The Candle Vision approach - feedback please

[wizard]

Furthermore

I've been experimenting with the Candle Vision approach today and came up with some interesting realizations.

First, I've moved forward by leaps using this method as opposed to the rope, which always connects me to the body. What I found was that the Candle Vision dream I'm trying to enter has but a thread of conscious awareness built into it, the candle, and in no way is related to the body.

(If I chose to I could grab onto a piece of hypnogogic imagery and let that take me into a Lucic Projection, hanging onto a thread of awareness.)

What I found when imagining the candle was that the vibrations increased and I almost fell into the candle dream with the projected double following, just as we fall into a dream dream with our subtle body following, although we are not aware of it because we have fallen fully asleep. Staying slightly aware, just a candle's worth, I saw how the projected double was preparing to enter the candle dream. It seemed like an effortless event as opposed the other techniques I've been trying that have me doing something. I think I was observing and making mental notes too much for the transition to be successful, but next time.

I hope this helps others who are searching for the knack. If I'm way off base, please, someone with experience correct me.

[Frank]

You touch on a point I was making on another post about giving the mind a small task to keep it occupied, while the physical body drifts off to sleep. Because, in a nutshell, that is all Astral Projection entails. Problem is, set the mind too difficult a task and your focal point of awareness remains locked in the Physical; and too wishy-washy a task and your sense of conscious awareness dissipates and you fall asleep.

It just so happens that setting the mind the task of climbing an imaginary rope has worked for a lot of people (including myself). But, ultimately, it's a case of each individual finding what works best for them.

In my experience I have no need for any kind of "exit technique" once I feel vibrations. I find if I just relax into them I get a feeling like I've just set off on a flying carpet ride.

I've got this other way of projecting that follows a different approach where you imagine some kind of scene. Which could be anything that appeals to you. There comes a point where you get a 3D blackness effect (Monroe Focus 12) and following that "the scene" will come to life within your mind, then you just mentally step into it.

Ultimately, I'm of the view that it doesn't really matter what kind of "doorway" you create for yourself. It's the mental act of creating some kind of doorway that makes the whole thing work. How that doorway is represented within each person's mind I think matters not.  

Yours,
Frank

[wizard]

Frank, thanks for responding. I'm starting to see the big picture now. It's just a simple (maybe not so easy) matter of falling asleep while staying aware. That just takes practice, to navigate the hypnogogic realm, each time staying more and more aware, until one day, you cross over with conscious awareness intact. All that is needed is a focal point, a ticket so to speak, for the ride of OBEing. You just have to hang onto it and never let it go. At least that's how I'm seeing it now. So all it is about, for me now, is practice and patience.

[Frank]

Yes, it's not that hard but kinda difficult at the same time. Sort of a middle approach that's not so easy to explain. It's an inbetween thing. Not waking consciousness but not asleep. As I say, in a nutshell you let the body go to sleep while keeping the mind awake.

Yours,
Frank

[wizard]

Candle Vision

I'm sure this method exists somewhere; just thought of it yesterday.

I've been going back to read past posts (very adviseable for newbies) and have discovered an important thread. The idea is not to focus on the body but have attention placed on the intent. For me, the rope just links me to my body and when vibrations come that only solidifies my connection to the body further. I'm imagining my arms grabbing for and pulling the rope which brings me in direct awareness of my real arms and body.

So I've been trying this: I light a candle and place it in my room, far from the bed. I go into trance, lying on the bed, earplugs in. I do this in the morning or early afternoon. I then imagine myself standing, looking at the candle. I focus more on the candle than me standing, so as not to connect the body to the imagery too much. Then, as the hypnogogic imagery begins I let it filter through the image of the candle and just observe them going by without grabbing onto any of them, so as to prevent slipping into a dream. I try to disconnect my candle vision from the body standing and watching so it's not a body orientated image. I'm not trying to get out of my body (body consciousness again), more that I'm seeing the candle vision as a dream, very light and dreamlike - strong intent. The hope being that my vision will switch frequencies into the candle vision dream (OBE) naturally. This approach has nothing to do with my body.

My only question is, will I naturally get out-of-body or do I still need to have some sort of projection technique when the vibrations come? Again, the vibrations make me think of the body. The candle vision, even while the vibrations are happening, is my primary focus. I'm thinking that the subconscious mind knows it must be out-of-body to be standing, looking at the candle. What thinkest thou, fellow dreamers...? I hope to have success with this approach. Any extra thoughts would be welcomed.