Astral Projection Explorations - A Journal

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Puls3

Hello everyone!

I'd like to start a journal to keep track of my progress and to receive feedback along the way. I've been extremely interested in AP for a long time, and I've decided to commit myself to the process to see what I can learn.

About Me:

Low thirties and have a young child. I'm a bit busy, so I chunked out 1 hour every night dedicated to astral projection attempts, meditating (if needed), and journaling here. I've been meditating on and off since I was around 15, so I have some familiarity with altered states of consciousness. To this day, however, I have never had an astral projection.

Goals:

Have a conscious astral projection, preferably without having to alter my sleep habits (by waking up extra early or in the middle of the night). I already sleep feel rather tired in the mornings, and I don't want to jeopardize that even further. In addition, I'm open to other experiences of altered consciousness and psychic related activities.

History of AP so far:

I've been practicing AP for 2 weeks daily so far. I've encountered what I'd consider minor vibrations a few times, but then I fall out of it shortly after.

Roadblocks:

I over-analyze... a lot. I also like to consume as much information as possible, which results in more over-analyzation. As a result, I end up changing techniques frequently and thinking far too much while trying to astral project.

I've also been weightlifting/bodybuilding for many years. I have the same over-analyzation problems there as well. A half a year ago, I started working with an online trainer. The trainer has been able to keep my on the straight and narrow whenever my obsessive mind wants to see more results or change routines. I've made far more progress in this past half a year than I've made in a solid year or two prior. If anyone is willing to, I'm hoping that some of the more experienced members can keep me on the straight and narrow in a similar fashion. It doesn't take me much to snap out of wanting to change things, a quick reminder gets me back on track. I'd really appreciate it!

I also carry quite a bit of tension. I can relax most of my body well, but my jaw is always extremely tense. It is also difficult for me to let go of things while meditating, although I am working on it.

Current Practice:

I've read a ton information already on techniques and have become quite overwhelmed. It seems like the less complex, the better. I'm am going to follow Frank K.'s routine along with Wave 2 of the Gateway Experience (as recommended).

Purpose of the Journal:

Keep track of my experiences, learn from others, receive feedback and guidance, and to keep a track record of my evolution and studies.

I'm excited to be here!

Puls3

4/26/2020 @ 6:30 PM:

I laid down on a soft mattress in a bedroom different than my own. I spent a few moments organizing the room and letting my spouse know that I would need peace and quite during the time I was meditating/APing.

I performed the Frank K.'s recommended rundown to the Gateway Experience's Wave 2 disc. The visualizations went well and were fairly vivid. By the end of the tape, I was in a very relaxed state. There were a few moments of time where my consciousness drifted off and I quickly returned afterwards. During the peak moments of the visualizations, I briefly saw a lit up phone screen and a red blinking dot that appears to be on a smoke detector. Both of the images were very vivid, but only lasted for a few seconds. Overall, I remained fairly detached to the results, which was one of my goals since I tend to over-analyze stuff. This was a very good session.




Puls3

#2
Practice Session - 4-28-2020 @ 6:30 PM:

My practice session was using Frank K.'s rundown to Robert Monroe's Wave 2 (Introduction to Focus 10). I am still working on refining my visualizations and sensory exploration during the rundown. When it is more refined, I'll share it in detail.

Observations for today:


  • My visualizations are getting clearer. Some of my visualizations often appear almost perfectly real for brief moments. I believe the imagery only lasts briefly because it is so unexpected, my consciousness snaps back to normal. I believe that through repeated exposure, these visualizations will become normal and I'll be able to sustain them longer (while staying conscious).
  • I've been introducing more feeling sensory in the rundown. This includes the feel grass, concrete, etc.. The touch sensory is pretty easy to imagine for me.
  • Each sequential time I perform my rundown it feels a little more effortless. I noticed that when it becomes more effortless instead of rehearsed, more random things start to happen during the rundown. This might include additional sensory and divergences from the initial rundown that feel natural.
  • During my rundown, there is a period where you are relaxing your body. Instead of focusing on my actual body, I "projected" a double above myself and relaxed that non-physical double. Interestingly enough, relaxing the double also relaxed my physical self. (I relaxed a "projection" to focus more on the non-physical.)
  • I got extremely relaxed by the end of the tape. There were a few moments that I realized I had lost consciousness when I came back. The moments were brief (less than a minute), but I think it will be important to stay conscious when the deep relaxation sets in.

