Can you help me settle my astral projection fears?

Personal Experience
Now, I want to mention my Personal Experiences with APing.
The first time I APed I was trying the aforementioned “rope” method (which I won’t even talk about because I think it’s a bad way of going about it) and I ended up falling asleep. When I woke up from a dream I was having, I was floating above my bed. I knew I was APing, but as I started getting excited I began to float down, towards my bed, to where by body would be. I knew from studying AP that if you go back into your body then you usually wake up, so I tried to concentrate very hard on calming down (because I was hella excited) and I gently pushed myself off the bed and floated upwards again. The best way I can describe it is what I think it would feel like to walk on the moon. I did this 3 or 4 times, and then decided I wanted to see if I could see myself in the mirror for confirmation. The bathroom was the next room over, so I floated through the wall, and looked at myself floating in the mirror, which I could see perfectly. Then I started hearing my name being called, or at least it became clear to me that my name was being called, and I decided I wanted to wake up, so I did, instantly. After it happened I knew exactly what had happened. It was an awesome experience. I’ll also get into why I think I was hearing my name being called, and why that made me want to wake up because it scared the hell out of me, a little later.

The second time I APed, it was with the method I’ve been talking about, and took me by surprise. It had probably been 6 months since my first AP, and after my first AP I started really studying the subject and found the method I’ve been talking to you guys about. So from time to time, I would ask myself if I were sleeping and reflect on where I was in the world, and then, for some reason, I just stopped doing, it, my consciousness fell asleep again.
About a month or two after I stopped practicing, I took my summerly trip to Israel, and one night had a strange dream. For some reason, on that night, I realized I was having a strange dream and said to myself, this can’t be happening, I must be dreaming, and thought to myself, “now’s my chance to AP!” Instantly, I was frozen in my dream, and everything around me became black. I was terrified. The blackness remained and I opened my eyes. I was in the room of the apartment I was staying at, but it was different a little bit. It was almost how it looked when I was there as a kid. I was fully conscious and realized at that point that I was not in bed, but standing in front of my bed. Now, it’s been said that when you AP, you can sometimes see your body lying in bed, and even a silver cord attached from you to the body, always keeping you connected to eachother. The first time I APed, I didn’t see my body, but for some reason I knew that if I turned around this time, I would see it lying behind me. I didn’t really want to see it, so I decided to wake up, and bam, I woke up.
The first projection probably lasted about 20 seconds, and the second about 5. Both times I knew perfectly well, during and afterwards, that I was APing, and I have not APed since. That was about 6 months ago.

Now let’s gets to those voices I mentioned earlier.
I had done a fair bit of research on AP before I tried it the first few times, and much more after my first success, and its been confirmed through other people’s experiences that what I’m about to say is real, and why I was scared when I heard my name the first time and decided to wake up. Many people experienced in AP say that at some point in time, you realize that you have guides, usually 2. Call them what you want, angels, etc., but I will say guides, as that is the term most commonly given them. They are with you at all times, and if you become powerful at AP, many people talk to them and even receive knowledge or lessons from them. Many people have very positive relationships with their guides, and even know their names. For whatever reason, when I heard my name being called over and over again, at some point I remembered that people had mentioned guides before, and for whatever reason, I was scared of seeing mine, so I woke up. If I ever AP again, I’m still not sure if I’m ready to meet them. I guess I’ll make that call when I get there. You will probably have to make the same decision at some point if you pursue AP, and that is entirely your call.
Dangers
So, we’ve covered a lot so far, now let’s briefly tackle one of the most common questions when it comes to AP, can you get hurt?
I say, no.
I’ve heard many scared people say that demons can possess your body when your APing because your soul is not in your body, but I call foul play. First of all, you are ALWAYS attached to your body, even when your not in it. Call it the silver cord, call it whatever you want, when you want to go back in, you can, and do, no questions. Its YOUR body!

This is what Samael Aun Weor says about it:

Is Astral Projection dangerous?
Samael Aun Weor: It seems to me that to become cognizant of one’s own natural phenomena can never be dangerous; one must become cognizant of the food that one eats, of what one drinks, of the state in which one’s health is and also of the process of astral projection that occurs in any living creature.
SOURCE

What I get from this statement is that AP is an everyday occurrence. It happens when we sleep every night, and it has to happen if we are to gain very high levels of consciousness, so as a natural process for humans, it can’t be harmful.
BUT, let me make one thing clear, I personally believe that you can encounter some scary sh*t APing. You are discovering the world behind the physical, where spirits come to visit, learn, and exist. I think that if you choose to explore certain areas, you may encounter things that scare the hell out of you. More than likely, if you ever do, you’ll just wake up, but I think it’s a choice to see those things, and if you do, they can do no physical harm to you whatsoever, you may just be too scared to AP again… but don’t let that dissuade you because APing is awesome and I think one would really have to go looking for those things. Personally, I don’t think I will ever encounter anything like that because I would only explore things that are good, and I think things that are evil hold little power over that which is good.

