Sharing a Few Experiences

[Selski]

Hello all

I've been reading that no-one posts any experiences anymore, so I've decided to add a few of mine here.

Some are not terribly exciting or interesting, but what the hell...

Number 3 - August 2003

Became aware so I sat up in the chair.  I wanted to stand, but my astral arms were stuck under the blanket.  I knew I could push them through the blanket, but it wouldn't work, so I had to scrabble them up to the top and out that way.  I got down on my hands and knees and crawled round between my chair and the settee.  I realised my astral eyes were closed but decided not to try and open them this time and just feel my way around.  

I decided I'd feel where my human body was resting, so put my arms up onto the chair.  I couldn't feel anything (but also didn't feel nothing) and then decided to crawl to the French windows.  I got to the other side of the settee and decided to look at my astral hands.  I put my right hand up to my face and saw what looked like my physical hand, with my engagement ring on the first finger (in reality, I was not wearing any rings).  I still hadn't consciously opened my astral eyes.  Then I put my left hand up.  Again, it looked like my physical hand, the same engagement ring on my wedding finger.

Then I crawled to the French windows.  I knew I should be able to just go through them, but I couldn't.  This didn't bother me too much so I got to my feet and pushed the door handle to open the door.  I saw the door handle actually move downwards and the door opened.  I was back on my hands and knees and I felt a cold wind from outside.  I contemplated going anyway, but then thought I'd be better getting some warmer clothing on first.  

I then decided to try out gliding or floating, rather than walking.  I stood with my back to the French windows.   The table and chairs, and the bookcase were not there.  I looked at the wall on the other side of the room (about 14ft away) and 'willed' myself to move to it, without actually walking.  The wall came towards me, nice and slowly, and I put my hands out so I'd know when I reached the wall.  My hands (they looked physical again) touched the wall (I could see the white embossed wallpaper) and it wasn't like a hand really touching the wall, in that it didn't feel hard and cold, rather it was almost like your hands coming against a negative magnetic force, just something that stops you from going further.  I realised that I'd moved to the wall rather than the wall coming to me.  I moved my astral head to the left and my thoughts were I mustn't forget any of this; I need to write it down soon.  With that thought, I was back in my body and awoke.

[Selski]

Number 8 - October 2003

The chair was rocking slowly and exaggeratingly, and I became aware of this.  I enjoyed the sensation for a while, then my next awareness was I was on my feet going towards the door (not the French windows for a change!).  I couldn't see anything, nor was I mind-sensing, but I could remember where the door was.  I went through the door (without opening it) and knew I should be in the hall.  I still couldn't see anything and was having trouble imagining what the hall would look like from where I was standing.  The hall appeared to be a bigger, longer hall and much darker than our hall, even though I couldn't see it.  It was more of a gut feeling.  I went towards where our bedroom door should have been and went through that door.  I still had no vision of any type, so I returned to the hall and went towards the kitchen door.  I tried to go through this door, but I felt resistance, so I opened it manually to go through it.  (All the internal doors are wood, but the kitchen door has glass in it.)  There was nothing happening in the kitchen, so I went back into the hall once again.  I was feeling a little frustrated at this point with my lack of sight, so I slowly prised my astral eyes open with my fingers.  I did this very hesitantly as I didn't want my physical eyes to open and stop the experience.  Even though I was sure I'd opened my astral eyes, I still had no vision.

I decided to go into the bathroom and while I'm making my way there, decide to look at myself in the mirror, to see what I look like out of the body.  I don't stop to think that as I can't see anything, I probably won't see the bathroom, never mind my reflection!  However, upon entering the bathroom, I could see it clearly and exactly the way it really is.  I didn't think this was particularly odd, or even acknowledged the fact.  I sat on the toilet and looked at myself in the mirror.  I looked just like me.  I went closer to the mirror and looked at my eyes, which were open.  As I did this, the reflected eyes merged together inwards and became one slightly bigger eye in the middle.  They still looked human and the same colour, just bigger.  Then I slowly awoke.

[Selski]

Number 16 - December 2003

I awoke in the night.  I wasn't sure what time it was, but I was worried about it being nearly time for the heating to come on and I wanted to get back to sleep before it did.  I knew that if I didn't get back to sleep, I probably would be awake until the alarm went off.  I tried to think of nothing, but found it hard.  After what seemed like about half an hour, I turned onto my back, put my arms above my head and thought to myself, "well, never mind, if I don't sleep, at least I'm at rest and I'll be OK in the morning.

I don't know how much time went by, but I realised that my right astral arm was moving around gently inside my physical arm, and that my body was totally asleep, but I was still awake.  This was a pleasant surprise, because it has never happened to me on a work night, and also I'd had a couple of glasses of wine with my evening meal, so I assumed I'd just sleep through as normal.

I decided to try the roll-out method, which I'd been reading about, so I rolled my astral body to the left.  I did a full turn and found myself horizontally lying about 3 ft away from my physical body, but the bed wasn't underneath me.  As soon as I'd had this thought about the bed, I gently went down.  I changed my mind and decided I wanted to rise, at which point I began rising.  I'd risen only about 1 or 2 ft when I found myself back in my body.

