my first astral experience....a dream? something more?

[leroyskagnetti]

SO, this past weekend I had some kind of an experience.  It's hard to tell exactly what happened, because I can't remember a good part of it.  But the way that it feels upon recollection, is a bit stronger than deja vu...maybe even stronger than a regular dream.  Whatever it was, I am thrilled!  I have been trying for months to project, or even to reach what most people call "vibrations."  I haven't had anything like that...and I don't even think I've had a lucid dream before.  So here's how it went....

I went to sleep (drunk) on Friday evening and woke up the next morning at 8 AM, went back to bed to have what I think were regular dreams....  then somewhere, at some point (I can't figure it out) I felt the tips of my toes rising up, as though they were being pulled with strings into the air.  From there the pulling tugged on my legs and hips, and I felt myself being pulled "out" a bit... sort of slowly and slushy, more like pulling a baby from a womb than anything.  My body was pulled out from the legs forward, but then sort of flipped me upside down, and I seemed to see a vision of my own sleeping visage...closed eyes and all (this is the one thing I have seen before when trying to project).  Now I realized that what was actually "supporting me" - this is the feeling I got - was a cord or rope or something that seemed to be attached to the base of my spine.  The reason I say this is that I felt real, kind of strong pain (it actually hurt!) where the skin was stretching around my, ehem, anus.  Very much the same way if you would grab a dog by the scruff of his neck.  I did, in fact, hear some kind of "pop," but for some reasons it remains a bit invalid in my memory... as though maybe my mind created it or I'm just imagining it.  It wasn't the type of pop I imagined I would hear when I left my body.  It was kind of weak and radio-quality.

Anyway, once I got out I floated immediately.  The beginning was very blurry, and it's impossible to figure out any real sequence of events, but I remember being so excited that I was projecting that I wanted to look down at my body to see if I would return...so I did (at least I think I did).... I looked down towards the "ground," but nothing happened... it sort of felt too blurry to see my body exactly...so giving up on that quickly, I floated around a bit... very much like being underwater.  I don't think I got the hang of much on this first run...I think I was too excited about it all.  But here is what I do remember seeing (this take from what I wrote down upon waking):

I am transported at once to the most "HOLY" looking places.  I use quotes because I believe that's what I was thinking -- I was taken to a place where the chandeliers/candelabras were all very "sharp" and metal.  The vision was clear, but I could sort of see its limits...there seemed to be a slight translucent film running over my sight...maybe as if I was seeing very clearly with my open eyes underwater.  There was no one else around in this scene... it was like a had snuck into the 15th century in some bizarre gothic nightmare.

So I don't know how long this pseudo-projection lasted.  I don't have any recollection of returning to my body.  All I know is that in the next dream I had (this one was definitely a dream), I was talking to a friend of a friend in Texas, and I thought to myself, "Oh!  If I'm in Texas I should visit my friend and tell him that I was finally able to AP!"   So, take that for what it's worth.  Also, my dreams after that were very clear...possibly even lucid.  The guy in Texas I was chatting with told me he was "legally licensed to 'take out Ann Richards,'" and I remember thinking, "Oh...right, she was the Governor of TX."  I don't think I'm usually that reflective in my dreams.

All in all I was very satisfied by the whole thing...   oh, and as a side note, as I am interested in ego psychology and its relationship to what we know as astral projection:  The night before I had this projection, I had a really ego-boosting encounter at a bar with a lady .  As it relates to dreaming and projection, the last time I had a woman stroke my ego like this I had a dream that night that I was able to levitate.  Just thought it's interesting how when my ego gets boosted my subconscious seems to succeed as well...

Any thoughts or comments are more than welcome!   Hooray for me!  I'll see you all in your sleep!  MUAHAHA!

[Awakened_Mind]

 You're are incredibly lucky to project after alchohol. A serious problem with projectors is their inability to remember the OBE's. We all do it when we sleep. The problem lies in an undeveloped energy body. The more energy a situation has associated with it, the more likely the mind is to remember it. Another way of saying: What you pay attention to, you become conscious of. Alchohol is a depressent and drains the energy body. Making it hard to remember anything, let alone gain significant control over a projection attempt.

The pains you felt in your anus sound like symptoms of Kundalini spikes, although this is highly unlikely.  Kundalini takes years of spiritual development. It may be associated with a block in your lower chakras. If projection attemps are ever painful, stop and backtrack. OBE's are not naturally painful experiences. The pain may also of been an expectation of your subconscious mind. I think it would hurt being suspended by a rope attached to my lower spine.

As for your vision you may be just confused experiencing astral vision for the first time. Our physical eyes see at 220 degrees. Astral vision is 360. Sometimes this can be hard to comprehend for beginning projectors. They have trouble on focussing. Your mind does not transcend the 3d dimension. It is a tool. One used I think, for your conscious being to interact with the physical environment. Our minds are what remembers upon re-entry. Your mind sleeps while you consciously stay awake. We try to recall photographic imagery and put the experience into words.

