Tisha's essay on OBE

[greatoutdoors]

Tish, thanks for the tips on diet -- I was able to get supper out of the way by 7:00 last night and I'm going to try and make that a habit. But I have another question and hope you can help.

I have had just one experience that I think was an OBE, but now maybe it wasn't. [?] I was wide awake and standing up when very suddenly I was behind "me", just watching the "other me". As soon as I realized it, thought "Whoa, what's this!?" and was back in my body. No vibrations, no time lag, just instantaneous. What happened -- do OBE's happen like that?

I don't do drugs or such (think middle-aged lady here) so I know that had nothing to do with it. [] Any thoughts?

[Tisha]

greatoutdoors,

It sounds like a kind of remote viewing, or RV. You are "seeing," but from another vantage point. In my opinion, it's a side-effect of spiritual/magical/energetic work.  I find lost things with it []

Anyway, if you are interested in finding out what other people think about RV, do a "search" on the topic and see what comes up!

[Adrian]

Greetings Birm,

Thanks for adding your experiences to this topic. I am very pleased it is sticky; it is extremely useful!

I would say one thing; there is absolutetly no doubts whatsoever waking up a couple of hours or so earlier than usual and then projecting is extremely effective, possibly the most effective starting point of all.  As you say, the body is already very physically relaxed, and oriented towards the Astral. Also, the brainwaves are still close to theta. After that it is just a matter of technique. Some prefer to get up for 20 minutes or so and go back to bed to try and OBE or Astral project. I think it is more effective to go more or less into projection mode without disturbing the body too much. Focussing on the brow chakra to bring in the imagery is also very effective. If no imagery appears, use the imagination to create a scenario and that can trigger phasing. The Astral Pulse Island methods includes that.

I do believe you are correct when yoy say people try to hard. Most will keep thinking they can still feel the physical body and so on. The fact is, if you focus inwards, or on the brow chakra or imagery, your senses are projected away from the physical to the Astral.

Thanks again Birm and Tisha.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Adrian]

Greetings,

Another thought, it would be very useful indeed if members described how you achieve a state of deep physical relaxation. As has been pointed out, this is probably the most important pre-requisite for Astral projection.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Tao]

Wow.. Tisha... great job.. It is nice that some DO think at the newbies (the ones who can`t AP)

Well.. i had this little question for you which i never found an answear on to.. Can you sense temerature in Astral ?

Yours truly,
Mihai

[quebec]

quote:Originally posted by Adrian

Greetings,

Another thought, it would be very useful indeed if members described how you achieve a state of deep physical relaxation. As has been pointed out, this is probably the most important pre-requisite for Astral projection.

With best regards,

Adrian.

This is a GREAT, GREAT suggestion Adrian!! This could be a new post very helpful for thoses struggling for that first one.

Thisha, Brim, Frank and all you lucky, lucky OBE travellers please give your suggestions on this.

[Tisha]

Tao, I've never felt temperature on the Astral.  That doesn't mean YOU won't when you get there, however!

[Tao]

Thanks for the reply Tisha..
I was wondering what are you feeling when you think about how cold or hot it feels in the Astral..


thanks again,
Mike

[hamgirl]

hi tisha thanks 4 sharing, i wish i would have read ur post b4 i put mine up.  like my post says i have experienced " vibrations" and all i can say is woah...i had no idea and untill u feel them... it was awesome, but then i became freaked out, it was the first time i tried and i wasnt sure of what to expect and i think at that moment i could chose to leave or stay and as i was about to go i got scared and backed out.  do i have anything to fear?  i tryed again but its even harder now than the first time , i know its my fear that is holding me back (maybe bc now i know i can leave my body).  Have u had any bad experiences?  i would like to try to AP, even if only once just to know, but now it is even harder 4 me to try b/c i cant let go of my minds worries.

[Tisha]

I've had some cross-over experiences that were pretty terrifying.  In the beginning, I was dragged, kicking and screaming (so to speak) into the Astral.  Then one day I just relaxed.  I figured, it's been going on this long and nothing bad has happened . . . I always come out ok . . . there's nothing I can do about it anyway.  And then WHOOP! I was out.

nothing bad has happened to me since!

[Birm]

quote:Originally posted by Adrian

Greetings,

Another thought, it would be very useful indeed if members described how you achieve a state of deep physical relaxation. As has been pointed out, this is probably the most important pre-requisite for Astral projection.

With best regards,

Adrian.

