A Discussion: Being "Fully" Prepared for the Astral.

[ryan1337]

Hello everyone,
             
             I put "fully" in quotations because i'd like to discuss what it really means to fully prepare yourself for a full blown phase/OBE. I think the way i've been perceiving my "waking life" has hindered my understanding of what I'm truly searching for in astral travel. I would like to start by saying, I have a bit of a personal issue with feeling "there" I am constantly focusing my awareness on internal matters and I think this has led to not feeling present in this current reality. In pursuit of the astral reality, I have lost touch with that sensation of existing on this plane. This ability to focus on our present reality is likely to hurt our ability to focus on any reality.This all being said, I've realized it may be time to regard this reality with the same awareness and "there-ness" I would in a full blown astral projection.
       
               Furthermore, I have started asking myself what I find to be a very important question. "What will it be like in the astral?" I think the reason so many people get close to projecting and find their progress constrained, is because it really is that vivd. If during meditation, our consciousness as a whole isn't entirely in tune with that notion, and expecting that,  I would imagine it would be less likely for your subconscious self, and the energy of the astral as a whole, to "let" you in.

              Please don't mistake any of my potential insight for knowledge i've acquired from astral travel. I have only successfully entered the astral a few times, and these visits were of very short duration. But I can however, extrapolate by regarding certain commonly reported qualities of the astral as axioms. Our expectations and beliefs HEAVILY affect our experience of the astral. That's not to be kept in mind only when you're "there" but as you attempt to reach it.

              There are a lot of incredibly knowledgeable people on this forum, and I may be preaching to the choir here, but this is something I haven't really read about and it has helped me quite a bit and even if this helps one person, that'd be great!
           
                                                                                                                                   

[Lionheart]

 I find it all has to do with your mindset when going in. What you wish to achieve or learn. Then to go in at first with absolutely no expectations and just observe. After awhile you can learn to control some aspects of where you are going, what you are seeing through your conscious intent. You also need an attitude of "failure is not an option". You need confidence in what you are doing, what you are wishing to achieve. This all comes from your own personal routine of Brain Entrainment. Once you get a rhythm that works for you, stay the course and ride it until you are shown it is time to change it. Always push yourself to reach further, to learn more. But be patient, this is definitely not for people that need to see all the answers right NOW. This is something that you work on for a lifetime! 

[Szaxx]

Hi,
You can't force an exit. If you've many years of experience you still get times when no matter what your approach, there's no way to exit from the physical consciously.
You start the ball rolling and wait.
Its a natural process and being non physical in nature, the average person has had nothing to do with this. Their knowledge is non existant and has to be learned from practice.
Other troubles, assuming a couple of exits, is where you intend on doing a set thing. The word distraction is to be learned in its entirety. Youll understand this quite soon in your attempts.
Memory retention can be a problem if you stay out too long. Then all your exciting adventures will be lost.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_dreams/trouble_remembering_lucid_dreams-t33962.0.html;msg280410#msg280410
LEARN THIS.
If you put yourself at the pole position in everything you do with others around you and know you're the best......
Take up knitting.
Youve no chance.
If you are but a simple traveller seeking enlightenment and can stay humble.
Go for it.
If you try then wake up later. Make sure you're really awake, its that real, too many  have done things on getting up to wake up moments later in bed.

[ryan1337]

szaxx,
     That sounds overwhelming. To experience a false-awakening. I hope I didn't seem arrogant in my post! How does one prepare themselves for that vividness of the astral? I feel like it would be too much, but I would very much like to accept it.

[Stookie_]

You can't really prepare yourself. You just have to do it and take it one experience at a time. Drop expectations and hit it with an open mind. I love the unexpected surprises.

Most first experiences are going to be short and/or overwhelming. You just have to slowly build up experience and the things that are new and freaky will eventually become very normal.

[Szaxx]

Hi,
You are safe, others here seem that way too which is a good thing.
All the above posts speak volumes.
If you're not sure, try to open a door or better switch on the light. These are typical things, if you can't then your still out of the physical or out of electric. Lol.

[VampLena]

I dont know if it helps, but I think you can prepare alittle. I've been a buffy/horror genre fan for years, along with being a gamer, and those experiences at least have tempered my fears, im not spooked by demons or monsters or freaked out by bizarre worlds. While I imagine your not guaranteed to see anything scary or weird, you can prepare yourself to not be so afraid of growls and mysterious beings threatening you. I've not seen anything yet, but during my attempts I've heard demonic growling that could be scary to others, but to me, it was something i could easily ignore and tell to "shut up".

[ian86]

I agree with Szakk, I've never been able to force an exit, its always something that happens naturally, I have read about different techniques (rope technique, roll out ect.) but they never did any good for me. When I first started I used to feel like there were two beings pulling me out. lately it usually happens if I become semi conscious or lucid during sleep. But I think its mostly a matter of your state of mind and wanting it to happen. For me anyway.

[Contenteo]

All you should do is train, prepare and keep doing those drowsy morning attempts attempts.

All the chips will align one time and you will be blown away.

Cheers,
Contenteo

[VirtuosoBilly]

You can't really prepare yourself. You just have to do it and take it one experience at a time. Drop expectations and hit it with an open mind. I love the unexpected surprises.

Most first experiences are going to be short and/or overwhelming. You just have to slowly build up experience and the things that are new and freaky will eventually become very normal.

When i read this for some reason it brought me back to this understanding if we are or are not in the physical world. I cant help but to bring up a movie called "Inception" where in there understanding they have something called a "Totem" This totem held the importance of letting you know if  you are dreaming or not, and being the true way of trusting your mind of knowing so. Couldnt we also use this Totem concept for our own good?  Maybe make it a habit to wake up and immediatly have it on your bed side and use it. In my opinion almost the best reality check, if you were to be able to remember and do this while in any spot of any dream.... maybe if it were a bracelet of some sort always with you...
Your thoughts?

[Szaxx]

Hi,
That movie doesn't really do this subject justice. Its arranged to sell a story as all movies are. There's a thread on here on this film.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_projection_experiences/inception_nonsense_or_not-t34002.0.html
References though to this totem. I've never used or heard of anyone using one.
As the astral is a thought based environment anything thought of will manifest including a totem animated or not.
There's much more to it but experience is the best way to this end.