The actual projection-phase (the moment when one’s projected double breaks free of his/her physical body) is viewed as some sort of Holy Grail by OBE enthusiasts, and indeed, to a person who has never gone through the experience, it may seem like something that’s extremely difficult to achieve.
I am here to tell you though that actual projection is a cinch really, and most of those who heed the advice in this article, and who are willing to put a little time and effort into learning what truly matters for projection exit, will find it surprisingly easy to perform.
The primary reason why projection is easy to achieve is that it is a natural process. Every time one falls asleep and proceeds to dream, projection is achieved, albeit in a form that’s not particularly “spectacular” from the perspective of the projector.
Once the oneironaut falls asleep, he/she puts the awake mind out of the way of the projection process. This way, a natural projection reflex is triggered, which is void of particularly strong sensations, and which thus does not awaken the dreamer.
Despite these differences though, the basics of the two types of projection are the same. Rest assured: your body/mind is well equipped to handle the experience, and by attempting projection exit, you won’t force it to go somewhere unnatural.
That said, some people still find it difficult to attain projection exit. Fortunately, by-and-large, we know rather well what causes such difficulties.
As I mentioned in some of my previous articles, due to its seemingly mundane nature, deep physical relaxation is often neglected by OBE-enthusiasts. It is indeed on account of this extremely-simple-to-correct problem, that most problems regarding projection occur.
Physical tension is the archenemy of successful projection and if you’ve ever encountered the famous vibrations during an attempted exit projection, only to achieve partial projection, you probably know all too well what I’m talking about.
Vibrations occur in the ethereal body, which is still within the physical body at the moment exit projection begins. Some oneironauts have reported noticing these vibrations within certain body-parts only (like their legs and arms) followed by a partially successful exit-projection in those body parts only.
In such cases, physical tension is the factor preventing exit projection in the other body parts, and ultimately ruining the whole attempt.
As already said above, consciously projecting out of your body is something that requires an extra push, delivered through the projection reflex. To trigger this reflex, you will have to exert some effort though, through the generation of certain mental images.
Since I already brought vibrations into this: some people picture these vibrations outside of their physical body. They then grasp onto them and attempt to pull them in, thus triggering their projection reflex.
While this methods works too, I have found that it is by far not the most efficient one in this regard.
Reaching out for something and pulling it in, is indeed the way to go, but there is not much point in bringing vibrations into this, since – as already discussed above – they do not make much sense outside of the physical body.
Relying instead on tactile imagery is a much more optimal approach. Part of this approach is the use of hands and arms, and there is a good reason for that. Hand and arm actions are some of the most natural, and the easiest movements for a human. Therefore, they lend themselves well to body awareness mimicking.
How exactly do you trigger the projection reflex though, and what does it feel like when you achieve projection exit?
The exercise could be summed up as trying to exteriorize one’s sense of self/body awareness. That’s what it all comes down to really.
While external projection is indeed natural and while it can be mastered through perseverance, pulling it off with an awake consciousness instead of an asleep one is not a simple task.
It all turns into this rather peculiar, clumsy stumbling-about in the beginning, much like the first attempts of a baby to walk.
To give yourself the best possible chance at projection exit, you need to be physically and mentally thoroughly relaxed, for the above-explained reasons.
You also need to achieve a relatively shallow state of trance. Indeed, it is important that you do not slip into deep trance, as by doing that, you’ll bring about bouts of REM imagery and falling asleep becomes a real possibility. Light-to-moderate trance is what you need here.
Before the triggering of the projection reflex, your first step towards separating your projectable double from your physical shell, is to loosen it up. This can be accomplished through a range of exercises, some of which may seem weird, but at a closer look, they all do indeed make perfect sense.
Also known as simple awareness exercises, these projection double-loosening methods are all aimed at the temporary focusing of your body awareness outside your physical shell.
Once you can achieve that, full projection/separation is but a simple step away.
Falling
The falling method I depicted in the section of this article about trance-induction does indeed double as an awareness-loosening method.
When falling, your awareness will in fact lag a bit behind your physical body, slowly but surely shaking itself free from it.
Focusing on various details (such as the texture of a wall past which you are falling), will intensify this loosening effect.
Bounce Loosening
Bounce loosening does not require the activation of your primary centers, but it does call upon the full-body energy circuit.
Needless to say, for this exercise (as well as for all the other ones I discuss below) you need to be in a deeply relaxed physical and mental state, and if possible, in a light state of trance as well.
Create a mental image of the room in which you are, and begin an “awareness” bounce through your body. As you settle into a rhythm, slowly expand the boundaries of this bouncing action, until you reach the ceiling above and the floor below you.
At this point, your awareness shall indeed bounce right through your body, from floor to ceiling.
This is the point where you have to apply a technique I described in my previous article, in regards to trance induction: try to focus on the texture of the ceiling and then the floor, as if you were indeed physically there to see it up-close.
This mental exercise can then be expanded to actually feeling your whole spatial position at all times, during the bounce. Try to focus your attention on the moments when your awareness bounces off the ceiling and the floor, and ignore the instances when it passes through your physical body.
To wrap up the exercise, you will then focus on bouncing your awareness back and forth, in line with your face. If you are lying down, this will still involve the floor and the ceiling, but if you’re sitting more or less upright, you will have to shift your attention to the walls behind and in front of you.
The goal of the bounce technique is obvious: by focusing your awareness onto a point well outside your physical body, you achieve exit projection, even if it’s just for a brief moment.
This will give you an idea what actual projection feels like, and it will also prepare you for the actual exit.
This exercise may lead to exit projection in and of itself, but it should generally only be seen as a precursor of actual projection.
The Breathing Method
The breathing method is a lot like the above-detailed bounce method, only its focus is on – obviously- breathing.
Once again, you start out by positioning yourself into the perfect state for projection and by creating a mental image of the room around you.
Then, as you breathe out, you focus on collapsing your awareness into your physical body, all the way to the point when you feel you are but a tiny speck in a vast space, which is your room. Physically feel the distances between the walls grow larger and larger, until they become almost infinite.