I moved my astral arms around.  I could see them, they looked perfectly physical.  I convinced myself that they were physical and had to push them through my physical face to establish that they were, in fact, my astral arms.  I then put my astral hands over my physical forehead (like a Reiki position) and held them there for a few seconds.

I thought I'd try to roll out to the right.  I rolled over and found myself sat up at the edge of the bed on the other side, G's side.  I don't remember G being there, in fact, I must have rolled right through him!  I now knew I could get up and go somewhere, but the pull of my physical body was very strong and I succumbed to it.

I realised my legs seemed light and I found it very easy to lift my right astral leg up and out.  I then tried to rise horizontally, but I couldn't do this (I never seem to be able to do this!).

I decided to roll right round inside my physical body and come out backwards.  I turned to the left and rolled round until I was facing down, 180 degrees, which was a strange experience, to say the least.  I then began to rise upwards and backwards, away from my physical body.  I got a little way out, but then found myself back in my physical body, the right way up.

I saw images, part dream I think, part hypnagogic.  I saw Laurence playing piggy in the middle with a young female child.  I sprang out of my body and played with them for a while, throwing and catching the ball.  This part was quite vague, i.e. my conscious as not as clear, and it could have been the beginnings of a dream.

I also heard astral sounds such as a lady on the radio, background sounds.  The doorbell went (thought not as loud as it does in real life, but still our doorbell).  I heard a rustling sound, as if there was another spirit in the bedroom, wearing a long dress and moving around.  This sound began to frighten me a little so I forced my physical eyes open, and then wished I hadn't, as having OBEs is what I'm trying to achieve at the moment!

[Selski]

Number 22 - January 2004

I became aware and left my body a bit easier than usual.  I got to the bedroom and over to the wardrobe.  The clothes were getting in my way again, but I was very persistent.  However, I got my hands to the back but couldn't push them through, no matter how hard I tried.  I remembered that last time I'd managed to get my right hand through, so I moved my efforts to the right hand side.  I did feel an "opening" and explored this.  It turned out to be a tear in one of my skirts and the more I tried to get through the opening, the more I was tearing the skirt.  I knew the skirt was a light green, thin cotton one (I haven't got one like this in reality).  Then I was back in the physical.

I now became aware of sounds and activity in the room.  I wasn't frightened by it, but neither was I particularly curious.  I moved my astral body to the floor in the lounge, in that I was lying on my back, face up, on the floor.  I sensed my Dad sat in one of the dining chairs.  I could still sense activity.  I started doing sit-ups and got to the count of three, when I felt a small boy on my body somewhere.  He was only about two years old, naked, with jet black hair.  I chose to ignore him and he either crawled off me and continued on his way, or disappeared.  I wasn't at all concerned with him.

I thought about carrying on with sit-ups, then decided to lift both legs in the air together.  The first time I did this, they went right over my head, because it was so easy and I wasn't expecting it to be.

Next I just lay there on the floor listening and waving my arms about now and again.  I thought I was lay on the floor in reality, however, it was my astral body.  I knew I was at the hypnagogic stage, so I stopped being energetic and lay still quietly.  I was looking at my eyelids and suddenly a very strong hypnagogic image came to me on the right hand side.  It was a sort of green number 3.  

When I saw it, I thought, "Look at this carefully, it's a hypnagogic image and you'll want to remember it."  I also thought, "It's a backwards number 3."  I don't know why I thought this, as it isn't backwards.  It was bright green and stayed suspended for a good four seconds or so.  I'm not exactly sure if the middle "prong" went the way I've drawn, but it definitely did something, it wasn't an exact number 3.

Then I rolled out of my physical body, which I still thought was lying on the floor, and got up.  I went through the lounge door (literally 'through' it in the astral sense).  I saw a child's umbrella, which was up, in the hall.  I then went through the front door.  I knew it was cold and I felt it initially, but I told myself that I didn't need to feel the cold, and it stopped.  I floated up our Drive.  There were two other cars parked in our Drive as well as ours.  [In reality, there wasn't.]  I was floating horizontally, at walking pace, about 5 ft above the ground.  My vision was as if I was wearing very smeared glasses with a small circular clear part, about 1 inch in diameter.  This circular part was directly ahead so to see anything either side of me, I had to move my head to face it.

I started to float up our Close, in the middle of the road.  It was very difficult to see anything.  I did turn my head occasionally and saw parked cars.  As I got to about Emmy's house, I looked down and realised I wasn't very high, so I thought about rising, and did so.  I stopped at about 8 ft (I didn't want to go too high).  I also wanted to go a bit faster, but I couldn't manage to do that.  

Suddenly, I noticed a cat below me.  It had markings like a leopard.  It was creamy white with gingery brown spots.  I looked at it and it looked at me.  I was still moving forward and it took a leap at me with its paw out as if to swipe me.  I wasn't expecting it to do this and I moved quickly upward to get out of its way.  In the second or two that it looked at me beforehand, I thought it would be scared of me and run away – I even contemplated shouting "boo" at it, but I thought that might be unfair.  The cat wasn't being particularly nasty with me, more its curiosity had been aroused and it was doing just what a cat would do.  I must admit, it was a great leap; it must have got about 4 ft in the air!  It did unnerve me a little a next thing I'm back in the physical.  I awoke.

