Gateway Wave1 pointers

[Frank]

quote:Originally posted by coral1

Hi All,
   I`ve started having success projecting in the last 10 days and seemed to have stumbled onto Frank`s "step into" technique, quite by accident.I lay down one afternoon to take a nap.After laying on my back for about 45 minutes and becoming very relaxed I rolled onto my right side and after about 10 minutes felt strong vibrations and projected to the RTZ: a first for me.I had a short experience floating around my house.The interesting thing was that it happened spontaneously-I wasn`t trying to project.

Sounds like you are making great progress, well done to you.

Funny, how you describe it is basically how it happened with me the first time. I remember how, years ago, I used to go to bed "armed" with all manner of variations that I was going to try that night-release-morning. All to no avail (or so I thought). Then, one morning, it just happened in very much the same way as yourself. Once I knew the feeling, I largely put aside all the other ideas I'd had and concentrated on searching out for that same feeling again.

As you say, it is a subtle and tricky place of consciousness to get to, so I had to persevere quite a bit before I "found it" again. But if you stick at it, you'll find it does get a fraction easier each time. What I admire about your methodology is the way in which you have mixed a number of approaches: taking the Intent aspect of the Moen school, coupled with the Monroe Hemi-Sync and Robert Bruce's energy work all mixed with a large dollop of your own intuition and feeling... sounds like a great recipe for success you have there!

You are also very right about not analysing your experience too much. Simply concentrate on homing-in on that feeling.  

Yours,
Frank

PS

quote:As always thanks to Frank! I`ve learned more from your posts than all the books I`ve read combined

That is an exceptionally kind comment to make, thank you.

[coral1]

Hi Frank,
   Thanks for your reply. I`ve had several more projections since my last post.I stayed stayed conscious through the transition this afternoon which was a first.Before, I had been "clicking out" when the actual shift to the astral occurred.It was quite smooth with more of a pleasant energy surge rather than strong vibrations.I was seeing a spinning purple sphere inside a bright green rotating cube that drew me into it.Almost like a hologram or something four dimensional-very hard to describe but very cool.It`s a much better way to get there than the "cannonball" method.
   It`s nice to have a bit of confidence in the procedure and I`m sure believing something is going to happen contributes to success.Now, I`ve got about a million questions about where to go and how to deal with the people and other entities that I`ve been running into. However, it`s probably best if I figure things out for myself.I`ll keep an open mind,a pure heart and a closed mouth. I`ve found things to be very confusing at times but I believe that will pass with more experience.If I run into real problems I can always get plenty of "expert" advice from the pyschic self defense board!


   Happy Trails

[Pete]

Frank,
Would you mind explaining more about the transition from Focus 10 to Focus 12? I think I am managing to reach Focus 10 (though I am not always sure whether my body is asleep exactly). At this point, I have the most success using the Wave I excercise 2 tape as you described earlier on this forum. So, do you stop the tape and then try for Focus 12 or do you finish the exercise and then get back to Focus 10 and then 12 on your own? (Which would mean I will have more success once I can reach Focus 10 as deeply on my own).

I seem to keep reaching a sort of overwhelming input of sensory sounds, images, etc, though I'd describe it more like I suddenly just woosh as if getting on some sort of roller coaster, losing awareness of my body, a sudden letting go completely, which is so "sweeping-me-off-my-feet" that I keep snapping back to what I assume is Focus 10. So, I guess my main question is how to make this transition? Is there a way to slow it down or make it be less startling? I can understand how you pause at the door to Focus 12 while using the tapes and then return as instructed. But how did you start entering Focus 12 and staying there for awhile?

I agree that the Focus 10 to 12 transition isn't much on the Gateway tapes. So that isn't much help. Do you think they expect that by merely thinking or saying 12 that you will arrive at that level? Doesn't seem very helpful for a beginner.

coral1 - good work! you sound like a natural.