When breathing in, on the other hand, feel your awareness expand, past your physical frame, all the way to the point when it fills up the entire room.
Like the bounce loosening method above, this one has the potential to trigger an exit in and of itself too. Its basic function is however to loosen up your awareness in preparation for an actual projection.
The Spin Loosening Method
The spin loosening method takes a slightly different approach to awareness-loosening. With this method, you will take the bounce method a slight step further.
After bouncing your awareness back and forth a few times, you begin to spin around the room in a clockwise direction. Throughout this spinning movement, you touch every wall you encounter, again focusing on its texture/details.
Make the movement relatively fast: it should not take more than 3-4 seconds to complete an orbit around your physical body. You can actually pick the speed with which you are most comfortable. The above 3-4 second orbit recommendation comes from my personal experience.
Once again, focus on the texture of the walls and the changing perspective as you move around.
It is an obvious truth that holding an immobile external projection is much more difficult than holding a moving one. This is what the spin loosening method takes advantage of.
Through this method, you’re going to spend more time outside of your physical body, so be aware that spin loosening can indeed act as an actual projection trigger.
Imagination
Your imagination is always handy, available and free, so why not try to use it for loosening your projected double? The sky is indeed the limit in this regard.
You can for instance simply imagine your projected double leaving your physical body and heading out the door. When engaging in such an exercise, you need to pay keen attention to actually feeling your physical body being left behind. Also remember that to make the holding of your projected double easier, you need to move around.
Once you have imagined yourself leaving your body, there is no reason for you to limit your movements to your room. Move out and away and imagine yourself flying to a different town for instance.
If – at any point during this mental exercise – you begin to truly feel where you are imagining yourself, while you sense a surge of energy through your innards and bones, accompanied by a sensation of vertigo, chances are you have managed to accomplish full projection exit.
The beauty of this method is that indeed, suddenly you may find projected double fully escaped and already in a remote location.
As far as I’m concerned though, all this is a bit of a long-shot.
The Rope Projection Method
When it comes to go-to projection triggers, not much can equal the rope projection method, and there’s good reason why that is the case.
The method is based on the imagined scenario of the oneironaut pulling him/herself out of his/her physical shell by pulling on a rope hanging from the ceiling.
This method is incredibly efficient for several reasons. First of all, it makes use of tactile imagery – which is apparently very powerful when it comes to triggering projection.
Secondly, it makes use of the hands/arms, which work extremely well for awareness actions – as pointed out above.
Thirdly: it exerts pressure on a very well defined and projectable area of one’s awareness.
Here’s a short Rope method script.
For this exercise, you will have to position yourself lying on your back, face up towards the ceiling.
It goes without saying that you need to be mentally and physically relaxed and preferably in a light state of trance.
Allow your imagination to conjure up a thick, coarse rope, hanging just above your chest, in a position in which you can effortlessly grab onto it.
Use your awareness hands to grab the rope, and focus on its texture. You have to feel its rough, ropey touch in the palms of your hands.
Use your awareness hands to start “climbing” up the rope, by pulling on it.
Remember: do not allow your physical body to tense up from the imagined effort. This is an effortless climb, the sort that will in effect extract your projected double from your physical shell.
Focus on the actual climbing motion, as you pull the rope in with one hand, while holding onto it with the other. It is important that you keep both your awareness hands engaged at all times.
Try to hit a climbing pace you find comfortable. On my part, I have found that allowing one second for each hand action is about right.
If the technique works (and it does indeed work), you will feel a slight tingling and then vertigo in your stomach. If you experience these sensations, keep going: you are on the right track.
Sooner or later, you will trigger the projection reflex.
One thing to remember if you do indeed successfully projection-exit: keep your initial OBE only around 10 seconds in length, then get back to your physical self.
Such short OBE experiences are easier to remember and they will radically increase your chances to recreate the induction process.
Projection exit is often accompanied by a surge of energy and excitement. Try to keep calm and fend off this excitement as it may prevent you from accomplishing full exit, right when you are on the verge of pulling it off.
If you fail at this point though and you find yourself fully paralyzed, do not panic. You have projected and you missed the exit, as your consciousness got stuck in your physical body.
Wait calmly for your projected double to return and just snap out of it all.
There are several variations of the rope method, but for starters, the above one will do.
Just remember: if you run into some sort of conundrum while performing the technique, such as bumping into the ceiling, unable to rise any further, use visualization to do away with these problems.
Simply “imagine away” the ceiling.
How to Astral Project (3 Easy Steps to Induce OBEs)
Astral projection is a process in which our subtle energy body dissociates from our physical body. It is a very natural phenomena that happens to us every night while we’re sleeping.
We’re normally unconscious when it happens though, and we usually do not remember it upon waking up.
The exception is the experience of waking up abruptly with a falling sensation. This happens when we become conscious before the astral body returns to the physical body.
Out of body experiences (OBEs) have a very special appeal, just ask anyone who’s ever had them.
My first such experience happened a while ago, in 1999, and since then, I have been obsessed with recreating it, learning about it and teaching others about my findings.
I must say I’m rather fortunate that I managed to intentionally trigger such experiences (though it took me quite a bit of trial and error to get there).
The purpose of this guide to astral projection is to help people experience astral projection consciously and at will, and to remember it upon returning to the physical body.
There are 3 easy steps that will allow you to astral projection consciously and at will, and they are:
- Relaxing the physical body.
- Allowing the body to fall asleep while the mind remains awake.
- Moving away from the physical body.
In this article, I will explain the practical aspects of astral projection as well as provide you with some very important astral projection tips, such as using recommended supplements (and staying away from others.)
But first of all, let me answer some basic questions regarding astral projection.
What is Astral Projection?
Also known as an out of body experience, an astral projection is one of those things in life that you have to experience to believe.
Yes, there are scores of skeptics out there, and there was a time when yours truly belonged among them too. That is obviously no longer the case though. An outer body experience is also something that will change your outlook on life and your physical existence forever.
While there is no scientific evidence that during an astral projection episode, the person having the experience goes anywhere, you will certainly travel and go places – only not in your physical form.