Overall, it was another good session. I didn't feel any vibrations or other OBE projection symptoms, but I can feel a lot of my imaginative skills improving.

Puls3

Practice Session - 4-29-2020 @7:00 PM:

My practice session was using Frank K.'s rundown to Robert Monroe's Wave 2 (Introduction to Focus 10). I am still working on refining my visualizations and sensory exploration during the rundown. When it is more refined, I'll share it in detail.

Observations for today:

  • I was very distracted today. I had difficulty visualizing with much detail and often found myself losing focus and thinking of day to day tasks.
  • I noticed that I became frustrated when my visuals were straying my previous visualizations in terms of content. I want to work on this. I want to keep an open mind and allow my mind to stray from the normal path as long as I am conscious of this occuring.
  • I found myself trying to remember what I was encountering so I could document it here. I believe this also drew me back to the physical. I want to work on experiencing the run down only, and recalling it later, even if that means reduced accuracy.
  • Towards the end of the rundown, my vision (closed eyes) grew bright white. There were various flashings of white light as well that were short lived.
  • For a few minutes, I felt an extremely heavy wave going over portions of my body. It felt similar to my limbs becoming immobile (or perhaps falling asleep). Again, once I became aware of this and focused on it, it went away.

Today's session wasn't one of my best. However, I felt it taught me an important lesson about staying relaxed and non-judgement towards experiences. The more I consciously observe an experience, the faster it seems to disappear. I suspect that observing with a relaxed consciousness will let these experiences develop deeper, which I imagine is relevant for astral projection.

Puls3

Practice Session - 5-1-2020 @8:00 PM:

My practice session was using Frank K.'s rundown to Robert Monroe's Wave 2 (Introduction to Focus 10).

Today's observations:


  • A had a scratchy throat and a cough most of the day, so it was a bit difficult to focus at the beginning of the session. Eventually, these hindrances went away.
  • During certain parts of the rundown, I noticed that body feels like it is performing small swaying motions back and forth. They aren't overly fast or intense, but they do often intensify as the rundown continues.
  • Once the tape gets to Focus 10, I'm not really sure what I should be doing. The narration essentially ends, and I tend to shift between viewing blackness and creating more visualizations. I'll have to read what Frank recommended doing at this stage. Until I have a game plan, or at least an outline, my brain tends to jump from OBE related subjects rapidly (i.e. viewing blackness, exit symptoms, visualization an exit, just breathing, etc). This feels counter productive.
  • I got to a fairly relaxed state by the end of this.
  • My brain has been performing a noticeable "shift" while I am doing the runtime. Like, for a few moments, it feels like everything is different, including my conscious thoughts and my "view" kind of alters. When this occurs, my mind usually tries to analyze it or make it happen more. Naturally, it starts to fade when this happens. I want to learn to relax into these sensations more so that I can continue to explore them.

Overall, it was a decent session considering I had some physical bodily distractions occurring.

Lumaza

    Quote from: Puls3 on May 02, 2020, 00:55:50
    • My brain has been performing a noticeable "shift" while I am doing the runtime. Like, for a few moments, it feels like everything is different, including my conscious thoughts and my "view" kind of alters. When this occurs, my mind usually tries to analyze it or make it happen more. Naturally, it starts to fade when this happens. I want to learn to relax into these sensations more so that I can continue to explore them.

    Overall, it was a decent session considering I had some physical bodily distractions occurring.
    I get that as well. Sometimes my shift in consciousness occurs shortly after I close my eyes and begin to just notice the darkness there. I will then get a "prompt" to readjust my vision. If I do readjust my vision it shows I wasn't ready for the shift to occur. If I don't refocus my vision, I get a strong surge of energy in my head that makes it feel like it is going into "overload". It is short lived but very powerful. After that, the depth of the darkness has changed considerably and I now in the Void. From there it's time to utilize thought = action and set a intent. I can tell that at that point I am not seeing with my physical eyes anymore. What I am experiencing seems so much more "expansive". It's really hard to explain it.

    Those distractions can be troublesome if you "allow" them to be. I have itched myself, readjusted my whole body in the tub, sneezed, all kinds of things. But then I just stay the course I am on.

