As I stared at my sleeping body, I was completely panicked. Yelling for myself to wake up, yelling for help. Yet no sound came out of my mouth. I was floating just 5 feet away from myself. I could see my friend sitting next to me watching T.V. just like we had been when I fell asleep. I could see the other person in the room on the computer, and I could hear everything that was happening. I finally snapped back into my body, and it took me a moment to come out of the paralysis, before I very intensely started explaining what just happened to my friend.
I didn't know it then, but what had just happened was an unintentional astral projection.
There are some movies that briefly touch on this interesting phenomena like "Insidious". However, that particular movie was meant to be scary and therefore doesn't paint the experience quite the way that it actually happens. In fact, it's completely different. There is a process that needs to happen before you are able to have this out of body experience. There are some people who have done it with ease since childhood, and there are some who train themselves. Others have out of body experiences while they are in surgery, or if they have died for a brief moment.
Astral Projection is your "astral body" leaving your physical body. With enough training you can go on amazing adventures, explore the world, visit the cosmos, or other planets! Some believe that it's another form of lucid dreaming, however there have been very thorough studies on subjects who could astral project. If you get a moment to read these studies, they are extremely fascinating! The major difference between a lucid dream and an OBE (out of body experience) is that when you astral project you are leaving your body and aware of everything that is going on in real time. When you lucid dream, you are in control of your sub-conscience and dream world.
I have just recently gotten into the practice of astral projection, now that I understand what it was that happened to me as a teen. I was scared when it happened, because I had no idea what was happening. Now that I understand it, I am not afraid. I haven't been successful yet, but I have gotten to the vibration stage; which means I was close. I go over the stages in just a moment, but first there are some safety measures and tips that are important to consider before your travels...
The Process
Most experienced astral travelers will tell you that the very early morning is the best time to do this, however you can do it at any time of the day with enough practice. The reason why early morning is the best time is because your body is in a state of "sleep mode" but you can wake your mind up. This is crucial for the process. In a method that is called "MABA" (mind awake, body asleep), you get your body into a super relaxed state but keep your mind focused on your breathing. This is easiest in the early morning if you were to get up to use the bathroom, or set an alarm. You want to still be groggy, but conscious.
It is recommended to walk around or do something for about 10 min and then go back to bed to start, however, I find that I become too "awake" when I do this. For some, it is best to get a drink of water/use the bathroom/adjust your sleeping space but then remain conscious of your awake state. Get into a position that is comfortable for you, that you can remain still and have your body naturally want to go back to sleep
It is important to be in a peaceful state of mind without expectations. You also will need a form of protection such as calling upon your spirit guides, arch angels, higher self or...if you aren't fully into the spiritual part of it, you can envision yourself as strong, confident, and positive energy. However you choose to do this, it is important because when we leave our earthly bodies there needs to be someone/something in place to guard and protect you while you are away. Kind of like having someone house sit for you; it needs to be someone or something you trust.
We protect our bodies, because there are lower energies that can and will take the opportunity to feed off of you if left unattended. Most of these lower energies don't know any better and they just take what they need, however it can get serious quick if the lowest energies take advantage. This isn't meant to scare or deter you from trying astral projection, but rather to express the importance of doing it correctly. So the very first step, is making sure you are in a comfortable safe environment without fear or worry on your mind. Only allow love and light to flow through you.
The next thing that can be quite helpful, is having something to cover your eyes from any light entering the room, and some comfortable headphones to listen to a meditation specifically for astral projection or binaural beats which induce a hypnotic state ideal for an OBE. The reason we shield our eyes from any outside light, is to stay in the area of the mind that is focused inward instead of on the outside world. Light can be distracting and can make it harder to achieve an OBE. Listening to either a meditation or binaural beats can be helpful for beginners since it serves as a guided approach. One of my favorite meditations for this is "Astral Projection, Guided Meditation for Beginners" by Todd Acamesis.
You can find many meditations and binaural beats on YouTube for free. Just find one that feels right for you, and then enjoy the process!
After you've reached your meditative state, you will begin to feel tingly which can be accompanied by bright kaleidoscope type lights rushing toward you, and occasionally loud sounds. I do not get the loud sounds, but I have read about many who do. It is very crucial not to freak out when you get to this part. That includes excitement! If you pay too much attention to the emotion of the moment chances are, you will be knocked out of this moment and will need to start over.
The other problem a lot of beginners experience is falling asleep before they even reach the meditative state. If you have this problem, it is best to try different methods of getting to this point. It can take months for your body to get used to this process, so don't expect it to happen on your first try. If you are successful, you will begin to feel your limbs lifting even though your body is perfectly still. This is your astral body detaching. There are methods that can help you out of your earthly body such as the rope method, or the roll method.
The rope method is where you pretend there is a rope in front of you and you pull yourself up and out of your body by grabbing the rope and pulling your astral body up. The roll method is when you roll yourself to the side intensely to release yourself from your earth body.
Which ever method you choose to pursue, the key to a successful release is to not get excited or in your feelings. Once you have released yourself from your body the first time, it is recommended to just walk around your room, or try walking through a wall. This helps you get a handle on your surroundings and get used to how it feels to be out of your body. Return to your body, and then continue to practice. After a few successful runs over the next few weeks or months, you can then venture further away when you're more comfortable with the process. This will allow you to see many sites, or even the universe. This is a very slow process but the end results can be astounding!
This is only a brief overview of astral projection, but there are many sites and videos detailing this exciting experience. I encourage you to research, or try it for yourself if you feel called to do so. The experience can be quite liberating and eye opening.
If you decide to try this, I wish you the best of luck and happy travels!
If you have questions, feel free to contact me! I love to educate and encourage people. If you've already had an OBE I'd love to hear about your experience as well!
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