Involuntary Astral Projecting

[ComaCat]

 Hi all,

I just registered, this is my first post here. I've tried asking about this in other forums, not knowing there was a forum specifically for this topic. I hope I find some help here.

My mom started astral projecting in the 80s, she was in her early 20s. It happened accidentally, she had never heard of it. Later, I heard her discussing this with a friend of hers when I was about 13. Her friend was Wiccan and also APed often. I wanted to try it out and just believed it was easy, I guess. I did it on my first try after reading about some techniques online. I ended up in a strange room, it wasn't the room my body was in. I was scared, didn't know where I was. I could hear my body breathing and it sounded like I was under water. When I got out of my body, I floated so slowly toward the floor that I thought I'd fall forever. I wasn't sure if I could fly through walls. It was just very scary, and I was afraid I'd meet other APers if I left the room, and I wondered if they'd be scary.

Since then, I haven't been able to control it. I never wanted to do it again, but now I'm often awoken paralyzed and vibrating. I'm being violently tugged out of my body, and I have to fight to stay in it, then fight to move my hand or wiggle my toe to get out of the paralysis. Then, even if I get up for a while, it just happens again as soon as I go back to sleep. Then I got the feeling that someone wanted me to do this, because it was so against my will. I've tried praying for it to stop, sometimes I can breathe, "uh-uh!" and scream "NO" in my head, but nothing works. Sometimes "it" wins and I leave my body and just slam right back into it, since once I'm out I'm still saying "NO." Then I'm just in and out of my body all night. I'm 23 now, it's been ten years of this. Some nights I get NO sleep, because I'm just fighting to stay in my body.

So, my first question is: Why is this happening to me? My second is: How can I control it? My third is: My mom died last year, can I AP to go see her? My fourth and final question is: Why was I in a different room? Other times I've APed, I've been in my own room and could fly around outside and it was my city. Why was the first time in such a strange place? Could someone explain the different levels to me?

[Synergy]

First off, I can tell you, one spontaneous OBEer to another, that what you are experiencing is nothing to fear... it may seem scary but I can affirm, that nothing bad will ever happen to you, should you decide to explore this phenomenon further. 

Sleep Paralysis is definitely frightening.  There is no way about it.  But knowledge is your best friend, and know that every night you experience it whether you are conscious of it or not!  Really!  So it is not an indication of something wrong.  You are just one of the minority who happen to wake up before the paralysis wears off.  We experience it usually during REM sleep, to prevent us from acting out our dreams physically.  (it would really suck if you were in a running dream and kicked your husband or wife out of the bed!)  lol 

If you want out of SP, just focus on a single finger or toe and try moving only that digit.  Also know that SP lasts only seconds, to maybe a few mins at the most and then you will be out of it, though it may seem longer while you are experiencing it.

If you decide to explore further, OBEs are not dangerous at all!  I have been spontaneously OBEing all my life.  (I am 33 now) and no harm has EVER come to me, no matter how frightened I was when I was younger.  In fact, OBEs open an entire new world to you... well, not really new, but hidden.  You will gain revelations that only a small percent of the population will ever experience!

And yes you can sometimes contact a deceased family member.  I was able to see my Dad after he passed away, during a particularly vivid Astral Projection.  That experience gave me more relief than any faith system ever could.  I KNEW he was ok. In fact, he seemed more concerned if I was ok since his passing.  We were able to talk for a few mins before I was pulled back.  It was a very special and treasured experience!

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!  And welcome to AP!

[ComaCat]

 Thank you for your comforting response! And yes, it would suck if I kicked my husband out of bed! He must not have as much sleep paralysis, because he often swings his arms around and ends up socking me in the face!

I do have another question. Why is it that sometimes when I project, I'm in my own city, and other times, I'm in a strange room or different place?

One weird thing is that in our city, there's a statue in a park of a guy on a horse. My mom and I projected, and the statue MOVED. It was like it was real. We woke up and were weirded out. Then at another point, my mom said she projected and saw my uncle. Later, my uncle said he had a dream where he was flying like superman all over the city, and he saw that statue and it was real for some reason. They both experienced this on the same night, so my mom told him about APing and what it was. So even when we're in our own city, it's different, like that statue always being real.

Why isn't it always just like flying around your own room?

Also, I'm guessing nothing can take over my body while I'm gone, right?

[Starvingpercussionist]

Also, I'm guessing nothing can take over my body while I'm gone, right?

You'd be right. The mind actually splits into two when Astral Projecting, one part staying in your body, and another part going with your astral body. It's impossible for something to take over your body.

[Synergy]

There is a duality when you project... actually, if you want to look at it another way, you never actually 'leave' your body.  Since you ALWAYS have access to the other realms through what are called the 'subtle bodies' and they are always connected to you, all you are doing is accessing one of those subtle bodies consciously. 

Another way to think of it, is to imagine your consciousness as a radio receiver, and the different channels are the different levels or planes of reality.  You can tune into different ones, but you never really leave any of them.  You are always receiving them, just not tuning into their discreet frequencies, although you can receive subconsciously information from them. 

When you are in your etheric body for example, you are not actually leaving the physical one behind... you are always receiving information from all the subtle bodies.  It might be difficult to grasp, but if you start to look at the universe as holographic it can make much more sense... in that there really is no space and time as we perceive them (and science is starting to prove this).  Everything is based on vibration, and frequency and we just tune into the different channels. 

[p0rkytso]

i'm not sure what other members have posted about your question.. having a read about your story it sounds although there's more purpose for you, and right now it seems although you're still too afraid to let 'nature' take its place... it' wouldn't be everyday that someone is able to "naturally" possess or have the ability to AP on demand.. (so to speak)

purpose... fear... your deceased mother...
what it could also sound like is although there's a history in your family tree, passing onto you from your mother... and so forth...

this is just my personal opinion on what it could possibly be...
=) i hope all goes well, overcome yourself... as that is the only thing that is stopping you..

if you are curious as of why you were in that strange room, maybe you should project and go back into that very same room.. but this time look around your surroundings and see what you can pick up (you were only 13 when you first went there...) why not give yourself another chance.

all the best

[Nameless]

This post by ComaCat is exquisite. She describes very well how astral projection can be oh so scary. I see she only ever made 2 posts. Just bringing this to the foreground for a bit. Who knows someone might be needing this.