Finally getting closer, but still confused

[Dreamshards]

I am another one of those "I have been trying to project for years and have failed" people, except I admit that I do not practice for a long period of time without giving up for a little while. More recently this year I have remembered spontaneous OBE's while sleeping. My memory of them is foggy like dreams, though it seems more like I'm in F1. For example, I was wondering around my kitchen early one morning while sleeping, checkking a loaf of bread on top of my fridge. I was checking to see If it had mold yet and if I should throw it out. It looked perfect. Later that day in my waking state I checked the loaf of bread and it was covered in mold, that is when I remembered the OBE.

So last night I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I tried to induce an OBE. It was hard for me to relax but finally I started getting very strong vibrations and It felt like my mind was ascending into an odd feeling. I know I was almost in the astral consciously. The vibrations were a little uncomfortable and my mental capacity felt overloaded. I ended up trying to extinguish the phasing all together and going back to sleep because I was exhausted. At this point I feel frustrated, not just because I have been trying so much but when I get close I come to this mental and physical block like the feeling when your leg is asleep and you can't stand it. I think last night I was reminded of the actual feeling is to begin to phase. Does anyone have any pointers? If I wake up in the middle of the night should I keep trying? I have tried during the day and that is near impossible. Also, is it possible that I did project last night but was a victim of the mind split and how can I overcome this?

[Szaxx]

Hi,
Stop stopping, just go for it. You can believe you're full of energy and you will be once out. Thought=action. Be positive and you'll succeed.
Its that simple. Drop the fail attitude, thats probably why you've not gone out.

[Astralsuzy]

Very good advice Szaxx.

[Lionheart]

 Here's a fun exercise that really helps people learn to focus. After watching this close your eyes and see if you keep your focus. I watch this video and exercise this often.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sxvb9pgkrvI
I notice that when I get a "overwhelming" sensation, meaning that when I feel like like my head is either going to explode or some extreme change is taking place, that this is the time to really relax yourself into it. This is the time when you actually do feel "do or die". Thomas Campbell talks about it as the time to give yourself completely to your goal, with an attitude of "if I don't come back, so be it". That sounds pretty extreme, but it is needed to get over that hump and yes it can be scary as hell. But once you see that nothing bad happens, you will invite the sensation in the future as a sign of approaching success.

[Dreamshards]

I tried the video but in it made my eyes start falling asleep after a few minutes. I will try it again when I am not so tired. I honestly don't feel like I have the lifestyle to practice much, that is why I quit many times in the past. I work so much and don't get into bed till midnight or one and wake up early in the morning and have a hard time falling back asleep or practicing relaxation techniques. When I wake in the morning my attention is devoted to my three year old then off to work.

I am not using life as an excuse to AP, just that I have a hard time keeping my mind focused and my body relaxed. Maybe I should take a step back and practice relaxing my body. Also, last night I was listening to storm sounds (my favorite binaural beats) and drifted off into a day dream of a relaxing cottage in the storm. I did not completely step into the scene. Would this be a good technique to phase or is my mind straying too far?

Also, the problem isn't that I have never phased, though I don't remember it too vividly. I often get that feeling in the morning when I drift back to sleep when everything vibrates for a split second and it feels like you are dropping in mid air. I think my problem there is processing all of my dreams in the morning and only remember three or so, the rest are faded. It's like dream recall overload.

[Lionheart]

I tried the video but in it made my eyes start falling asleep after a few minutes. I will try it again when I am not so tired. I honestly don't feel like I have the lifestyle to practice much, that is why I quit many times in the past. I work so much and don't get into bed till midnight or one and wake up early in the morning and have a hard time falling back asleep or practicing relaxation techniques. When I wake in the morning my attention is devoted to my three year old then off to work.
I am not using life as an excuse to AP, just that I have a hard time keeping my mind focused and my body relaxed. Maybe I should take a step back and practice relaxing my body. Also, last night I was listening to storm sounds (my favorite binaural beats) and drifted off into a day dream of a relaxing cottage in the storm. I did not completely step into the scene. Would this be a good technique to phase or is my mind straying too far?

You have just answered your own questions here. It's good that you see the root of the problem. You get back what you put into it. Hard work and determination is the key. Look at it like you are learning to play a new instrument. That takes "time", which you say you don't have, patience, but most importantly will and determination. If you are serious about this you need to fit a time into your schedule everyday when you can practice. Even 1/2 hour for a meditation is a good start. There is a reason that children are so open to AP, but they don't know what it is. They don't have the "distractions" that a responsible adult does.