Enlightenment
I’m going to end this post with my personal thoughts on everything we’ve talked about, and how it works into the way I perceive my religion to be today. Religion is the most common question and quest of mankind. That search for something else, something bigger than us. I believe that dreaming, APing, and '___' are all glimpses into this reality going on around us.
I don’t buy into many of the big religions, because I always thought that if something WAS the REAL religion, all of mankind would simply be attracted to it at some point in their life. With religion today, most people simply believe because its what their parents brought them up with, not a choice they actually made. I was once a part of one of those religions, and I feel as if my life has changed for the better since researching and practicing some of the things I mentioned above. I became unclouded and at one point was close to atheism, until I began feeling an attraction, a natural desire if you will to find out more about this world that is so clearly going on around us. I still don’t know what’s the “right” religion, but I know that something is out there, and I’ve only had good experiences with what is out there so far, which is a comforting thought.
I would LOVE to entertain all of your questions, and look forward to having some great discussions.
-Odessy

It is a shame one so spiritually advanced as yourself finds it necessary to discredit my experience and opinion.


I have told you precious little of my experience. I remember it quite clearly. No not a dream.


If you were as profoundly well read as you claim, you would know what Temple Perilous is. You will not find it on the internet, and I think therein lies the source of your incredulity.

How is it that others can only be dreamers, and you can be a master?
Reference quoted from this page below.

The Astral Cord interpreted in Theosoph´s tradition:

The Theosophs initiated modern esoteric insights and their theories are accepted all over the esoteric groups. Regarding this valuable research critisicsm seems retentious but nevertheless may be useful, if we don't want to stick to dogmas. At the end of the 19th century the most important impulse for civilization was the invention of a new way to send informations in "no time" by means of electrical signals conducted in cables. It was logic to refer to the new development when creating a modern esoteric science, specially since cable-like features were found, connecting subtle body to physical body. The social-religious paradigm of this era was hierarchical. In the same way as god was controlling world, the overself was controlling the physical body, passing on its orders to the latter by means of the information cable "astral cord". Control was thought to be complete, even in details like breathing and heart-beat. Technique was not as far developed as to allow ideas like autoorganization and selfregulation.

A second and additional idea was the association of the cord with the umbilical cord, the mother aspect being associated to the physical body, the embryo to the subtle body. Birth was linked to death: In birth the umbilical cord is cut and the newborn enters daylight as individual; in physical death the silver cord breaks and the soul is set free. Resulting from this philosophy a break of the silver- (astral-) cord was thought to cause death.

[edit on 19-4-2009 by Cyberbian]

While I am hoping for an apology, I am not holding my breath while I wait.


You are not walking in a sacred way Odessy.

Here is a further warning on the subject, there are spiritual vampires who prey upon those who are willing to submit to their superior spirtual guidance. If you feel tired dealing with someone, they are not a spirtual fountain, they are a drain.

If you close your eyes and find yourself in darkness and shadow, you are in the presence of something negative. If you see a glow, you are in the presence of the spiritual light. You don't need to close your eyes to sense this. But it helps a beginner recognize the difference, like a dark cloud coming between you and the sun.

If someone approaches you and the dark cloud comes over you, then you are being tapped like a keg of rootbeer.

Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. Do now walk the path of another, seek your own path. If you meet the Buddah on the road, kill him!

[edit on 19-4-2009 by Cyberbian]

reply to post by Cyberbian


I apologize for doubting your claims, but you should also not jump to such conclusions as to how I lead my life. I think I've found a good balance, but I know I have a lot to learn. I NEVER claimed to be a master as you should have figured by reading my posts. And just because someone has not experienced what you have, doesn't mean they can't AP, it just means they have experienced something different, thus, two different opinions on the topic are formed.

Sometimes frustration or other feelings cloud good judgement, and for that I apologize.

If what you claim is true, then you've had some of the most bizarre, detailed, and curious experiences that I've ever read about, even from the greats. And at such a young age, you must wield some extraordinary abilities.