[Selski]

Number 23 - January 2004

I don't know how much time lapsed and whether I'd fallen asleep in the meantime, but I became aware.  I was pleasantly surprised and waved my arms around to confirm the state.  As I passed my arm in front of my eyes, I could see the shape move across my eyelids.  

I decided to rise upwards, and so I did.  I went through the ceiling, then through a section, which was about a foot deep, then into the loft and finally out of the loft and through the roof.  Then I was back in my physical body, still aware.

I moved sideways horizontally and down, so I was lay on the floor by the side of the bed.  I noticed a boy / young man also lying on the floor and our feet were nearly touching.  I didn't know who he was.  I think he was naked.  He was busy doing his business, as I was doing mine.  Neither was bothered with each other, but I was worried that our legs would get tangled up with each other as we moved around.  Then I realised we were both spirits and our legs would just go through each other's, as I thought this, our legs did 'make contact' but also went through each other.  Then I was back in the physical, still aware.

I thought I'd go up to the ceiling and look down at myself, however, once I got to the ceiling, I carried on going up – I think I was feeling too lazy to stop – so I just carried on floating upwards.  I found myself in a deserted place on a street.  It was as if there had been a war a long time ago and everyone had left.  The buildings were ruined and black.  I stood in the street and thought, "I don't want to be here", then thought, "well, where do you want to be?"  I thought about this for a few seconds, then decided that I wanted to be in Glossop in the present day.

My next awareness is that I was standing at the top of Glossop High Street near the traffic lights.  I have no recollection of travelling to get there, or leaving the deserted place.  

It was day time and very busy due to it being some sort of special carnival day.  Many people were out and about, it was real hive of activity.  I was delighted to be there and knew no-one could see me due to me being a spirit.  I made my way down the High Street.  I looked at the people, half-seeing if I could recognise anyone from my past.  A couple of faces looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't be sure.  The indoor market was open, so I went in.  There were all sorts of stalls, mainly with women serving behind them.  I looked around for a while, then when I left, I realised there was going to be a christening ceremony for lots of babies that day and the stalls were selling christening paraphernalia.  

I carried on making my way down the High Street and just then, from the left, someone I recognised walked in front of me.  I said to her, "Oh, hello, I recognise you."  She stopped and looked at me, smiling.  I realised my mistake and said, "Sorry, you must get that happening to you all the time, I know who you are."  She didn't mind, and went on her way.  I then noticed she was in Victorian costume and she'd come from some kind of theatre.  It was the actress who played Kitty in "Tipping the Velvet".  [I don't know her real name.]  

Then I spotted something further down on the right hand side, which I felt very drawn to.  It was a display on space machines, i.e. transportation that had been used for space travel.  There were probably around 8 different 'vehicle', but there was only one I really looked at and was drawn to.  This was the first one you came to and was a bright yellow contraption.  It seemed to be made of plastic, very shiny.  It was the biggest one there.  I've no idea what drew me to it – it's not my normal instinct to go rushing up to bright tacky yellow plastic things!  There was quite a crowd, with lots of children, mainly boys, with their parents.  I stood amongst them and one boy said, "Look, there's a burger logo on that machine", and pointed at the yellow vehicle.  People around him were looking and saying 'where?' and he pointed again.  I floated upwards to where he was pointing.  He saw me.  I got close to the contraption and said, 'here?'.  I couldn't see anything.  "No, up there," he said, and pointed further to the right and higher.  I then realised he was just messing around, getting attention, but I floated to where he pointed, then continued rising until I was above the whole display.  I was probably about 30 ft up now and I looked down at all the machines and the crowd from above.  Only the little boy could see me.  I glided over all the machines and through a wall into a room.

I started to think I'd been out of my body a long time and wasn't it great to be here doing this.  I didn't realise you could have experiences like this one.  I felt totally in control, very certain I'd stay out-of-body and incredibly sure I could go through walls etc.  In fact, it was more matter-of-fact than my usual groping about.  The room I found myself in was full of stalls selling lots of interesting things.  I wandered around and stopped at one table where there were lots of little figurines displayed.  I looked closely at them as they were no more than 2 inches high.  I saw a couple of owls and thought I'd buy one for Anne.  At this thought, I looked down to see if I had any money on me, and there was my bag over my shoulder.  I then wondered if they'd accept my money, as it might now be outdated.  I must have presumed I'd gone into the future, but not too far as I thought they still might accept it.  As I was looking at both the owls and deciding which one to buy, I saw a man come over and stand near me, out of the corner of my eye.  At first, I wasn't concerned as I thought he couldn't see me anyway, however, I then thought he might be in charge and the reason he was watching me was that he thought I might be trying to steal his goods.  Just then, he said, "I can see you, you know, and you're going to come with me back to my place and we're going to have sex."  I looked at him.  He was small, about 5 ft 2 inches, moustached, unshaven, unkempt but not dirty, a 'nothing' of a man really.  I knew that he was trying to scare me by saying he could see me, and that I was supposed to be frightened enough to go off with him consentingly to have sex with him.  However, I knew he had no power over me, but I thought I'd try and humour him, rather than anger him.  I said, "but we can't have sex, I'll just go through you, I'm a spirit."  I put my hands on his shoulders, which went through them, to show him what I meant.  "See," I said, "It would be no good".  I turned away with my chosen owl and made my way to the front counter.  As soon as I'd turned, I forgot all about him.  I never saw him again.