Thanks,
Pete

[Pete]

Frank,
A little more on my last post -
Monroe seems to describe Focus 21 as the "edge of time and space", the last level of physical world reality, "the edge that lies between the physical world and the afterlife" (to quote Moen). I've been thinking of Focus 12 as that edge. Could it be that I am leaping/swooshing right from Focus 10 to Focus 21 and beyond and it is striking me as a huge, overwhelming move? Are Focus 12 (and 15), more preliminary levels? Maybe I'm conceptualizing them incorrectly. Though I know it is not a science exactly, perhaps my ideas are making it more difficult. Perhaps I need to slow it down and make myself linger in 12 for awhile. So, how do you perceive the difference between the Focus 12 and 21 (and beyond) levels? You seem to discuss 12 as being in the astral realms and "beyond the physical world". Can you help me clarify this a bit? Thanks.

(I have another similar, if more minor, confusion of definitions when in track 2 of the Wave I tape, Monroe instructs to relax each body part in turn before then counting down to 10. I had to re-write my scenario a few times to make sure I didn't give up my "body" until after that massage/relaxaton part. I had been leaving my physical body at the energy conversion box at first and this created a jarring problem. I've got that straightened out now I think. The way I see it is I don't leave my physical body behind until after the relaxation and during the countdown when I have to leave it behind pretty fast.)

Pete

[coral1]

Hi Pete
   You`re the one that`s a natural!The rollercoaster you describe sounds like a projection to me.It can be frightening and disorienting at first but with practice it gets easier.Once you come to know what to expect, I found it becomes much easier to keep control.When the going gets weird, I try to keep a sense of cool detachment from the proceedings.I believe that "letting go" is an important part of this whole business and with a little practice you`ll get the feel for a smoother transition.
   I`ve done hemi-synch for four months and don`t worry to much about what number focus level I`m at.What I percieve as 10 or 12 could be completely different for you.I`ll often ignore the voice prompts on the CD.I`ll shift to a different focus level when it FEELS right.Most nights I`ll listen to two exercises back to back and take my time relaxing,raising energy and getting a good level of trance.I have yet to reach the Astral while listening to Monroe but I`m so close sometimes I can taste it! I wish you continued success.

   Happy Trails

[Pete]

coral1,
Your right, I shouldn't make too big a deal about what number level I'm at or not at. It's a part of my trying to make sense, interpret what is happening. I keep having all sorts of things occur but nothing that I can say is actually out of my body or exactly like waking, physical life. Some images and flashes and sounds are more real than others but it's always in my mind's eye and never "exactly" like real life.

I think I am just starting to get the mind awake, body asleep thing, but even that has various types to it and I find it difficult to determine what exactly is happening. For instance, I was in what I thought was that trance state and so I thought I'd open my eyes to see what it would be like and it was, well, like sitting in a chair with my eyes open - so my body was asleep - it didn't feel like any big deal. So I guess I have to have my eyes closed and looking inward for "things" to happen?

It's not uncommon for me to get flashes of images and even small scenes playing out, but you know, I can get those while just sitting at my desk and closing my eyes and just clearing my mind a little, I don't need a deep trance. I guess Moen calls this focused attention. I'm not sure of the difference between that and Focus 12 and Focus 21 and being out of the body or being in Focus 21 and yet still in the body, etc, etc.

Well, at least something is happening. Letting go is the biggest part of it, I think. I'll just keep plugging away. Thanks for the advice. I guess you're right and that's what I am doing too, jumping all around as it feels right, probably Focus this then Focus that then back to C1 then out again...whew.

Oh, I did hear a sound this time, again (I did once before too the other night). It was like noise, like hearing a splash of someone's stereo playing too loud for just a second, like something trying to get through and just bleeping through for a second. It was really loud. Strange.

Pete

[Frank]

quote:Originally posted by Pete

Frank, would you mind explaining more about the transition from Focus 10 to Focus 12? I think I am managing to reach Focus 10 (though I am not always sure whether my body is asleep exactly).

Focus 10 is basically described as, "mind awake, body asleep" but in practice things are not quite so clear-cut. I found it is very easy to get caught in a Catch-22 here. Because the more you check to see if your body is asleep, the more it stays awake. So a sort of battle ensues. Following which it's only a matter of time before natural tiredness takes over.

Personally, I would now describe Focus 10 as the state where you are focussed away from your physical body to the extent that you are not thinking about it at all. In that, your whole focus of attention is pointed within your mind; and you become engrossed by that to the extent where any notion of a physical body just drops out of the equation. To me, that is focus 10.