    When I was new to this though, it was a whole different ball game, lol. I had problems with my eyes opening, excess saliva, the need to constantly swallow, breathing problems like hyperventilating, all kinds of things. They were self imposed blocks and obstacles to keep me physically focused. I had to learn to overcome them. That came by staying the course and going into a deeper state of relaxation. Your physical self will fight tooth and nail to keep you physically focused. That's why this practice is such a difficult thing for most people. They don't get past that.

















    "The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence."  Nicolai Tesla

    Puls3

    #6
    Practice Session - 5-3-2020 @6:00 PM:

    I'm continuing to use Frank's rundown to Wave 2 of the Gateway Experience. Some notes on today's session:


    • There was one section of the rundown where I "forcefully" made the declaration recited in the audio. In addition, my actions in the visualizations were bold. They seem produce a more immersive effect when I was confident in my actions.
    • I got the "altered consciousnesses" stage (mentioned in the previous post) many times this. I noticed that when I hit that state, I often shake right back out of it. I think if I could learn to let that altered state take effect without me losing focus, I may experience even deeper and greater results.
    • A little bit more descriptions of the sensation: it almost feels like you get the "shivers" on your body and head. A wave sensation flows over me and it also alters my consciousness during this action. I don't believe that the sensation is one that has to go away immediately; I believe that if I could maintain a detached focus that it would remain. It also reminds me of the moment where you would fall asleep if you weren't trying to keep your mind awake. It will be interesting if I allow my body to fall asleep during that stage, but my mind remain aware. (I know I'm rambling a bit here, but I'm trying to articulate what the feelings are like. I'll elaborate more as time goes on.)
    • I had a few moments of intense daydreaming there were very vivid. During these moments, I lost consciousness - so I don't really recall what was happening.
    • Lastly, my "self" disappeared for around 5 minutes. There was a point where I was so relaxed that I felt like only my consciousness was sitting there. Puls3 the human was no longer there or a concept I cared about. The feeling was very relaxing and felt natural.

    Overall, this was another good experience. I'm excited to continue the study?

    Puls3

    QuoteSometimes my shift in consciousness occurs shortly after I close my eyes and begin to just notice the darkness there. I will then get a "prompt" to readjust my vision.

    That is nearly exactly what happens to me!

    QuoteIf I do readjust my vision it shows I wasn't ready for the shift to occur. If I don't refocus my vision, I get a strong surge of energy in my head that makes it feel like it is going into 'overload'... After that, the depth of the darkness has changed considerably and I now in the Void.

    Can you explain this a bit more? I've been getting that surge many times in one session. Is that a prompt that I should be doing something?

    Today I experienced a shift like you describe, but instead of it being visual focused, it was if I disappeared altogether. "I" as I know myself wasn't there. There was only observation of the audio I was listening to. A sort of emptiness, but a very comfortable one.

    Lumaza

    Quote from: Puls3 on May 03, 2020, 22:58:39
    That is nearly exactly what happens to me!

    Can you explain this a bit more? I've been getting that surge many times in one session. Is that a prompt that I should be doing something?

    Today I experienced a shift like you describe, but instead of it being visual focused, it was if I disappeared altogether. "I" as I know myself wasn't there. There was only observation of the audio I was listening to. A sort of emptiness, but a very comfortable one.
    It is very difficult to describe. But you did a great job of describing it in the last part of your current quote above.

    It comes on like a urge to move my eyes. I have trained myself not to move or even use my physical eyes while noticing. The urge/prompt will then become really powerful, along with a sensation that my head is going blow up, hence my saying overload. Then, everything goes quiet and I am just "there". There is no urge to use my eyes period. I can't feel anything except for a "vastness". At this point I sometimes will test it by shooting a basket/tossing a basketball or rolling a ball, just to see how it plays out. Lately though I have been experiencing a lot of cave exploring, which then leads to a hall full of doors. Every door entered opens up a new adventure.

    In the last week I have found that once I hit this vastness, I then feel like I am warping at high speed in reverse. The visuals of leaving my home, the Earth and everything appears during that experience. It's like a trip through the Universe, yet I am being pulled to into it. Sorry, this is yet another thing hard to explain because it defies our Human understanding of it.

