Spontaneous Astral Projection (?)

[Mirthful Owl]

Hi,

Thankful that I found this forum, I'd like to inquire about the nature of my recent experience with astral projection.

A bit of context first: my meditation practice has intensified over the last couple of weeks, leaving me capable of feeling more subtile energies on my body — including pressure on my third eye and crown chakra. Even during my day to day life, I had been having the feeling of "awareness of inhabiting my body" — that is to say not identifying with it but being aware of my beingness, so to speak.

This awareness seems to have reached a climax a couple of days ago on night time. I wrote the experience down next morning, and this is a rough translation of it from my mother tongue:

While I was about to sleep, I noticed a lot of pressure on the body. Facing upwards with my hands on the chest, I had to lower my arms and lay them on the bed because of the pressure.

My body was very heavy. I even noticed as if the bed was sinking a little with the extra weight of my body.

I felt that something was either happening or about to happen. I didn't want to resist or be too nervous for it to happen. I hesitated a few times and became more normal again.

I remember rising a little from my body. I had reduced mobility. I rose awkwardly, horizontally and confusedly.

I noticed lights whirling all around the room, thunder-like but not necessarily scary.

I tried to open my eyes because I didn't see well, but I opened them with my body lying on the bed and returned to my normal consciousness.

This was completely spontaneous. And on top of all this, a girl whom I had met that very same night texted me the day after in a state between surprise and scared telling me that I had made an appearance before her: my face was in front of hers — and she was just lying on her bed, she hadn't even started sleeping yet! I do not recall having thought about her whatsoever.

I had read a bit about Astral Projection a couple of years ago but I never got to put anything into practice. I'd like to know what do more experienced people have to say about this, because I would have thought this experience might have been a dream if it wasn't for that girl texting me afterwards.

The heat and pressure I felt were indeed real.


Was that a proper projection and are there any tips to go further into it given my situation? Is what this friend of mine saw a normal part of Astral Projection?

Thanks a lot, dear fellow humans

[Ewwerrin]

There is nothing to fear, that first of all. What you are experiencing is the lightness of your own true nature of being, that you are becoming more aware of, which caused you to experience your body as more heavy. To simply allow your own true nature of being, is effortless. And always results in your evermore effortless and natural and joyful greater allowed realisation of all that you truely are being and becoming evermore naturally and effortlessly and joyfully and freely here and now.

[Mirthful Owl]

Thanks a lot for your reply :-)

[iamthat]

Some thoughts on this (based more on my studies than actual experience):

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

While I was about to sleep, I noticed a lot of pressure on the body. Facing upwards with my hands on the chest, I had to lower my arms and lay them on the bed because of the pressure.

Part of the process of falling asleep is that the etheric (energy) body becomes quiescent, so the physical body becomes numb. This is the reason for the phenomenon of sleep paralysis, which serves the practical purpose of preventing the physical body from acting out our dreams. This may have been the reason why you felt such pressure.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

My body was very heavy. I even noticed as if the bed was sinking a little with the extra weight of my body.

One effect of the etheric body becoming quiescent is that the physical body becomes very relaxed and feels heavy. Your feeling as if the bed was sinking may actually have been your consciousness sinking downwards. Leaving the body may involve floating upwards but it can also happen by sinking downwards.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

I felt that something was either happening or about to happen. I didn't want to resist or be too nervous for it to happen. I hesitated a few times and became more normal again.

At this stage it is important to relax and stay calm, just flowing with events as they happen. Feelings of resistance or nervousness will bring us back to bodily consciousness.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

I remember rising a little from my body. I had reduced mobility. I rose awkwardly, horizontally and confusedly.

It seems common for those new to conscious AP to have difficulty controlling their movements. We may do it naturally unconsciously every night when the body goes to sleep, but doing it consciously is a different matter.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

I noticed lights whirling all around the room, thunder-like but not necessarily scary.

People report all sorts of phenomena around them when leaving the body, including lights and loud noises.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

I tried to open my eyes because I didn't see well, but I opened them with my body lying on the bed and returned to my normal consciousness.

Again, it is common for people new to conscious AP to have difficulty seeing. Someone (it might be William Buhlman) advises that people whose vision is impaired when leaving the body should mentally affirm "Clear vision now!"

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

This was completely spontaneous. And on top of all this, a girl whom I had met that very same night texted me the day after in a state between surprise and scared telling me that I had made an appearance before her: my face was in front of hers — and she was just lying on her bed, she hadn't even started sleeping yet! I do not recall having thought about her whatsoever.

Oliver Fox wrote a classic book Astral Projection, in which he describes something similar. Back in 1905 he was seeing a young lady Elsie. One day Elsie told him that she had woken up that morning to see him standing silently in her bedroom, fully dressed, looking at her. The window was open and she assumed that he had somehow climbed in through the window. He must have appeared very real. Elsie began to panic because she could hear her family moving around and she did not want them to find Oliver Fox in her room. Just as her bedroom door opened, Oliver Fox vanished.

Oliver Fox had no conscious memory of this - as far as he was concerned he had been asleep in his own bed at that time.

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

Was that a proper projection and are there any tips to go further into it given my situation? Is what this friend of mine saw a normal part of Astral Projection?

It sounds like you were beginning to project. I suggest that you read more on the subject, people like Robert Monroe, William Buhlman, Robert Peterson, Robert Bruce, and practise. You also mention pressure on the third eye - Oliver Fox also wrote some essays on what he called the Pineal Doorway. By focusing on the third eye there is a build up of pressure to the point where it becomes difficult to maintain that focus. Then suddenly something clicks and the doorway opens.

It seems as if the key to success is consistency of practice, which is probably why my own success has been limited - my practice is too inconsistent.

Peace

[Mirthful Owl]

I am grateful beyond words for your exhaustive explanation — pouring wisdom and interest.

Journeys out of the Body by Monroe is a book I happen to have just bought. I'll read further into these authors and, most importantly, practice!

Hoping your path will take you towards the experiences that facilitate your personal growth the most, even if these are not Astral Projection.

God Bless

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Mirthful Owl

I am grateful beyond words for your exhaustive explanation — pouring wisdom and interest.

Journeys out of the Body by Monroe is a book I happen to have just bought. I'll read further into these authors and, most importantly, practice!

Hoping your path will take you towards the experiences that facilitate your personal growth the most, even if these are not Astral Projection.

God Bless

Thank you. Journeys out of the Body is a classic. As are Far Journeys and Ultimate Journey.

Wishing you success.