Astral Projection: Is rhythmic breathing necessary?

Hello,

I am just getting started learning about Astral Projection, and I am very fascinated by it. I'm currently reading a book about it called The Practical Guide to Astral Projection. It mentions that you must breath in sync with your heart beat. For those of you that have astral projected before, is this really necessary? I find it difficult to concentrate, when I am constantly checking my pulse to breath in tune. Other research I have done on astral projection has not mentioned the rhythmic breathing at all. I know there are tons of methods, but is it necessary to breath like that?

Thanks for info! I am anxiously awaiting my first experience!

[edit on 30-11-2005 by Barcs]

I have never heard of this. I would think proper breathing would help relax but not trying to time your breaths.

I've never read that that's necessary, either, despite being exposed to a lot of good info from experienced projectors. I would imagine it isn't actually necessary.

Originally posted by Barcs
I know there are tons of methods, but is it necessary to breath like that?

Not at all.

Do not focus on your breathing. Breathe at whatever pace feels natural. All you need to do is go into a physical sleep, while mantaining consciousness.

To naturally astral project, I suggest you practice Dream Yoga.

The Introduction to Astral Projection Podcast might help as well.

Inverencial Peace,
Akashic



[edit on 30/11/2005 by AkashicWanderer]

Unnatural breathing is not a recommended method for AP. Plus, it lends well to the scientific theory that Astral Projection is just a lack of oxygen to the brain. If you use this method, you may just be depleting your brain of oxygen and hallucinating, rather than actually projecting.

Concentrating on your heartbeat alone is a good technique, but I would not mix it with breathing. Plus if you are constantly trying to keep both in unison, your concentration is probably all messed up and you won't be able to project anyway.

Thanks for the info! I will check out those links tomarrow!

I personally have tried to project while syncing them both and it actually makes me lose concentration so it's a lot harder. Also, I noticed your avatar... Immortal Technique is amazing, I'm listening to him right now.

Originally posted by Barcs
It mentions that you must breath in sync with your heart beat. For those of you that have astral projected before, is this really necessary?

Have you ever meditated? As far as breathing technique goes it's essentially the same as a deep meditative session. The idea is to become very relaxed.

I find it difficult to concentrate, when I am constantly checking my pulse to breath in tune.

Using your hearbeat as a sort of mantra I can see working but if it's distracting you then you have already answered your question.

Originally posted by AkashicWanderer
All you need to do is go into a physical sleep, while mantaining consciousness.

This is all you need to do

[edit on 103131p://5u59 by Lucid Lunacy]

Originally posted by Yarcofin
Unnatural breathing is not a recommended method for AP. Plus, it lends well to the scientific theory that Astral Projection is just a lack of oxygen to the brain. If you use this method, you may just be depleting your brain of oxygen and hallucinating, rather than actually projecting.

But what if astral projection is a hallucination? OK let me explain.

Say you want to astral project to meet someone who is also astral projecting on say the moon. and you use rhythmic breathing (in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4, etc..) to induce a hallucinogenic state. Now while in this state you can clearly see the meeting place and the other person as "real" and this triggers some part of your mind (I don't know what it is.. lets call it the collective unconsciousness) and this is where the "meeting" is really taking place.

Or lets say you was to astral project thru time and meet some historical figure to learn something from them. This time the vivid hallucination triggers something in the subconscious and you remember the thing you wanted to know, lets say it was in a book you read but you happened to skim over whatever you now wanted to learn. Or your subconscious remembers where you need to go to find this info. Or the collective unconsciousness thing again.

Cug what was your point? Were you alluding AP is bogus? It's correct to think AP/OBE/Remote Viewing is a hallucination. Here is the definition from Wikipedia:

A hallucination is a sensory perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus. Hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality - visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, or mixed.

AP is a sensory experience with the absence of an external stimulus so it falls into the category of an hallucination. However, think about how many everyday cognitive experiences would technically fall into the hallucination category. Also note the difference between hallucination and illusion.

So ultimately what's being said here is that AP is an internal experience...I don't think anyone who practices AP or mediation will argue that.

Here is another snipet from Wikipedia that I found interesting considering the context of the thread:

The word 'hallucinatory' has its roots in the Latin hallucinere or allucinere, meaning 'to wander in mind'.

[edit on 043131p://6u33 by Lucid Lunacy]

I personally have tried to project while syncing them both and it actually makes me lose concentration so it's a lot harder. Also, I noticed your avatar... Immortal Technique is amazing, I'm listening to him right now.

Yes I agree. I only started listening to Immortal Technique about a month or so ago, and he's already one of my favorites of all time.

I'm loving the astral projection pod casts. Very cool.

Originally posted by Lucid Lunacy
Cug what was your point? Were you alluding AP is bogus? Yes. AP/OBE/Remote Viewing is a hallucination.

My point was that hallucination (or altered state of conscious of some sort) was required for AP and not something that needs to be avoided to avoid scientific debunking.

I ordered a book of My own on Astral Projection. Haven't experimented with it, but once I do I'll be sure & fill you in. I would think that timing your breathing would definately help you, based on no facts, but just plain common sense.

You don't have to physically check your pulse, if you pinch your forefinger (pointer finger, you know, the one most people pick their noses with, lol) & your thumb together to sense it.

This takes patience & timing & a lot of meditation, from what I've heard from others.

Okay Cug I understand what you were saying and I agree with you. I didn't realize you were replying to Yarcofin's post where he said:

it lends well to the scientific theory that Astral Projection is just a lack of oxygen to the brain. If you use this method, you may just be depleting your brain of oxygen and hallucinating, rather than actually projecting.

Which is really what I was also arguing against. So my mistake for misreading your post.

[edit on 043131p://6u04 by Lucid Lunacy]

The trick I find personally for Astral projection is absence of thought.
This is the hardest part for most prople. To actually stop thinking.

When I first began my journey to learn how to AP was several years
ago. About 15 years I think. IT was not long after I decided to look
into the Wiccan religion. I met with several people who were experianced
Astral Projectors, and they all told me the same thing....

First you must relax your body. Then you must relax your mind. Put your
body to sleep thru meditation exercises. One fairly easy one is to
imagine traceing your entire body slowly with a crayon of your favorite
color. As you draw the line around your body, fill the warmth coming from
the color fill your body. When you have completed the outline take the
crayon and throw it over your shoulder.

At this point your body should feel warm and tingly. The next step is the absence of thought. Which is actually much much harder than it sounds.
To not think, requires not thinking about not thinking. There is no easy
way to explain this, but if you hapen to have ADD, you will find this much
easier to do as I have heard. I myself am ADD, so I suppose I had an
advantage. I have always been able to put myself into a trace in which
I am at a total absence of thoughts.

Once you are at an absence of thought and you have relaxed your body
you might feel your body begin to waiver, or ummm vibrate lightly.
When you feel this, just let go.

Or at least this is how I learned. And I must say, it did not happen
overnight. It took me probably 2 years or a little longer before I could
AP regularly. Prior to, I would only AP on the rare occasions when I attempted.

ViriiGuy

in my studies i found that alot of emphasis is put on a sequence of small preparations that the individual use as a countdown to get to the state at which they want.now this can be many different steps but alot of this breathing is tied to the chakras and the intake outtake of energies to be good at this sort of thing you have to understand the energies that flow in your body a great art that has alot of tools is reiki(spelling?) anyone studying oobe should study all forms and look over lore and information on it.from satanic ritual to planeswalking because in this area gentlemen (and ladies)
we have to be very careful take a look at this thread
www.abovetopsecret.com...'

[edit on 13-12-2005 by toraylin]