Greetings Everyone,

First of all i have to tell you that i used bwgen for a while and experimented with it for a week. Bwgen is very useful for achieving deep relaxation states especially for newbies. I personally worked hard on Zen meditation several years ago and that helps me a lot for achieving altered states of conciousness. When i first tried bwgen i realized that it really helps achieving deep physical relaxation while being aware of your conciousness even when you are sitting. I suggest newbies to use the bwgen with the deep mind IV preset for relaxation. While doing that please be aware of your senses. Just experiment it. The optimum length of a session is 45 minutes. You shall be relaxed easily at that time i think. Examine how it relaxes you.

Here is my method for achieving a state of deep physical relaxation.

I lay on my bed in a comfortable sleeping position. I start breath meditation. I count my exhales. If you are new to this you can count both inhales and exhales. Remember it is all about concentration.

Inhale
Exhale - I say 1
Inhale
Exhale - I say 2
Inhale
Exhale - I say 3
Inhale
Exhale - I say 4
Inhale
Exhale - I say 5
Inhale
Exhale - I say 6
Inhale
Exhale - I say 7
Inhale
Exhale - I say 8
Inhale
Exhale - I say 9
Inhale
Exhale - I say 10
Inhale
Exhale - I say 1
Inhale
Exhale - I say 2
.. it goes on like this...

I do this for a while and if i am feeling comfortable i start to see what i say:
Inhale
Exhale - I see an image of 1
Inhale
Exhale - I see an image of 2
Inhale
Exhale - I see an image of 3
..

This is important because by doing this i try to stop thinking by talking to myself. So i am trying to forget about all my physical activity.

After a while i may start seeing visions behind the images of numbers. I let them come and go while i am seeing the numbers over those visions. This is very helpful in order to achieve an altered state of conciousness while staying awake.

If i feel like i am starting to fall asleep at that moment. I stop and get up. I walk around in the house for a while.

Then i lay down on my back and start the projection process.

This really helps because your body will be already relaxed and you can concentrate on your projection very easily.

P.S. Examine your senses all the time in order to learn about them.

Hope this helps,
.
.

[Tombo]

here's my way to induce the vibrations:
I induce a LD which at least for me seems a lot easier then inducing an obe. When the LD ends I stay aware and feel myself moved back to my sleeping body. Now I just stay completly calm and don't move at all, at this point the vibration hit me with full intensity after about 2-5 seconds without any effort!
This might especially help people like myself that have problems to relax completly
Hope this helps somebody!

[Saints]

Tisha:
Nice write up!
Very thorough. I can relate to the relaxation and will formula. It works for me.  
BTW: Did you ever notice...did you ever get a good look at your phyical body after you left?
Did you ever notice your body, especially your torso.  I saw mine on the first conscious separation.  From an inclined position, I sat up and looked down at my chest and it looked pretty cool.  My chest looked just like the night sky....a dark field impregated with stars of different intensity and size.  It was amazing!  Did you ever notice anything like that?

[Tisha]

Hi!  I only paid attention to my astral (etheric?) body, and I just looked like a ghost wrapped in my bedsheet.  Or my long white jammies, I'm not quite sure.

[Gandalf]

I can never see my *actual* physical body when I project, although I sometimes see my body in a position that I know it isnt!
This is probably my etheric body as Tisha describes.
Actually I dont mind as I would rather avoid any freaky astral feedback effects that you get if your body and you both stare at eachother for two long!

Douglas

PS Tisha_ nice cleavage btw!

[Sokrates]

Very good Tisha. I´m impressed! Its good to have obe:s and also good to understand them

/Sokrates

[Gandalf]

Sokrates! Praise the gods, we all thought you were dead; where have you been for the last 2500 years???

So that cup of hemlock wasnt fatal after all? or did you fake your own death in order to escape those trumped up anti-democracy charges?

You have a lot of catching up to do Sok, a really crap religion called 'christianity' has been messing with peoples brains for the past 1700 years or so but luckily for you, philosophy is back in a real big way man!

btw one of your pupils, some guy called Plato has been screwing with some of your ideas... and some of his 'philosopher king' stuff is just way out!

All the best!