    If you give into the prompt and do readjust your eyes, you aren't ready for the shift and either need to relax more into it or deepen your focus into the darkness in front of you. Don't strain your vision. Just "passively observe" it and "notice", without question, anticipation, expectation or excitement. Again easier to say than it is to do. But that's why we continue to practice, until the day it comes naturally to you.
    "The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence."  Nicolai Tesla

    Puls3

    Quote from: Lumaza on May 03, 2020, 23:48:27
    It comes on like a urge to move my eyes. I have trained myself not to move or even use my physical eyes while noticing. The urge/prompt will then become really powerful, along with a sensation that my head is going blow up, hence my saying overload. Then, everything goes quiet and I am just "there". There is no urge to use my eyes period. I can't feel anything except for a "vastness".

    That is a great way of explaining it too!

    Quote
    If you give into the prompt and do readjust your eyes, you aren't ready for the shift and either need to relax more into it or deepen your focus into the darkness in front of you. Don't strain your vision. Just "passively observe" it and "notice", without question, anticipation, expectation or excitement. Again easier to say than it is to do. But that's why we continue to practice, until the day it comes naturally to you.

    Great advice Lumaza! Thanks for the reflections!

    Puls3

    Practice Session - 5-5-2020 @ 12:30 PM:

    Observations:

    • During the deepest portion of the trance, the visual images seem to becoming more prominent the more I practice.
    • I seem to be reaching a deeper state of consciousness at a quicker pace.

    The session was good, but there really isn't much else to note this time.

    EscapeVelocity

    #11
    Puls3,

    You will not likely find a more precise description of the Focusing process as what you have read by Frank; and Lumaza takes it to an even more subtle level with the details and nuances that he describes. I think that your replies #5 and #6 show excellent progress in the very subtle aspects and consciousness changes that need to be recognized. Good work!

    I would like to add a couple very specific suggestions that may help:

    1) Focus 10 has a gradient of finer levels to it. Each of the Focus levels do actually. I never understood that initially and always thought I had to be at some point other/deeper than where I was. I have found that some people can get to a 'high' F10 where their body is completely asleep yet their consciousness is still fully awake (a true MABA). Some people can do it every time. I cannot, even when I am at TMI. I have done it but only infrequently...so I know the state and I know it can be achieved; but I'm not one who can do it on command. But what I also learned at TMI is that I can still achieve everything, even from much lower F10 states...so my point to you is that when you notice the physical relaxation and the mental relaxation, you are in a sufficiently deep F10 state, so be confident with that. State your Intention, do a Rundown, try Noticing for awhile...success can require multiple attempts and what I read here tells me you are making good progress; it may not necessarily feel like it for you at the moment, but I definitely see it.

    2) You mentioned 'forcefully' stating your Intent. That doesn't work for me but it seems to have gotten a result for you; so work with that if it feels right. The other part of this Reply mentioned the 'disappearance' of your 'self' for 5 minutes. That is good and let it continue to happen. That is almost to the point of a 'click-out' or dropping into the Void. Often, and especially early on, we get caught up in Rundowns and Noticing and stating Intentions...which is all well and good, but it may not be the right time for it...and what we should be doing is continuing to relax until we fall asleep. For years and years, listening to the Hemi-Sync I fought that impulse...and now I realize that I was likely completely wrong; I should have let it happen. You have to be willing to set your Intent and then let it go...and maybe the first couple times you do fall asleep. What you soon realize is that you didn't just fall asleep, you actually experienced a 'click-out'. You just drop into sleep in an instant...and then awaken as the session is ending. And you have to trust that you did receive 'Learning' but that it had to be taken in on a subconscious level. Only after spending now 4 weeks at TMI do I realize that 'click-outs' still happen at various times, for me and even for the most experienced TMI participants and Trainers. So it is a new form of learning that we need to become accustomed to and trust.

    I wish I had learned this about thirty years ago, Lol.

    So trust and let go and fall asleep a few times, and I think you may be surprised at the results.

    Hope that helps.
    EV
    Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
                                                              -O. Wilde

    Puls3

    Middle of the night experience (5-5 to 5-6 sleeping):

    I have a very interesting experience last night, and I wanted to note it here before I forget. I'm not entirely sure what the experience was; whether it was a lucid dream, an astral projection, or something in between.

    My experience:

    Note:  While reading about phasing, I remember reading that you can slowly fade into a visualization.

