I'm getting close.... I think?!?

[Aja090690]

Hi all!
I've only recently started researching about astral projection,
About a week ago, it came up in a casual conversation with a friend.
Next thing you know, I've read 4 books about it, watched dozens of YouTube videos, downloaded binaural beats, started meditating, etc.
So far, I've felt intense tingling all over my body and heated tingling in the middle of my forehead.
Sometimes , while the vibe is going, I'll feel a tug, kind of zipping through my chest, but I haven't separated yet.
What concerns me is that I haven't been in that sleep paralysis stage.
Like my body feels very heavy, melted into my bed, and barely there, but I'm still able to move around.
The other night, I felt the vibrations while meditating, but I had been meditatingI later than iI had planned and I was having trouble staying awake, so I got up and turned off my fan and when to go back to bed, tingling and all.
But even with the binaural beats off, lying on my stomach, and no focus on my mind but sleep, the vibrations continued and kept me awake for awhile longer, tossing and turning becauseI its hard to sleep when you feel like an electric toothbrush.
Does sleep paralysis just not happen for some people or am I not relaxed enough?

Also, the last 2 nights while meditating, I feel my physical body twitching sometimes.
At one point, my pelvic area twitched up, it was weird.
And I'll be completely relaxed but then my eyes will twitch open partially, like it just wants to snap awake.
Not sure if these are good signs or bad signs, I'd really appreciate any advice :3

[EscapeVelocity]

Welcome to the forum!

You're making a good start to this but don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you "must" experience vibrations or you "must" experience sleep paralysis. There is a wide variety of signs, symptoms and signposts that you may or may not experience. We all fall into categories that may vary a little from each other or may vary a lot. There are a few people who are "naturals" at AP and can just lay down and be out within a few minutes; most of the rest of us have to work at it until we find our individual technique that works best. Like you are already doing, read a lot about the subject, continue your AP/meditation practice and you will eventually begin to learn your personal indicators that will lead you to an exit. The bold blue Permanent Topics here have a wealth of useful information.

For many people, including me, just laying down in the evening, trying to relax and sink myself into a deep enough trance state for an exit is just too difficult. I can get deep enough to experience all of the symptoms you describe and many others and that's good in a way that it helps to familiarize us to them, but I came to the conclusion that I was nowhere near deep enough. Anymore relaxed and I always fell asleep. What I eventually learned was to come at the problem from a different direction-and that was to go to sleep normally and wake myself up after 3 or 4 hours, or to wake myself up a couple hours earlier than I normally woke up, and then to attempt a trance state. The first method is known as Wake, Back To Bed (WBTB). This gives you a partially-rested mind and body but also relaxed enough that the body can slide back off into sleep while giving the mind a chance to hang onto awareness. If successful, you find yourself in the Mind Awake Body Asleep (MABA) state and once you are there you will know it with no uncertainty whatsoever.

You should also be looking for opportunities during a mid-day nap or during the middle of the night as you shift between REM periods and dreams. By thinking about this and setting your "intent" to do so, you will develop the ability to recognize these moments and increase your lucidity to take advantage of them.

Somewhere in all this, you'll find what works best for you, so be open to trying different ways. Don't get too frustrated, you are learning on several levels including asking and giving yourself permission to do this.

EV

[ANMonte87]

hello,

I have been doing meditation and trying to project for almost a decade now so don't fret over little things   you are at the same point I am. I have never gotten over the hump really. I lay and meditate just as you say you do and I never experience paralysis when meditating.

I wont lie but I am starting to think I am " Too" awake.  The few times I have almost projected was after falling asleep slightly. Being so borderline asleep that I begin to dream but I am still slightly conscious. Or I fall asleep meditating and wake up and decide I will project.

for me its really a fine line between waking up and being awake. For me once i get up its done theres nothing I can do any even if i am awake enough to roll over and think about whats going on its usually too late.

I posted in the other section ( out of body experiences ) about a dream i had and it seemed to trigger something in me. I dreamt i was killed by hitting a rock in a river. I woke up but was still kinda playing out the dream in my mind. I decided to go with it and in my dream i could see myself dead on a stretcher and it concreted in my mind that my body was over there and i was over here kinda deal.

suddenly my dream went black and i was fully awake and tingling. there was no sound associated that i remember. But i felt like i couldn't move.. but i could.. my physical body was dead still. but i could move my astral arms.. i could feel it. When i reached up it felt like i was pushing against a strong wind... I wont go any farther cuz i dont wanna hi-jack your post...

In short. try sleeping first then meditate. It seems to get me a lot farther then meditating before sleep. I end up getting irritated after an hour of deep trance. When you truly feel it, you will know. there is no mistake and you will be able to move freely without fear of moving your body.

For me i seem to get the most results when i take naps in the late afternoon ( also avoiding caffeine has helped me )not sure why.