Douglas

[V00D00]

hm... i just read the thing.... diss is great tisha... i just want to say that my nearest oobe was after i read the treatise the first time... i was lying and just thinking "wow... this ap thing is great... i would like to try it out... i just wonder how it looks..." and the like... oh... and one important thing... i was listening to goa trance (i almost every day listen to goa before sleep, mainly to astral projection and man with no name) and was in that in-between sleep/awake state when a rumbling came... at first it was like it came from inside my body and i just accepted it... but a few moments later it looked like the rumbling is all around me and is becoming louder and then i got scared and got up... i tried a few times after that but nothing...

wow... this meant to be only a "thank you" post but it grew into something bigger... after reading your essay i'm sure i will try your "techniques"... my life is quite a mess )

gotta go now... my favourite movie is starting... well, not favourite but one of the best (my favourite is SIGNS, with mel gibson)... i'm gone

oh.. almost forgot.. thanks tisha

[Tisha]

Thanks for the thanks, everyone, Voodoo, Sokrates, everyone, and thanks too Birm for your observations - - - very important and useful stuff!

[Tao]

Tisha i was wondering - there is an yahoo id you posted in your profile.. do you ever log on to yahoo ? or to aol ?

About the essay - when is part 2 coming up next ? you have a lots of fans

I was wondering - some say that all this techinques and definitions do not help but rather confuse a newbie.. what is your opinion on that ?

and another thing - have you heard of Frank ? I don`t want to sound selfish but this forum is such a lonely place without him..

Mihai

[Tisha]

Hi Tao,

Yes to both aol and yahoo.  My online time is extremely limited though (single-working-parent!); in fact I haven't "chatted" in a very long time!  If you find me in the neighborhood though, give me a shout.

Yes, I agree that all these different (and sometimes conflicting) techniques can confuse a newbie.  They also give the false impression that "it's all about technique," when it's most certainly not.  OBE is Whole Life Thing.  Many successful projectors are near-obsessed with OBE and otherworldly phenomena, and devote much of their waking lives to achieving otherworldly states.  Most regular people aren't up to (or even interested in) this level of dedication!

Part 2 to my essay?  A writer should only write about what he/she knows.  Unfortunately I don't know much [].  When I rack up a few more experiences I will write about them.  Lately, however, I've been grounded by some very significant stresses, so I will need to take my own advice if I ever want to OBE again . . .

As for Frank?  We miss him too. []

[Vicky]

Hello Tisha, I must tell how impressed I was after reading your essay. Not only about the suggestions and explanations about the OBEs but also about how people should change their life to make OBEs happen. I completely agree and must admit that I am one of these same people that don't reall do anything in particular to have OBEs, watch too much TV, spend too much time in front of the PC and still am muttering how I cannot make OBEs ( I do it only once a month and I probably can do it much ofetn if I try harder and have bigger WILL ) However, I think that your essay is here to open people's minds and make the picture clearer. Thanks

[Achra]

well I can truly relax, when I am sleeping

I am truly relaxed, when I am half sleeping and then I feel myself so good and relaxed...

[Tisha]

Note:  Interested readers can download my final OBE essay from the File Library!
*************
Would-be projectors often make the mistake of thinking OBE technique starts with meditation.  It really doesn't.  OBE prep work requires much more than lying down, meditating, and doing a few "techniques."  If that were all it took to OBE, we'd all be flying all over the place.  And obviously, we're not.

Due to popular demand, I've decided to write this essay on what has worked for me in the past.  I am by no means an "expert" projector; but I do succeed every now and then, which is about as much as the majority of us can ever hope for.

I came upon OBE phenomena seemingly by accident.  I say "seemingly," because I believe there are no accidents, and on some level I must have been aware of what I was doing when I had my first conscious OBE several years ago.  My first OBEs were involuntary and terrifying.  Once I found Astraldynamics and AstralPulse.com, it all made sense and I felt much better.  

The first thing I read about OBE was Mr. Robert Bruce's Treatise on OBE ( http://www.astralpulse.com/guides/oobe/Treatise.PDF ) I've also read Mr. Bruce's Astraldynamics and Monroe's series of books on AP/OBE.  I didn't look to them for technique as much as I did for validation; i.e., "Yes! That's how I feel when it happens to me! Thank god I'm normal!" But he does provide a lot of technique that you may find useful. It was also wonderful to read about where others have taken their lives as a result of OBE/AP phenomena.  At any rate, the so-called "techniques" I post here are my own, and not copied from any book or website. I hope you find them useful.

This essay is written from the perspective of a middle-aged woman who lives in the U.S.A . . . I can't help that!  You may tailor any of my suggestions to suit your gender, ethnicity or lifestyle, and they'll probably still work. I've cut-and-pasted my many posts on this subject into this one essay, so some of it might be familiar to you!