    While I was dreaming, the landscape in front of me morphed into a familiar out door area where I used to play as a child.When this happened in the dream, it reminded me of the phasing, which made me conscious of the whole experience. I then declared my intention to have an astral projection. At that moment, I slowly lifted up into the air and was floating. The visualizations were extremely vivid, nearly as vivid as waking life. I then flew through the air and dipped towards the ground. While I was close to the ground I brushed my hand against the grass. I could actually feel the grass in my palm as realistically as if I did so outside at this moment. After performing this swoop, my vision faded dark and I woke up conscious of the whole experience.

    The experience was extremely realistic. The vividness of the images, the sensations of touch etc., led to me to believe the experience was something greater than just an ordinary dream. I'm not sure what to label it, or whether labeling is even necessary. I thought it was interesting nonetheless, so I wanted to share it!

    Lumaza

     Pulse3, in a Dream, you are already experiencing a non local/non physical state of consciousness. You should explore the place you find yourself in. There is a reason you are there. Lessons and teachings can be found in those scenarios/simulations.

    It looks like you are learning how to ground yourself to the scene at hand. That's great. That will take you far in this practice. Grounding = lengthening/prolonging, being able to hold a strong NP focus.

    An ordinary Dream only differs from a Lucid Dream, by the level of conscious awareness you have in/during it.
    "The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence."  Nicolai Tesla

    Puls3

    Quote from: EscapeVelocity on May 06, 2020, 02:17:11

    But what I also learned at TMI is that I can still achieve everything, even from much lower F10 states...so my point to you is that when you notice the physical relaxation and the mental relaxation, you are in a sufficiently deep F10 state, so be confident with that. State your Intention, do a Rundown, try Noticing for awhile...success can require multiple attempts and what I read here tells me you are making good progress; it may not necessarily feel like it for you at the moment, but I definitely see it.


    That is a very interesting reflection EscapeVelocity, I appreciate the comments. I've never really considered the various depths of F10, but then again, what you say makes sense. What type of a Rundown do you usually perform once you reach this state? From what I can gather, Frank used a Rundown lasting over 30 minutes that matched up with Wave 2 of the first Gateway Experience CD. Although, from what I've read so far, I'm not entirely sure what I should do once the narrated CD comes to an end. Perhaps I need to read more. (I try to read as little as possible so that I don't overwhelm myself. I have the tendency to over analyze stuff, so if I restrict the information coming in, it helps solve the problem.)

    Quote
    You mentioned 'forcefully' stating your Intent. That doesn't work for me but it seems to have gotten a result for you; so work with that if it feels right.

    It felt right at the moment during that day. I haven't felt that way since though.

    Quote
    ...and what we should be doing is continuing to relax until we fall asleep. For years and years, listening to the Hemi-Sync I fought that impulse...and now I realize that I was likely completely wrong; I should have let it happen. You have to be willing to set your Intent and then let it go...and maybe the first couple times you do fall asleep.

    That's interesting! I've always tried to keep my brain active enough not to fall asleep. It seems like if I let myself fall asleep, it would be no different than a nap, you know? Like, why would I astral project if I let myself sleep (because I've slept 1,000's of times and haven't astral projected by luck)? Could you explain this a bit more, I'm intrigued!

    Quote
    What you soon realize is that you didn't just fall asleep, you actually experienced a 'click-out'. You just drop into sleep in an instant...and then awaken as the session is ending. And you have to trust that you did receive 'Learning' but that it had to be taken in on a subconscious level... So trust and let go and fall asleep a few times, and I think you may be surprised at the results.

    What kind of 'Learning' or results can occur during a 'click out?'

    I really appreciate your feedback!

    Puls3

    Quote from: Lumaza on May 06, 2020, 23:44:53
    Pulse3, in a Dream, you are already experiencing a non local/non physical state of consciousness. You should explore the place you find yourself in. There is a reason you are there. Lessons and teachings can be found in those scenarios/simulations.

    It looks like you are learning how to ground yourself to the scene at hand. That's great. That will take you far in this practice. Grounding = lengthening/prolonging, being able to hold a strong NP focus.

    An ordinary Dream only differs from a Lucid Dream, by the level of conscious awareness you have in/during it.

