So close...

[emergefrmnothing]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum.

I've been very interested in astral projection for awhile, but i've never been successful (that I can recall). But this afternoon, I came SO close... I just need your advice to help me break out

I was laying on my bed, listening to this astral projection mp3 that I have... I had it on a loop and ended up listening to it twice. As I was listening, I went into a very deep meditative state, deeper than I can every remember going. I felt my body get very heavy, and start to sink. I've experimented with salvia divinorum, and it was a very similar feeling to that... I felt like my body was being pulled through a very tight tunnel.

I started to focus my attention on the hypnagogic images behind my eyes. They were much brighter and more beautiful than I ever remembered seeing them. They started to get brighter, and I realized that my eyes were opening up very slightly. Then, I started to feeling my heart pounding faster and faster, and my eyes started to almost vibrate, shifting around rapidly (was I awake during REM sleep?). I started to get a little bit of a headache in my 3rd eye area, like someone was pressing on it very hard... maybe a headache isn't the right word. It didn't really *hurt*, it just felt like there was a lot of pressure.

Eventually, my eyes started to slowly open, until they were wide open, but I was still seeing those hypnagogic images. I stared at my ceiling, and it was shifting and flowing in wavelike patterns, with sparkling green hypnagogic imagery layered on top it. My heart started pounding faster. I didn't know what to do next, to actually get out of my body, and part of me was absolutely terrified at the thought of it. I told myself to relax, and to keep breathing, and I started to calm down.

Anyways, I never actually projected, but i felt like I was so close. What can I do next time to go further?

Thanks!!

(PS- My laptop was beside my bed, and when I got up, I grabbed my laptop, and my e-mail program was open. But, I haven't messed with that program all day, so there's no way I could have opened it. Did I project and forget?)

[Blazewind]

Hmmmm.. I'm surprised that no one has replied to this yet.  I never replied sooner because I'm not the best one ask about things like this, but I'll answer nevertheless.  In my opinion, it seems like you might have indeed been very close.  The imagery behind your eyes, the feeling of sinking, pounding heart, and certainly seeing with your eyes shut are all good signs that you were getting closer.    Many people have said the the heart pounding gets to be less as you practice more.  Not knowing what to do next at that point is something I can relate to.  I had an experience a couple weeks ago where I actually came pretty close myself, and then did not think of anything thing at all, let alone actually trying to move or anything.  I believe that is something else that will come with experience.  Don't worry about panicking either.  It seems that so many people do as beginners.    I would say that what you did, trying to calm yourself and stay with it, was the best thing you could have done.
Your laptop issue?  I'm really not sure.  Is it possible that your e-mail opened a window automatically? or that you might have opened it and forgot about it before practicing?  I'm not sure that most people could mess with a computer, or any other physical object while projected.