PS: I've put action items in red.

*************************************

This is where it all begins:  Your life.

I. HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR BODY, REALLY?

Many of you are new to this Forum so don't know that as of 2002, I was having pretty regular spontaneous OBEs into the Real Time Zone (RTZ), which is a little different than Astral Projection (AP). I didn't fully understand my experiences until I found AstralPulse, and I am so grateful to Robert Bruce for this forum.

Anyway, as of August 2002 I'd been feeling pretty frustrated with my spiritual development , as I'd received guidance from a psychic that 2002 was going to be my Big Year, magically speaking. Well, I became aware of my OBE abilities in 2002 but that was about it (I think I'd actually been hoping for thunder and lightning, a crown, a Big Title, and a pony .)

Then it hit me: I hadn't done the work the psychic told me to do . She said I was supposed to work on my house. She didn't specify whether she meant my real house or my spiritual house, but since one can be a metaphor for the other . . . anyway, when I finally GOT IT, I decided to take a year's sabbatical from conscious OBEs, in order to work on my house. Well, the house gave me plenty to work on: Shortly after my decision not to OBE for a year, my roof leaked and my ceiling came crashing down . It's been a year's odyssey of new roof, new insulation, new ceiling, new paint, new carpet, a reinforced foundation, reinforced subfloor, laminate flooring . . . new drapes . . . a 401K loan and a refinanced mortgage . . .  need I go on?

So by August, which wrapped up my one-year sabbatical, I was ready to consciously OBE again. But could I? I seemed to have been able to turn it off simply by willing it. That's my magical gift/curse, by the way: My formidable WILL (friends and family call it stubborn). So, in theory, I should have been able to turn it back on again.

Here is my theory: The key is WILL. I suspect that MOST people are not aware of their projections because deep down, they don't WANT to be aware of them. Because the reality would be too much to bear, for many, many reasons. Bringing that level of Awareness back down to the day-to-day requires you to be . . . shall we say, responsible, or faithful to that level of Awareness? "Whew," we think, "too much work." Our souls travel at night, but we black it out by morning.

And most people don't have the WILL to consciously OBE/AP. Most of us gave up meditating after 30 minutes of twiddling thumbs, right?  Maybe it lasted a week, and we didn't OBE, so we gave up. Be honest everyone . . . how many of us have kept up our OBE practices faithfully for . . . say . . . even one year? Faithfully and regularly, I mean. Hardly any, I bet, because mundane life simply takes over. But remember, WE WILLED THAT YOUR MUNDANE LIFE WOULD TAKE OVER. We meant it. We're not aware that we meant it, but we meant it!

Ask yourself something. How badly do you want to OBE, really?  It's OK to be fascinated by the phenomenon, but not want to make the effort. Really it is OK! Look around you: what does your lifestyle say about what you really want? It's your persistent, long-term efforts at OBE are what show you're really serious about OBE/AP. Your serious efforts at doing OTHER things means you're serious about doing something else.  

If after thinking about this you still want to make a go at it, read on.

II. RELAX!

Total relaxation is key to the OBE experience.  Meditation can help us achieve relaxation, but to be honest, we'd probably need to meditate 12 or more hours a day before we got to the mental state we should be in to OBE, given the stresses of modern society.  Most people can hardly squeeze in a few minutes per week, which is better than nothing, but not good enough if we really want to OBE.  So we need to do more than just meditate.

It's very important that we lead peaceful, gentle, relaxed lives if we are to make a practice of deliberately leaving our bodies on a regular basis.  Given this basic truth, then, what are the sources of stress in YOUR life?  

Your job?
Your family?
Poor health?
Lack of money?  
Mean people?
Rejection?  

Make a list, because you are going to need to take care of all of them if you are going to OBE.  And by take care of them I don't necessarily mean "fix the problem."  Some problems can't be fixed.  But you can change your APPROACH to your so-called "problems."  You might have to do any or all of these things before you can truly relax:

Forgive your parents.
Forgive your siblings.
Forgive everyone who ever hurt your feelings.
Finish school to have more free time.
Quit your crappy job and get a more meaningful or less stressful one, even if it means making less money.
Set boundaries with your spouse and/or children.
Move to a more peaceful, affordable place.
Learn to love (or at least accept) those things that annoy you.
Quit some outer activities (clubs, etc.), in order to do more inner work.
Spend less time on the computer:  posting messages on Astralpulse, playing video games, instant-messaging, etc.
Face the problems you've been avoiding.
Less time partying, more time in quiet contemplation.
Change your diet.
See a doctor about that thing.
Get 8 hours of sleep per night.
Swallow your pride and go get some therapy.
Turn off the TV.