I'm sorry you feel that I am not as truthful as I claim to be, all I can say is that I've told nothing but the truth from my own personal experiences and from countless readings.
I would not have written such an extensive thread on my own if I wasn't passionate about the subject.

That being said, I've seen a lot of people come into this somewhat little talked about topic on ATS, and other threads such as communicating with Aliens that have turned out to be very misleading and somewhat disgruntling to the people taking their advice. I have no right to say whether you are lying or not. Please accept my apology.

To the OP, take whatever information you like from all of our input and discover for yourself. Learning by personal experience is the greatest learning tool.



[edit on 20-4-2009 by Odessy]

Nope, no extrordinary abilities that I have determined.

Lots of different experiences. All transient in nature. I have been blessed with a sampling of the mystical Poo Poo Platter.

I have had experiences I have never seen documented anywhere. Some of which I have years later seen fairly decent representations of in film used as special effects.

Which leads me to believe that there are a number of folks who have had the same experiences and either don't talk about them, or don't talk outside their own very tight circles.

In the end, only by throwing out a little of the picture and seeing if others can fill in the rest, can you truly know if they are genuine.

I have to say most of my mystical experiences, have been of the non-traditional variety. With a little spirit warfare thrown in for good measure.

For instance the Christian, return love for hate is a formula for spiritual warfare.

We manifest energy with intent, and it gathers with like energy until it can expend itself upon that intent.

Spiritual warfare is much like blowing on a tornado trying to neutralize it. Only if you take that direct approach for either you are going to be blown to hell.

In the generation of negative emotion and intent we create our own deamons. For ourselves and for others.





[edit on 20-4-2009 by Cyberbian]

Not to hijack, cuz somebody else might benefit from an answer to this as well....

But concerning the vibrations that occur with astral projection - I get a racing heart with that. Pounding racing. Like unreal, I can't even get my heart to beat like that with an unbearable intensity of exercise or an adrenaline rush.

It's not from fear or excitement or anything, it just comes along with it.
And then 1) it tends to result in me sticking in my body, because of the overwhelming physical sensation of the pounding/sound of heart; losing focus.
and 2) I get afraid that if I keep pressing on towards projecting, that it will keep beating so hard I'll somehow have a heart attack and die. lol....

It all ruins it in the end.
Anybody know if this can be avoided, or if it is common/not dangerous?

Originally posted by phoebeflakes
Not to hijack, cuz somebody else might benefit from an answer to this as well....

But concerning the vibrations that occur with astral projection - I get a racing heart with that. Pounding racing. Like unreal, I can't even get my heart to beat like that with an unbearable intensity of exercise or an adrenaline rush.

It's not from fear or excitement or anything, it just comes along with it.
And then 1) it tends to result in me sticking in my body, because of the overwhelming physical sensation of the pounding/sound of heart; losing focus.
and 2) I get afraid that if I keep pressing on towards projecting, that it will keep beating so hard I'll somehow have a heart attack and die. lol....

It all ruins it in the end.
Anybody know if this can be avoided, or if it is common/not dangerous?

Take it slow. You know when you start to makeout with someone for teh first time, sometimes your heart starts racing as you have to catch your breath? Maybe I'm the only one, haha. But don't rush it. Don't intellectualize about it (what if I die, what if I cant get back, what if, what if). Just calm yourself and realize YOU are the driver. No one else. Nothing can harm you. You are also guided. Remeber that.

To the others spreading disinformation and fear. STOP. YOU manifest your own fears. No one else. It sickens me you claim God or any spiritual being, yet walk your lives in fear and spread it to others. Stop. You are in-experienced being that has no right spreading you negativity outward. Let others experience and grow without you filling their minds with completly wrong statements.

Thank you.

PhoebeFlakes Don't push the river, you will drown.
Which is to say do not exhaust yourself trying to force it.

Visualize the nearest wall or barrier if you are in the open, do not attempt to leave your body. Attempt to pass yourself through the wall, or barrier.

Picture in your minds eye, the wall coming toward you and passing through you. It is very much the same thing.

Do you come to a point where the room spins around?

The Dervish spin in order to facilitate the AP. Do not fight the spin, go with it. Like being drunk, just stay still and allow the room to spin around you. Once the spinning stops, you will be on your way.


Vibration is good, this is energy blocks in the body opening up.

You may cry or experience emotional breakthroughs. This is Extremely Good. It is a trauma clearing, freeing the energy which was locked into perpetually blocking from the trauma, so you loose the energy used in the dynamic tension of the blockage, and the energy being blocked. You get a double energy return from the clearing.