Though please no-one get me wrong, here. I'm not going against Monroe or saying he was mistaken or anything like that. On the contrary, I believe both he and I are explaining the same basic state but in different ways. Problem with me was the word "asleep" as in mind awake, body asleep. My consciousness was just *so* fixated with the idea of body asleep, sense of consciousness asleep, that I had to think in different terms in order to break that cycle.

quote:
At this point, I have the most success using the Wave I excercise 2 tape as you described earlier on this forum. So, do you stop the tape and then try for Focus 12 or do you finish the exercise and then get back to Focus 10 and then 12 on your own? (Which would mean I will have more success once I can reach Focus 10 as deeply on my own).

The Focus 10 rundown I only ever used as a kind of preconditioner to projection. Many times I felt I could just let go of the commentary and be off. But I resisted the temptation. I've listened to the Focus 10 rundown easily a thousand times in various situations. The most effective, I believe, is on low-volume repeat while asleep. From my studies I can say absolutely that Bob's rundown holds a particular resonance within the Astral.

quote:
I seem to keep reaching a sort of overwhelming input of sensory sounds, images, etc, though I'd describe it more like I suddenly just woosh as if getting on some sort of roller coaster, losing awareness of my body, a sudden letting go completely, which is so "sweeping-me-off-my-feet" that I keep snapping back to what I assume is Focus 10.

Well, normally, any feeling of snapping back brings you to C1 not F10. From what you say it sounds to me like you get to F10 and, after whatever time, you make a definite transition to F12: at which point your protective sense of awareness slaps the brakes on and zaps you back to C1. That being the case, what you are feeling is very normal. All you need to do is convince your protective sense of awareness that all is well and to just go along with the ride, so to speak.

quote:
So, I guess my main question is how to make this transition? Is there a way to slow it down or make it be less startling? I can understand how you pause at the door to Focus 12 while using the tapes and then return as instructed. But how did you start entering Focus 12 and staying there for awhile?

It's just a case of practice. Slowing it down is what I set out to do about a year ago. Now I've begun to get it about right. If you are like me then you have about a year of practice ahead of you. If you are twice as good then 6 months... or whatever.

quote:
I agree that the Focus 10 to 12 transition isn't much on the Gateway tapes. So that isn't much help. Do you think they expect that by merely thinking or saying 12 that you will arrive at that level? Doesn't seem very helpful for a beginner.

Agreed.

In many ways the whole "Gateway Series" stuff I cannot help but feel is more a commercial exercise.

Yours,
Frank

[Frank]

quote:Originally posted by Pete

Frank,
A little more on my last post -
Monroe seems to describe Focus 21 as the "edge of time and space", the last level of physical world reality, "the edge that lies between the physical world and the afterlife" (to quote Moen). I've been thinking of Focus 12 as that edge.

I can well understand why you think that way because I too once thought Focus 12 was that edge. And this touches on what you say below about everything happening in a whoosh. That's exactly what used to happen with me. When I looked back from the point of being within the Astral, the last stage I really remembered was being at Focus 12. So that's why for a while I thought Focus 12 was the bridge zone. It's only when you slow the whole transition process down yet further that you realise there are several, fairly distinct inbetween states.

Focus 21 is characterised by what is often called 3D-Blackness. Basically, you find yourself floating in an endless, timeless void. Which is the bridge zone between Physical and Astral. It's quite a comforting place once you get used to it. Though people who "suffer" what is sometimes called "sleep paralysis" can find themselves within this region not knowing quite what is happening. And, for them, it can be quite scary.

Focus 21 is the first of the realms of reality where: Thought = Direct Action. Which is why people, such as Ginny for example, tend to use it as a start-point for their Astral journey. For in this region all you have to do is either Think about where you want to go, or place some strong Intent about what you want to achieve, or to experience... and it automatically comes about. Normally, what happens is some kind of portal will open in the blackness and you simply place the Intent to go in that direction.