The astral realm is one of knowing. For example buddhist monks who spend countless hours meditating, have a strong connection to this knowing. See the difference in the nature of a monk to an accountant?  (You will understand the term "knowing" as you become more experienced in clearing your mind).

If you're having trouble projecting there are a few fundamental areas you'll have to develop. A trance state and deep physical relaxation. I also know of another technique if you get really desperate. It is relatively simple, takes about a month but you will have no trouble clearing your mind with it. Frustration lies in the shadow of impatience and will not assist you in projection. OBE's are not hard to experience. They are a natural process that happens everytime you go to sleep.

Keep me posted on your progress.

[Doringo]

The Kundalini can sometimes rise spontaneously in some individuals, even without ever performing energy work. I think it's one of those things where your mileage varies, you know?

[Awakened_Mind]

Doringo I agree with you. leroyskagnetti, where are you in your projection attempts at the moment?

-Awakened_Mind

[knightlight]

Sounds like a classic projection to me.  I have had a few instances of exactly what your describing with the sort of... slipping from the womb feeling.  for me its more of a sliding off of a giant block of ice minus the cold feeling.  The recurring element in your phrasing is "not what I expected" when you describe your experience.  Trust me with this, nothing will be as you expected.  Just because the pop sound wasnt how you expected to be does that make your projection not a projection?  If you exit and experience something you didnt expect to does that mean its just a dream?  This was obviously a projection.  Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

[leroyskagnetti]

If you mean, where have I come since I had the experience last weekend, I have come nowhere....but also have not really tried.  If you mean, what was my experience like before last weekend, well....

I took a class on Buddhist meditation in the Spring...since that time I have meditated irregularly and become more interested in studies of consciousness... I have been meaning to use a floatation (sensory deprivation) tank to help me either achieve projection or simply explore my unconscious though I have not yet. 

Other than that, I do a fair amount of reading/inquiry on related topics, so they're not totally alien to me, but I have never had tangible results.  There are so many "methods," but rather than try them all I have simply sort of tried to feel it out myself... relax myself as much as possible and attend to/react to the things that happen as they come.

As this seems to have been a random projection (if it actually was), I will simply double my efforts and try for a controlled attempt.  By the way, regarding the alcohol;  I woke up at 8 AM the morning after going to bed drunk and I didn't really feel drunk, so I think it had passed.  I agree with you though...I have never been able to dream when I've gone to sleep drunk.

I appreciate everyone's support and interest... I will let you all know if anything else happens.  And by the way, if there are any psychedelic 60s music fans like myself, check out "Que Vida" by Love (or at least the lyrics...I won't repost them here in consideration of space).  Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I could definitely believe that given the consciousness expansion of that time the song was making reference to astral projection.  Another song is "Hypnotized" by Fleetwood Mac.  Maybe I'll pose that in another forum as well.

[Awakened_Mind]

Sounds like the first thing you need to adress is  to why you are interested in AP. If you are interested in the study of consciousness it is definately a great vehicle to find answers. Generally speaking, if you find REASON for doing things you will more motivated to do it. So try sitting down and thinking what you really want out of AP then find the necessary steps to get there. "The greatest journey starts with a single step"

Cheers for those songs i'll download them now.

-Awakened_Mind

[knightlight]

If you mean, where have I come since I had the experience last weekend, I have come nowhere....but also have not really tried.  If you mean, what was my experience like before last weekend, well....

I took a class on Buddhist meditation in the Spring...since that time I have meditated irregularly and become more interested in studies of consciousness... I have been meaning to use a floatation (sensory deprivation) tank to help me either achieve projection or simply explore my unconscious though I have not yet. 

Other than that, I do a fair amount of reading/inquiry on related topics, so they're not totally alien to me, but I have never had tangible results.  There are so many "methods," but rather than try them all I have simply sort of tried to feel it out myself... relax myself as much as possible and attend to/react to the things that happen as they come.

As this seems to have been a random projection (if it actually was), I will simply double my efforts and try for a controlled attempt.  By the way, regarding the alcohol;  I woke up at 8 AM the morning after going to bed drunk and I didn't really feel drunk, so I think it had passed.  I agree with you though...I have never been able to dream when I've gone to sleep drunk.

I appreciate everyone's support and interest... I will let you all know if anything else happens.  And by the way, if there are any psychedelic 60s music fans like myself, check out "Que Vida" by Love (or at least the lyrics...I won't repost them here in consideration of space).  Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I could definitely believe that given the consciousness expansion of that time the song was making reference to astral projection.  Another song is "Hypnotized" by Fleetwood Mac.  Maybe I'll pose that in another forum as well.

IF it actually was? come on.  It was.  First you must erase your doubt.

[Awakened_Mind]

That's a very interesting point actually. I remember when I had my first astral experience it happened spontaneously. I didn't even there was a name for what had happened. (I had projected above my bed in the real-time zone). I remember trying to convince myself that it was a dream. A part of me new it was real.

"First you must erase your doubt." Very important in AP. As scary as they initially are.

-Awakened_Mind