Phasing Question

[Jisei]

I have been reading Frank Kepple's posts and have been trying out his Phasing techniques. My question is with regards to how and when one 'notices': Do you have to suppress the tendency to use your eyes to 'notice' behind your closed eye lids? I find that my eyes will tend to wander when I attempt to 'notice' things in the darkness, this always causes some strain n disrupts my phasing attempt. Must I consciously ensure that I am not using my physical eyes to 'notice'?

[Xanth]

Hiya,

This is taken from: http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

B) What is 'Phasing', and how can I do it?

The term "phasing" was originally coined from an idea presented by the author Robert Monroe who spent much of his physical lifetime researching OBE phenomena. His early work, detailed in his first book Journeys Out Of The Body, followed very traditional lines of study. Such that strong parallels can be drawn between his experiences detailed in that book, and the work of the traditional mystics.

However, his later books Far Journeys and Ultimate Journey, published many years later, reveal how his work had progressed to the development and formation of a completely different model of consciousness. His early "locale" concept had been totally replaced by a series of mental Focus Levels. These levels were labelled by using an escalating series of arbitrary numbers. Each level was identified from the mental impressions presented that Monroe categorised and labelled, so that others could follow in his work and duplicate his experiences.

At some point in his experience, Monroe was able to determine the profound truth, that there is no separation within consciousness. Whereas in his early work it felt to him he was "leaving" and "separating" from his physical body in the more traditional sense. His later experiences led him to conclude that he was not "leaving" his body at all. But what he was doing, in his words, was changing the phase relationship between himself and his surroundings. It was from this discovery that the term "Phasing" came into being.

Monroe was an electronics engineer by profession, and it so happens that I too graduated in electronics, so I understand where he was coming from when he talks about phase relationships. You can have two voltages present on the very same wire (you can have many numbers but for this example we'll have just two). To all intents and purposes, those two voltages are mixed, but at the same time they are separated. What separates these two voltages is the phase-angle relationship between them.

Monroe used this phase-angle relationship idea as an analogy to describe the relationship between the physical or objective layer of consciousness, and the non-physical or subjective layer of consciousness. Each respective area of consciousness occupies the same area in "space" and to all intents, they are mixed but at the same time they are separated. So Monroe figured there was a 180-degree Phase Relationship between the two areas of reality. To him, projection became a case of "switching phase" between the physical and the non-physical.

Phasing, therefore, entails initiating a 180-degree phase shift between the physical and the non-physical realms of reality. The way this is done is rather different from the traditional ways of initiating an "out of body" experience. In fact, Phasing does not incorporate any kind of out of body feelings at all. The normal bodily vehicle can remain and all that changes is a person's environment.

The key to Phasing is to just let the experience flow. You need to allow yourself to become it, as opposed to trying to go to it, or point to it, with some kind of "method". Just lay back and simply become it. At which point people usually say, "Yeah, but Frank it's okay for you but when I close my eyes all I see is blackness. "Well, that is all I see at first!"

I think often that people are too hasty to discount these initial stages, and they just go off on some method.

When I close my eyes all I see is blackness. But I think the essential difference between me and many beginners is when they close their eyes they are not really noticing. And that's another key to it... that of noticing self. I think people become too wrapped up in methods and techniques, and it prevents them from really noticing themselves.

Okay, so as I say, when I close my eyes all I see is blackness, which is normal. I'll wriggle around a bit to get comfortable, maybe my knee is itching and my hair is tickling my ear or something. So I'll sort all that out and just concentrate on breathing gently for 5 minutes or so. Now, because I am noticing as opposed to avidly trying to perfect and follow some technique or method, in the traditional sense, my full attention is taken by the simple act of noticing.

People often tell me that they keep trying and they are saying about how they are concentrating upon holding their awareness outside of themselves, and at the same time they are concentrating on "raising energy" and doing everything correctly, and whatever... but nothing is happening. That's right, because all their attention is fixated elsewhere, whereas all my attention is fixated on noticing.

Noticing what?