Those who have experienced such episodes will describe them to you differently. Some people describe it all as floating above their beds and looking down at their own physical bodies, while others travel through space and time and experience amazing conversations with superior beings.
The concept of astral projection casts doubt over the very concept of reality. Is there indeed one reality, or are the realities of different people different indeed?
Do we all experience the same reality in our heads, or do we all create and live our own realities?
Some believe astral projections and OBEs are nothing more than tricks our minds pull on us.
For my part, I can tell you that you’ll only be able to answer such questions for yourself, once you too experience them.
The human constitution is made up of several bodies of energy – or so that theory goes. Of these, I can personally confirm the existence of the physical body and the astral body, the vibrations of which are the closest to one another, and which are also linked through a sort of cord people call the silver cord or astral cord. I personally prefer to call it the latter, since in my experience, this cord does in fact stretch right into outer space.
Why does the astral body separate from the physical one, and why does it leave it behind?
Through an astral projection experience, the physical body remains as a sort of “anchor to reality,” as the astral body ascends.
Some have stated though that by doing so, the astral component of the body seeks answers from the spirit world, it attempts to read into the future and it even meets other astral beings.
During an astral projection experience, the consciousness leaves the physical body and it joins up with the astral body instead.
Apparently, astral projection does not take some kind of special skill or talent, though learning to induce astral projection voluntarily can be a lengthy and tedious process.
Everyone can astral project, but some people can do it sort of naturally. For others, the removal of their consciousness from their physical body never even comes up and they never learn to do it.
Why is astral projection called “astral”?
Astral projection is just one of several different kinds of projections the human consciousness is apparently capable of. In my humble opinion, the definition of astral projection is simply incomplete without including the information below.
Astral projection sees the projector (or traveler) ascend to a domain without any obvious links to and parallels with the real, physical world.
The environments of this astral plane can be populated or not, they can be completely abstract, beautiful or scary.
Physical laws do not apply in this astral realm: projectors can float or fly.
The visual quality of the environments can range from crude, barely discernible, to highly detailed and vivid.
What’s more, astral projectors can travel from one such realm to another, seemingly at a whim.
A theory of mine is that those who have dreams are actually traveling the astral plain, without being aware of it. Indeed, some common dream scenarios, such as falling, flying or walking through quicksand, are expressions of the astral body in action.
Ethereal projection
Unlike astral projection, ethereal projection sees the ethereal body travel to a plane which is indeed the near-perfect copy of mundane physical reality.
In this realm, the projector travels about in a sort of near-invisible form, floating and flying.
Technicalities cast aside, the lines are often indeed blurred between astral and ethereal projection. In many ways, the definition of astral and ethereal projection is the same.
The ethereal body for instance, can be separated in a manner similar to the one described above, from the physical body, to which it remains linked through a sort of umbilical cord.
Mental projection
Mental projection gives consciousness yet another plane where it manifests itself. Unlike in the case of astral- and ethereal projection, through a mental projection, even abstract thoughts, such as mathematical concepts, take on a physical sort of presence.
The Akashic Records
At the boundary between the astral and mental planes, there’s a sort of library, which was named the Akashic records by the theosophists, encompassing all past and present knowledge (from the perspective of the projector, or course) in addition to a slew of future possibilities.
The future part of this equation is uncertain, in the sense that it can indeed shift and morph right under the watchful eyes of the projector.
Astral Projection and Catholicism
In addition to having delivered this more or less proper definition of astral projection, I also have to mention that the Roman Catholic church generally frowns upon these concepts. Astral projection, as a practice, is in fact forbidden.
The interesting thing is that according to the church, the soul (the consciousness separated from the physical body, having moved into the astral one) is susceptible to harassment from demons – without the protection of religion.
What this tells us is that astral projection is not just a fact in the view of parapsychology, spirituality and esoteric science: even mainstream religion treats it as such.
How does astral projection happen?
Astral projection can happen naturally, or it can be voluntarily induced by the projector. The voluntary induction of this phenomenon is not easy to accomplish and it does indeed take some time to master.
The astral projection experience differs from one person to another.
For some, astral projection is akin to dreaming, until they “wake up,” that is. At this point, one may find him/herself lucid dreaming, with his/her astral body hovering near the ceiling, with his/her consciousness “stuck” in it, looking down on his/her physical body in the bed.
Such an experience can indeed be shocking for some – my first time was exactly that for me. Panicking in this situation may make it difficult for the two bodies to join up again.
The best course of action is to just stay calm and let nature take its course: your astral body will soon rejoin your physical shell, and you will proceed to wake up properly.
How do you know that you are having an astral projection experience?
Some people have reported hearing a slight popping sound, as their astral body separates from their physical one. I personally haven’t experienced that, but I have always felt what “science” defines as the “astral wind.”
It is due to this wind and to your changing perspective, that you’ll first realize your consciousness has left your physical body behind.
Astral Projection Dangers
According to some, there are certain dangers involved in the voluntary induction of astral projection, though I personally haven’t had any bad experiences with it whatsoever.
Astral projection does not carry any negatives under normal circumstances.
Some say that people who manage to induce astral projection are more prone to meeting with other negative astral bodies, that might try to draw them into what’s known as the “Phantasmagoric Plane.”
According to some, this is where fatal nightmares can occur, although I personally do not know much about that, and I don’t really like to dwell on it either.
The bottom line is that whether you are prepared or not, you are not likely to see any negative effects from astral projection episodes – self-induced or otherwise.
How to perform astral projection
Step 1 – Relax your body
Deep physical relaxation is one of the most important prerequisites of successful projections and OBEs.
The reason why many oneironauts and AP-enthusiasts fail to achieve proper conscious-exit projection is that they neglect the role of deep physical relaxation, in favor of more interesting things further down the line.
After all: how difficult is it to relax and to achieve a certain level of trance?
If one manages to stay awake till a state of trance is reached, he/she has more or less successfully completed the first part of the AP mission, right?
Wrong.
What exactly does trance translate to?
During the trance state, the physical body is asleep, while the mind is still awake. Despite being asleep, the body may still be riddled with muscle tension and it may be in a stressed-out state. Such a physical body will not allow for proper projectable double generation and separation.
