Need advice

[Giselle]

I'm open to any suggestions anyone may have to help me move forward.

I became interested in this subject a couple of years ago and attended the Monroe Gateway program.  This was my introduction into focus levels and I wasn't really sure at that time if I was "getting" it.  To this day most of my "sessions" are spent in complete darkness.  I don't see the colors people talk about and do not get images.  It seems there is "activity" going on just out of my reach however..stuff I can't seem to focus in on.  During Gateway there were a couple of times when I had mental conversations either with myself or other mental voices (thoughts) out of the darkness came away with what I thought were profound ideas.  Enough to make me know I didn't want to stop my journey.  A year later I attended Lifelines at Monroe and this time I didn't feel that I reached any of the focus levels past, perhaps 10 or 12.  I really enjoyed the program, however, because of the experiences others were having and sharing.

During this past year I've been focusing on having an OBE with no success whatsoever.  In reading Franks writings I've decided to concentrate on phasing because it just rings true to me.  So this is where I am now.    It's extremely difficult for me to visualize. (I used to try the rope technique, but just couldn't get my mind around it.)   When I try visualizing myself jumping on a trampoline, for example, I find myself trying very hard to "see" it and it feels that I am staying too aware and not able to get caught up in it and before long, I've given up and my mind has gone to trying something else.  

I'm not even sure I know what I'm asking here...maybe some input on how to let go of consciously trying so hard.  I seem to go from aware and conscious to asleep with no time in between...even when I sit up and try during the day.  

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Giselle

[Giselle]

Looks like Frank has already addressed what I'm asking in the thread on Phasing, Noticing and Hypnogogic.  

This is exactly what goes on with me...quoting Frank,  "At first, people close their eyes and all they see is blackness. Unfortunately, this can put people off thinking they are never going to do it. When I close my eyes all I see is blackness at first. But if people learn to actually notice what is taking place they may see that one area of black is not quite so black as the rest. Then they may kind of sense something. Then there might be a little fleeting something or other that just passed by."

Looks like I need to start noticing more and looking inward.  Could it be that I'm letting trying to do a mental rundown get in the way of noticing what is going on??

I'm going back to read what you wrote a few more times, Frank.  

Giselle

[andonitxo]

Hi there,

You've pointed out a very important thing: what sounds real for oneself seems to give us a sense of stability or schedule. It happened to me years ago when I proved many different exercises, like a bee from flower to flower.

What really matters is personal empiricism. If you check something out, and you find out it works in some way, as NEW system can do apart of its relation with OOBE, you are more likely to include it in your spiritual-growth-planning.

If you are bad with visualization for sure your Mars or Aries or Asc are in bad aspect with other planets, maybe Saturn which slows down, or Neptune which blurs. If it is so just do your best and apply harder.

It happened to me the same thing, so everyday, before my regular meditation, I projected myself in actions I had done before in the morning (as having a shower, or preparing tea, or walking down the street to the office). This is a very effective strategy, because for sure you repeat everyday the same ritual in the shower, or when having breakfast. So those actions are more embedded in your mind.

But don't overdo, have small chunks. Sometimes distances are innacurate, other times sizes are, and others colors. Step by step you'll get more expertise doing it and the stage will be pictured better. And of course, self confidence is the very key. Assume you can, and you'll be able.

And about relaxation and phasing. I found a method called autogenic training, thanks to what I get to deep states of relaxation in which I can meditate half asleep hald awake, no extradeep states.

I always recommend the book: Inner guide mediation by Ed Steinbrecher, as a way to reintegrate your psychic parts in your core. Give it a try, it changed my way of seeing things around me.

[Frank]

Giselle:

Yes, you need to start doing the Noticing exercise that I outline in the FAQ section and I've mentioned in a few posts of the past months. Don't worry about not being good at visualising, you don't need it with the Noticing exercise.

One of the key aspects is allowing your eyes and face to relax. Try and take a step back from your eyes and look upwards into your mind from a point that is either above or below your physical eyes. What you are trying to do is break that connection between looking and your physical eyes. If you feel for it, you will realise that initially you are looking from a point right behind your eyes. Somehow you have to let the eyes totally relax and then you sneak that point away from them and look in a totally different direction in your mind while the eyes just remain relaxed.

