Phasing with a target object first?

[Gummage]

When you phase do you just start by staring into the darkness or do you actually try and imagine and try focus on something to emerge in the darkness? what I mean by this is do you stare at something for 10 minutes or something beforehand then after that try and have it come into a slight or even clear image in the darkness of your closed eyes?

Would it work like that?

[Stookie_]

I doubt it would work well like that. If I'm going to do it by staring into blackness (noticing), first I'll relax and let my thoughts slow down, then I sort of passively look into the blackness with a slight curiosity. I don't look for anything in particular or attach any thoughts to what does come up, I just let it go and keep noticing. At this point, for me, my awareness dims some, sort of like as you're falling asleep, and some hypnogogics might come up. As I get closer, I tend to start seeing light in areas or deeper and clearer hypnogogics, and if I can hold onto this carefully balanced state without falling asleep, consciousness will shift and I'll phase into a scene. Sometimes it might be something I chose beforehand, but quite often it can seem fairly random or out of my control.

If you want to phase into an area you chose before hand, you can try a rundown. Basically, you choose a repetitive action that you can imagine/engage yourself in over and over. You want to engage all your senses and feelings as much as you can to where it's all that exists - you forget you're practicing and all physical input and completely absorb your awareness into the rundown. If done properly, you will phase into that environment.

[Gummage]

I doubt it would work well like that. If I'm going to do it by staring into blackness (noticing), first I'll relax and let my thoughts slow down, then I sort of passively look into the blackness with a slight curiosity. I don't look for anything in particular or attach any thoughts to what does come up, I just let it go and keep noticing. At this point, for me, my awareness dims some, sort of like as you're falling asleep, and some hypnogogics might come up. As I get closer, I tend to start seeing light in areas or deeper and clearer hypnogogics, and if I can hold onto this carefully balanced state without falling asleep, consciousness will shift and I'll phase into a scene. Sometimes it might be something I chose beforehand, but quite often it can seem fairly random or out of my control.

If you want to phase into an area you chose before hand, you can try a rundown. Basically, you choose a repetitive action that you can imagine/engage yourself in over and over. You want to engage all your senses and feelings as much as you can to where it's all that exists - you forget you're practicing and all physical input and completely absorb your awareness into the rundown. If done properly, you will phase into that environment.

Thx. What happens when you phase into a scene? I mean is it basically the astral that you enter by only bypassing a lot of the other signs? so do you "step into" a scene which feels real?

[Xanth]

Thx. What happens when you phase into a scene? I mean is it basically the astral that you enter by only bypassing a lot of the other signs? so do you "step into" a scene which feels real?

When you "step into a scene", you're actually THERE... as much as you are sitting at a computer right this very second, you'll be "THERE" in the scene experiencing it directly.

[Gummage]

When you "step into a scene", you're actually THERE... as much as you are sitting at a computer right this very second, you'll be "THERE" in the scene experiencing it directly.

Is it a hallucination?

[Lionheart]

 If you believe it is a hallucination, you will never succeed in Astral Travel. You must go into it observing, but without doubts. Afterwards you can analyze your info and decide for yourself. I always start with a basic scene, which is my Astral Safe Zone, from there I can go anywhere. Once your scene starts to deviate from your intended starting scenario you will know that you have are really in the Astral.

[Xanth]

Is it a hallucination?

What is a hallucination? 

It's as real as you sitting there at your computer reading this.
Simply put, whatever you can experience "IS REAL".