This phenomenon simply does not work at the areas where physical tension is present. Thus, the effort will result in partial projections and eventually, an inability on the part of the projector to progress any further. Frustration soon strikes, further complicating the problem.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and the deep physical relaxation it achieves, is nothing less than the very foundation on which the entire successful AP/OBE experience rests, and it should be treated as such.
PMR also lends itself well to practice, in the sense that it becomes easier and easier the more one does it. The key is to go about it the right way and to practice it often.
The simplicity of PMR is exactly why it is so exasperating to see many potentially successful APers struggle with problems they could easily avoid by focusing more on deep physical relaxation.
While an actual PMR session should not take longer than 10-15 minutes, the “right way” requires that you go about it very methodically. You have to complete several preparatory phases before you even get to the point where you apply actual PMR techniques.
One method used to tweak PMR is to incorporate relaxing imagery. Such imagery can range from the very simple – such as imagining your various body parts bathed by the warm rays of the sun – to the complex – such as imagining yourself out in the woods, on a sunny clearing, among buzzing bees and colorful flowers.
The use of guided imagery is meant to add to the effects of PMR, complementing them. Imagining a safe place, or any spot to which one is linked by fond memories, and then imagining oneself transported to that place, is the way to go.
One of the most important prerequisites of proper PMR is that the practitioner should be well rested. If you are sleepy, you’re not in a good position to begin PMR, especially if you plan on doing the required exercises lying down.
In this regard, you may want to avoid doing the PMR exercises after a copious meal. In that well-fed condition, you are much more likely to doze off from relaxation.
If you find it impossible to achieve even the minimum required relaxation to begin the exercises, taking a bath may help, as it has a soothing and energy-draining effect on the body.
It is recommended that you do you PMR sitting up in an armchair, where you have good support for your back, neck and arms. Loose clothing is recommended as well, as you do not need circulation-related problems distracting you from your deep physical relaxation.
Finding the proper posture is important for the same reason: during deep physical relaxation, your head may sag for instance, creating a circulation hiccup again, which will disturb your relaxation.
While the use of a bed (and lying down) is not recommended, it can be a last-resort type of solution.
The good posture recommendation goes for the whole body, obviously. Sagging in your armchair will result in joint and muscle strain, thus defeating the very purpose of your exercise.
Have a blanket at the ready in case you start feeling cold due to the relaxation. Indeed, the lowering of the heart-rate, which results from the exercise, can have such an effect on some people.
To wrap up your preparations, take five to ten deep breaths. Such deep breathing will put your body into “relaxation-mode.” Some also recommend that you do a full body stretch before you get down to the actual exercises.
Progressive muscle relaxation is about tensing and then relaxing various muscle groups in your body, thus teaching yourself the difference between the two states and giving yourself a valuable tool for achieving relaxation much easier further down the line.
In the beginning, you will benefit from listening to a set of instructions (such as those provided below) that guides you through the process step-by-step. You can also memorize the instructions and follow them by heart.
It is best to go through the routine methodically, starting with the feet and working your way up the body to the neck and the face.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Instructions
Once you’re settled in and ready to start, take a deep breath through your nose, then exhale through your mouth.
The feet
Take another deep breath and curl your toes on your right foot as tightly as you can. Hold the tension in the muscle while you hold your breath for 5-10 seconds. Breathe out and release the tension, focusing on the way your foot feels when it relaxes.
Repeat the same move for the left foot.
Calves
Next, tighten your calf muscle. You can accomplish this by sort of pretending to push down on something with your foot. Remember to correlate the tightening and relaxing of your calf muscle with the above described breathing technique. Again: repeat for the left calf.
You can involve the front part of your lower leg too, by pulling your toes upward as much as you can. This move stretches the calf-muscle and tenses the frontal muscle group. Tense, hold and relax, while inhaling and exhaling as said above.
Theoretically, you can do these exercises for both feet/legs at the same time, but it’s best in the beginning to focus on just one muscle group. Later on, as you become better at PMR, you’ll be able to take such shortcuts without compromising the quality of the exercise.
Thighs
Let us move on to the thighs. Squeeze your thigh muscles (by locking your knees and sort of attempting to lift an imaginary weight forward with your legs). Hold the tension, then release.
You can repeat the move for your inner thighs as well. This time around, you shall be “attempting to squeeze your knees together.” The technique is the same as described above. The same goes for the hamstrings.
Buttocks
The next muscle group is the buttocks (the gluteous maximus and everything linked to it). Squeeze your buttocks together and hold the tension while holding the breath you’ve just taken through your nose. Relax after 5-10 seconds while breathing out.
The core
The abs are next. Give them the sort of squeeze you would if you attempted to roll into a ball. Hold the tension, then release as specified above. Suck in your stomach next, and hold that position for the required amount of time. Relax.
Straighten your back and attempt to push your upper body backward, even as you’re pushing your bum out and backward too, to tense up your lower back muscles.
Arms
Let’s do the arms next. Once again, everything you do on the right side should be repeated on the left.
Make a fist and squeeze it hard. Relax. Lock out your elbows and give the triceps (the biggest muscle-group of the upper arm, located on the back of your arm) a squeeze too.
Engage your biceps by flexing in the “make a muscle” fashion. Relax them too, while breathing out and focusing on just how good it feels to let go of the tension.
Shoulders/neck
Next up, we have the neck and the shoulders. While the shoulders themselves are difficult to engage without actually pushing a weight above your head, you’ll use your trapezius muscles to pull your shoulders upward and inward, towards your ears. The traps go up all the way into your neck, so they’ll engage that area as well.
If you are prone to injury in this area, exercise increased caution when tensing. Relax your muscles, while breathing out and focusing on how the tension flows out of the targeted muscle group.
The face
The facial muscles are next. We shall be focusing on the mouth (jaw), eyes, and eyebrows here.
Open your mouth as widely as you can, stretching the muscles of the jaw, while taking a deep breath through your nose. Hold the position for 5-10, then relax while breathing out.
