My Attempts at Astral Projection

[Pyro21]

I figured I'd let you guys know about my attempts at Astral Projection and maybe you guys can give me advice that you think will help me.

Attempt 1:

My first attempt at astral projection was last night at around 10:00. I was pretty tired so I got relaxed pretty fast and it was kind of hard for me to move my body (but it wasn't sleep paralysis because I could still move). After I got relaxed I tried to clear my mind of all thoughts and go into the hypnogogic state which is when the problems started. My mind wanders a lot and it's really hard for me to clear my mind for more than 10-20 seconds which makes it hard for me to get into the hypnogogic state because I'm always thinking about something. Last night I wasn't able to even get hypnogogic state so I feel that I have a long way to go before I can have an OBE.

Do you guys have any tips or advice on how I can clear my mind and get into the hypnogogic state?

[ancient_one]

Do you guys have any tips or advice on how I can clear my mind and get into the hypnogogic state?

There is a mantra that you can repeat to yourself when you breath. Doing this makes it very difficult to think of anything else.  As below, say Hum on breath intake, and So on breathing out.   

From http://www.yogajillian.com/meditation.html#19

"The So Hum Meditation technique is often called the universal mantra because of the fact that its sound vibration is already a part of the breath, and everybody breathes. If you listen closely, 'Sooooo...' is actually the sound of inhalation, and 'Hummmm'... is actually the sound of exhalation. So Hum literally means "I am That" (So = "That" or "Divinity"; Hum = "I am") Here, "that" refers to all of creation, the one breathing us all. The mantra's aim is to bring about this union (yoga) between your individual consciousness and Divine Consciousness. In short it stimulates the realization that 'the energy in me, and the energy in you is the same energy that exists in everything we see around us.'" 

[dbmathis]

I think it's actually "sooo" on intake and "hum" on exhale.

[T.L.]

"Do you guys have any tips or advice on how I can clear my mind and get into the hypnogogic state?"

Rather than trying to force yourself to clear your mind, think of just one thing instead. Focus on your breathing while counting (that is what I have done for years, works everytime for me). Also focus on using  your diaphram to breathe. When your take your breath in through your nose, your stomach should rise with your inhale, when exhaling through the mouth your stomach should sink. When I breathe in I count mentally 1....2... exhale...1....2. Be sure to count slowly and breath slowly. When you start to get images...etc Keep focus on the breathing you will get deeper and deeper. Be sure not to go too deep or focus on the hypnagogic images as you might end up getting stuck in a dream. Good luck.

[Pyro21]

Thanks for the advice!!!

Focus on your breathing while counting (that is what I have done for years, works everytime for me). Also focus on using  your diaphram to breathe. When your take your breath in through your nose, your stomach should rise with your inhale, when exhaling through the mouth your stomach should sink. When I breathe in I count mentally 1....2... exhale...1....2. Be sure to count slowly and breath slowly. When you start to get images...etc Keep focus on the breathing you will get deeper and deeper. Be sure not to go too deep or focus on the hypnagogic images as you might end up getting stuck in a dream. Good luck.

Should I take breaths one right after the other or should I wait a few seconds in between each breath? I was breathing deeply last night when I tried and I was breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth and I was breathing one right after the other and it didn't seem to work real well because my chest started to feel kind of sore.

I'm going to try and AP again tonight. Hopefully I'll have better luck.

I'm going to try and start going to bed at 9:30 PM and practice and if I wake up during the night I'll practice then too. I might try and wake up at 5:30 AM and meditate (I've never meditated before) for 30 minutes before I start my day to see if that helps me get better at clearing my mind.

[Pyro21]

Attempt 2:

I can't believe it but it's actually real...

I started trying to get into AP tonight at 10:30 PM and I did the breathing thing that T.L. suggested and I counted to 20 breaths and I started feeling the "vibrations" (which feels more like an electric tingle). A few seconds after that my heart started pounding faster and stronger than it ever has which scared me and then after that my eyes started twitching. I started getting worried because of my heart so I stopped the vibrations and I opened my eyes (my heart didn't stop pounding until 1 or 2 minutes afterwards). I really want to take things in slowly and get use to them before I fully get out out of my body. I was thinking that maybe my mind was just making me feel these things and tricking me but the feelings were just to strong.

