Okay, so I've been trying out astral projection/OBE stuff for about 3 months now. I've only gotten full body paralysis (through meditation) a few times during this length of time.
But in the last month, I've had a dream every night except for 1 or 2 nights. From what I've experienced, if I just relax for only 15-20 min. in bed, I'll have very vivid dreams. But most of the time, they're nightmares, but that's not really a big deal.
Well anyway, my girlfriend just graduated from basic training in the army, and I went with her parents to South Carolina to attend her graduation. On the 2nd night of staying in a hotel, with no plans on having an OBE/meditation/anything, I had one. And I'm really hope that it wasn't something that just randomly happened, and that I'm actually learning something about OBE's.
So here it is: I fell asleep listening to my mp3 player, which is actually pretty cool - I know the exact length of time that I was sleeping because of the song that I woke up listening to, and the song I fell asleep listening to. I'd say I was asleep for about 10-12 minutes.
I woke up with someone standing over me. I started to panic, but instinctively thought to pull myself out of my body. So, I did, it looked like someone climbing out of a hole in the ground. I got stuck about halfway out, though, and I reached out to the person that was standing over me.
Let me describe this person, or entitiy, at this point. I have no idea what they looked like. I'd have to say that the were of the same height as me, around 6 feet tall, but the person was completely black. Even though this was at night, and the setting of this OBE was on a hill with tall grass under the sky, the person was blacker than the sky. A complete shadow. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen.
I had gotten half way out, but I got stuck. I started yelling (or thinking) for help, and I kept calling the person "my spirit guide", or whatever. Well, whoever it was, they were a complete badass because they just walked away. I remember hearing the grass move under their feet. It was incredible. There was a lot of wind in my face too, and after a little bit, I lost my vision. But I could still hear the person walking away. If I had to guess, from what I felt, I'd say that they wanted me to follow them, so this is something I really want to get back to when I can.
After I lost vision, and I had small lucid dream where I had no control, and where I panicked and couldn't breathe. I woke up completely dumbfounded. I guess that's the best way to describe it.
But I'd have to say that if you're having trouble with having an OBE, to keep trying at it. It took me 3 months to have one that was only for a few moments, but it was worth it. It was so awesome. And I just want to go and try for it again.
If I can get another OBE the same way I did the first time, there was something (sort of) special, so I might just have a new method to achieving OBE. Hopefully.
Sorry to make this such a long post for something that wasn't very long at all, but I just have to say that OBE and astral projection are one of the coolest things I've ever experienced.
Amazing!
My first ever OBE was years ago and for some bizarre reason I stop trying *hits head on table*.
So am piece of advice, I wish I had given myself, dont stop now! :0 Or like me you will have to start from scratch!
Also start a journal/diary of you experiances. I started one 10 years ago and re-reading it now...I am astounded at what I had experianced! Write it as you see it, dont edit it, write as you think it to capture your emotions and feelings as you recall it. It will help you to understand how it made you felt when you re-read it back.
Athymari
Congratualtions KRDecade. Thanks for sharing!
Congrats on your first OBE!
About those entities...they can be a real PITA sometimes. :-D
KRDecade
A couple of thoughts on your very first conscious OBE.
First, it was most probably a full and complete separation and not just a partial OBE. This is because you were somewhere else other than where your physical body lay. Therefore it is most likely that the separation (of physical and astral body) had already taken place but you were not fully aware of it.
Second, the success of having an OBE after weeks and months of continued effort, can occur at any time. Sometimes the OBE happens when you do not expect it. The important point is that the work that you already put in DID pay off and will continue to pay off in the future.
Congrats 8-)
Grey
The entity you encountered sounds very much like the 'shadow self', met in in dreams and astral experiences. Characterised by utter blackness and often elusive position, i.e. behind you and impossible to focus on. From what I've read (after a spectacular lucind dream encounter with my own) it's supposed to represent aspects of your nature that your waking mind can't deal with, or finds unattractive.
Maybe that's not what this was, but hopefully all input or new ideas from others will help you on your journeys. Good luck.
Fingal.