Close to an OBE but failed

Update: The past couple of nights haven't been too promising. Sometimes I'd get vibrations, other times I wouldn't. I have learned to disregard vibrations for now because they seem very deceptive as an indicator. Still though, it lets me know I'm on the right track.

Sometimes, I'd aggressively try to separate. Other times, I'd simply lie down and try to let it happen. Both of these methods haven't worked in their own ways. For the aggressive method: I try to actively "push" my way out of my body through my third eye or through my entire head. I end up moving physically. My body seems to follow my astral body behind. They're out of sync in that my astral body moves first...but my physical always follows behind like a lagging shadow.

For the passive/relaxed method: I end up drifting off to sleep. And whenever I regain consciousness to try to "float" away, I don't seem to get anywhere. Sometimes, I distinctly feel like I'm floating but it always seems like a placebo feeling and not like an ACTUAL floating away feeling. During my last successful OBE, the feeling of floating away from my body was as distinct and realistic as ever. There was no mistaking that I was actually leaving my body. Now, the floating sensations are strong but somehow, less-than-real. I end up feeling still stuck to my body. No matter how relaxed, no matter how malleable my mind is (for vivid visualizations), I can't seem to leave my body.

The vibrations I feel are of the localized kind. Sometimes, I feel them behind my neck. Sometimes, I feel them on my solar plexus, arms, hands, legs, head...but never my entire body. And they're not as intense as my last OBE. Other times, I wouldn't feel vibrations at all but rather a tingling, hissing sensation all over my body. I'd say this is the best feeling because at this point, the boundaries of my body (where my fingers and toes end, etc.) seem to blur. It is at this point that all sensations (like the bed on my back, the pillow behind my neck, the covers on my body, etc.) also seem to fade and I can float away. But whenever I do, it feels like I'm floating but no vibrations. Sometimes, I get vibrations but they don't get any stronger. I sometimes visually try to trick my subconscious mind into believing I'm out-of-body but the visualizations aren't vivid enough to initiate the separation process.

In desperation, I searched the net and stumbled on this: http://obe4u.com/?p=63
A troubleshooting page for common mistakes made during an OBE session. After reading this, I realized some of the mistakes I'd been making and I tried to correct them this morning after waking up from a deep sleep (surprisingly from a failed OBE attempt). I ended up just lying there watching the images in my mind.

I'll (of course) try again tonight. Persistence is key and I'm not going to let this get away from me. For some reason, the determination I have to achieve AP/OBE at will is overwhelming. I'm not usually this determined and often times, I get frustrated and give up for a while. This has happened before my last, successful OBE. I'm wondering why that is. Perhaps there is something calling me from Beyond. Or perhaps my subconscious knows that many of the answers to my questions lie in the Mysterious Beyond. I don't know...but I'm sure of this: I ain't stopping until I get it down....

I'll report back in the coming days....

[astralsuzy]

It is disappointing when we make a big effort to ap and it does not happen. Last night I tried and it would not happen. As I said before all we can do is to keep trying. Also to try and work out why ap did not happen. We are the best ones in trying to work it out. In my case, I think I know why. I will try a different approach. A much gentler approach and if I fall asleep well that is not a bad thing. I am not going to get upset about it. I will try again when I wake up. Thanks for the link. It is good that you realised some of your mistakes.

[astralsuzy]

You did ap. You did separate. You said,
For the aggressive method: I try to actively "push" my way out of my body through my third eye or through my entire head. I end up moving physically. My body seems to follow my astral body behind. They're out of sync in that my astral body moves first...but my physical always follows behind like a lagging shadow.

Just move far away from your body. Do not try to look or notice your body. Just forget about it.

Originally Posted by astralsuzy

You did ap. You did separate. You said,
For the aggressive method: I try to actively "push" my way out of my body through my third eye or through my entire head. I end up moving physically. My body seems to follow my astral body behind. They're out of sync in that my astral body moves first...but my physical always follows behind like a lagging shadow.

Just move far away from your body. Do not try to look or notice your body. Just forget about it.

Interesting. I was suspicious about this approach because at times, I'd feel like I was really leaving my body but then when I do a "physical body check", I find my body rising to sit up as well. To stay in compliance with the rule of not physically moving, I immediately assume that since I moved physically, I messed up my chance at APing. I guess I'll just forget it and do as you said: Forget about your body and just go.