I can't believe this is actually real...it's just amazing...

[T.L.]

Good job. To answer your earlier question yes you take a few seconds with each breath. I just cound 1...2.. but its more like 1-thousand-1 1-thousand-2. Focusing on the numbers and breathing helps just as would clearing your mind, in my opinion it works better. Also breathing in this way seems to help in some other ways to relax one and place him/her in just the right state for projection. For me it takes about 15 minutes sometimes less or more all depending. Good job and keep it up.

[Pyro21]

Good job. To answer your earlier question yes you take a few seconds with each breath. I just cound 1...2.. but its more like 1-thousand-1 1-thousand-2. Focusing on the numbers and breathing helps just as would clearing your mind, in my opinion it works better. Also breathing in this way seems to help in some other ways to relax one and place him/her in just the right state for projection. For me it takes about 15 minutes sometimes less or more all depending. Good job and keep it up.

Thanks for answering my question!!!!

I forgot to mention that I couldn't control the "vibrations" because I was to focused on my heart because it was beating so fast.

I hope I can get even farther into the AP process tonight.

Are APs always this dramatic right before you get out of your body (do you always see hallucinations, hear sounds)?

I'm recording my progress on my blog that I started yesterday.

[T.L.]

They are for me. When the vibrations start to peak I hear this loud squealing sound. Usually the sight fades in while exiting. I dont have a problem with my heart racing though (im sure youll get over that as well) because Im so at ease while exiting. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[ancient_one]

I think it's actually "sooo" on intake and "hum" on exhale.

Sorry. I had that originally, and even seeing it on the website correctly, transposed it. 

[Panthau]

I tried it with that mantra, still no luck. Wired thing is, that i always
"forget" about the mantra and then fall asleep (or remember my intention
and repeat the mantra again).

Pan

[T.L.]

"that i always
"forget" about the mantra and then fall asleep"

You are not lowering yourself (physical body) into sleep slowly enough. That commonly happened to me (with the breathing/counting) when I would jump feet first into sleep. Try to slow the sleep process down a bit, the more you do the more weird noises and sensations you should get, until ultimately you hit the vibrations. Takes practice but sometimes some people get it with very little practice and lots of observing. Good luck =-)

[Pyro21]

Attempt 3:

Last night I started trying to AP at about 10:20 PM and since the breathing thing worked so well the night before I tried that again. I counted to 40 breaths and I strarted to feel the "vibrations" and my heart started beating faster again. Since I knew my heart was going to beat fast I was able to ignore it and focus on the "vibrations" and I was able to move them all throughout my body and I was able to make them a little stronger. After they got stronger I started to feel my bed shaking back and forth but since I knew something weird would probably happen I was able to ignore that too. A few seconds after my bed started to shake the "vibrations" stopped and I stared to feel like I was being pulled from my body. I started to feel lighter so I lifted up my arm to see if I was still in my body and I was but since I lifted up my arm it stopped the process.  It seems like I'm getting close to my first AP.

I haven't heard any weird sounds or seen any weird things during the process. The only thing that seemed weird was my bed shaking.

When I feel like I'm being pulled from my body do I focus on that or try and ignore it and focus on something else?

[Panthau]

"that i always
"forget" about the mantra and then fall asleep"

You are not lowering yourself (physical body) into sleep slowly enough. That commonly happened to me (with the breathing/counting) when I would jump feet first into sleep. Try to slow the sleep process down a bit, the more you do the more weird noises and sensations you should get, until ultimately you hit the vibrations. Takes practice but sometimes some people get it with very little practice and lots of observing. Good luck =-)

Ok thanx for the hint. But im not sure how that should work without getting into a sleep state.
Im meditating every day an hour with a mantra and never get any vibrations...