Then I went through another wall and into a room where there was some sort of exhibition.  I saw Rosemary in the room.  She had curly, loppy hair and looked exceedingly well and happy.  I decided I'd float up to a corner of the room and tell her I was there.

"Rosemary, look, it's me", I said.  She turned and saw me.  "Oh, it's you," she said, "Are you astral travelling?"  I nodded and she turned back to get on with whatever she was doing.  She was completely blasé about the whole experience, whereas I was ridiculously excited!

I realised I needed a wee, which was annoying.  I then thought it would only be an astral wee, so I just had a wee while I carried on floating!!!  Then I thought I'd better wash myself down.  I picked a bar of soap from one of the stalls and went to the counter to pay for it, along with my owl figurine.  It was 50p for both and I gave the lady three 20p pieces.  She gave me 20p change.  I knew this was incorrect but carried on anyhow, not deceitfully, just with the attitude that it didn't really matter.  I was then looking for a toilet where I could give myself a wash.  I went through another wall and saw some toilets.  Two teenage boys were talking to each other and as one of the cubicles became free, I went towards it, as the boys didn't make any attempt to occupy it.  Once I'd got inside the cubicle, I awoke in my physical body.

[Selski]

Number 24 - February 2004

I've just read "Astral Dynamics" by Robert Bruce.  There is an experiment in the book which verifies that you have been out of body, as oppose to dreaming.  What you do is place a random playing card on a high shelf in another room from the one you are projecting from.  Then, next time you are projecting, go and look at the playing card.  Remember it, and return to your body.  Keep the experiment short and whilst re-entering your physical body, shout the playing card out loud in your head, to help you remember it.  Then, when you are fully awake, go and see if the playing card is the one you saw.

I liked the sound of this, so I've had a playing card on the bookcase in the front room awaiting my next OBE.

About a week ago, I had a very vivid OBE-type dream where G and I both looked at the card together, however, upon checking, it was a totally different card, and so I passed it off as a dream.

I continued to the front room and realised I couldn't 'see' so I moved over to the bookcase and put my arms out to feel it.  Once I felt it, I put my arms up to feel the top ledge.  Once I'd felt that, I rose slowly to just above the bookcase so I could look down at the card.  As I couldn't see it, I got hold of it and brought it close to my face.  I tentatively opened my right astral eye with my fingers and I could now see.

The card was a black jack, but I saw a blue 'A' in the middle near the top.  At first, I just thought it was a black jack ace, then looked again as I wanted to be sure.  Then I realised that jacks and aces are different cards, so I looked and looked, but could only see the two black Js in each corner and the blue A.  I gave up and returned to the lounge.  Suddenly, I felt very happy and pleased with myself.  I think it was because I was going to re-enter my physical body like it told me to do in the book.  [I've never actually done this before – I always continue the experience until I'm 'forced' back into the physical.]

With all this jollity, I decided to walk up the wall, where the mantelpiece is, and continued walking upside down on the ceiling.  It felt distinctly odd, being the wrong way up.  I then thought enough of this nonsense, I need to return to my physical body and stop messing about!  I sat back on the chair, settled in and promptly woke up.  I had a tense headache but otherwise felt OK.

I thought about the card and tried to figure out the 'A' part.  I knew it was a black jack, not an ace, but didn't know what the 'A' was.  The card could only be a spade or club and 'A' looks more like a spade to me, so I deduced that the card was the Jack of Spades.  I told G about it and we went to the front room together.

The playing card wasn't quite where I thought it was and it was face down [I think Hilary must have disturbed it], however, upon turning it over, it was the Jack of Spades!

I think I was more surprised than G.  It has proved to me that there is more to this than just a very active imagination.  How exciting!

[Selski]

Number 32 April 2003

I was dreaming about the fireplace.  [We are in the process of having the fireplace replaced.]  In my dream, G had half-smashed the old one out and he could see vaguely through to what was behind.  He said to me, "It looks quite interesting."  I looked over.  By now, I was in my chair asleep so I had my eyes closed, but I could see totally through both my eyelids and through the fireplace, still in my dream.  G could see strips of blue colour with parts of an image.  I could see a picture of the sea with a ship (the whole picture).  

Ping! went my consciousness, I can see through my closed eyes – away we go!  I moved out of body, more with my consciousness than my astral body.  I had to pull hard to get to the French windows.  Then I rushed through them.  I don't think I had any sight, but everything went brighter when I got outside.  I had no plan [a very bad move] and thought about going to the Mediterranean garden, with that thought I was there, without the 'getting there' part.  I saw (?) the brick wall (where the clematis are) and decided to see if I could go through a brick wall.  I went at it at 100mph.  As I was going through it, I thought about where I would end up and realised I'd be in Joan's garage.  I got through and was just looking around (I still don't think I had sight), when I awoke, tingling all over.