When you make your list of stressors and are faced with the awesome realization that THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, refer to section I titled, How Badly Do You Want to Leave Your Body, Really?  I tell you it's worth it.  I don't need to meditate much anymore (in the sit-down sense) because I've cleared my mind of anxieties and resentments and superficial fluff over a period of many, many years. My life still has its normal stresses, but in general I lead a peaceful, gentle life.  I'm mostly a solitary person, with the exception of my daughter, who I have part time, and my four cats, who don't ask for much.

I still recommend meditation and yoga anyway, even if you never plan to OBE!!!!!!!!!!!  They are great for your health and your overall sense of well-being.  They can make you feel very relaxed.  Also, you might want to try:

Keeping a journal
New Energy Ways (NEW, from Astraldynamics)
Loving your pet(s)
Playing with your kids, not just "taking care of" them
Making crazy art (the point is to express yourselves, not to be good at it)
Dancing
Walking around the block
Napping
Reading
Calling a friend who makes you happy
Playing sports  
Gardening
Cooking
Sex with someone you love
Anything that helps you relieve stress, as long as it's legal and harms none

III. A LIFE OF GENTEEL POVERTY

Have you ever noticed that the most spiritual people in the world have very little money?  This is no mistake.  Meditate on this!  How much do you really need to be happy, really?  I'm not asking you to throw on sackcloth and sell flowers on a street corner or join a commune.  I'm not suggesting that life in a sweatshop ought to be fulfilling, because I know it's not.  Rather, I am advocating a life of quiet gentility.  Get a good education so you may find decent, meaningful work, a small home, a sensible car (or public transport), a steady, modest inflow of cash to pay the bills and save for retirement, and health insurance.  Simplify your life, my friends!  If you can't afford a simple life where you live now, MOVE to a place where you can afford one.  Join forces with like-minded people to save money. Be creative!

Being poor does not mean living in a slum, scrubbing other people's toilets, or standing at the bottom of a shabby staircase screaming STELLA! at the top of your lungs in your undershirt.   By saying "no" to overconsumption and shallowness, choosing instead an affordable lifestyle and saving money for that inevitable rainy day, you will find peace and – ta da! -  RELAXATION.  Forget "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," buy (or better yet, sign out from your public library) The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle, by Amy Dacyczyn.

Notice that my suggested stress-relieving activities in Chapter II are free, or at the very least, cheap. For instance, nothing brings me more pleasure than a good nap, a cup of tea in my grandmother's china teacup, and a good book on a quiet Sunday afternoon.  You will choose your own free-or-inexpensive pleasures.  

IV. AMPLE AMOUNTS OF FREE TIME

You need free time to deliberately OBE.  Sure, stress and sleep deprivation might bring on an involuntary OBE now and then, but these are disturbing experiences that you can't control.  So take it slow and deliberate, in your free time when you are well rested.  That way, your body won't fall asleep on you when you practice!

We all have only 24 hours in an earth-time day.  People say "I don't have the time!" but for the most part that's a load of crap, even if you're a single parent.  Almost everyone wastes loads of time without realizing it.  In America, families watch hours and hours of TV a day and say they "don't have time" to do things. Please!  

Since you'll never get more than 24 hours per day, we make our free time by rearranging our lives and saying "no" sometimes.

Here are a few ways you can rearrange your life:

Give your unneeded possessions to charity.  Find efficient storage for the things you decide to keep.  No more rummaging around!
Find a job close to home, and reduce your travel.
Shop in bulk, so as to make fewer trips.
Delegate household tasks to family members.  
End unproductive or abusive relationships.
If in school, set your class schedule in order to maximize your free time, and minimize time spent commuting or running around.

Here are a few things to say no to:

Indulgence in hate, anger, annoyance, offense, and depression, including complaining, pointless arguments, plotting revenge, and flame emails.
Junk mail.  Just throw it out unread.
Spending time with people who anger, annoy or depress you, even if it's a Friday night and you've got no one else to go out with.  
Mindless eating and puttering around
Chaos in your home (a massive time waster!)
Too much television  
Too much time on the computer
Unsolicited sales calls.
Constantly rearranging your "stuff."  Get rid of stuff.
Any compulsive activities (spending, cleaning, drinking, smoking, etc.)