Don't worry about trying to achieve any of the Focus numbers, they are just signposts that can help you. If you find them confusing then put them all aside for now. All that will come later. You need to get into the basic habit of looking within you. Simply that. Put aside all thoughts of "leaving your body" or whatever and simply look within your mind and start noticing what goes on in there. Try to choose a time when your physical body is fairly relaxed anyway if possible. That will help.

There is a particular direction that you need to look in your mind. After a while of practice you'll be able to reach for it fairly easily. But at first it takes a bit of finding. With me it is almost directly upwards but slanted back a bit. Once you find that spot, changes will begin to take place. Rather than just black, you'll start seeing all kinds of patterns.

To give you an idea, this was me yesterday morning. I began and all I could see was blackness. So I got comfy over the next 10 minutes or so and then felt very relaxed. My eyes were closed and all I could see was blackness just like most of us when we close our eyes. So I let my imagination wander (but not too much else I lose focus and fall asleep). A few random thoughts crossed my mind. I tried to picture Monroe and how he was doing, I thought of the forum and Sarah bouncing on her trampoline. I wondered about how many others were trying the same and pictured a huge trampoline with hundreds of us all bouncing on it.

Then I saw an area of greyness develop in front of me. I said hello greyness how's it going? It changed to a whiteness and enveloped me. That's interesting, I thought. Then I got what I call the ink blots. It's like I see a texture of a cream coloured soft paper with great splashes of black ink over it. Next moment I was "travelling" through the 3D Blackness of Fz.

Total time from physical to Fz was about 20 minutes. Pretty much normal in other words. Tried to Phase Shift to Focus 4 several times and failed. Had all manner of overlay experiences that were recognised and noted. Phase Shifted to Focus 2. Objectively analysed a few recent new beliefs about the wider reality. Worked on my current studies regarding Trans-Dimensional areas in consciousness. Tried to Phase Shift to Focus 4 again and failed. Phase Shifted to Focus 3 as a result of an idea I had while in Focus 2 just before. Interacted with a few people but had little idea of why I was having the interaction. Felt there were clues in this area that would help me but nothing in particular was coming to light, so Phase Shifted back to Focus 2 and ended up having an F2/F1 overlay.

In my imagination I could see a truck making a delivery to the local bakery. Thought it would be interesting to check so focused back to normal physical and threw a few clothes on, took a walk down the road and there was the truck as I had seen it.

Total time from physical perspective about 20 minutes to Fz and around another hour to the point where I fully "returned". Actual time perception of the experience was around 4 or 5 hours.

Yours,
Frank

[Giselle]

Thanks so much, Frank.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I feel like I have a starting point now, whereas I've been jumping all over the place and getting nowhere.  I totally identify with the eyes thing...mine really get in the way.

Thanks again.

Giselle

[Frank]

Hi:

Please do let me know. I'm not sure if you read my first newsletter or not but I stressed the point that everything you do, whether it is projection in a traditional sense or Phasing in a more state of the art sense, the first step is looking WITHIN you, not outside of you.

I come across many, many people who have become totally confused by this whole "out of body" thing. It is very misleading terminology that just appears to get many ordinary people confused. It's alright if you were born with some kind of knack for it. But people not so fortunate tend to struggle getting to grips with the basics.

You don't have to do any energy-work, or pray 5 times a day, get a collection of crystals and start running your car on chicken manure...

All you really have to do is find that point in your mind.

It's like you have to reach for it mentally. Once you find that certain point from then on it gets easier. But then there are other hurdles to overcome, but at least you are motoring then, so you are having fun while doing it. But sparking it off in the first place can be tricky. But always keep in mind that everything is WITHIN you, you just need to reach in mind for that particular spot and then it's like all the lights come on.

Yours,
Frank

[Giselle]

...OK...I'm tossing out the chicken manure..

[mactombs]

There is a particular direction that you need to look in your mind. After a while of practice you'll be able to reach for it fairly easily. But at first it takes a bit of finding. With me it is almost directly upwards but slanted back a bit.

This sounds like what Monroe talks about in his first book with his method, but less confusing, and more simplified. I also never thought about it as looking (with your mind) at a point inside your mind rather than outside. Thinking of things outside your body makes things much harder, IMO. Richard Feynman (famous physicist) talks about moving his awareness away from the spot behind his eyes in one of his books, too.

Anyway, thanks for elaborating. I've got to try this now.

Oh, and my trampoline is lime-green suspended over a tropical lagoon. There's a real nice breeze and neat fish swimming underneath.