[oneironaught]

i never get any vibrations during meditation either, i find i have to be lying on my side, literally trying to fall asleep in just the right conditions. i guess its just harder for some people.

perhaps we are too focused on the meditation to be meditating properly? meditation is a tricky thing, you can do all the reading on it you want but to figure out what it acutally IS takes time and practice

[magari]

Attempt 3:

Last night I started trying to AP at about 10:20 PM and since the breathing thing worked so well the night before I tried that again. I counted to 40 breaths and I strarted to feel the "vibrations" and my heart started beating faster again. Since I knew my heart was going to beat fast I was able to ignore it and focus on the "vibrations" and I was able to move them all throughout my body and I was able to make them a little stronger. After they got stronger I started to feel my bed shaking back and forth but since I knew something weird would probably happen I was able to ignore that too. A few seconds after my bed started to shake the "vibrations" stopped and I stared to feel like I was being pulled from my body. I started to feel lighter so I lifted up my arm to see if I was still in my body and I was but since I lifted up my arm it stopped the process.  It seems like I'm getting close to my first AP.

I haven't heard any weird sounds or seen any weird things during the process. The only thing that seemed weird was my bed shaking.

When I feel like I'm being pulled from my body do I focus on that or try and ignore it and focus on something else?

I never understood why people tell others to focus on the vibrations.

The thing is you will experience all those things as you progress from being 'in your body' or 'body-aware' to 'out of body' or 'body-numb'. If you shift your focus during this progress all will come to a halt and the mind will win over the soul.

Keep counting your breaths or focusing on your breathing, thats good advice and what I do every time. Nowadays I am right at about 25 exhalations before I step outside of myself. When the noise starts, keep focusing on your breathing, counting your breaths. When the vibrations start, keep focusing on your breathing, counting your breaths.

Its like masturbating, keep stroking the same way until you get there.

You'll know for certain once your OBE, there won't be a doubt in your mind. Like your first orgasm.

Don't try to move your body thinking that you'll move your astral body, you will move your real body and ruin the whole experience. The first time you go OBE focus on your astral body, become familiar with it. Its all seeing, hearing, and feeling with the minds eye. Something unexplainable until you experience it for yourself. Once your familiar with your astral body/soul/whatever you can begin to explore.

[Pyro21]

Thanks for the advice!!!

It kind of sucks because I really want to tell my dad about APs and how I'm trying to have one (and that I've almost had an OBE) so I wanted to see how his reaction might be so before I told him I told him that I've heard the White House has a psychic defense to keep people that AP (I explained to him what AP was) away from the White House and he said that's BS because people can't leave their bodies  . I guess once I'm able to AP I'll have to figure out how to prove that it's real. I really wish my friends believed in AP because I really want to have someone that I can share my experiences with and maybe they can share their experiences with me.

[magari]

Thanks for the advice!!!

It kind of sucks because I really want to tell my dad about APs and how I'm trying to have one (and that I've almost had an OBE) so I wanted to see how his reaction might be so before I told him I told him that I've heard the White House has a psychic defense to keep people that AP (I explained to him what AP was) away from the White House and he said that's BS because people can't leave their bodies  . I guess once I'm able to AP I'll have to figure out how to prove that it's real. I really wish my friends believed in AP because I really want to have someone that I can share my experiences with and maybe they can share their experiences with me.

A famous Occult quote comes to mind....

"Do not cast your pearls before swine."

Be VERY VERY careful about sharing this stuff with other people. They won't be as accepting as you may believe and could ruin these experiences for you.

You attract what you vibe with, so my advice would be to keep to yourself and let people who are interested in these things come to you. It will happen, you will meet people who are interested in the same things you are. Just don't rush it. Let it happen and you'll make much more progress alone.

[Pyro21]

Be VERY VERY careful about sharing this stuff with other people. They won't be as accepting as you may believe and could ruin these experiences for you.

Thanks for the advice. If I told my dad or mom they'd probably think I was doing drugs  .