[Selski]

Number 38 - May 2004

G had gone to work.  I went back to sleep.  In my dream, I looked at the large clock in our bedroom.  It was showing 8.30am. Then I looked at my little alarm clock, which showed 5.30am.  Then I realised I was dreaming!  I was standing at the side of the bed and didn't know whether I should return to my body and then get out.  I thought "well, you're already out, go, go, go!"

I couldn't work out whether I had to go back in my body to cancel the dream, and then have a projection or whether I'd awoken during a projection.  (I should have looked at my side of the bed to see if my body was there – but that never crossed my mind.)

However, here I was, in the bedroom, ready to go.  I had no plan, but I did have vision.  I went towards the window and through it.  What I didn't have was touch.  I was expecting to feel the bush just beyond the windows, but I couldn't.  I tried to recreate what it might feel like, but that didn't have any effect.  I was a little concerned at this, but decided to continue nonetheless.  As I hadn't got a plan, I didn't fully consciously carry out the next bit, I did it automatically.

I went up the garden, then turned around and continued backwards.  I then was just loving the feeling being out of body and fell back (like you do when you are little and your Dad is there behind to catch you).  I fell back slowly.  The wholeness of the experience seemed to envelop me in its warmth and safety as I fell into it.  It's quite hard to describe.  The feeling swelled and I increased it by relaxing even more.  This went on for about 4 seconds and then it faded quite slowly and I awoke, all tingly and refreshed, but still sleepy.  It was 7.30am.

I now believe I'd awoken during a projection, a little like Sylvan Muldoon's experiences.

[Selski]

Number 43 - May 2004

It must have been an hour later when I heard a voice, which sounded like JK, say, "look, there's her pants out there".  At the time, I interpreted this to mean, "there's her boyfriend, him wearing the trousers (pants) out there".  The voice seemed to be coming from my bedside table.  

I was aware, but because I was lying curled up on my right hand side, I moved onto my back so that separation would be easier.  I believed I'd moved my physical body, but in hindsight, I think it was my astral body.

I then got out of bed.  This felt very lifelike, slightly easier, in that it wasn't as much effort as it normally is.  My vision was as clear as reality (!).  I acknowledged this briefly as I made my way through the bedroom.  I saw myself as I went past the mirror.  I looked like me, except I had short hair and was wearing a yellow coat.  This didn't seem odd to me at the time.  I got through the door and into the hall.  I could see the wooden floor and the chest of drawers.  I looked on the drawers and saw the candles, the lamp and something grey and small, like a mobile phone, slightly to the front.  I stopped in my tracks and went back to have a look at it.  As I looked again, it was no longer there, but I did notice the telephone wasn't there, and had the thought that it should have been.  I think this is the first time I've noticed a discrepancy during an OBE, rather than once I awake.  All this distraction had the usual effect – I found myself in my physical, tingling.

I still felt aware, so thought I'd try again.  My plan was to go through the bathroom mirror.  This time, I determined I wouldn't be distracted.  I got out again, but this felt much too real, so I pushed my fingers in my face.  I was convinced they wouldn't go through, but they started to go through, so I continued my quest.  My vision was perfect again.  I made a bee-line for the bathroom.  Once in there, I noticed the far left cupboard door was open, so I closed it.  I contemplated closing the door but didn't think it would matter.  I faced the mirror.  I still had short hair and was wearing a yellow jacket.  I moved forward determinedly towards the mirror.  As I neared the sink, I briefly wondered whether I'd get stuck by it, but my astral body just went through it.  I then went through the mirror.  I kept my eyes open.  As soon as I'd gone 'in', I became my reflection and I saw the real me, in the real bathroom, in the reflected mirror.  I was moving backwards away from the mirror.  My hands were over my mouth, my eyes wide with surprise.  I think I was amazed.  I'd actually managed to go through the mirror!  I couldn't remain passive enough and knew I was going to prematurely end the experience due to my excitement, however, I didn't mind too much.  It started fizzling and I awoke, very tingly and with a very mild headache.

Well, I've finally done it.  If only I could have remained in the passive state, I could have gone and explored the mirrored world!!

[Selski]

Number 47 - May 2004

I realised I was ready and pulled my arms out.  They slightly 'popped' as of they weren't quite ready.  I then heard someone come in the room.  I assumed it was G.  I was mainly in my physical body except for my arms, so I couldn't see anything.  I mentally requested that G leave the room, and definitely not to come over and touch me.

The presence moved towards me.  I then assumed G would be turning the TV on to see what the score was, or coming over to give me a kiss.  I was now resigned to the experience being broken, however my arms were still out and I was interested to see what would happen.

For some reason, the presence stopped short of me, turned round and went out of the room.  I was relieved and started to rub my astral hands all over my body so I'd be able to get out.  This part was very vivid.  I got out easily and remembered it was my third flying lesson.  Just before I got to the French windows, I wondered if I had enough clothing on, then stepped through the window.  I noticed the temperature change and felt a slight breeze, but didn't feel cold.  I put my arms up and rose gently.  I got about 60ft up and turned round.  My position suggests I was on one of the branches in the wood, looking back towards the house, however, my impression was that I was on top of a flat-roofed building.  This building was white.  I was still looking back at our house though.  Our house was some 30ft lower.  I felt quite high.  I knew I wanted to step off, however I didn't know how to, in that I didn't know how to make myself 'float' or levitate, I thought I'd just crash to the ground.  I couldn't work out how to fly once I'd stepped off.  I did step off and immediately lost consciousness.  I awoke very soon afterwards.