[Froglet]

I just was trying to achieve this, looking from behind my eyes.  I realized that most of my limbs were numb or gave very little sensation when I thought about them... every once in a while I would see maybe a few colors or something like that... one instance I would swear I was seeing something but it was like looking through a straw as soon as I noticed it and tried to focus in on it, it dissappeared.  I keep talking to people and they say how they just intent on where they want to go and such... which I try but I guess I'm not in the "state" of focus or something.  I'm kinda confused about what I'm not doing right... and how I can change what I am doing so that I can successfully make it passed seeing alot of black and every once in a while colors or being interupted by my body.  Is there anything in particular that anyone finds helps?  I've read a quite alot from this forum.
James

[Souljah333]

i think i'm just beginning to understand how truly difficult this is for some people. it's become such a daily, automatic thing for me that it's hard to remember how i got here. the actual steps involved. like trying to understand someone behind the wheel of a car for the first time, when i've been driving everyday for the past twenty some-odd years. it really isn't anymore difficult than driving by the way. as frank suggested there is no secret, no special words to chant to get there. i think in a way for me (especially being very artistically passionate from birth)...it's very visual and there's a definite separation from this world...being able to let everything go. not like flipping a switch, but just a gentle release. a drawing back of sorts into your mind. not your brain, not behind your eyelids, etc.

those colors and strange little pictures that begin to form in the dark with your eyes closed. don't grab onto them. just relax your eyes and let them settle in. they will. and poof...you're there. of course it doesn't always have to poof. i also found in the beginning that it was much easier to accomplish AP with some light around me. either during the day or keeping a light on by the bed. not major wattage...just pleasant. in the beginning it was hard to project in the dark.

333

[Froglet]

yea, I understand what you mean souljah... I guess I just want to find some advice to "be able to ap" but I think it will only come from me just trying over  and over until I figure out what I should do for myself.  I'm looking forward to being able to ap.   I appreciate the post.  Have you noticed how slow it is lately around here?

James

[Souljah333]

i think that might be bcuz everyone is over for the grand opening of RB's new site.

[Souljah333]

yeah...you know me...Ms. NowhereNearMainStream
i can't stand crowds
333

[1109]

In my imagination I could see a truck making a delivery to the local bakery. Thought it would be interesting to check so focused back to normal physical and threw a few clothes on, took a walk down the road and there was the truck as I had seen it.

I don't know if things like this get posted a lot here, because I'm pretty new here, but that is absolutely amazing

[Vvid1012]

I just remembered when I was young, I would rub my eyes softly and very slowly and stop while applying light pressure.   Then I would be able to see patterns and colors.   Once this happened I would let go and let the images  play.  I believe this is same way of focusing your inner sight.  Perhaps this helps massage the muscles around the eye to allow focus.  Try experiementing

[Hans Solo]

I just remembered when I was young, I would rub my eyes softly and very slowly and stop while applying light pressure. Then I would be able to see patterns and colors. Once this happened I would let go and let the images play. I believe this is same way of focusing your inner sight. Perhaps this helps massage the muscles around the eye to allow focus. Try experimenting

It is funny that you write this because just the other day at work I was leaning on my desk with my head resting in my right hand.  It was in such a position where my right thumb was applying a fair amount of pressure to the outside edge of my right eye.  My right right thumb was pressing the outside of my eye inwards toward my nose (my eyes were closed).  Anyway, after about 5 seconds a bunch of blue dots appeared, then more colors.  While I was observing them they turned into more of a pulsing pattern formation.  Then, an exact replica, although with lots of color, of FZ (starry night-3d and all) popped into my "vision/mind".  So, if this happens with everyone I think it would give them an idea of what FZ is like.  However, my eye was a little uncomfortable for like 10 seconds afterward.

I tried to do it again just now and had to fiddle with the pressure (felt like I used more), but it worked again.  I saw the 3d blackness with a Bunch of colored lights (looks like colored Christmas lights).

just a thought
Han

[Vvid1012]

Yep, thats exactly what I was talking about.  When I was little I had no thought of it actually meaning anything.  I just thought it was a natural result of me messing with my eyes.  I used to do it on purpose when I was bored so I could see all the neat pictures.  Then of course my eyes would get sore from constant rubbing, heheh.  But yeah, with practice, one should be able to pick it up without that method.

[Hans Solo]

I don't think it is the same thing.  When I said it looked like FZ all i meant was that all the colored dots looked 3d, and if the dots were not colored, then it would look like Fz.  

Han