    Thank you for the feedback! Over the past month or so, I've become far more aware of dreams and I usually remember more than one per night. It's definyinteresting!

    Puls3

    Practice Session - 5-10-2020 @ 6 PM:

    Another session using Wave 2:


    • I slipped into the "void" a few times during the session. I also noticed that I got a falling sensation each time it occurred.
    • I ended up be quite relaxed by the end of session. Today, it was relatively easy to get relaxed.
    • I had a lot of day to day thoughts pop in to my head while performing my rundown. Some days I have almost no extra thoughts.

    The session felt so so. I've had better and I've had worse.

    Puls3

    Practice Session - 5-15-2020 @ 6 PM:

    For today's practice session, I performed my same rundown. However, this time, I was not listening to the Wave 2 audio. I find that the audio sometimes paces differently than I am prefer: I.e. too fast or too slow.

    Here are my notes:


    • I really enjoyed moving through visualization at my own pace. I was able to slow down and appreciate certain moments and sensations more.
    • After the rundown is over; I'm a bit unsure what I should do. If I just stay there and relax, my mind tends to return to my physical body. I've tried staring into the blackness as people have recommended, but the low amount of stimulus usually leaves my mind to wander.
    • After the rundown completed, I decided to swing in a hammock. I imagined the surroundings, the sound of the rope against trees, the breeze, and the sensation of swinging. While this worked for a while, my mind began to wander again. I suspect it got "bored" due to the repetitious nature of the activity.

    Take always: I believe I prefer the rundown without sound now. I'm still unsure what to do after the rundown. Also, if you haven't astral projected after a certain duration, do you just wait until another day?

    Overall the session was good, but I've come out with more questions than answers.

    Lumaza

    #18
    Quote from: Puls3 on May 15, 2020, 23:32:46

    Take always: I believe I prefer the rundown without sound now. I'm still unsure what to do after the rundown. Also, if you haven't astral projected after a certain duration, do you just wait until another day?
    It doesn't matter if your mind wanders. My Doorway technique was created for those that suffer from "Monkey mind". All you have to do is engage yourself in some kind of mental activity that doesn't involve you focusing on your "physical body" and no "sneak peeks" to see what it is doing either. Something like a virtual tug of war created by a focus on opposite directions can lead to some fantastic adventures. Look at sports or hobbies that you like. Utilize what "you" think would keep you involved. Something that you have a passion for. I will sometimes just hit a ping pong ball repeatedly with a paddle into the darkness before my eyes. I don't need to see the paddle or even the ball. I just go through that mental activity. All of aa sudden, the ball is hit back and I am in a game. I don't necessarily care for ping pong. I play it once in awhile at my son's home. I used it because it has a simple repetitive motion, like shooting a basketball or even rowing a boat. Do you see what I am saying here?

    QuoteOverall the session was good, but I've come out with more questions than answers.
    LOL!  :-D That's par for the course. We always return with more questions than answers in this practice. Other members here can confirm that! Sometimes you get the answer you are looking for and then find that leads to more questions again. You will find that you rarely get a yes or no or even a direct answer there. Your answers arrive via tests, quests and challenges. Just like they often do here in this physical reality we are living in. The NPR (non physical realities) are a whole different kind of "school"!  :-)
    "The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence."  Nicolai Tesla

    EscapeVelocity

    #19
    There are several ways of entering the Non-Physical Realms: ie- the Dream World, the Etheric, the Astral, Mental, etcetera and in certain ways these Realms/Areas of Consciousness overlap each other; so there is no telling just where you end up the first several times. Most of us start out just like you are- trying to relax enough and make a conscious and controlled exit. And most of us run into the same problems and frustrations like you are. So both Lumaza and I are trying to encourage the method you are following, and to point out certain hints and road signs that will point you in the right direction; and you are doing well with that. But the frustration and slow pace you are experiencing are mostly normal...and we know that because we've almost all been there at one time or another and especially right in the beginning. So what do you do?