We set limits on the flow of energy. The vibration is from a dynamic tension between the artificial limit set on energy flow and the demand of the flow.

Trauma and anxiety induce blockages.

Try to accentuate the vibration until the block energy is swept away in the flow and the vibration stops. Like an air bubble in the plumbing you might say. This has long term benefits in your everyday well being.

Good question!

These answers are just my perspective. Other opinions may vary.

Personally I would not leave without having set some wards to protect the body, and handle emergencys.

Do a visualization of the white sphere of protective light for instance.
Do one sphere to stay with the body, and another to travel with you.

This is an extremely traditional protective meditaiton prior to AP.
Why would there be a traditional protective meditation done prior to AP if there are no dangers?

Additional to that I would visualize intentions that should remain behind, as independant protections.

One to warn you and bring you back, in event of trouble.
like the house is on fire, or something is trying to come between you and your body.

Others to defend via specific intentions you devise for your defense.

Remember you are leaving a tiny bit of energy with a lot of intent. The purpose is to contaminate a the superior volume of energy of an attack, and redirect or override it's intention. Psychic jujitsu!

Destructive intent energy seeks to destroy and in so doing expends itself, but is usually generalized in its negative intention.

It is the accumulation of a lot of peoples general anger, which has not been consumed by action.

Help it out, give it an extremely specific focus and a maniacally intense desire.

Direct it to annihilate itself in the destruction of something harmless to people. Like the nearest instance of an extremely common object which you can always count on being around.

All wards should have the explicit function of surrendering only half their energy, and leaving half to regenerate if they are used.

I have been under attack and known that there is something wrong but not what, until the object explodes all over the room.

A vampire almost killed herself that way.
You really need to watch what or who you eat. Consuming someone else's suicidal rage is not my idea of a good meal.

Some people just cannot resist trying to steal other peoples shineys, even if they cause severe indigestion.

You are not guided. I was put back because I had wandered off unprotected.

Do not trust people who tell you to go higgeldy piggldy into dark places.
They sometimes have bad intentions.

Have any of them provided you with guidance on self defense?

As above so below.
For those who have eyes let them see, ears let them hear.
Big fishes eat little fishes, and little fishes who listen to barracudas don't grow up to be big fishes.

I'm not telling anyone to stay home the universe is too dangerous.

But some are saying that the ocean is safe because your mermaid protector will shield you from sharks. Tell that to the little fishes!

People who have no life experience and like to misquote from happy rainbow sunshine authors can be hazardous to your health.

Do not rely on anyone eager to volunteer as an active guide during AP.

Do not participate in meditations where you are asked to kneel with your back straight.
For some reason the vampires like that, it makes their job easier.

There is evil in the universe. It is not always embodied.
It does not shout "Hey over here, I'm evil, come into the darkness and have a look." It whispers sweet lies, and deceptions.
_____________________________________________________
May you find protectors on the road before you find villains.

But it is not always safe to shout "Hey somebody; Over here, I need a protector."

You are taking your chances when you do a thing like that. It might have the same effect as shouting "Hey over here I'm meat, come and get it!"

Sorry to be so negative Bambi. But have you ever been raped walking into dark allies unprotected?

If I were wrong, so what someone takes a second thought or protective measures? And I know for sure the literature goes into this subject.

You want to know about horror shows, read the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
The Tibetan monks know more than anyone on the planet about this stuff.
Those ain't pictures of Rainbow Bright, and her snow white unicorn they draw.

If your wrong, Someone gets spirit raped, and murdered.
Do you have any sense of responsibility Bambi?

I still have not figured out whether you people actually believe this Rainbow Bright/Nurf universe stuff you are selling, or whether you are looking for fresh meat. If I gambled I would put the money on Meat.

Don't believe in spirit warfare, I take the word of Rolling Thunder, and Carlos Castenada over yours any day of the week.

youtube Charlie the Unicorn.

My mother tried the zoroastrian techniques for AP, now she will have nothing to do with eithe zoroastranism or AP.

She was hit by lightening while doing it. It scared the hell out of her.

I don't know what school these folks are from but find your own way.
Like I said earlier, if you meet the Buddah on the road, kill him.
It is better the Buddah should die, than you loose your path following someone elses path.

[edit on 21-4-2009 by Cyberbian]

Yeah, I get those spins on a lucky day/night....
I don't get the vibrations or racing heart whenever I get close to APing with the spins as a part of it....it's nice...