Close your eyes and squeeze them shut as tightly as you can. Relax them.
Raise your eyebrows as far up as you can, hold them in position, then relax.
Remember to take some time at the end of it all, to focus on the complete physical relaxation of your body. You’ll be amazed by how good it feels.
Step 2 – Allowing your body to doze off while the mind remain awake / entering sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is not exactly astral projection, but the state that it triggers – being awake/aware of yourself/your surroundings, while being unable to move – is exactly the state of consciousness you need to be in to succeed in astral projection.
In the context of astral projection, sleep paralysis is referred to as trance.
The role of trance in the induction of OBEs (out-of-body experiences), astral projection and even WILDs (Wake-Initiated Lucid Dreams) is absolutely and obviously essential. It is perhaps the most important step towards wringing these rather convoluted yet extremely interesting and rewarding experiences out of the human mind.
How do you go about inducing trance though and what are the pitfalls that you have to watch along the way?
Trance is a very contradictory phenomenon in regards to the induction of lucid dreaming and phenomena concerning conscious-exit projection.
On one hand, it is indeed a very natural state, one which every one of us experiences on a daily basis. Our minds are essentially built for it.
On the other hand though, the sort of trance needed as a path to astral projection and other OBEs, is not easy at all to achieve and to maintain.
Before we get into the finer points of this rather fascinating state of the human mind, let us see exactly what you need to achieve it.
While there are different definitions of trance and many ways through which such a state can be achieved, we will be focusing on the kind of trance required for having an out-of-body experience or a wake-initiated lucid dream.
As I pointed out in my last article, deep physical relaxation is an absolute must for trance. Though easy to cover when sticking to the script I provided, many trance-hunters neglect its finer points, thus effectively sabotaging their trance-focused efforts.
A clear mind (and by that I obviously mean the surface mind and not your deeper consciousness), is also a major requirement. While to some, the clearing of the surface mind might be a challenge, it is normally a rather simple exercise. If you have any nagging thoughts on your mind, simply take a minute to ruminate them for a few brief moments and then let them go for good.
To aid with your trance-induction, you will want to use a mental technique as well. Though slipping into trance is possible without such an apparent artifice, something like the falling mental technique can move things forward in this regard for you by leaps and bounds.
What exactly is trance though and how can it be defined from the point of view of the avid oneironaut, forever in search of experiences, such as AP and LD?
Trance is that state in which you find yourself just as you are going to sleep. Right on the boundary between sleep and wakefulness, there’s a point where your physical shell, your body, is asleep, but your mind didn’t quite get there yet. This is trance.
Given how it results in noticeably (and measurably) less bioelectrical activity in the brain, the state of trance can actually be pinpointed and measured through an EEG machine.
The less such bioelectrical activity occurs, the deeper the state of trance is. This reduced activity, correlated with the altering of the brain waves, generates a bevy of – shall we say – interesting sensations for the person who manages to keep conscious.
As far as readily describable sensations are concerned, the state of trance is characterized by warm and cozy feelings in the body, as well as a general sensation of heaviness.
The mind begins to ramble, often incoherent thoughts running through it. Such incoherence is usually caused by physical and/or mental exhaustion, and as such, it is obviously an obstacle in the path of lucidity at this point.
The heaviness in the body (which turns into complete paralysis as one wades into deeper stages of trance) is a clear sign that one has indeed achieved trance.
Some say that the meaning of this sensation is that consciousness has withdrawn from the physical shell, into a sort of inner projection of self, called the ethereal body. That does indeed explain why with trance, one takes a major step towards external projection.
As alluded to above, there are several stages of trance one can go through. For the sake of simplicity, three such stages have been defined as distinct, though the lines among them are often blurred.
Light Trance
The light trance state is obviously the easiest to attain and the most tenuous to maintain.
Much like a daydream, this stage of trance is characterized by the above described warm and fuzzy feelings in the body, coupled with occasional hypnagogic imagery projected onto the backs of the subject’s eyelids.
A feeling of dissociation from one’s physical shell and environment is also present during this stage of trance.
External projection is already possible at this point, but as already mentioned, this state is quite tenuous and even the slightest physical discomfort can break it. This is why deep physical relaxation is so important, among other reasons.
Full Trance
As one sinks deeper into trance, he/she will arrive to the state of full trance, which brings a few more elements into the sensations-picture.
In addition to the body feeling heavier and heavier, as the links of one’s consciousness are slowly but surely severed with it, a slight sensation of falling rears its head too.
Since trance can best be described as a continuous battle one’s consciousness wages against the draw of the abyss of sleep, or a sort of balancing act even, with the deepening of trance, the draw of sleep becomes more pronounced as well.
As the REM sleep stage sneaks up on the person in trance, occasional dream imagery may sneak into more-vivid-than-before hypnagogic imagery that often accompanies this stage of trance. This should be viewed as an indication that – most likely on account of less than sufficient sleep – the subject is losing his/her grip on trance and is slowly falling asleep.
Most of those who achieve this trance-depth will have to fight off bouts of such REM-temptations, which is best done by simply ignoring them.
Deep Trance
This is the stage, during which the loss of control over one’s physical shell can indeed become complete, leading to a sleep paralysis-like state, which can be scary to some.
Some oneironauts have reported a continuous falling sensation during this stage too, which can also startle some people.
It is important to remember that – much like sleep paralysis itself – this trance stage is wholly harmless, despite the radical sensations it generates. One can attempt to pull out of it by repeatedly attempting to perform some sort of minute physical movement, such as wiggling a toe, but if all else fails, and one really wants to exit, simply falling asleep is perhaps the best strategy.
If you’re looking for external projection, a light trance is the stage you need to be in. There’s no need to reach a deep state of trance.
I’d even go as far as to assume that if you have reached a sleep paralysis-like state, you have probably already projected, but your consciousness missed the opportunity to slip into your astral body.
In such a case, you can opt to simply terminate the experiment by allowing your mind to follow your physical body into the realm of the Sandman.
While it is obvious that trance is the handiest and most straightforward way for you to astral project or to attain lucid dreaming, it is just as obvious – even from the above – that it is no walk in the park.
