Hi from the new guy.

[Apollos_Flame]

Hi guys and girls,

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm 23 years old and live in the UK. 
I've been interested in Astral Projection and Out of Body Experiences since the age of 18. It all started when I used to wake up feeling paralyzed in the night with a very loud roaring buzzing sound in my ears. I also heard screams and voices when paralyzed sometimes. It really freaked me out at first as I didn't know anything about it.
After quite a bit of internet research I found the links to AP and OBE. This really fascinated me and I got quite involved with trying to achieve a conscious AP. After a while I did make some progress but to this day I am not 100% sure what it was that I experienced. There is still no doubt in my mind that it is real and can be consciously achieved by anyone.

I then joined the military and my interest got pushed a side for 5 years. After serving my country and a few tours of Afghanistan I have now started really questioning what is actually going on in the world. I've now decided to leave.

Over the last month I have got back into my interest with AP and really want to get in touch with my spiritual side for once. I already feel so much happier as a person. I cant explain it.

I'm a bit confused with the differences between AP, OBE and Lucid dreaming. I've read quite a lot of conflicting information on the internet and in books that has just confused me. I've come here to speak to people with the same interests as me and learn a few things. 

I would like to apologize in advance if any of my spelling and grammar is not up to scratch, I joined the military because I wasn't very good at school but I still try...  (oh I've just seen theres a spellchecker, Happy Days!)

Thanks and I'll see you around

Apollo

[BlueHalcyon]

Hello and welcome 

[NoY]

Welcome to the Pulse 


:NoY:

[astraladdict]

Nice to have you aboard, we're all family here. You can say what you please, as what you want. We will answer and help you.

~astraladdict

[Lionheart]

 Welcome and safe travels!

[Greytraveller]

Hallo Apollos_Flame and Greetings 
The paralysis that you experienced is known as sleep paralysis (SP). SP is a normal condition that prevents the physical body from getting up and acting out sleep dreams. SP sometimes happens after a person has just wakened from sleep and quite a few people have freaked out believing that supernatural forces are holding them down. SP is nothing to be concerned about.
Both SP and the roaring noise that you heard are normal before an OBE. You do not need to be in SP or hear noises to have an OBE but both are signs that an OBE is imminent or that it can be deliberately induced.
Many people disagree whether OBEs, APs and lucid dreams are the same thing. I believe that there is a difference. Lucid dreams occur inside the physical body (or on the dream plane) and are mostly internally created experiences. OBE take place when the consciousness separates and goes outside the physical body in physical space. APs are similar to OBEs except that the consciousness (soul, spirit, etc) travels to non-physical realms.
Hope this helps.

Regards 
Grey

[Apollos_Flame]

Hey Grey,

Thanks for the reply. I get SP most nights and it used to scare me but now I look forward to getting it. Back a couple of years when I got SP I used to feel a horrible presence in the room when I got it. No idea why but that's all gone now that I've got used to it and know more about it.

So if I want to astral project, does it start off as an OBE and then I just move to a non-physical realm? Or do I do things differently to get to the non-physical realms?
When I get SP can I use an exit technique and try and leave at that point or should I try and ride it out for some later state? When I try and ride them out I usually either black out or loose the SP.

Also for energy work, do you think some crystals would help in raising my positive energy? Could I use crystals while I attempt to AP for some effect?

Back when I was 18 and I tried AP I experienced something that I'm not sure about. I got up from my bed into my room but there where some things different like the carpet was white and there was a desk with a load of empty jars on it against the wall where there isn't anything normally. I was gobsmacked. I left my room and walked out onto the landing, I knelt down and felt the white carpet and can remember to this day how it felt through my fingers. I then walked down stairs and there was a full length mirror by the door that doesn't exist normally. I walked up to it and I had a grey hoody on with the hood up. My eyes were totally black that kind of freaked me out but I didn't think too much into it. I walked outside onto my street and Everything was exactly the same except it was all white from snow. I then thought about flying somewhere and just then I shot up into the black sky like a rocket. I remember seeing colourfull shapes passing me. Then I woke up back in my room on my back like when I started. I really wasn't sure what it was that I had experienced because details where not the same but I was fully conscious till the flying bit. What do you think? I've thought to myself it must have been a very lucid dream. I've read from Robert Bruce that in AP and OBE your vision is like you can see 360 around you the same time. Very hard to work out which was is which. Mine was totally normal. This is what has made me think it must be a lucid dream...

Thanks to everyone for the greetings

Apollo.

[Lionheart]

 Crystals/stones etc. are prefect. Whatever you believe you need to get there in the beginning is going to help you get there. But after awhile you will notice that they were just an aide and that you can just get there with focus. I still put a special of crystal of mine on my chest when I do a session. I always say "if something is not broken, don't fix it'!

[Apollos_Flame]

Hey Lionheart. Do you recommend any particular crystal or stones? I have a double terminated quartz. Would that help? If so would I just place it on my chest? I cant seem to find much info on crystals and AP...

[Lionheart]

 Try it and see what happens. It couldn't hurt! All stones have energy.

[Greytraveller]

Hallo Apollos Flame
You asked

So if I want to astral project, does it start off as an OBE and then I just move to a non-physical realm? Or do I do things differently to get to the non-physical realms?

Yes, if you get out of body in a familiar location (bedroom) then you can attempt to travel (telport) to a non-physical location from there. Sometimes, though, an OBE can start already in a non-physical location. This is where inducing an OBE/AP directly from a lucid dream can be very effective.

When I get SP can I use an exit technique and try and leave at that point or should I try and ride it out for some later state? When I try and ride them out I usually either black out or loose the SP.

SP Is an aid for getting out of body. I usually try to use SP as an opportunity to deliberately go OOB. SP is not absolutely necessary but I find it a Very useful aid.

Cheers 
Grey

[Apollos_Flame]

Awesome guys, thanks for that. I'll give it a go tonight.