By now some of you are probably thinking, what the heck does all this have to do with OBE?  I'll tell you.  There are a few VERY GOOD reasons why I've written these first few chapters that describe the REAL groundwork that is the foundation for a peaceful, controlled, out-of-body experience:

First, a conscious, deliberate OBE comes from a state of total relaxation.  Some people are "naturals" at OBE and therefore do not need to "work" on relaxation so much.  But this essay is meant for beginners, for those of you who are not "naturals" and for those of you who have unpredictable or involuntary OBE experiences.  Meaning, MOST people out there!

People with freaked-out lives, festering resentments, screwed-up finances, and poor health find it difficult to relax.  It's as simple as that.  Selling your soul to a stressful career, or multiple jobs, in order to feed your greed (not to mention a mountain of debt from buying junk you don't need) is not going to relax you, and it's not going to leave you with enough time to practice OBE.  A half hour of meditation every now and then is not going to fix your life.  You need to CHANGE your lives so that you may relax and find peace, so that you may OBE peacefully.

Some people project when they're sleep-deprived or ill.  These experiences tend to be miserable and exhausting, and near impossible to control.  Wouldn't you rather be well-rested and relaxed the day it happens for you!

Most importantly, OBE practice can lead to lucid dreaming and/or Astral experiences.  When you find yourself lucid in these dreamspaces, what you think and believe will shape your experiences.  Festering resentments and fears will send you straight to the Lower Astral, where you'll face demons, spiders, mean dragons, assorted negs and such.  It's enough to make one vow never to go back!  Therefore, it is best to develop a clear mind and a peaceful soul.


V. NOW IT'S TIME

If you've actually made it to this chapter without giving up in disgust or annoyance, you show both patience and promise.  If you're actually in the process of completing the action items highlighted in red, you're REALLY ready!

Things move along for me very well when I spend a lot of time alone, in silence, in "inbetween" states.  Neither here-nor-there, but always aware.  Liminal, it is called. It means "at the threshold." Many people call this state of mind "Trance." I meditate on fog, for instance, as it is inbetween rain and not-rain.  Those moments just before, or just after, thunderstorms. Doorways, bridges, the forest's edge . . . .  think of your own liminal places and meditate on them.  When you are in a liminal state, sharpen your awareness of the fact that you are now "inbetween."

Celtic harp music enhances my mood.  I also use theta-wave tapes and the Gateway series.  I also burn incense when I do my work; it sends a signal to my brain that I'm working on OBE.

I want to recommend to everyone to practice OBE in a slightly sitting state; for instance, in a reclining chair.  Laying on a bed is a sure way to fall asleep.  However, I must confess that ALL of my OBEs have occurred while in bed, either laying down or propped up on my pillows, so even I don't practice what I preach in this regard.  So, since this essay is about what WORKS for me, I'll tell you what I usually do:

A. I lay on my back, with a pillow under my knees to relieve back pressure.  I squirm around to crack my back vertebrae.  In fact, come to think of it, I crack every knuckle I have!  I wiggle my fingers and toes, relax, and settle in.

B. I fall asleep on my back.  If I roll over in my sleep, that's OK.

C. At some point in the evening . . . perhaps one REM cycle . . . I sort of wake up.  I am half awake, half asleep.  At the threshold!  (remember "liminal places!").  I may get up to use the bathroom and then attempt a projection, or, I might just roll over and sink into a "vibration state," right then and there.  Whatever I do, however, I keep that inbetween-state, rather than "wake up."

I will now go into specific detail about my pre-OBE states.


VI. THE PRE-VIBRATIONAL STATE

How to bring on the vibrations?  You could try willing them, but only if you are the liminal space between sleep and awake. Willing it while you're just lying there won't work!   It helps if you've felt the vibrations before, so if you haven't, perhaps it's better just to wait for them to come on their own.  They WILL come.  The trick is staying awake for them!!!!!!

The reason many of us botch our OBE attempts at the point of exit (presuming we initially have the deep relaxation thing down) it that we're getting all excited over the shifting of our energy bodies - - because it does feel pretty cool - - - thinking, "Is this a vibration? Oh boy!  Is it finally going to happen? That very excitement causes us to lose the deep relaxation needed for the OBE exit.