Maybe it's too much caffeine or something lol

I remember as a young child getting those spins and being out of my body like it was the most natural thing to do. No recollection of the exit, just the spins, then the adventure........very interesting.

reply to post by phoebeflakes


Yeah, from what I have read, the spinning is the unwinding of the kundalini from around the spine. Kundalini is energy pictured as being in the image of a snake. It unwinds and exits the top of the head.

AP without the unwinding of the Kundalini is hard to imagine.

Is that some technique someone taught you?
It sounds like you would be trying to rip yourself in half.

That is certainly not what I was referring to about vibration and energy blocks. Those only occur in one part of the body at a time. And the racing heart sounds a little over the top for my taste.

Simple rule of thumb! If it seems threatening to you, it probably is.

Do you meet up with some spirit guide these people are talking about?

If yes, does it have anything to do with them, or did you meet it before dealing with them?

I walk alone.

Well you may not like this, because this clearly has little to do with your beliefs of spirit guides and the likes, but the spins were a pleasant, easy experience that led to proper AP, though unintentional, and I no longer experience success that way (save for once or twice in recent years)

I can't imagine it having anything to do with 'ripping myself in half"
I don't believe in spirit guides. I believe there are spirits out there that aren't to be trusted, however.

I think the spins I experience are more to do with an illusion of the mind, the body/brain losing connection causing the sensation or something.

I think the heart racing is some form of misplaced energy. And that said, yes, I would need to learn more to avoid that. But I don't quite appreciate the idea of talking to spirits, I think that if this is not some BS trick of my mind, that every human as the ability to AP and learn to do it effectively without some spiritual/paranormal influence outside of themselves.

Edit: sorry, I realize now, you mean that AP WITHOUT the spins is what makes you wonder if I'm 'ripping myself in half' lol...
Ummm.....
Well it certainly doesn't feel good, what can I say....
But it isn't a technique I learned, it just seems to happen a certain percentage of the time.
I think it has to do with brain chemistry being messed (something I ate, caffeine, drugs, being over-stressed during the day, who knows)
But no, i never learned from anyone or anything, I just went with trying to achieve the feelings I remember as a child.


[edit on 22-4-2009 by phoebeflakes]

reply to post by phoebeflakes


Yah, I think we agreed.

You sound sensible enough. I am glad to hear you are not being taken advantage of.

Good travels!

[edit on 2-5-2009 by Cyberbian]

I think I ended up in someone's house LOL

Ruby velvet in this room I seem to remember, quite odd

I read your first post.....

It came STRONGLY to my mind that if those are the kind of thoughts you have regarding OOBE you should not be trying to dabbell in it at all.

It is NOONES job to help you be less fearful......that is YOUR JOB and you must graduate from that assignment before you will get any farther along such a path..

reply to post by Cyberbian


WOW! thats crazy about the elders and the temple....i was just talking to a girl the other day about OBEs....and she was like "yeah...well i dont really try and do that anymore, last time i met these elders in a temple and they told me to go back or leave forever..."

i pretty much brushed it off as a dream but to hear from another person who seems like they know what they talking about is crazy

also, you said they put a lock on your AP ability? was that permanent?

Is it possible just from reading all of these posts about AP'ing and not even trying, to actually come close to doing it? Had a strange thing happen the other night after reading several threads about it and it seemed like i was experiencing the stages right before you actually AP and all i could think was this is it, this is what they were talking about. So all i could think was i have no idea what im doing so i tried my best to move and snap out of it but it was really hard but finally managed to sit up and end whatever was happening. Was kind of weird, any ideas of what was happening, was it just my imagination running wild?

sounds like you need Richard Webster's book on begining astral travel. it deals with this. some people believe they will get lost while out of body or have other beliefs that make astral travel wrong. he talks about all of that. though it can be a more stark experience than some 'fluffy' books would have you believe.

Man, I got a lot more replies than I expected!
All of your advice has been really helpful. I got very close to astral projecting two days ago. I was using the rope technique, when my limbs started feeling really heavy. Next thing I knew, it felt like I was shaking and my heart was beating like crazy! Unfortunately, I was so surprised that I lost the sensations. I thought of three more questions though.

1. I kind of always wanted to be a superhero, so I was hoping to be a superhero in the astral. If I kill someone or something in the astral, will they really die or be injured?

2. What are some really fun or exciting things to do while in the astral? What is your favorite thing to do?

3. Can I heal myself while astral? I have really bad vision and I want to know if I could heal my eyes to the point that I don't need glasses? I also have an ear defect and an overbite. What about those?

If anyone can think of any other questions, speak up!!