    You try different techniques. You relax, you meditate, you try Phasing with different Rundowns, you focus on something or nothing or the blackness before your closed eyes...and you look for the hints and road signs...the small, subtle changes within your awareness and five+ senses.
    Most people start with relaxing into a low or higher F10 state and try to float out of their body like a ghost into the Etheric. This is considered the 'classic' OBE. A small few can do that first try, others never manage to get that experience. There are various arguments as to why but truth is I'm not sure anyone knows for sure. I could do it on a very infrequent basis but the conditions had to be just right.
    Then we learned of the concept of Phasing and that took you somewhere beyond the Etheric experience, maybe into the Dream World or the Astral Plane. Some argued they were the same or somehow overlapping (this made sense to me). With Phasing, there was a feeling of transition but it was something beyond 'floating out of the body'; this was somehow simpler and cleaner. This is what Monroe discovered and described as his 'Quick-Switch Method'. Frank added his F1-4 Focus theory and his 'window-blind' technique, which resulted in a transition/exit sensation for him of 'getting fired out of a cannon'. I remember reading a technique by a member here named Selski who described her 'Trampoline Method' and that was the first Rundown I learned of. Eventually I learned that the important aspect of a Rundown (or at least for me) was that it simulated a physical movement that included up/down or side to side movement and rhythm. So all sorts of ideas spring to mind- snow/water skiing, dance, ballet, ice skating, gymnastics, skateboarding, rollercoasters...and on and on. You get the Rundown right and the visual just takes over at some point, and the visual either launches you, or slides you into a NP environment.

    Another way to gain entrance to the NPR is to literally back into it through Dreaming. You fall asleep, you dream and then you become Lucid and take over from there. And the truth may be that both your early Phasing successes and your Lucid Dreams will land you in approximately the same area of the NPR- your personal dreamspace.

    And Puls3, you've already done this very naturally and with some talent in your earlier post. And this is how it happens for many of us...but we tend to discount the experience and blow it off as just a dream. The truth is that you have already had quite a success. Lumaza's point is exactly right- once within the dream and lucid, now you have to look for the purpose of the scenario you are in; what is the Test, Quest or Challenge the dream is presenting you; what is the plot and what is the storyline? This is where the teaching becomes apparent, although truth is, the teaching is already underway and has been for some time. Go read Tests, Quests and Challenges...

    Why did the Dreaming work so well for you? Well, you described part of the answer- You said your over-analytical mind is probably getting in the way. Yup. That's why I suggested letting yourself fall asleep just once to see what happened. You might just get a nap or you might get a 'click-out' experience or you might get a Lucid Dream or even an OBE that was more to your expectations. In my own case, I get a mixture of all these...and it seems many people do. The key early on in your practice, is to stay open and aware to any of these experiences and gladly accept what you get. Write it all down and it will make more sense later on.

    A big obstacle for many of us is an over-active, monkey-chatter mind...throw ego control in there too. Another is fear of the unknown or losing control, even when we think we have sorted those emotions out; for many, there are still subconscious issues, and its understandable given what we are attempting.

    Another key to unlocking this is INTENT. Your Lucid Dream is a great indicator that you are doing this, but that the surprise was that the result didn't show up as you expected. One rule of the NPR- You won't always get the experience you wanted, but you will get the experience that you need. With Intent, you re-program your internal computer with simple instructions. With affirmations before your sessions and before you go to sleep at night you re-write your basic programming.

    I know that the out of body experience is safe and natural.
    I give myself permission/I ask my Higher Self permission to have an out of body experience
    I know that I am safe and protected
    I ask for the next best and highest lesson to benefit my spiritual progress

    Only one, two or three at a time, mix and match as you see fit. Keep it short, simple and positive, no acronyms like OBE (our subconscious doesn't process language that way apparently)

    Setting a proper Intent and utilizing affirmations are two of the most powerful tools you will always have at your disposal.
    Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
                                                              -O. Wilde

    Puls3

    Early Morning 5-17-2020 ~5:00 am

    Recently, before bed and any time I wake up in the night, I repeat an affirmation before falling asleep, "I will leave my body, return safely, and remember."

    I can't remember the beginning of the experience, only a brief moment or two. Essentially, I was looking at a beautiful valley that appeared as real as waking consciousness. At this moment, I realized my eyes were closed (physical body), yet I was still seeing things. As soon as my i made that connection, I woke up.

    Upon waking up, I became flooded with a few memories of this exact event occurring in the past. (Eyes closed, but being able to see. Each time, when I made the connection, I woke up.)

    I'm not sure whether this I am tapping into and remembering a portion of an astral projection, or whether it is lucid dream. Regardless of the label, the experience is very unique and far different than an ordinary dream.