[Selski]

Number 63 - August 2004

I started NEW today, during my meditation session.  I had stimulated my thumb chakras and had been running my awareness hands up my legs, one at a time.

In the evening, I went to bed quite early, as I was feeling tired.  However, once I'd relaxed, my mind felt very 'ready' for the body asleep/mind awake experience, so I watched behind my eyelids and relaxed my body more and more.

After about an hour or so, I went into a different 'zone'.  I couldn't feel my body at all any more (although I was still aware of it) and my mind had a certain clarity to it, more so than in waking life.  I was fairly excited with this, but remained passive, watching the blackness and wondering what might happen next.  

After about 2 minutes, I realised I'd returned to my normal zone.  Then about 15 minutes after this, I got that "you really are very tired, turn over and fall asleep" command from my body.  Initially I ignored it, but within a few minutes I thought to myself that I'd had a good day of meditation and whatnot, perhaps it was time to get some sleep, so I turned onto my side.  My mind was still very alert, so I thought I'd keep trying to catch myself fall asleep, just for something to do.

Within a few minutes, I realised I could see the room through my closed eyelids.  The window was in the wrong place though.  I was very surprised at this, and managed to remain passive.  I knew I was seeing astrally, and I was still awake, I hadn't fallen asleep yet.  My body felt astral, except my feet which felt very physical.  I pulled my right astral arm out and looked at it.  At first, it looked physical, then it went black and shadowy.  I couldn't believe I was still awake and this was happening to me.  I heard noises, which I knew weren't from the physical world.  I looked back at the window and thought it must be an astral doorway, so moved my consciousness towards it.  This made my vision fizzle and I returned to the physical zone.  

I lowered my mind and relaxed into the feeling, and found I was astral again.  This was the most amazing experience I'd ever had – and the first time I'd managed to induce it.  And the first time without having fallen asleep first.  And I wasn't so excited, which meant I could experiment and learn about the zone.  I heard G come to bed (while I was astral).  I then heard him talking to me.  I knew he wasn't really talking, but perhaps I was hearing his thoughts, or he was telling me things astrally.  They were everyday things, about his game of poker, and so on.  I can't remember much now.  I then managed to sit up and looked round.  As I did, he was moving towards me.  He looked real.  He faced me.  I was beaming at him and thinking at the same time, he's astral too, he probably doesn't know it, I wonder if he'll remember this?  He told me he loved me (without saying it) and we came towards each other to embrace, but his face slightly changed shape and the image fizzled and I returned to the physical zone again.

I lay there some more, hoping to go to the astral zone again, then I started to hear what I thought was music from the lounge.  It was very faint.  After some time of listening, I realised that G was still up and he hadn't come to bed at all.  With this thought, I just had to turn round and find out for real if he was in bed or not, so I did and he wasn't.

With that amount of physical movement, I broke the spell and went to sleep as normal.

I wonder if the G part was the beginning of a dream, or another presence 'pretending' to be G?!

[fost500]

Wow Sarah,
You are experienced.
I like the card one, pretty cool.
What technique do you use to project. Im not having much luck at the mo

[Selski]

Hello fost500

Thank you for your comments.

I haven't really got a method as such.  They started happening to me.  The first one came about through a lucid dream, and since then I've done nothing but eat, sleep and think about non-physical reality.  

I have found that I am now able to detect quite easily when I am in the right state or zone, or whatever it is.  I sometimes hear things which alerts my mind, or I notice that I am rocking.

Most of my experiences have been in the RTZ, and whilst I have enjoyed every single one of them, I am moving away from this and wanting to become proficient at phasing, because I dearly want to do retrievals.

I still feel like I'm a novice - I guess there's so much out there to explore and experience that I'll always feel that way!!

Sarah

[Frank]

Sarah:

Excellent work as always.

Your posts also serve as a prime example of the kind of methodical note-taking that is necessary for anyone who seriously wishes to be proficient at this art. I hope your fine examples stimulate others to do the same as you do, as it is not only extremely beneficial for beginners, but also for people of all degrees of experience.

Thank you for sharing.

Yours,
Frank

[Potatis]

Sarah, thankyou so much for posting these experiences. I hope you don't mind, I have lots of questions?!

Several times you mention waving your astral arms and hands. Today I spent quite a long time trying just to project my arms to see if I could feel them waving around. I am very curious to know how you experience this (I mean what it feels like to you).

I realised I was ready and pulled my arms out. They slightly 'popped' as of they weren't quite ready.  

Is it possible to put into words what it feels like to be ready? I felt deeply relaxed and very heavy all over, but any attempt to pull my arms or legs out made me feel my physical arm or leg would move. A gentle move confirmed this.