Well, nothing at first, there's not much to see really but blackness. But then, after a short while, I may see that perhaps one part of the blackness is not quite so black. Perhaps there was just a brief flash of something, then maybe a sensation of a movement somewhere else. Maybe I just heard someone call my name. Hmm, that's interesting, I might think, I wonder where that came from. But I don't get too curious I just keep noticing. I might see swirling areas of not quite so black as the rest. I might see flashes of this and that. As I am offering myself these images, my attention is steadily becoming more fixated within.

As my attention becomes fixated within, from the act of noticing, at this stage I am not aware of my physical body. Part of my awareness realises that somewhere in the background is a physical body, in bed, etc. but I have phased away from it. Before, the forefront of my awareness was my physical and 180 degrees turned around from that, in the background of my awareness, was the non-physical. But now there has been a "phase shift" i.e. a turning through 180 degrees. Now, my previous foreground (physical) is my background, and my previous background (non-physical) is my foreground.

This is what is meant by "phasing" because you cause a 180-degree Phase Shift between the non-physical and the physical. As I say, Monroe first coined the term as he was an electronics engineer and he was picturing it like it were two voltages, 180 degrees out of phase with each other. Hence he coined the term Phasing. But I guess people generally have difficulties picturing two voltages 180-degrees out of phase with each other. So, instead, imagine a revolving door that is the entrance to a building. Any old building, it doesn't matter.

You are standing outside the building. So the "outside" is your reality. You are aware of a reality that exists inside the building, but is closed to you by the door. Now, go through and turn the door 180 degrees and stop (oh, in case anyone doesn't know there are 360 degrees in a circle, so 180 degrees is half a circle). Now, you are inside the building. So the "inside" is your reality. You are aware of a reality that exists outside the building, but it is closed to you by the door. Now again go through and turn the door by 180 degrees, and stop. So now, the "outside" is your reality again.

Each time you go though the door and turn through 180 degrees, there is a 180-degree "phase shift" between your awareness of the outside and your awareness of the inside, in terms of your reality.

Okay, so as my attention becomes fixated within, from the act of noticing, this causes a 180-degree phase shift between my awareness of the physical (outer) and my awareness of the non-physical (inner) sense of reality. So from then on, I continue to notice anything that may come about. I'm not all that curious, I'm not trying to make anything happen, I'm not enacting some kind of method or technique, I'm simply looking within and noticing what is taking place, and the act of doing that is focusing my attention.

As a person focuses their attention within themselves, through the action of noticing, they allow themselves to view "snippets" of other dimensions of reality. This action is translated objectively as the perception of flashes of all manner of this and that, random images that come and go, all kinds of spurious sounds, and so forth. Sometimes these snippets can form what I call 'astral screens' where you objectively perceive something similar to a cinema screen effect in front of your non-physical field of vision, complete with moving images and sounds. What is happening is that you are objectively offering yourself snippets of other dimensions of reality. If you then decide to step into these scenes, you will find yourself in that 'location', within that particular region of consciousness.

I think, ultimately, what people who follow the Phasing approach need to be realising is: the other dimensions of reality only seem to be objectively separated. But in reality, there is no separation in consciousness. We place a veil between the place we call "here" and the place we call "there" for the purposes of our experience. However, all these dimensions of reality are all affecting, entwined, and exchanging energy with us within every moment of our existence! It's just that we objectively CHOOSE not to view this action.

By following the action of noticing, what you are saying to yourself is: "Okay, self, I would like to objectively choose to view this action for a while."

There is plenty advice in books and online, which you can look at in order to find out more detailed information on the practicals of the phasing approach, so I will not go into additional detail here. What I feel is more important is to try to explain exactly what it is that we are phasing to... what is the 'astral world' anyway and how is it related to our physical world. What exactly IS the Wider Reality? That is what I will attempt to explain here.

That should answer your question.