The reasoning behind Monroe's talk about being on the "edge of time and space" is all to do with the Physical realm where we hold notions of Time and Space, and of course Distance. Within the Physical, these three notions are inextricably linked. However, within the Astral there is no such thing as Time. So there is no such thing as Distance or Space either.  

quote:
Could it be that I am leaping/swooshing right from Focus 10 to Focus 21 and beyond and it is striking me as a huge, overwhelming move? Are Focus 12 (and 15), more preliminary levels? Maybe I'm conceptualizing them incorrectly. Though I know it is not a science exactly, perhaps my ideas are making it more difficult. Perhaps I need to slow it down and make myself linger in 12 for awhile.

Yes, you need to slow it down as touched on above. Once you can make the transition slowly you will perceive the inbetween states. With me, Focus 15 is a very interesting and subtle state where I experience a mental null. It's next to impossible to explain in words but you pass through a phase where it does just seem like all of Time just stands still, or it can seem like Time is moving with you. Which I'm sure makes no sense at all. Like I say, it's next to impossible to explain in words.

quote:
(I have another similar, if more minor, confusion of definitions when in track 2 of the Wave I tape, Monroe instructs to relax each body part in turn before then counting down to 10. I had to re-write my scenario a few times to make sure I didn't give up my "body" until after that massage/relaxaton part. I had been leaving my physical body at the energy conversion box at first and this created a jarring problem. I've got that straightened out now I think. The way I see it is I don't leave my physical body behind until after the relaxation and during the countdown when I have to leave it behind pretty fast.)

Yes, I too pondered over this. So I decided to dump what I call my "physical sheathe" in the Energy Conversion Box. From then on I take all notion of having a "body" in a non-physical sense.

Yours,
Frank

[PeacefulWarrior]

Frank-
Quick question.  My approach to exit technique(s) and levels of awareness, etc. is much more, umm, how can I describe it?  Well, less seperate, more fluid...less structured, but I definetly see the benefits of breaking it up in "Focus" levels.

My question is this, I want to start understanding more about Gateway type excercises.  Do you have CD set or do you just study this kind of breakdown?  
-Dan

[PeacefulWarrior]

Quick amendment: you obviously have the CD, is it really worth it?  I want to burn them (copy them) because I am such a poor college student, but I also love Monroe and the Institute...so I would feel bad...anyway, I do have one of their CD's, which I purchased, but I am interested in the Wave set....I just want to make sure that it's going to help me.  My OBEs are hit and miss and for me it depends how much FOCUS I put in to it, and during the school year I am just so busy with research, writing, etc.  

Anyway, fascinating conversations here and I thank all who have shared questions and answers, it's very helpful.

-Dan

[Frank]

Dan: As much as I would like to be able to give you a definitive answer, it is not easy for me to decide for you whether or not the Cd's would be worth it. I have the whole set, but I reckon the Wave-1 CD is the one people should buy if money is tight and they want to dip a toe in the Gateway water, so to speak.

After all, it is the only CD out of that whole set which I found useful. But that doesn't mean to say such experience is necessarily going to be the same with everyone, and I'm not saying the rest are rubbish or anything like that. I'm just simply reporting my experiences.

If you have the opportunity of getting a copy then maybe give Wave-1 a fair go. I'll be happy to give you any pointers I feel may help.

Yours,
Frank

[PeacefulWarrior]

THanks offering me your take.  When I get the first set and start out, I will definetly be asking you a lot of questions.

[Noxerus]

Hello Frank,

First of all I must say that just like someone above mentioned, I overwhelmingly learned from you and from this giant thread more than I learned from any book in the past.

Now, I do have tons of questions about everything, but as right now I can only guess what F10/12/21 feel like, I'll wait with my questions until I actually try out and practice everything. Always best to try and learn myself []
I do have a really good visualization ability, and I usually integrate everything from visuals to sounds to smells to tastes to touch into what I imagine. I think that all people who play (or used to play) a lot of role playing games (not on the computer) should have a really good visualization ability..

Last night I listened to the Wave I tracks 1+2 for the first time. I don't think I managed to get into F10, but my whole body (except for the middle of my chest for some reason) tingled pleasantly this time; on previous times when I tried meditating/trancing, only my feet and hands would tingle, and so strongly that it was downright uncomfortable.
As I continue practicing, the next step should be when suddenly the tingling would stop and I'll stop feeling my body?

