hello all. I have experienced something I can't find any information on.

[nevermindtime]

Hello all, I'm glad to have found this forum. In the last year or two I've become heavily interested in out of body experiences, lucid dreaming, psychedelics, and astral projection.

I've had two OBE's in my life. Once when I was around 9 or so and once about a year ago. I have only one lucid dream in which I was able to manipulate the colors of the grass around me.

Also, at least a couple of times a year, I've experienced something else... While laying in bed, my perception of myself is very small and the my bedroom around me becomes very large. It's very obvious, and I'm awake during the process. It last for up to maybe ten minutes. However, I don't feel completely awake. I can actually open my eyes and peer around, but doing so seems to shorten the scenario.

I've never really understood whats going on. My interest in whats happening became much greater when I discovered that a close friend of mine has experienced the same thing multiple times before! When we both found out that we both have experienced this, we were quite shocked and intrigued.

Has anyone else here experienced this before? Could this perhaps be the onset of an OBE?

thank you, all.

[mwaps]

I think you may be experiencing symtoms of the trance state,strange things can be felt or heard at this state.A couple of times I have felt the room become or feel bigger.

[Xanth]

nevermindtime,

Welcome to the Astral Pulse forums, we shall endevour to assist you any way we can. 

In your post here, it sounds most likely like what we call Sleep Paralysis.
Your experience had a slight difference though... you appeared to be a "SINGLE POINT OF CONSCIOUSNESS" instead of your usual physical self.
This is actually a normal thing to experience, however, it's also something, generally more experienced people get... because the more experienced projectors already know that they are NOT their physical body, they know that they ARE, in actuality, a single point of consciousness.

Anyway, the fact you could only move your eyes around and nothing else is definitely Sleep Paralysis... and it's the perfect launchpad for an OBE.
Next time you find yourself in such a position, attempt to "roll out" of your body.  Don't visualize or think it... actually TRY to move.  You might be slightly surprised by what happens. 

[astralp]

I have experienced that before.  That is definitely the trance state.  Those were the first symptoms I experienced before I actually projected.  I also get the feeling that I am become bigger sometimes.  It will literally feel like my consciousness is expanding bigger than the room.  In my case though I don't think i've ever opened my eyes.  I think if you hold your state of consciousness long enough it would turn into a projection. Or do what Xanth said and try to roll out of your body.  I usually imagine floating out of mine, and it works but rolling out is a good technique too.

[Xanth]

I usually imagine floating out of mine, and it works but rolling out is a good technique too.

If you've read Robert Monroe's first book, that's exactly what he did too. 

[bardips]

you were in what's called a deep trance, and it's very common for people who meditate a lot to 'wake up' and spend a few seconds in that state. 

you know that you're in a deep trance when it's incredibly quiet, and when you think, your head echos like a cave and thinking is extremely loud and obnoxious.  Everything feels large, you feel like the marshmallow man, the room feels large, and if you don't try to move, you'll soon experience vivid self awareness.  if there is a sound in the room, you will feel like you were punched in the stomach.  Usually though, people try to move or project and they end the full trance. 

onset of a full trance usually occurs after a projection and dreaming has just ended.  it's a great time to recall what happened but a very poor time to try to project because you can not only block the energy download of the projection that's ending, but also end the trance.

the deep trance is a gateway to many other experiences, including etheric projection and samadhi.  it can be distinguished from the full trance (or at least how i categorize trances based on my experiences with them) because of it's sensations; a deep trance should have zero sensations (except for the puffy marshmallow feeling) whereas a full trance has a constant falling sensation, and more. 

there are prophecies by many of the world religions, but especially the hindus regarding trances.  monks struggle to enter the trance state and their prophecies state that when the maitreya comes, monks will enter the trance state freely.  that is a predicted sign of his coming.

[Tiny]

I have experienced it several times during sessions.

I'm not exactly sure because it doesn't happen everytime i would do energy work, so i think of it as an energy-anomaly. For some reason, sometimes the energy body seems to expand to such a big size.

For me it felt like being an elephant, barely fitting under the ceiling of the room.



kind regards,

Paul

[Naykid]

I agree with bardips, sounds like a trance, not sleep paralysis at all.  SP is completely different, you'll be able to tell the difference when you experience it. 

I call what you experienced 'giant head', except you seemed to be small and the environment large.  It's a good sign, so don't shy away from it at all.  Next time you might want to try some kind of exit technique when in this state.

Good luck and welcome to the forums! 

[Xanth]

Yeah, upon second reading of the original post... I thought nevermindtime was reaching this state upon awakening.
I'll third the "deep trance" suggestions above. 

[Pauli2]

Could it be Focus 12, expanded awareness?

[Naykid]

I guess it could, I'm not up on the focus groups.  But expanded awareness sounds right. 

[Xanth]

Could it be Focus 12, expanded awareness?

If nevermindtime was to reply... I'd ask what "visuals" (if any) he experienced during the supposed deep trance.

[nevermindtime]

What's focus 12?

It definitely wasn't in SP. I've experienced that one before when I was attempting a WILD.

hmm so it's a trance. Thanks for all the replies, I underestimated the liveliness of this forum 

I'm going to bed now in hopes of a chance to try the "roll" technique.

[Xanth]

What's focus 12?

It definitely wasn't in SP. I've experienced that one before when I was attempting a WILD.

hmm so it's a trance. Thanks for all the replies, I underestimated the liveliness of this forum 

I'm going to bed now in hopes of a chance to try the "roll" technique.

http://unlimitedboundaries.ca/2010/11/18/post-focus-frank/
http://unlimitedboundaries.ca/2010/11/24/post-focus-focus-10-and-12/

Those should give you a better idea of what Focus 12 is.
It's basically a state of consciousness marked by it's sensations of expanded awareness in conjunction with "some form" of visuals... be it random, abstract motion in front of you or actual scenes/objects.   You don't need to be in sleep paralysis nor have your body 'asleep' to access this area of consciousness and it's the stepping stone into astral projection. 

[nevermindtime]

ahh, good to know.

Better luck tonight, I hope

[Bo Bo]

Hello im new to the forum and i have had exactly the same thing as ur saying happen to me about u feeling very small and everything is bigger but it was like i was laying on my stomach and i was a awake and it was sorta like i was spacing out and i felt like i got very small and i sunk into my body and everything got bigger. but i could move and look around but if i got up it would go away. i would try to mess with it sometimes and almost make it happen on purpose and try to make the opposite of it like me got bigger and my surrounding got smaller.

[Eyyoshi]

I've experienced this before, even as a kid a few times. But I never understood what it was or what it could be useful for. It's focus 12? I've gotten it when I first got into AP. I would just focus on something like blackness in your eyelids. I wonder if this occurs when you do the above while your body is still awake.

About what Frank says, I never observed the blackness turning brighter. But I've never tried focusing even more at that point, I just observe how bizarre the state feels. But if I reach this state again I'll continue focusing.