    As a note too: I'm beginning to feel a common theme or lesson in my experiences - let go. I get a feeling that if I could learn to let go of the need to control and analyze things, my experiences would be more frequent and longer in duration. I'll be working on this during my practice sessions.

    Lumaza

    Quote from: Puls3 on May 17, 2020, 11:44:14
    Early Morning 5-17-2020 ~5:00 am
    As a note too: I'm beginning to feel a common theme or lesson in my experiences - let go. I get a feeling that if I could learn to let go of the need to control and analyze things, my experiences would be more frequent and longer in duration. I'll be working on this during my practice sessions.
    Listen to that feeling. It knows what's best for you. Relaxing, releasing and letting go comes as the result of "passively observing" without question, anticipation, expectation or excitement. Which as you are finding out first hand now is easier said than done! You are doing great though. Keep it up!  8-)
    "The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence."  Nicolai Tesla

    Puls3

    Quote from: Lumaza on May 17, 2020, 20:16:37
    Listen to that feeling. It knows what's best for you. Relaxing, releasing and letting go comes as the result of "passively observing" without question, anticipation, expectation or excitement. Which as you are finding out first hand now is easier said than done! You are doing great though. Keep it up!  8-)

    You said it perfectly Lumaza. Learning to passively observe will be my next focus (but not too much of a focus :-D). Also, I very much appreciate your comment above. I usually have to spend a few days mulling it over and reading them a few times. Your time is much appreciated.

    Puls3

    Quote from: EscapeVelocity on May 16, 2020, 03:17:32
    There are several ways of entering the Non-Physical Realms: ie- the Dream World, the Etheric, the Astral, Mental, etcetera and in certain ways these Realms/Areas of Consciousness overlap each other...

    ... I know that the out of body experience is safe and natural.
    I give myself permission/I ask my Higher Self permission to have an out of body experience
    I know that I am safe and protected
    I ask for the next best and highest lesson to benefit my spiritual progress

    Only one, two or three at a time, mix and match as you see fit. Keep it short, simple and positive, no acronyms like OBE (our subconscious doesn't process language that way apparently)

    Setting a proper Intent and utilizing affirmations are two of the most powerful tools you will always have at your disposal.

    Wow, that's a lot to think about. Much like Lumaza's informative posts, I need to spend a few days contemplating both of your posts. I especially like the idea of setting an intent. That seems to be a common theme among many APers. And I've been getting into affirmations too, I really like your recommended one.

    Puls3

    #24
    Practice Session 5-19-2020 ~7:00 pm

    I've made a few minor modifications to the rundown, but in general, it is the same as before. I no longer listen to the audio as I feel it was holding back my pacing and imagination. Some notes from today's session:


    • Around 10 minutes into the rundown, I got an extremely relaxed sensation. It felt like my body was starting to spiral into itself. For example, my head and upper torso were rotating to the right and inwards. The feeling became so prominent that for a moment, it felt like my body had altogether disappeared and at that center of the spiral was only my consciousness. When my brain made the realization and wanted to remember to document it here, the sensation ceased. This is again a testament of being relaxed and to let things happen as they should.
    • At the end of my rundown, I know consistently get a "relaxed" wave that comes over me. At this moment, my vision alters and looks into the "3D" void. I experience intensifying hypnagogic visuals. (Usually they start out as flashes, and for moments, I see brief images that almost look like shapes or objects. They are not yet clear enough to make out though.)
    • After a few minutes into the relaxed state, I notice the classic OBE vibrations course through my body. They tend to get pretty intense pretty fast, and I found the need to "ground" myself (which was me focusing on my breath). When I focused on my breath, I become grounded, but the vibrations also ceased. This is likely because I am bringing my attention back to the physical body.
    • Next time I experience the vibrations, I will try to let go and focus on them instead of distracting myself. Since they are somewhat uncomfortable, due to the sensation being unique and unfamiliar, I'm going to need to experience them more before I'll be able to fully relax into them.

    Overall, this was another great session. The spiral sensation was very unique and mind bending. Also, I'm able to sustain the vibrations for longer than before. My goal is to continue letting go and observe things with a relaxed awareness. I believe this relaxed awareness will allow these non-physical sensations to continue to grow.