Oh, and another question: when going through the F10 exercise, and visualizing myself going through it, I have something like a running commentary but as if from my visualized self's side. For example, when I reached the F3 stone last night, there was a small levitating purple velvet pillow above it. I (visualized) myself sitting down on it, and when I touched that pillow with my hands I said to myself: "ooh, silky" (as it really was silky . Is that ok, or should I try to visualize only images/sounds/smells/etc and not say things to myself as I'm actually there? I hope that made some sense..

Thanks,
Daniel

[Noxerus]

Just thought of another question.

Have you tried phasing into the RTZ?

[Adrian]

Greetings Noxerus,

Frank is certainly the best person to answer your questions, but I would like to comment on your question regarding phasing into the RTZ - specifically I personally do not think that would be possible.

The RTZ is actually an etheric projection rather than a full Astral projection, and is accordingly really a transient state between physical and Astral. Phasing is a projection of consciousness directly to the Astral via a series on intermediate states of consciousness, none of which appear to involve the etheric state.

RTZ - an etheric projection - is usually achieved by means of conventional OBE involving a projection of the etheric body.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Noxerus]

Thank you Adrian, your reply was most helpful and also logical. Now all that's left for me to do is continue to practice and wait for an answer on my other questions []

[Frank]

quote:Originally posted by Noxerus

I do have tons of questions about everything, but as right now I can only guess what F10/12/21 feel like, I'll wait with my questions until I actually try out and practice everything. Always best to try and learn myself.

Focus 10 is basically the same mental state as when a person is completely absorbed when watching a movie, for instance; where their attention has been captivated to the extent they are neither aware of the room they are in, nor the chair upon which they sit.

Only difference being, your attention is captivated by the imagery you are perceiving in your mind's eye. And, at the point of being internally absorbed, this is Focus 10.

From Focus 10 you should naturally make a quick and seamless transition to Focus 12. This is where all kinds of abstract imagery can come about; together with all manner of sounds such as, pops, bangs, Velcro-like tearing sounds, and even music.

These events seem to just come about at random. For example, I hadn't heard anything for a while, just visuals. However, this morning I heard a loud series of knocks and, next moment, someone shouted my name at the top of their voice. What all that was about I have no idea.

Another example which sticks in mind, came about the other week: after the coloured foggy mist I normally perceive at Focus 12, all I got was a picture of a man of about 60 years of age repeatedly trying to tell me something. He was at the window of a small wooden building about 10 or 15 feet away. I could see his mouth moving but couldn't hear a thing. I don't know where I was at that stage: Focus 23/24 maybe.

When perceiving these kinds of events, at an early stage in the Phasing process, I found it far more productive to ignore the natural inclination to get curious and start trying to investigate. Instead, regardless of what happens, I avoid commenting or reacting to any of it and simply let events take their natural course.

It's ever so easy to get bogged down *especially* in the early stages of the Physical to Astral transition, as all manner of distractions can interrupt your thinking. Unfortunately, the lower Astral contains every kind of weirdo who ever lived. As a beginner, it is ever so easy to have your focus of attention thwarted by some lower-level circumstance.

Problem is, once you get entangled in some negative-style event, it becomes next to impossible to revert to your original track. All the exciting stuff goes on within the upper Astral which is were I'd advise people to concentrate on heading.

quote:
I do have a really good visualization ability, and I usually integrate everything from visuals to sounds to smells to tastes to touch into what I imagine. I think that all people who play (or used to play) a lot of role playing games (not on the computer) should have a really good visualization ability.

The thought occurs to me you might need to watch you don't start engaging in an act of creative visualisation, as I talk about on both this thread and others. Because this can work against you.

quote:
Last night I listened to the Wave I tracks 1+2 for the first time. I don't think I managed to get into F10, but my whole body (except for the middle of my chest for some reason) tingled pleasantly this time; on previous times when I tried meditating/trancing, only my feet and hands would tingle, and so strongly that it was downright uncomfortable.
As I continue practicing, the next step should be when suddenly the tingling would stop and I'll stop feeling my body?

I'm sorry, but I don't engage in any kind of formal meditation or trance work. I have read posts from people in the past who do, who have mentioned about tingling sensations, and so forth.

