it was "out there" somewhere.  I concentrated on these people, though I had never met any of them, and within minutes I could feel not only the information but usable knowledge downloading into my storage area (I don't know where my storage area is either, but I'm obviously connected to it).  The following week I started my new job and was proficient from day one.

fredhedd,

I think perhaps I didn't communicate clearly in my last post.  When working with the NEW system, I am not visualizing or seeing anything, and my eyes are closed (physical and otherwise).  I am just following the feeling at my point of awareness.  That is, until my mind wanders or I lose focus.  It was during such a break in concentration that I noticed my closed physical eyes were following me (my point of awareness) around.  Do your eyes do that?  I'm not looking with them or aware of using them in any way.

fredhedd,

Thank you so much for your thoughts on developing the vibes using NEW.  I had a hunch I was headed in a productive direction, and now I'm more confident about it.  My experiences have shown that a bit of confidence in this type of work is empowering.  Being new at the practice of NEW, I only do energy development directly BEFORE going into trance.  Even in just a relaxed state, the results are impressive.

Another question:  When practicing NEW, I always do it with my physical eyes closed.  But I have noticed that behind my closed eyelids my physical eyes move around to where I am working, and even move in circles and brushsrokes when I'm doing those movements with my point of awareness.  My closed eyes are following my point of awareness's every move.  Should I try to have them stop that?

A little while back, after just reading posts, I registered and mustered up the courage to post an experience and ask for ideas.  One kind person, TerryB, gave me some pointers, which did help.  TerryB also pointed me towards "Astral Dynamics" which I purchased and am now studying (just started NEW practice today).  But given the relative lack of interest in my post (I had gotten partially out of my body), I retreated back to reading posts after having a dialogue with TerryB.

Anyway, I have been in a quandry about this.  I don't want to burden the Forum's veteran participants with elementary questions they've seen and/or responded to many times before;  But I also know that when I get farther along in my development I will want to help every new person I can.  But I decided to err on the side of caution.

So, fredhedd, thank you for starting this thread.  Here's what I'd welcome ideas on:  I can quickly and reliably get into the trance state (mind awake/body asleep).  I'm not so reliable at evoking the vibes, and in the last few months I've had 2 partial OBEs (got partway out of the physical body).  I suspect I need to deepen my trance, though my physical body does go to sleep and snore (I can hear it).  How can I deepen the vibes?

Greytraveller,

My, your words are encouraging.  Thank you.  Ever since I had this pinwheel experience, I've not even had the vibes but once or twice.  And even then, they were pretty limp.  But I practice every day, no matter what.

I'm studying Robert Bruce's tutorial on the NEW system, and eager to add energy raising to my practice.  I also just received notification that his "Astral Dynamics" book has shipped and is on its way to me.

Have you read his self-defense book?  If so, what did you think?

Good Morning Terry B.

You are SO correct!  It was Bruce Moen!  How embarressing...[:O]

Thank you for clarifying that.

Terry B,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post so much useful stuff.  I feel that you are correct about the vibes, I need to just relax and bathe in it.  I become so eager to get out, I'm probably rushing it.

I'm buying Robert Bruce's book today.  I studied his work years ago when he was doing "rescues."  At the time, I think it was on the Monroe Institute forum, he was unable to OBE so he had settled into doing rescues.  His work has obviously shifted.

Thank you again...you have helped this traveler.

Lasher, thank you for your kindness.  I absorbed and experienced Monroe's map so long ago, I find that I cannot describe it.

But I did have a couple more thoughts about it I want to share with you.  You probably know this (I'm new to this forum), but here goes:

F10 is a state where your body is sound asleep but your mind is awake and alert.  My body even snores, and I can hear it.  I think some people call this a trance state.

In F12, you move beyond physical awareness and begin to perceive beyond anything tied to physical reality.

The next group of levels encompass what some term the lower astral levels, or the strata of collective earth consciousness.  When you dream (whether you are 'sleeping' or drift into what  Robert Bruce calls the "Alice" effect in his Treatise), you go to one of these levels that is insync with your frequency.  People who are stuck in the earth life/death cycle end up in one of these when they "die."

Then there are the levels beyond the gravity of earth-consciousness, where folks with greater awareness can go.  I kind of recall, though I could be incorrect about this, that this is beyond F21 on Monroe's map.

Physical consciousness is C1.  Monroe did map, based on his experience and those of 'researchers' he worked with, the levels from C1 up to F-something.  I don't know how far he got, and the Monroe Institute holds this information tightly secret.  I've heard that in some of their advanced courses they get into them.

From what I have experienced, there is a park in F21.  It has a beautiful meadow with trees, benches, water, and other features.  This is the starting point for branching out into other scenes.  Monroe described the scenes, or places, as areas where people have gotten together and created a place and reality by their collective thoughts.  I have been there several times.  The first time I was there, when I entered the park I was under a bench.  A little girl, being short, helped me out and I went from there.  Many people have reported getting to the park.

I have also been to one of the centers where beings enter, or re-enter, the physical Earth experience.  Monroe had a name for such centers, but I don't recall what it was (my stuff is all packed up too).

Basically, the focus levels are Monroe's map of various levels of consciousness starting with the physical (C1) and out to F-something.  In my spiritual practice, it has been helpful to have an understanding of his map.  He refers to them in his books, which are widely available, and the Monroe Institute can get you information on them.  It will be months before I have my stuff back, so this is the best I can do until then.

Terry B,

Thank you for your thoughts - it is comforting to hear somebody else was stuck in the torso region.  If anybody was in the astral watching, I'm the pinwheel out there!  [:O]

Did you do anything to get unstuck?  Or did it just go away on its own?

What is 'NEW"?  I've not come across that.  Please let me know where I can find it.