What kind of challenges will you face when trying to attain a state of trance?
The most daunting of these challenges is the continuous “danger” of falling asleep. Needless to say, sleep deprivation exacerbates this problem, and indeed, since most people do not get enough sleep, this issue is a major one.
Somewhat contradictorily, people who do not get enough sleep find it much easier to fall into trance. Unfortunately, they then find it quite impossible to mentally focus, and they end up slipping right past the stage useful for trance work, into sleep.
For proper trance, mental relaxation and a well-rested state are both extremely important. This is the very reason why most people find it easier to slip into proper, controlled trance early in the morning, after waking up, or even during the night.
Some people find it easier to attain a state of trance after waking up an hour earlier than normal. Others set their alarms and awaken during the night for the exercise. In such cases, preparatory actions are usually not required. The deep physical- and mental relaxation needed is provided by the sleep that leads up to the trance attempt.
While some people take to trance like fish to water, others find it simply impossible to attain the state.
If you happen to be one of these people, the first thing you need to do is to methodically identify the weakness at the core of your inability.
There are scores of possible weak links in the trance-chain, as I’ve already explained above.
If you find yourself unable to enter trance, go back to my previous articles and guides and read them through again. Repeat the experiment, paying keen attention to every detail and try to pinpoint the problem.
Do not measure your success against other people. As said, some have a natural proclivity towards this type of mental exercise, while others don’t. Your success should only be measured against your own previous abilities and accomplishments in this regard.
Remember that trance CAN be learned. All it really takes is some patience and practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it over time.
That said, some people are met with problems on the opposite end of the spectrum: they find it too easy to slip into trance.
The dangers entailed by this problem are quite obvious: you do not want the lines between physical reality and your trance reality blurred. Those who become very good at attaining trance, may indeed get to a point where they’re liable to slip into trance at a moment’s notice and quite unexpectedly.
If you happen to be one of these people, suspend your trance-related activities for a while.
My recipe for attaining a deep-enough level of trance to make AP possible
There are a few mental and physical tricks you can employ to facilitate the onset of trance, above and beyond heeding all the advice I’ve already delivered in this article and in the previous ones.
Assuming that you have mastered deep physical relaxation and the clearing of your surface-mind, let us take a closer look at the mental techniques you can adopt to ease your path to trance significantly.
Before that though, there’s still time for a quick practical tip: when beginning your trance attempt, hold your lower arms up as you’re lying in bed, so they are perpendicular to the surface of the bed. This way, you’ll delay your mind going to sleep, even as your body goes under.
Back to my mental techniques though.
What I have personally found efficient in this regard is what I call the falling technique. It consists of imagining and visualizing a scenario about falling, and then focusing on this feeling. As pointed out above, the sensation of falling is part and parcel of the deeper trance experience.
Through this technique, you will essentially be ushering in this deeper trance stage, “by force” so to speak.
In theory, you should be free to personalize this technique, making it all about what works best for you falling-wise. I will provide a sample script for you though, just to give you an idea how you should apply it.
Sample trance-inducing mental technique
Having gone through all the preparatory steps and having achieved proper physical and mental relaxation, I like to imagine myself stepping off a concrete diving platform, backwards.
It does not hurt to have already attained a shallower degree of trance before commencing this mental exercise.
As I start falling feet-first (and even before that), I try to focus on the texture of the structure supporting the platform. I usually imagine a concrete/metal combination in this regard, and I see lower platforms whizzing by on my left.
My fall does not actually end with a splash in the water though. It just goes on and on, as the feeling of slight vertigo in my stomach persists.
If you like to be reminded of what this feeling is really like, go and ride an elevator downward, focusing on the moments right after it starts moving.
As I’m falling further and further, I have found that my trance level becomes deeper and deeper.
The mantra I keep repeating in my head while falling is “Let go, let go…” The interesting thing about such mantras is that over time, you can condition your mind to instantly conjure up the whole above described scenario, as soon as you say them once.
This technique is just a sample, in the sense that you don’t actually have to stick to it word-by-word.
In fact, I recommend that based on it, you should develop your own falling technique, based on a situation/experience closer to your own soul.
You can indeed imagine yourself being in an elevator which has one of its walls removed to expose a side of the elevator shaft.
You can also picture yourself falling through colored clouds, or even slowly floating downward on a massive feather. There are no boundaries in this regard, and once you get the hang of the technique, you will find yourself coming back to it time and again.
Taking advantage of the natural state of trance is one of the most reasonable and logical paths towards higher-level mental experiences such as astral projection and wake-initiated lucid dreams.
The techniques presented in this article and in my previous/subsequent ones can all be learned and mastered through perseverance.
Step 3 – Exiting your physical body
The actual projection-phase (the moment when one’s projected double breaks free of his/her physical body) is viewed as some sort of Holy Grail by OBE enthusiasts.
The exercise could be summed up as trying to exteriorize one’s sense of self/body awareness. That’s what it all comes down to really.
Bounce Loosening Method
Create a mental image of the room in which you are, and begin an “awareness” bounce through your body. As you settle into a rhythm, slowly expand the boundaries of this bouncing action, until you reach the ceiling above and the floor below you.
At this point, your awareness shall indeed bounce right through your body, from floor to ceiling.
Try to focus on the texture of the ceiling and then the floor, as if you were indeed physically there to see it up-close.
This mental exercise can then be expanded to actually feeling your whole spatial position at all times, during the bounce. Try to focus your attention on the moments when your awareness bounces off the ceiling and the floor, and ignore the instances when it passes through your physical body.
To wrap up the exercise, you will then focus on bouncing your awareness back and forth, in line with your face. If you are lying down, this will still involve the floor and the ceiling, but if you’re sitting more or less upright, you will have to shift your attention to the walls behind and in front of you.
The goal of the bounce technique is obvious: by focusing your awareness onto a point well outside your physical body, you achieve exit projection, even if it’s just for a brief moment.
The Breathing Method
The breathing method is a lot like the above-detailed bounce method, only its focus is on – obviously- breathing.
