I believe that Robert Bruce wrote about a feedback loop that occurs when both 'bodies' or levels of consciousness become aware of eachother's presence in their immediate vicinity. Apparently this has some effects that are difficult to manage and can cause problems with the projection. Because of this, I think that your second answer is the correct one -- do not look at the physical body, but simply 'shift' to a forward location facing the same direction.
Since you have 'panoramic' vision during an AP, you can actually see yourself laying on the bed while you are actually 'facing' forward in the other direction. AS you said it is to 'shift' your consciousness forward, or to paying attention to the 'forward' direction. It is like when you drive and look forward on the road, and then you can still 'see' if someone comes from the other lane and passes you, as the focus of your attention shifted to the moving part (car passing you) of the picture, event without turning your eyes or head to the side (periferal vision, and you shift your attention away from where your eyes look). In a similar manner you shift your attention forward even if you can see much more. The distance ("ma") is about the length of your arm/leg.
So in essence all you would do is perhaps just concentrate on an object that is in front of you and imagine it "zooming" in as if you were moving forward and then hold that fantasy in your mind until vibrations start?
You were talking about "before" the vibrations... OK, then at that time you do not have "panoramic" vision, however the idea of thinking of zooming out onto an object should help you to "get out". In my case I am thinking about "free fall" to get the vibrations. Once you do have the vibrations and they are engulfing you completely, then you might just rise all by yourself (like a balloon...) or you might sit down while your physical body actually stay on the bed laying down. Now the tricky part is at the start of the vibrations, sometimes when you focus on them they dissapear... at that point you should let go and not focuse on them untill they are so strong that they will not dissapear but only increase. Now there are people who never feel the vibrations and get out of their body... so each one is different.
Then, once you are 'out', follow again (advice of Blue_Anubis) the forward motion, or zooming sensation away from your body - be carefull the body can be "sticky". Even while "looking" forward you might still "see" your body underneath yourself ("backward").
Pertaining to what Robert Bruce said about shifting the point of conciousness outside of the body on the OOBE treatise (this is for real-time etheric projections)..
Should you imagine yourself approximately 3 feet in front of you looking back at yourself (like your lying in bed and you imagine you are seeing your physical body from the perspective of an etheric double)?
Or do you just imagine you have floated about 3 feet forward (or stepped, depending on the position you are in vertically or horizontally) and whatever object your vision would naturally be looking at has "zoomed in" and you are now looking at it from that perspective, as well as feeling yourself in that new position?