It's funny. Because one time, I drifted out of my body without realizing it. I was lying on my back facing towards my left. I felt like I floated upwards but I wasn't aware of it at the time. When I snapped back to waking consciousness, I found my body contorted in the direction that I felt myself float toward. Perhaps my body is a bit too scared about me leaving and so it tries to follow behind.

Guess I've been doing it all along (with the aggressive method). I'll try it again tonight...thanks for the tip!

[Xan]

XeR0... There's something between just lying there and waiting for something to happen, and aggressively trying to push yourself out.

This is to imagine and allow yourself to lift and rise above your body. Practice this several times at the beginning of each practice period, lifting up and sinking back into the physical, to get used to the difference in the two... and to directing it without trying hard.


Xan

Wow...I tried the aggressive method last night and this morning and I must say, it's VERY EFFECTIVE. I haven't separated yet but I'm closer than I've ever been so far. I distinctly felt myself floating upwards at certain points. The feeling of the phase shift (from physical to astral) was unmistakable. My physical body still tries to follow so whenever I move, I simply relax, lie back down, rest up and try again.

My only problem with the aggressive method is that there seems to be certain point where I can't exert any "push". I'm not sure if it's either because I'm too drained at that point of there is nothing to "push" against at that point. Either way, the point at which I can no longer "push" is the point I'm stuck at. At that point, I'm not fully out-of-body but I'm not fully in-body either. This is the point when the vibrations just start.

Exhaustion settles in at those times. Not physical exhaustion but more like a mental exhaustion. I don't feel a drainage of energy, just an inability to go further. I'm sure with practice, I'll eventually break free of this veil and fully separate. For now, I'll continue with the aggressive method. Thanks again for the tips...and I'll keep you updated on my progress. I'm not giving up now....

[astralsuzy]

The more you do it the easier it will get. To be able to get out easily you have to know you can do it and be confident. The more confident you are the easier it is. I found it very hard to get out at one stage. Then it became easier but still hard. Now I just get out straight away. It is very easy. When you are getting out, keep saying I can do it. I can easily get out. You should be able to get out.
When your physical body tries to follow I would suggest not to lie down and start again. Keep going and get out. As I said forget your body.

Originally Posted by astralsuzy

When your physical body tries to follow I would suggest not to lie down and start again. Keep going and get out. As I said forget your body.

See, that's the part I'm having the most difficulty with. There comes a point where I actually end up sitting up physically. In that case, what do I do then? Stand up? It kinda sounds like a contradiction to the "do-not-move" rule. I end up moving around and such...

In addition to last nights' attempt, I'd also like to add that I began hearing strange voices, languages, music, etc. At one point, I ended up having a telepathic conversation with someone (it sounded like a young female) who said I looked handsome (***?!). These voices, languages, etc. tuned in and out like a radio. At some points during my attempts to aggressively separate, the sounds that were in my bedroom began to fade at an alarming rate with with alarming clarity. It was almost as if someone had plugged my ears with earplugs.

Later on today, I experimented with this aggressive separation while fully awake on the subway/in school/standing etc. I was surprised to find the same effect taking place. Whenever I did the aggressive separation, the sounds suddenly faded until I almost couldn't hear them anymore. My body felt extremely energized. I began to focus on just moving objects (for telekinesis). I'm not sure but I think I may have actually found a way to exert the "mental muscle" for telekinesis. This could be the same "muscle" that helps us separate (get out) of our bodies for AP.

Tonight's looking very promising...I'm eager to see what happens tonight...

[astralsuzy]

When you move spiritually your physical body should not move. We just spiritually move out of ourselves. Often it feels very real just like we are moving our physical bodies but it is our spiritual body that is moving. You could perhaps be thinking you are moving your physical body when it is your spiritual body that is moving. Do not move your physical body at all otherwise the ap process will end. There are times when my hand moves by itself and I am thinking is that my physical hand or spiritual hand. I really do not know. It can feel very real.
Ignore the strange noises. It can happen and there is nothing to worry about.
You are very young compared to me. I wish I started out at your age. You will get there as you are very determined.