Once again, you start out by positioning yourself into the perfect state for projection and by creating a mental image of the room around you.
Then, as you breathe out, you focus on collapsing your awareness into your physical body, all the way to the point when you feel you are but a tiny speck in a vast space, which is your room. Physically feel the distances between the walls grow larger and larger, until they become almost infinite.
When breathing in, on the other hand, feel your awareness expand, past your physical frame, all the way to the point when it fills up the entire room.
The Spin Loosening Method
The spin loosening method takes a slightly different approach to awareness-loosening. With this method, you will take the bounce method a slight step further.
After bouncing your awareness back and forth a few times, you begin to spin around the room in a clockwise direction. Throughout this spinning movement, you touch every wall you encounter, again focusing on its texture/details.
Make the movement relatively fast: it should not take more than 3-4 seconds to complete an orbit around your physical body. You can actually pick the speed with which you are most comfortable. The above 3-4 second orbit recommendation comes from my personal experience.
Once again, focus on the texture of the walls and the changing perspective as you move around.
It is an obvious truth that holding an immobile external projection is much more difficult than holding a moving one. This is what the spin loosening method takes advantage of.
Through this method, you’re going to spend more time outside of your physical body, so be aware that spin loosening can indeed act as an actual projection trigger.
Imagination
Your imagination is always handy, available and free, so why not try to use it for loosening your projected double? The sky is indeed the limit in this regard.
You can for instance simply imagine your projected double leaving your physical body and heading out the door. When engaging in such an exercise, you need to pay keen attention to actually feeling your physical body being left behind. Also remember that to make the holding of your projected double easier, you need to move around.
Once you have imagined yourself leaving your body, there is no reason for you to limit your movements to your room. Move out and away and imagine yourself flying to a different town for instance.
If – at any point during this mental exercise – you begin to truly feel where you are imagining yourself, while you sense a surge of energy through your innards and bones, accompanied by a sensation of vertigo, chances are you have managed to accomplish full projection exit.
The beauty of this method is that indeed, suddenly you may find projected double fully escaped and already in a remote location.
The Rope Projection Method
When it comes to go-to projection triggers, not much can equal the rope projection method, and there’s good reason why that is the case.
The method is based on the imagined scenario of the oneironaut pulling him/herself out of his/her physical shell by pulling on a rope hanging from the ceiling.
For this exercise, you will have to position yourself lying on your back, face up towards the ceiling.
It goes without saying that you need to be mentally and physically relaxed and preferably in a light state of trance.
Allow your imagination to conjure up a thick, coarse rope, hanging just above your chest, in a position in which you can effortlessly grab onto it.
Use your awareness hands to grab the rope, and focus on its texture. You have to feel its rough, ropey touch in the palms of your hands.
Use your awareness hands to start “climbing” up the rope, by pulling on it.
Remember: do not allow your physical body to tense up from the imagined effort. This is an effortless climb, the sort that will in effect extract your projected double from your physical shell.
Focus on the actual climbing motion, as you pull the rope in with one hand, while holding onto it with the other. It is important that you keep both your awareness hands engaged at all times.
Try to hit a climbing pace you find comfortable. On my part, I have found that allowing one second for each hand action is about right.
If the technique works (and it does indeed work), you will feel a slight tingling and then vertigo in your stomach. If you experience these sensations, keep going: you are on the right track.
Sooner or later, you will trigger the projection reflex.
There are several variations of the rope method, but for starters, the above one will do.
Just remember: if you run into some sort of conundrum while performing the technique, such as bumping into the ceiling, unable to rise any further, use visualization to do away with these problems.
Simply “imagine away” the ceiling.
Astral Projection Tips
Is it required to Decalcify the Pineal Gland?
Considered the “Seat of the Soul” and the “Third Eye” by many, the pineal gland is beyond any doubt an organ, the importance of which far exceeds anything we currently know about it.
Researchers have linked it to the regulation of mood and sleep cycles, but above and beyond that, it may in fact be the very source of dreams and of more intricate phenomena, such as out-of-body experiences and astral projection.
The bad news is that this “all-seeing eye” of ours is vulnerable to calcification, which is a process not entirely dissimilar to how our bones are formed.
As such, its triggers are not exactly well-known, despite what some snake-oil salesmen would have you believe.
According to such people, modern lifestyles and diets are to blame for this problem.
The narrative goes that due to the pesticide and fluoride infestation of drinking water and scores of foods, the pineal gland undergoes a gradual calcification, which eventually all but disables this important organ, causing serious disturbances in the lives of those who suffer from such a condition.
Having defined the problem so “eloquently,” the snake-oil peddlers then obviously offer a solution too: the decalcification of the pineal gland calls for a two-pronged approach, meant to deal with detoxification as well as active functional support.
Adopting a lifestyle that promotes the pineal gland is extremely important.
Ditching foods that contain fluoride, discontinuing the use of sunglasses, eliminating processed foods and embracing the light as well as the darkness, while combining everything with meditation, is apparently the way to go.
While none of those recommendations will do a body any harm, some of them are a little unhinged to say the least.
Moreover, there is no scientific evidence concerning the possible benefic effects of any of those “treatments.” Sure, they may aid with overall health and well-being, but the actual science of the pineal gland is a little more convoluted than that.
These all-knowing “PG-specialists” then obviously advise us to start taking actual supplements that “decalcify and actively promote” the function of the PG.
I mentioned above that the true triggers of PG calcification are not well-known, and while this is indeed the case, some of the risk-factors are indeed known. However, they do not seem to be linked to long-term fluoride exposure in any shape or form.
For one thing: the prevalence of pineal gland calcification problems seems directly related to age. To a certain point, the older one is, the more likely he is to encounter such problems.
Scientifically conducted medical studies have found that F (fluoride) does indeed readily accumulate in the pineal gland. Its concentrations in this organ far exceed its concentrations in the muscle for instance.
Its presence in the PG is also directly correlated with the presence of Ca (calcium) too, so calcification IS real.
Where the problems come in, is that PG F-concentrations are in no way correlated with bone fluoride concentrations. Bone F concentrations have long been known to be reliable indicators for long-term F-exposure and body burden.