With me, I basically do the same as detailed in my Q & A post yesterday, for example. I use the Wave-1 CD with a mental rundown as a kind of primer. During which time I get no particular bodily sensations. Then I Phase for real by ceasing any internal dialogue and avoid reacting to anything I may perceive. Often I might have to use a shortform version of my rundown, just to kick-start the process.

After a while, there is this mental knowing feeling which indicates I made the switch from external to internal at Focus 10. Then I start to perceive all kinds of abstract imagery.

quote:
Oh, and another question: when going through the F10 exercise, and visualizing myself going through it, I have something like a running commentary but as if from my visualized self's side. For example, when I reached the F3 stone last night, there was a small levitating purple velvet pillow above it. I (visualized) myself sitting down on it, and when I touched that pillow with my hands I said to myself: "ooh, silky" (as it really was silky . Is that ok, or should I try to visualize only images/sounds/smells/etc and not say things to myself as I'm actually there? I hope that made some sense..

In my experience, when you come to try for-real, any internal commentary tends to put a spoke in the works. What I think you should perhaps do from the outset, then, is try and think in visual terms only.

HTH

Yours,
Frank


PS
Thank you for taking the time to comment about my work in such a kind way. Plus, your second question I can't really add to what Adrian has said already. Best of luck.

[Noxerus]

Thanks Frank, your post has been very informative - as always - especially the bit about silencing my inner running commentary. Note well taken []

Ah, and I even have an update on my progress! [^]
Last night was just the 2nd time I listened to the Wave I CD (which has a couple of really annoying blips and clicks at some point - results of scratches I assume - which really distract me, but I'll repair it hopefully today), and I also must note that I never did any meditation before; what I meant in my previous post is that I tried kinda meditating while utilizing RB's NEW system for a really short while, but I didn't really like it and stopped.
Anyway, while listening to the first track (not the F10 one, but the intro one which talks only about F3), I was visualizing (imagining would be a more proper term, as it's not just visuals) myself going through a shortened version of my startup sequence, and still having inner running commentary. At some point, I kinda tried to silence that inner voice as I had a feeling I'll have better progress if it shuts up. I have no idea what I thought about next (explanation soon), but then I forgot about my body (obviously I didn't consciously know that at the time) and saw a small, blurry and unfocused image in the center of my field of view (I have no idea if the blackness around it was 3D or not, didn't pay any attention to it). At that moment I managed to keep passively and quietly observing what I saw. But then, it suddenly grew and filled my entire field of view, it also got completely focused. What I saw was an open book, for some reason I knew that it was Astral Dynamics, lying on a carpet which looked just like mine, lighted exactly by the warm-yellow lighting I usually have in my room. But on the upper edge of that book was a black spidery creature, and it was OK for me while it just stood still. Then it started running towards the rightmost edge of the book, and as it did that it transformed into a disgusting scary insect-like thingy. *Shudders*. That really got me startled, disgusted and alarmed, and of course I was zapped back to C1 right after hearing my inner voice shouting "what the f***!?". I was expecting to start seeing images of a sort, but I didn't expect them to be so yucky! The whole thing was just about 2.5 seconds long I guess. After I cooled off for a few seconds, I try to recall what was I thinking about/imagining right before I got to saw that, and no matter how hard I tried to recall it, I didn't have an idea! After I gave up trying to recall what was I doing, I did try to get going again, but of course, as startled, excited and grossed out as I was I didn't achieve anything. By the time I got to the 2nd track I couldn't stop yawning and suffering from neck tension so I just went to sleep. Heh.
LOL, it was quite hard to resist the urge to get up from bed before I go to sleep and check my AD book and see if it's clean [:I]
Now, First of all I am happy overall about the experience, as now I know that I am making real progress (so it seems , and even though yesterday I thought that image is going to traumatize me and now I'll have eternal problems trying to phase, but today I think I (almost) got over it completely.
If that spidery thing was something from a low astral level, it's weird how it seemed to be in an environment so familiar to me (the book which felt like mine, the carpet, the lighting..)

BTW, I didn't imagine that image/animation, it was vivid and real and engrossing that it was exactly like real sight, but as if I could zoom in really really close to things, and also view them from not-exactly-possible angles.