Work often on trance states . . . go as deep as you can, as often as you can, at times when you are well rested. It can be an ongoing struggle staying AWARE during trance. Your awareness is key. When you sleep, your consciousness will leave your body on its own . . . unfortunately, you are unconscious and miss the whole thing! By working on CONSTANT AWARENESS you can be "asleep and awake" at the same time.

As for me, I still struggle with staying aware during induced trance states. Most of the time I drift off in a fog and nothing happens. But then one day, SHAZAM, there I am, awake in my head . . . but I'm leaving my body behind.

I've tried a different technique with my deliberate OBE attempts: I meditate/trance with the intention of feeling my energy body shift and wobble, WITHOUT trying to push myself into an OBE. I get SO used to the shifty feeling that it absolutely BORES me to death and it ceases to cause an excited or expectant reaction. Also, it takes the pressure off.  If I have an OBE, great!  If I don't, well, I wasn't trying to have one in the first place.  

So here's what it feels like to me BEFORE the vibrations happen:

A. I'm sleeping or resting. I'm in that in-between state of sleep/awake. I trance very easily (it's both a blessing and a curse, no one wants to ride in my car when I'm driving!), so I rarely have to work at getting in the right space. Suffice it to say I assume the position for an OBE; i.e., flat on my back.

B. I feel my energy-body start to shift. Imagine what it must feel like to be a hard boiled egg when someone is peeling off your shell . . . something feels as though it is separating. Sometimes it feels like a little wobble or a flutter. Wobbly is a good word. Most of the wobbling/shifting is in my UPPER body, from my upper chest up to the top of my head. Since I'm laying absolutely still it makes no sense that I feel as though I'm moving . . . it really does FEEL as though I have separated from my body just a LITTLE bit. Sometimes I even get a little sick to my stomach!  When this happens I try to lay absolutely still and act really, really bored by the phenomenon. "Ho hum, here I go . . ."

Please note that I often botch it at this point.  Moving the body, or even THINKING about one's physical body will end the experience.  Even thoughts such as "I'd better not think about my body!" will ruin it.  Turn around negative thoughts such as "I'd better not" into positive ones, such as "OK I'm moving along, whatever . . . my mind is relaxed . . . ho hum, here I go . . . I'm waiting . . . whatever  . . . I'm waiting, I'm waiting . . . my mind is relaxed, things just moving along . . . ." Positive thoughts will keep your mind off what you shouldn't be doing.

C. If you are in an uncomfortable position when you start to feel wobbly/shifty, LIE STILL, JUST PUT UP WITH IT, you can ask your friends to massage your sore body parts tomorrow. Believe it or not, the wobbly feeling doesn't last very long, just a few seconds for me when I go off spontaneously. If I move a muscle, I've blown it!

D. Now, here is the truly tricky part. I'm of two minds here (I believe in the OBE world, this counts as a pun). Because I know what brings on a vibration for me if I'm calm and deliberate: When I want to bring on the vibrations faster, I imagine sinking, and that seems to bring them on. I feel myself going through my mattress. It's always prolonged my vibration experience, but my success at OBE using this technique has been spotty, probably because these efforts cause some sort of tension in my body. So if you find yourself "wobbly" or "fluttery" or "shifty" and the vibrations don't happen after 15 seconds or so, you might want to try FEELING (not visualizing) yourself sinking deep into your bed or your chair as though someone were pressing down upon you, and pressing down HARD, without letting up. Sometimes I think, "DOWN . . . . DOWN . . . . DOWN . . . . . DOWN .. . . . DOWWWNNNN . .. . . . . . . DOWWWWNNN . . ."

E. Then AGAIN (and here is my second opinion on the subject), you might want to do NOTHING. NADA. ZIPPO. I call this the NON TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE because trying to do something might break your relaxation and ruin the experience.    "Letting" an OBE happen, in a zen kind of way, seems to work so much better. Of course that is little consolation to folks who've been trying for years. Of course, if you've been trying and trying with doing nothing and nothing doesn't work, try sinking.


VII. THE VIBRATIONS

The vibrations are the point of no return, in my opinion, so you do not have to "do" much at this point besides relax and take everything you feel/hear in stride, knowing that you are SAFE AND SOUND and that you are going to be all right no matter what!!!!!!
If you've never had an OBE before, the vibrations will probably feel like nothing you've ever felt before. In fact, if you feel tingling in your body and wonder if it's vibrations, I'm sorry, but it's not.    If you are new to this, and you are feeling "mild" paralysis, you are most likely not ready for an OBE exit . . . although you ARE getting closer by meditating and working with trance. Keep it up!  