Since no link between Bone F and PG F exists, it is safe to say that PG F is in no way influenced by fluoride exposure and body burden.
Long story short: you cannot raise the level of F in your pineal gland by drinking F-laced water, or exposing yourself to the otherwise rather toxic element in other ways. Therefore, you cannot raise the level of Ca in your PG either.
Thus, PG calcification is NOT brought about by environmental factors/exposure and diet choices. It is a process controlled by some kind of other mechanism.
Melatonin
Pineal gland calcification leads to melatonin-deficiency, which in turn, wreaks havoc on one’s sleep/wake cycles.
Without a doubt, melatonin supplementation can and will have a positive impact on this problem, but it will likely not do much for the calcification issue.
It simply corrects one of its ill-effects.
Given its impact on the REM sleep stage and its apparent ability to promote sleep paralysis, melatonin makes the list of supplements recommended for astral projection.
My theory in this regard is that due to its above said effects, melatonin makes it easier for astral projectors to reach the hypnagogic state, that is indeed the critical point in every out-of-body experience.
Moreover, since melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, which is believed to be the “third eye,” it’s very possible that taking melatonin may facilitate third-eye-mediated phenomena, such as astral projection.
Some people report that melatonin helps them reach the vibratory stage of astral projection faster and that the vibrations are more intense than usual.
Another mechanism by which melatonin may improve one’s chances to successfully project is by bringing about sleep paralysis, as I explained above.
I can personally attest to the fact that under the effect of melatonin, astral projection is indeed quicker and easier to achieve.
If you’re practicing astral projection while not being tired enough to enter the trance state, melatonin may help prepare your body to fall asleep. (But don’t forget that light destroys melatonin, so make sure you’re in a dark room when attempting this.)
Useful Astral Projection Supplements
Besides melatonin, there are other supplements which may be beneficial for astral projection, including Huperzine A, Calea zacatechichi, galantamine and choline.
In addition to these supplements, there are also natural psychoactive substances which may trigger out-of-body experiences as a side effect. Here’s a list of such OBE inducers.
Huperzine A
The acetylcholine-boosting effects of Huperzine A, which make it not only a medicine for Alzheimer, but also a great way to improve dream recall and induce lucid dreams, mean that Huperzine A may also be beneficial for astral projection.
Calea zacatechichi
I have personally found it very useful in this regard. Obviously, no supplement will trigger an on-demand OBE for you, but Calea z. will certainly help with your induction techniques.
The fact that it is capable of projecting vivid imagery onto the back of your eyelids seemingly at all times (even when you are awake but close your eyes for a few seconds, to perhaps rest them), is in and of itself a major asset astral projection-wise.
Galantamine
Galantamine makes a noticeable impact on the induction of the experience, which is the most difficult thing about it. WILD bears some similarity to the induction of OBEs, and as pointed out above, galantamine works great for WILD.
Added lucidity and control is always more than welcome in an OBE too.
Alpha-GPC
While astral projection is far from being the equivalent of a lucid dream on steroids, it is induced in a rather WILD-like manner.
I have personally had a handful of outstanding OBEs while on the above described supplement combination, and I have to say that I found the induction of these experiences much easier than usual – a fact I quickly jotted down to the effects of choline/galantamine.
Furthermore, unlike galantamine – all choline-based dream-enhancing supplements are exceptionally well tolerated by the body.
The Bottom Line: Astral Projection Practice Routine
According to “mainstream” wisdom, the best time of the day to try to induce astral projection is in the morning, near dawn in fact, when one is still drowsy and not completely awake.
Relaxation is extremely important for this exercise, so if you feel you cannot completely relax for whatever reason, do not push it. Find an area of your house where you’re most likely to achieve complete relaxation. Set the place up: draw the shades if needed and keep out all outside disturbances.
Before you start, make sure you have time set aside for this purpose, during which no one will bother you in any way. Turn off your phone, and choose a secluded corner of your house. You may even want to consider dimming the lights.
Lie down while on your back or sit on a comfortable chair, try to focus your thoughts on the way your body feels, while locking out all other thoughts. Breathe deeply, but do not strain. Relaxation is the key word, and that goes for your breathing too.
To give yourself the best possible chance at projection exit, you need to be physically and mentally thoroughly relaxed, for the above-explained reasons.
You also need to achieve a relatively shallow state of trance. Indeed, it is important that you do not slip into deep trance, as by doing that, you’ll bring about bouts of REM imagery and falling asleep becomes a real possibility. Light-to-moderate trance is what you need here.
This is the stage where – if you do everything right – you should sense the onset of vibrations. These vibrations are the heralds of your astral body preparing to leave you physical shell behind. Do not become panicked at this stage, as that will throw you out of your meditative state and your astral projection experiment will be interrupted. Instead, try to surrender yourself to these vibrations…they are perfectly natural and should be present.
Next, imagine yourself getting up from the bed and heading across the room (or try a different exit technique). Once again: I’m not talking about a physical act here. Use your mind and your mind alone to visualize the room, and then your body moving across it. If you look back at your bed and see your physical body lying there, you’ve accomplished your first foray into the astral realm.
Your silver cord should pull you back to your body without any kind of an effort on your part. Once you feel you’ve reentered your physical body, move your fingers and toes (this time physically) to complete the process.
One thing to remember if you do indeed successfully projection-exit: keep your initial OBE only around 10 seconds in length, then get back to your physical self.
Such short OBE experiences are easier to remember and they will radically increase your chances to recreate the induction process.
Projection exit is often accompanied by a surge of energy and excitement. Try to keep calm and fend off this excitement as it may prevent you from accomplishing full exit, right when you are on the verge of pulling it off.
If you fail at this point though and you find yourself fully paralyzed, do not panic. You have projected and you missed the exit, as your consciousness got stuck in your physical body. Wait calmly for your projected double to return and just snap out of it all.
That’s all it takes.
By following this example schedule, or by modelling your own schedule based on the 3 steps I described in this astral projection induction guide, you will definitely succeed.
Need astral projection coaching? Check if I’m available.