Blast from the Past!

[Selski]

Well hello fellow dreamers and oneironauts 

I've not been here for a Very Long Time. Not sure who, if anyone, from the old days is still around. I know Xanth from another forum (hi Xanth!  ) and was a moderator here for a while.

Anyway, yesterday I decided to make AP/OBE/LD/whatever my primary hobby once again, so here I am. Already had a small experience last night (which I'll post elsewhere), so that's something. Thought I'd have to start from scratch again, but seems I've jumped right back into it. Woop!

Looking forward to getting to know some/all of you and reading your experiences. 

Selski

[Subtle Traveler]

Hello Selski ...

I remember reading some of your posts over at the EIC forum. Looks like 'the Giraffe has been upgraded'.

[Selski]

  Yes, I guess it has!

I did consider getting reinvolved at EIC instead/too, and may still do, but for now I'm dipping my toes here. 

Thanks for the welcome.

[Lumaza]

 Hello Selski and Welcome back!  

I've have enjoyed reading your past posts here over the years.

Just last night I was reading some of your former posts as a "refresher of sorts" and the question came to my mind what do you know now, that you didn't then, pertaining to this practice?

I have found that every time I started to think I knew what was happening "there", that it changed. One wild, awe inspiring experience led to another and so on. The only time I found myself blocked was when I stuck with some conclusion, instead of leaving myself open to seeing and experiencing more.

My question was spurred on, after reading this thread that you started here. It had some great replies in it from other former members (that I respect) here as well.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_projection_experiences/differences-t27412.0.html;msg227694#msg227694

[Xanth]

Welcome back Selski!  The Pulse has really missed you in your time away. 

[Nameless]

Hi Selski, welcome back and glad to meet you. I've come across quite a few of your posts since being here and looking forward to your new adventures.

[Selski]

Thanks Lumaza, Xanth and Nameless 

Lumaza, what an interesting thread you found! 

Since then (nearly 10 years ago ) my focus changed. I joined the EIC (Explorations in Consciousness) website created by Major Tom (Fred) from here. After a year or two, I became more interested in lucid dreaming and learned ways to become lucid from a non-lucid dream (DILD - this acronym always makes me grin, looks like dildo) ...much quicker & easier than relaxation, phasing, WILD, MILD and all the other ILDs.

But during my lucid dreaming periods, odd things would happen so I was still getting all sorts of overlaps. So now, all this time later, I'm none the wiser. Then again, I haven't really been actively into it for many years.

I'm certainly older, definitely not wiser (lol) but probably more mellow about the whole thing. If others wish to label and claim opinions as fact, so what? I've realised that it's more about me and my perspective. I tend to be reasonably UNopinionated and, after joining a handful of forums over the years, noticed that I'm more inclined to agree with others' opinions rather than form my own. Whenever there are arguments discussions on forums with two people going backwards and forwards, I'm usually the observer - quite like watching a good tennis match with lots of volleys!

Looking back at all the experiences I've had over the years, they've all been amazing in their own right. Some have taught me things, some have been simply fun, some have made me wonder about the Big Questions in Life. But not one has given me anything solid to take on board. As I said, I think that says more about me than about the experiences.

Does that make sense? 

[catmeow]

Yes it makes perfect sense Selski!

And that's a thread I probably left safely alone, rather than get the boxing gloves out!

Welcome back!

[Lumaza]

Since then (nearly 10 years ago ) my focus changed. I joined the EIC (Explorations in Consciousness) website created by Major Tom (Fred) from here. After a year or two, I became more interested in lucid dreaming and learned ways to become lucid from a non-lucid dream (DILD - this acronym always makes me grin, looks like dildo) ...much quicker & easier than relaxation, phasing, WILD, MILD and all the other ILDs.

I am also a member at the EIC, using the name "Shu-Man".
I have had spontaneous OBEs for much of my life, starting as a child. I was always petrified when my covers felt like they were leaving my feet and I felt the rising sensation. I would then pull the covers over my head and cower. I actually thought it happened to everyone and that for some reason it was one of those things that people didn't talk about.
I learned to voluntarily have OBEs, through my intent and experimented with many ways to do it. I still am experimenting today. This soon led to become more aware in my LDs and actually becoming more aware of "life" in general.
Then I read Frank's great posts on Phasing and Robert Monroe's books and found my favorite way to access the other realms.
I still encounter spontaneous OBEs today. I also do a Phase/meditation session everyday, when I can.

Looking back at all the experiences I've had over the years, they've all been amazing in their own right. Some have taught me things, some have been simply fun, some have made me wonder about the Big Questions in Life. But not one has given me anything solid to take on board. As I said, I think that says more about me than about the experiences.

Does that make sense? 

That makes total sense to me. 
I have lived under the adage "I believe half of what I hear, but everything I see." This leaves me open to new things and experiences, but not gullible!

I found there are many paths to get "there". It's what you do when you arrive there that counts. I enjoy aiding people and "Others" in their Journeys, whether those Journeys are in this physical realm here or "other".!