I was sitting in the loungeroom when I tried this: I imagined the feeling of sitting on the edge of my bed so I'd be trying to put my consciousness in a different room. I imagined sitting there clapping my hands twice, then tapping my legs twice, then kept repeating this – hands clap clap, clap clap on top of legs. After 5 minutes or so of this I found I got very absorbed in it, and could easily "hear" the claps, and how clapping the hands sounded different to tapping on the legs. I also tried to feel the mild "sting" in my hands as I clapped them, and I could feel the mild sting on the tops of my legs. Doing this helped me to keep my focus on being in this different room. At times I really felt I was there and I got feelings of energy rushes which unfortunately startled me back to feeling like I was in the lounge chair. I was hoping this clapping might stimulate my astral arms to free themselves from my physical body, but they never did. The above exercise seemed to just relax my body deeply and put me into a trance, which I don't have the experience to do anything with.

Anytime I feel I want to free a body part, I just end up moving my physical part. I hope there is a way of describing a "ready state".

I realised that my right astral arm was moving around gently inside my physical arm, and that my body was totally asleep, but still awake.

I'd love to know what this feels like. I guess when I've tried, my body hasn't been totally asleep.

I moved my astral arms around. I could see them, they looked perfectly physical.

How did you see them, were you in your astral body, or were you seeing through closed eye lids? Before you wrote this you said you found yourself back in your physical body. If sometime it feels to me that my astral arms have come free, how should I look at them? I mean, I can't open my physical eyes, how did you see your arms in the above instance?

A couple of times you wrote how you couldn't see when out of body. How did you know you were out of body? Was it a strong "life-like" feeling of walking around the house as if your eyes were closed? In other words you could feel things, but not see them? I often try to visualise walking around the house and seem to be able to feel I am doing it, only for a few seconds though, because my visualisation is not that strong. I know for sure I am not out of body when I feel this, I am just imagining it, but for a few seconds at a time it feels like I am away from where I am lying down. Not a feeling like "real life" but just mildly and just for a few seconds before I lose concentration. Even though this isn't an obe, I am wondering what the difference is between this, and what you describe when you say you move around without seeing. For example:

I realised my astral eyes were closed but decided not to try and open them this time and just feel my way around.

I couldn't see anything, nor was I mind-sensing, but I could remember where the door was. I went through the door (without opening it) and knew I should be in the hall. I still couldn't see anything and was having trouble imagining what the hall would look like from where I was standing. The hall appeared to be a bigger, longer hall and much darker than our hall, even though I couldn't see it. It was more of a gut feeling.

When you experienced this in your obe, did you feel like it was very real, but without sight?

I realised my legs seemed light and I found it very easy to lift my right astral leg up and out. I then tried to rise horizontally, but I couldn't do this (I never seem to be able to do this!).

I never seem to be able to do this either!  

I started doing sit-ups and got to the count of three, when I felt a small boy on my body somewhere. He was only about two years old, naked, with jet black hair. I chose to ignore him and he either crawled off me and continued on his way, or disappeared. I wasn't at all concerned with him.

This isn't the first time I've read a post where something so curious is described, and the author writes they showed no interest. I would want to ask the boy who he was? Same here:

I noticed a boy / young man also lying on the floor and our feet were nearly touching. I didn't know who he was. I think he was naked. He was busy doing his business, as I was doing mine. Neither was bothered with each other, but I was worried that our legs would get tangled up with each other as we moved around. Then I realised we were both spirits and our legs would just go through each other's, as I thought this, our legs did 'make contact' but also went through each other. Then I was back in the physical, still aware.

What business was he doing? Are you ever curious as to who people are, and why they might be in your bedroom lying naked on the floor?

I was relieved and started to rub my astral hands all over my body so I'd be able to get out.

How does rubbing your astral hands over your body help you to get out? Is this a technique you often do?

The carnival day was interesting to read about. Do you think places and events like that are really happening and you were there amongst real spirits because you happened to have projected at that time? Would the carnival have happened if you weren't there? Or was it created by your own imagination? I'm just wondering if it was a real place and event that you attended. I wonder if there is any way of knowing.

Sorry if there's too many questions I've asked. I only asked what I sincerely want to know. J

Potatis

[Selski]

Several times you mention waving your astral arms and hands. Today I spent quite a long time trying just to project my arms to see if I could feel them waving around. I am very curious to know how you experience this (I mean what it feels like to you).

Knowing when I'm ready is going to be difficult to explain, but I will try as best as I can to let you know how this feels.

The thing about mind awake/body asleep is that you can't have your mind totally awake, where you're lying there, with your body fast asleep, thinking to yourself, "now what?  C'mon, my body is asleep, let's go..."  There is an element of relaxing your mind to a certain level.  By this, I don't mean that you need to meditate as such, or "clear" your mind.  This isn't necessary.  But you do need to lower your conscious and let your mind relax, but not too much so you fall asleep.  

It's a bit of tricky thing to do, because when I started this, I'd simply fall asleep.  In fact, even now, I tend to fall asleep.  However, I seem to be one of the lucky ones in that my OBEs tend to occur as I am waking up, not as I fall asleep.  

If you can get to the point where your mind is starting to slip and slide all over the place and you are having those silly nonsensical thoughts, and you can still keep a small part of your conscious alert and awake, you are on the right track.

The first time it happened to me was from a lucid dream and I simply knew that I was able to get out of my body and experience what I'd been reading about.  I just felt like I was no longer in the physical world, but I was totally compos mentis.