~Ryan

[soli]

I have been reading Frank Kepple's posts and have been trying out his Phasing techniques. My question is with regards to how and when one 'notices': Do you have to suppress the tendency to use your eyes to 'notice' behind your closed eye lids? I find that my eyes will tend to wander when I attempt to 'notice' things in the darkness, this always causes some strain n disrupts my phasing attempt. Must I consciously ensure that I am not using my physical eyes to 'notice'?

found this helpful~ - source http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/point_shift_technique-t443.0.html;msg2184#msg2184 If you read more of Frank's posts you will understand you are not supposed to actually notice directly behind your physical eyes.

"Look, could I please suggest you forget (for the moment) using any particular "technique" such as point and shift, ROPE etc. First, you need to find some "thing" to concentrate upon that is very appealing to you personally... but has nothing to do with sex, money, etc. Because it will all get too Primal and spoil it. You just need one "thing" that you can enjoy imagining to the extent you can hold that one image, in your mind, to the exclusion of all other images. And that is what you need to practice doing. At first, you will be able to hold the image for a few seconds and then you'll think of something else. But gather your thoughts and begin again. Keep doing this until you can concentrate solely on that one image for fun, if need be. At which point, you are ready to concentrate on specific images such as ROPE, etc. The key is to ask yourself the question... where, exactly, is your sense of conscious awareness coming from? That is to say, when you are doing the imagining: where is the image you are attempting to imagine coming from. The answer will be, at first, directly behind your physical eyes... even though your eyes may be closed. What you need to do is shift that sense of consciousness up slightly and to the centre. In other words, lock the physical eyes out of the equation. To me, it's almost like the eyes can't let go of being the dominant "visual" organ. They suspect you are trying to view some "thing" and it's like the physical eyes automatically take over saying, "Yep, we do all that visual stuff so get-lost the rest of you." The way I do it is imagine I am looking at myself in a mirror, and a red dot is painted on my brow. Then I estimate the position and try to see the same dot from within. Keep swapping from one to the other, at a rate you feel comfortable with, until you get a response. You will realise the difference because all kinds of "happenings" will begin."

[nickspry]

find some "thing" to concentrate upon that is very appealing to you personally... but has nothing to do with sex, money, etc.

Hmmm,  struggling with this one....

[Jisei]

To me, it's almost like the eyes can't let go of being the dominant "visual" organ. They suspect you are trying to view some "thing" and it's like the physical eyes automatically take over saying, "Yep, we do all that visual stuff so get-lost the rest of you."

Yep, that is precisely the problem I face. I will try out what you have advised. Thank You very much! 

[Xanth]

Yep, that is precisely the problem I face. I will try out what you have advised. Thank You very much! 

I'm not sure if it's further along or before that post that Soli related from Frank...
But closer to when Frank disappeared, his solution to the "eyes" issue was to just relax them fully.

[Jisei]

I'm not sure if it's further along or before that post that Soli related from Frank...
But closer to when Frank disappeared, his solution to the "eyes" issue was to just relax them fully.

Just returned from work so I've not read the linked posts yet, but I'm glad its not just my own peculiar problem.

Eye relaxation is extremely tricky for me, as the more I focus on trying to relax, the more I become aware of the micro-movements. I'm going to try and not try too hard in general and just totally relax my entire body for a while before attempting to 'notice' anything.

I also suspect that 'noticing' should not involve actively engaging any flashes or snippets (which tends to trigger my eye awareness), rather it should be to 'acknowledge' whatever appears in the blackness. Sounds fine in theory.. I'll test it out later.

[Xanth]

Just returned from work so I've not read the linked posts yet, but I'm glad its not just my own peculiar problem.

Eye relaxation is extremely tricky for me, as the more I focus on trying to relax, the more I become aware of the micro-movements. I'm going to try and not try too hard in general and just totally relax my entire body for a while before attempting to 'notice' anything.

Relaxing the entirety of the head is very tricky.  Let alone just the eyes.
It comes with practice.

I also suspect that 'noticing' should not involve actively engaging any flashes or snippets (which tends to trigger my eye awareness), rather it should be to 'acknowledge' whatever appears in the blackness. Sounds fine in theory.. I'll test it out later.