Originally Posted by astralsuzy

When you move spiritually your physical body should not move. We just spiritually move out of ourselves. Often it feels very real just like we are moving our physical bodies but it is our spiritual body that is moving. You could perhaps be thinking you are moving your physical body when it is your spiritual body that is moving. Do not move your physical body at all otherwise the ap process will end. There are times when my hand moves by itself and I am thinking is that my physical hand or spiritual hand. I really do not know. It can feel very real.
Ignore the strange noises. It can happen and there is nothing to worry about.
You are very young compared to me. I wish I started out at your age. You will get there as you are very determined.

On the contrary, I welcome those strange noises. Some of them are VERY INTERESTING. All those different languages, styles of music, voices, etc. are all endless sources of inspiration for me. Am I listening to the imaginative constructions of my own mind or am I listening to something that's ACTUALLY HAPPENING in the Universe somewhere far away? I'm not worried about the noises.

What makes me SURE that my physical body is moving is the feeling of tensed muscles. I know it's physical when I feel my muscles tense as a result of movement. On my last OBE, I almost had no muscles to speak of. I guess there is no strain or tense-feelings in astral form. Whatever....I'll just keep trying....I'll get it eventually. Thanks for the support. Updates on their way....

UPDATE: It seems I left the computer and went to sleep without posting. I guess I'll just add on to this one. I've just awoken from quite a weird experience. I'm not even sure if it's a lucid dream or an OBE. I'll explain why in a bit.

Basically, I woke up 2AM in the morning (it's 4:30AM now) to use the bathroom. Coming back into bed, I dreamt of something very weird. Then all of a sudden, a chair in my room moves (as if by a poltergeist or something; it seemed paranormal). I get scared and I get out of body. I fall towards the door of my bedroom and I pray a prayer of protection. Somehow, it seems the chair's movement was of my influence. I focus. I kneel at my door staring at the ground praying. I then tell myself, "Clarity Now! Control now!" Subtly, I gain utmost control of my movements. Clarity is high but somehow distorted. Didn't notice it at the time but being awake now to compare it to waking consciousness, it wasn't that clear.

Anyways, I'm observant but excited. I walk straight through my wall into my roommates' bedroom to find him lying down with the lights on. I yell at him to see if he could hear me. I'm utterly surprised at the clarity as well as the control I have over my movements and everything. He immediately screams but then he holds in mouth in realization of what's happening. He sits up in his bed, looks around as if to find the source of the yell. I ask him if he sees me and he replies, "No I can't see you. But I can hear you." I tell him I'm finally out-of-body and that this is cool. I walk around the room. I look at myself in the mirror to see myself. I see my reflection. I didn't think anything was wrong at the time, but being awake now, I can tell you it was less than accurate. I then explain to my roommate how the walls curved at my presence as a result of me passing through it; indicating a curvature of space-time. I try to show him with my hands but I remember he can't see me. I'm invisible to him.

I then tell him of all my plans to go visit another country to see what my family is up to. He then asks if I could run some errands for him when I get there (what?!). I tell him I gotta get used to being out-of-body first. I jump through the window into the inner courtyard of my building to see my neighbor looking at the window at me (weird...). I float to the ground and go through the concrete. I ask to go visit my family. Somehow, in the darkness....I'm neither awake nor asleep. I'm neither aware of what just happened nor completely forgotten of what just happened. In short: my mind was blank as the blackness before my eyes. I then get visions of being back in my body watching YouTube videos of my little brother (he has no videos). I then wake up.

Here's why I think this wasn't an OBE:
1) I don't have a chair in my room to begin with, let alone a rolling one. So the movement of the chair that frightened me to leave my body doesn't even exist.
2) Despite the clarity and control, one thing was missing and that was the FIRM AFFIRMATION that I WAS NOT DREAMING. In fact, the question of whether or not I was dreaming hadn't even occurred to me. It was almost...a non-existent matter.
3) The layout of my room and my roommates' room completely changed over the course of the experience. My interaction with objects (which should have been none since I'm in astral form) was mediocre. I was semi-solid; things that could stretch did so whenever I tried to pass through it such as the screen of my window.
4) There is no way my roommate could've seen me or heard me during this experience. In fact, being awake now, he's still sleeping. During the experience, he was awake.

I'll add more details/thoughts later today. For now, I gotta wash up and integrate myself with reality more. I'll say this much, this experience and the dream before it was quite disorientating in the sense that I totally forgot who I was, where I was, what I was doing...basically my identity.