Your clapping exercise is brilliant!  Keep it up.  Seriously, stick at it.  And don't have any expectations of what will happen.  Try to stay totally focused on the exercise.  Don't expect your arms to come loose, or to find yourself in the bedroom.  Don't expect anything.  In fact I like that exercise so much, I might borrow it!!

I realised that my right astral arm was moving around gently inside my physical arm, and that my body was totally asleep, but still awake.

I'd love to know what this feels like. I guess when I've tried, my body hasn't been totally asleep..

You see, it's not your body so much that you should be focusing on – it's your mind.  My astral arm was moving around my physical arm ANYWAY, but my mind needed to get to a certain "place/level/conscious" for me to realise it.  It felt like the inner "me" was made of water and was gently swaying inside the physical shell of "me".

I moved my astral arms around. I could see them, they looked perfectly physical.

How did you see them

I saw them through my closed eyes.  I'm not sure what my expectations were when I looked at them, but I guess somewhere in my mind, I thought they'd look physical, and so they did.  However not everything follows expectations.

What I did exactly was when they were out and about, waving around, I moved them into my line of sight as if I had my eyes open and chose to look at them (still with eyes closed).  I think I'd read this in Astral Dynamics as well.

A couple of times you wrote how you couldn't see when out of body. How did you know you were out of body?

It really is like walking around the house with your eyes closed.  It is very life-like.  Sometimes more life-like than life!  I could sense where everything was.  I don't know how I knew this, and what sense it was I was using, but I knew where things were, without having to "look".  I could have drawn you the room afterwards, without having seen anything.  When I went into the hall, for example, I got a bit confused because it didn't feel like our hall, even though I couldn't see.  I suppose by going through a doorway, I maybe ended up somewhere quite different to our hall, but because I expected to be in our hall, I kept trying to imagine that, rather than stay with the gut feeling and see where it took me.

What you are doing while visualising walking around the house, is another great exercise.  Keep at that one too.  As I said earlier, I'm trying to become proficient at astral phasing, which is more to do with shifting your focus away from the physical to another environment and involves imagination to get you started.  Neither way is better than the other.  But with me, I've had enough of RTZ OBEs.  They're still fun, but they don't last long enough for me, and my emotions always play too much of a big part.

when I felt a small boy on my body somewhere.

I noticed a boy / young man also lying on the floor and our feet were nearly touching.

What business was he doing? Are you ever curious as to who people are, and why they might be in your bedroom lying naked on the floor?

LOL !  I suppose I should be more curious, but I spent so many of my early OBEs being too curious and getting distracted all over the place, that I decided to try and stay focused on a "plan" and not let anything get in the way.  Believe me, for some reason, there's always distractions around.  I didn't think it would serve any purpose me trying to find out who they were – they probably didn't know anyway.  They may have been dreaming, they may have been created by me, who knows, but remaining passive throughout the experience is absolutely vital, otherwise BAM you're back in your body before you can say boo to a goose.

How does rubbing your astral hands over your body help you to get out? Is this a technique you often do?

It's something I tried out once.  I was stuck somewhere.  Let's say for instance it was my left leg that was stuck inside the physical me.  I was trying to move away but my leg was still in and as much as I struggled, I couldn't free it.  so I thought for a bit and wondered how to make my left leg astral.  I figured it wouldn't hurt to rub it with my astral arms, to encourage it to become astral.  

It worked.  And it has worked for me every time since.  Hee hee.  

Do you think places and events like that are really happening and you were there amongst real spirits because you happened to have projected at that time? Would the carnival have happened if you weren't there? Or was it created by your own imagination?

To be honest, I don't think too much about it.  I choose to experience it, write it down as it happened to the best of my memory and enjoy the memories.  I try not to break it down to understand it, because, for me, it's beyond my comprehension.  I'm happy with this though.

Sorry if there's too many questions I've asked. I only asked what I sincerely want to know. J

Potatis

No problems at all.  It's a pleasure to answer them.  I only hope I've made myself a bit clearer.  These things are difficult to explain because they're quite literally out of this world.

Sarah

[Potatis]

Thankyou so much Sarah for your very clear reply!

I was expecting my questions to be a bit much to answer, but I understand everything you wrote. You answered very clearly. I have learned so much!

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

I was surprised with how much you like the hand clapping exercise. It generated some interesting sensations. I varied the way I clapped a bit.

H = Clapping hands together
L = Clapped or tapped top of legs

So I did HHLL HHLL (continuously repeated) for a bit, but if I got a bit used to this and wanted to sharpen my concentration I'd do HHHL HHHL over and over, then HLLL and this was good HLHL, but after I got really absorbed in it, I found I just like the original HHLL. Anthing could be done though I guess HLLH, or maybe two taps on the nose and one on the back of the head? It is best to experiment. I just changed whenever I felt I needed to improve my focus. But more importantly I knew I had to FEEL the sensations in my hands and legs. I found HEARING the clearing was not difficult. SEEING, I was not so bothered with, but maybe I should have been, just to use an extra sense. I'll try again as you suggested - Don't do the exercise with any particular expections.

Thanks again!

Potatis