I guess your right though...I'll probably find a friend that's interested in this type of stuff eventually.

[newmethod]

keep it up Pyro.. sounds as if you are getting quite close 
BTW nice website design

[Panthau]

Thanx for that tip with the breathing. I found out now that my mind tries to control the experience, which of course is impossible. So i gotta train myself to "let go" as a first step to be able to project.

Pan

[T.L.]

Meditation is an interesting subject. It's actually how I found out about astral projection/obes and remote viewing. I practiced transcedental meditation for a little while. After about 1-2 weeks perhaps a little less I started to have weird things happening to me while meditating, started to see distant places behind my eyelids. After a few of those experiences I had what some would call a bi location experience where I was aware of being at two places at once, in my physical body and being in some strange cabin watching rain stream down from the windows while some woman was pacing around. The more I meditated the deeper I went each time. The position I used for meditation was I would sit straight up in a chair (sometimes my couch), either way my back would be straight and I would not lean back (for about the first week or two as to not fall asleep). My feet would be on the ground but I would have a pillow under them. I noticed if I had my feet flat on the floor and I did not move after the 30 minutes my feet got sore. The method was essentially the same thing I do right now for obe's. The difference being Im laying down. For both all it takes for me is breathing the right way and to hold the mind steady on one thing and one thing only. About the vibrations though (keeping in mind I would meditate twice a day 30 minutes each time, 20 minutes when I first started out), The first 3 days or so (maybe a day or two more) nothing happened. Sure I would feel more relaxed but not much more.

    I figured I must be doing something wrong or perhaps just haven't done it enough. Then after a week into it I would get heavy muscle twices (which showed me that now Im beginning to relax a bit more) I could feel the tension melt away out of my muscles. It was only a day or two later when I first started getting the vibrations, first lightly them heavily. They would continue even after I ended my sessions, throughout the rest of the day I would have that constant electrical pulsating, vibrating like my brain was just bouncing at a high rate. The vibrations started to kick in about 10 days into it, maybe a couple more. It really is important to keep the mind only fixed on one simple thought, it can't be a complex thought or sentence. I just thought of a syllable and thats what I would use, not even an entire word. Good luck.

[Pyro21]

Last night I wasn't able to get as far into the AP process as I did the night before  . I tried twice (the first at 10:00 PM and the second at 10:45 PM) last night. I was able to get the vibrations strong (or at least what I think is strong) and it started to sound like fast winds were passing by my ear but that's all I was able to get. I didn't feel like I was being pulled up like I did the night before and my bed didn't shake like it did the night before. I think my major problem is is that I can't keep only one thought in my mind easily. If I hear another sound my mind starts thinking about that. I hope I have more luck tonight.

keep it up Pyro.. sounds as if you are getting quite close 
BTW nice website design

Thanks 

[Kraven Obscuria]

Pyro21,

You've gotten some good advice about how to help maintain focus during your AP attempts,... but another idea is to strike at the root of the wandering thoughts and practice mindfulness throughout the entire day... so when your time comes to attempt/succeed with AP, the groundwork will have already been laid.

Kind of like a good salesperson doesn't train to just attack the jugular(well maybe some do) at the moment of a signing, they address constraints/concerns before the big event, gently holding the prospect's hand.. until the moment of truth, the sale should then close itself,due to the prior actions.

So... throughout the day, try to only focus on one thing at a time (easier said then done), if your driving, just focus on the road, instead of letting your mind wander about what to have for dinner, errands to be run, what your doing Saturday night, etc. Same with other daily tasks like eating, bathing, etc.. these moments allow a built in practice time for training your mind for one-pointedness.. so your efforts with AP may be come more automatic and easier... since we are creatures of habit, once you get some momentum going.. they should get easier and easier, as your concentration improves.

[Pyro21]

I have some binaural beat apps on my iPod and they have some background sounds that are suppose to be relaxing (such as ocean wave sounds). Would these sounds help me meditate or will they mess up the meditation?