Correct, be a passive observer.  Don't react to anything you see.  Just be like... "meh, that was nice".

~Ryan

[CFTraveler]

I'm no expert by any means, but I find that when I start 'noticing' it is visual at first- but if I relax and not worry about it it stops being visual, it's just like a 'seeing with your head' or 'behind your eyes'.  Now, it has been my experience that if I try to 'not' use my eyes, I actually use them more- it becomes a strain- however, if I just 'let it be', it becomes what it becomes  with no effort whatsoever.

Just my two cents.

[Xanth]

I'm no expert by any means, but I find that when I start 'noticing' it is visual at first- but if I relax and not worry about it it stops being visual, it's just like a 'seeing with your head' or 'behind your eyes'.  Now, it has been my experience that if I try to 'not' use my eyes, I actually use them more- it becomes a strain- however, if I just 'let it be', it becomes what it becomes  with no effort whatsoever.

Just my two cents.

Frank?
IS THAT YOU? 

That's just my way of saying I think you're 100% accurate. 

~Ryan

[soli]

Frank?
IS THAT YOU?  

That's just my way of saying I think you're 100% accurate.  

~Ryan

saying "just let it be" means nothing to me. I guess it's the implied meaning based on experience where one's understanding resonates with the description provided in some manner thus it is correct. Just let it be I'm assuming to me means that instead of focusing on the eyes or even focusing on a point in general one shouldn't try to focus on a point yet still hold conscious awareness which will cause a gradual slip from the perception of physical senses into a nonphysical oriented focal point. I'm just trying to make sense of what was said.

[Bacterio]

Relaxing the entirety of the head is very tricky.  Let alone just the eyes.
It comes with practice.

~Ryan

Do you use any technique/trick to do so?

[soli]

Do you use any technique/trick to do so?

there is a technique frank used to get rid of brain tension which will help relax the body, If I can or someone else find it I'll let you know as it seemed to be very effective acting as an on/off switch for physical senses. I couldn't find the post.. but basically he came to find brain tension was one of the key struggles to pure physical relaxation and used imagery of tiny hands massaging a ball making it smooth again relating to his subconscious that the ball was his brain.

[Xanth]

Do you use any technique/trick to do so?

I just attempt to relax my eyes as much as possible.
Nothing special.

~Ryan

[CFTraveler]

saying "just let it be" means nothing to me. I guess it's the implied meaning based on experience where one's understanding resonates with the description provided in some manner thus it is correct. Just let it be I'm assuming to me means that instead of focusing on the eyes or even focusing on a point in general one shouldn't try to focus on a point yet still hold conscious awareness which will cause a gradual slip from the perception of physical senses into a nonphysical oriented focal point. I'm just trying to make sense of what was said.

But in the beginning of the post I explained that at first, I do use my eyes, and just observe.  Not observe myself observing, or even think about how I'm observing.  By not focusing on how I'm doing it it just 'adjusts itself'.
I know, it's not that easy to explain. 

[soli]

But in the beginning of the post I explained that at first, I do use my eyes, and just observe.  Not observe myself observing, or even think about how I'm observing.  By not focusing on how I'm doing it it just 'adjusts itself'.
I know, it's not that easy to explain.  

when you use the term adjusts itself everything falls in to place, otherwise I'm like a deer in headlights as to if I'm getting it or not. Maybe I have to put things in my own terminology for them to make perfect sense so I know I'm understanding it rather than having to assume I am. It seems to be the differentiation between describing what is done from experience and what is being done on an analytical level. I don't have that experience, so, it's like unless I actually did what was described I probably wouldn't understand what was being done. The real question I guess I have to ask myself is if it even matters if I understand what is being done..~

[Eyyoshi]

I ran into the same problem you have Jisie.

[Jisei]

I ran into the same problem you have Jisie.

I'm still not having much luck, despite all the advice. I find myself falling asleep more often than not 

[soli]

I'm still not having much luck, despite all the advice. I find myself falling asleep more often than not  

wake up an hour earlier before you need to instead of or in addition to practicing at night, or whenever you do.