Daniel

P.S
Yay, just noticed that I can simply copy this post to my Astral Progress Journal (which, even though I'm definetly not an expert and I myself have one only for 2 days, I recommend everyone to write) instead of rewriting about my experience []

[Frank]

Noxerus: That sounds like a typical lower-level Focus experience.

As I say, all manner of distractions can interrupt your thinking. Now you have experienced first-hand how, once you get entangled in some negative-style event, it becomes next to impossible to revert to your original track.

In a similar vein, the last major false-awakening experience I had was last year. I came back to Physical (or so I thought) and was laying in my bed, in my bedroom. Yet, what I was perceiving, was entirely an Astral construct. The search-link is here http://www.astraldynamics.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=619&SearchTerms=astral+experience+example


I'm pleased you're happy overall about your experience. I really wouldn't worry as, chances are, you'll get zapped to C1 a good many times yet. Not that I am wishing it upon you, you understand. It's just that I always try to be realistic. From what you say the thought occurs to me you could have a bit of a knack for this kind of thing.

Yours,
Frank

[Frank]

BBA: No, sorry I can't help you with that as I never experienced any dizzyness.

Yours,
Frank

[Gandalf]

I agree. Learning NOT to get zapped back to c1 every time you notice anything unusual is one of the hardest hurdles you have to overcome IMO.

Just have to keep at it!
Regards,
Douglas

[Trace]

Frank, I hope you are still watching and interested in this thread.  I have been studying it and working with the incredibly helpful ideas and thoughts you have posted.  Thank you so much.

At the beginning of the thread you said you wanted to learn about where Monroe was coming from with regards to phasing into the astral.  What have you learned in this regard?  What is your current working definition of 'phasing'?  At what specific points in your process do you phase, and exactly what is it you do?

Also, farther up this page of the thread, on April 29th, you referred to a post you made on the previous day regarding " I basically do the same as detailed in my Q & A post yesterday".  I have searched for this post/thread and haven't found it.  Can you suggest a search strategy?

This next question may be impossible for you to comment on, but I was making perceivable and repeatable progress until the last month or more.  For the last 4 - 6 weeks it appears as though nothing is happening at all - no progress.  Heck, I can't even get as far as I was getting before (partial exits from the physical).  Have you had any flat periods?  If so, what did you do?

I would be most grateful for any comments.

[Gandalf]

Trace_

Frank is away from the forums for now as he is busy moving house, however, I believe I can help with the last part of your question.

For some reason we all go through periods of progression followed by peiods where nothing happens at all. Sometimes these flat periods can go on for some time. I know Frank has commented in the past that while he used to get annoyed at these periods, now he just accepts them and waits them out. Sooner or later, your progress will resume, as long as you still have the intent to do so of course. Forcing it won't help, instead just try not to worry about it.

Even while you ARE making progress you can stil get stumped. While Frank says that at times he can phase after about half an hour of focused attention, at other times he will still lying there after several hours! (long after I would have given up, to be honest!).

So don't worry, just keep doing you exercises and wait for progress to resume. You can even take a break for a while, I have done this in the past and found it to help.
I have had flat periods in the past of several months so six weeks isnt that bad!

Regards,
Douglas

[Trace]

Thank you Douglas - your thoughts make sense to me.  Today I went back to my original approach, following Monroe's approach as I understand it (hence, my intense interest in Frank's posts).  After 2 hours of staying in F10 (trance state) I entered the vibrational state by squeezing my etheric body - a technique I thought of myself (if others use this method, I'm not aware of it).  It was brief, a few seconds, but I am happy to have something happen.  I have an intense, chronic, health condition, and one of the many things I've learned in 5.5 years of physical suffering is patience.  So, during my flat period I remained engaged and happy.  But I asked the question to find out what other(s) do during flat periods.  My understanding from your post is to just keep practicing.  I hope Frank's move goes well, and still hope he finds this thread upon his return.

[Focus15]

Hi guys;
Check this lady out and her book,""The Interstate of Consciousness", it will answer a lot of your questions.
Here's the link:

http://www.qcentral.com/basics.html

Blessing
Focus15