Recent Experience

[Infining]

Two nights ago, I was unable to sleep. I had been up with my girlfriend until about two in the morning when she decided to go to bed. Not feeling tired at all, I attempted to sleep none the less. Thirty minutes into my honest attempt at slumber I finally gave up the notion to sleep and thought I would practice my relaxation technique. I turned on my back, as I usually do when meditating, and started a full body relaxation progression from my feet upwards. After repeating this two or three times I felt everything below my chest completely relax to where I couldn't feel anymore. This is an unusual experience as I am usually only able to achieve this state with my arms and feet. Feeling confident, I focused on small areas that were not already 'numb' to relax them as much a I could. I did this until only the very top of my head was left. The moment I went to relax the very top of my head I felt an intense 'shift' of consciousness and energy all throughout my body. My heart rate shot up and my entire body wanted to tense itself. Attempting to suppress the muscle tension I tried to 'ride the wave' of energy. The energy died down and I found myself focused back on my body. With nothing else to do at the time and no hope to sleep I continued to relax my entire body over and over again, each time experiencing the intense rush of energy and symptoms associated with AP yet never reaching astral projection. I must have done this for more than three hours because when I finally called it good it was nearly six thirty in the morning.

Note: my original intention wasn't to achieve astral projection but to practice relaxing my body. It was only after the first cycle that any inkling of astral projection entered my train of thought.

Some feedback would be great, especially on ways to get past the symptoms (e.g. increased heart rate, and energy) and achieve astral projection.

[Astral-Trea]

Two nights ago, I was unable to sleep. I had been up with my girlfriend until about two in the morning when she decided to go to bed. Not feeling tired at all, I attempted to sleep none the less. Thirty minutes into my honest attempt at slumber I finally gave up the notion to sleep and thought I would practice my relaxation technique. I turned on my back, as I usually do when meditating, and started a full body relaxation progression from my feet upwards. After repeating this two or three times I felt everything below my chest completely relax to where I couldn't feel anymore. This is an unusual experience as I am usually only able to achieve this state with my arms and feet. Feeling confident, I focused on small areas that were not already 'numb' to relax them as much a I could. I did this until only the very top of my head was left. The moment I went to relax the very top of my head I felt an intense 'shift' of consciousness and energy all throughout my body. My heart rate shot up and my entire body wanted to tense itself. Attempting to suppress the muscle tension I tried to 'ride the wave' of energy. The energy died down and I found myself focused back on my body. With nothing else to do at the time and no hope to sleep I continued to relax my entire body over and over again, each time experiencing the intense rush of energy and symptoms associated with AP yet never reaching astral projection. I must have done this for more than three hours because when I finally called it good it was nearly six thirty in the morning.

Note: my original intention wasn't to achieve astral projection but to practice relaxing my body. It was only after the first cycle that any inkling of astral projection entered my train of thought.

Some feedback would be great, especially on ways to get past the symptoms (e.g. increased heart rate, and energy) and achieve astral projection.

My advice would be to just keep trying to get to that point, and then let it happen. It takes practice not to get distracted by the rapid heartbeat and vibrations, sounds. If you can get in the right frame of mind and realise it is happening, but not get distracted or excited by it.. Then once you have the vibrations going strong you can try some exit techniques. But being able to relax your body to that level is a great accomplishment that some struggle with so you have reached the first step of getting to that state. Keep it up!

[Astral-Trea]

Sorry I realize you were looking for ways to get past the symptoms but I dont really know of any other than to just practice the mindset and get used to it happening so you arent fixated on it.

[Szaxx]

Ignore it as best you can. I know it feels like being in a dentists chair and he's about to hit you with the needle. If you totally relax and think of being somewhere else it's nowhere near as influential on you.
Get past this and you're pretty much out.

[Lionheart]

 As Szaxx and Astral-Trea have already answered the rest of this brilliantly, I just have one thing and that "now is your true test". Now is the time that you will have to decide if you will/can passively observe this and overcome it or give in to it and stop practicing altogether.

It's a make or break moment!