REAL exit sensations are not "mild," in fact they can be downright alarming. During your first OBE's the vibrations will probably feel jarring to you, even upsetting. The trick is in not letting the sensations freak you out.

What do vibrations feel like? I feel sinking and vibrations, and hear roaring/buzzing, all at the same time. Sometimes I feel a lot of pressure on my chest, as though I am being pushed down onto the bed.  I liken the vibrational state to lying on top of an unbalanced washing machine during the spin cycle.  Or, perhaps an old 1800's Ford jalopy with a bad muffler.  The experience is very noisy for me.  And I am completely paralyzed.  I cannot move.

According to Mr. Bruce, early projections seem to cause more of a ruckus than later ones. Once you've had several deliberate/successful OBEs, the exits quiet down. Come to think of it, over time, my vibrations HAVE become less intense for me. Right now I'd say they feel/sound more like a large buzzing plane flying low overhead. But that's after three years of spin-cycle intensity. As I became more proficient at OBE the vibrations calmed down a bit, and now it feels like a buzz, like I'm on a motorcycle ready to zip off somewhere.

My advice to newcomers to the OBE world: Expect a ruckus at first. That way you are less likely to freak out! Those with slight and controllable buzzing for vibrations should consider themselves LUCKY (or really, really advanced, my hat is raised to them!). The day I can feel a slight buzz in my spine and WOOOP! out I go . . . ah, that will be the day!


VIII. THE EXIT

My early OBEs were spontaneous and MOST unwelcome, until one day I thought, oh, what the heck, surrendered to the experience, and actually downloaded some good memories from a bonafide OBE.

These days, I have a problem with my excitement and my expectations ruining projection attempts. Even experienced OBE-ers have spotty success with deliberate OBE attempts. Toss your frustration aside and know you are in good company. But the first time I tried this "surrender technique," I'd failed at OBE many times.  But once I figured it out, I projected FOUR TIMES in one night! Now my memories of them are sketchy and I have some ponderings about whether or not I experienced the same OBE more than one time (if that makes any sense), but . . . it worked!

(By the way, I also like to call my surrender technique "flopping." I flop like a rag doll - - - rag dolls have no bones or muscles, after all! The few times I've managed to flop entirely, I've had an OBE.)

SURRENDER TECHNIQUE:  When you feel yourself going "down" or having projection vibrations, lose all tension in your body.  Flop like a rag doll and send out a little prayer. It doesn't really matter to "whom" - - - you send out the prayer to the Being out there willing and waiting to help. It could be Jesus or God. It could be your higher self. It could be a spirit guide. Don't get too attached . . . keep an open mind. There is SOMEONE out there. Ask for help. Completely SURRENDER to the experience. Meaning, no expectations or desires allowed . . . just ask for help, and completely surrender to anything (and I mean anything) that might come from that help.

If you get this maneuver right, you may feel yourself floating upwards.  You might even feel yourself yanked out of your body a little too abruptly - - but at least you'll be out!

The first time I was consciously "out," I was amazed at how absolutely REAL it was.  I was myself!  In my ghostly body!  But I quickly remembered that Mr. Bruce had advised that novice projectors jump back in their bodies right quick, so as to remember the experience, so that's what I did.  


IX. RE-ENTRY

In this peaceful reverie after the paralysis passes, my usually dark bedroom seems lit with flickering lights, almost as if someone sneaked into my bedroom and lit a bunch of tea candles and hid them around my room. In fact, the first time it happened, I thought I'd left candles lit and I rummaged about my room looking for them, getting REALLY confused . . . even more confused than I had been originally for just having an OBE without knowing it.

After a minute or two, the candelight effect goes away, and it all feels REAL over with.

Sometimes I have a cold head after re-entry. Sometimes I wrap my head in a blanket afterwards.  But I almost always sleep well, and wake up refreshed.


X. EPILOGUE

Happy travels! Remember . . . find your inbetween state, stay aware at all times, work on it every day (or at least several times a week) and LET it happen. Once you know what it "feels" like, it is easier to engage in a variety of techniques to bring on that feeling. But you have to know what it feels like first!  Getting to this point takes a LOT of patience, but in the end, it is all worth it.