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T h e m in d w ith d r a w s f ro m t h e b o d y a n d t u r n s its focus to th e t T h e b o d y is h e a le d . H e a lth y cells d u p lic a te to re p la c e d a m a g e d ceUs' N e u r o n s i n c r e a s e o r r e d u c e t h e i r c o n d u c tiv ity to a d ja c e n t n e u ro n s in o r d e r t o o p tim iz e t h e b o d y ’s r e s p o n s e to o r d e r s fro m th e m ind. This a lso o p tim iz e s a u to n o m ic f u n c tio n s .
12. T h e m in d c r e a t e s a s tr a l w o r ld s a n d p la y s o u t d r e a m s in th e m . T h e m in d is s till s u b d u e d f ro m t h e la p s e in to u n c o n s c io u s n e ss a n d so is u n a b le t o b e c o m e a w a r e o f t h e f a c t t h a t it is d re a m in g .
13. D u r in g d r e a m s , t h e m in d a t t e m p t s to m o v e t h e b o d y a s it usually d o e s w h e n it is p r o j e c t e d in to it. T h e b r a in re c e iv e s th e o r d e r s to m o v e . S o m e b r a i n a c tiv ity is s p a w n e d a s t h e b r a in trig g e rs n e rv e s to m o v e m u s c le s . B e c a u s e o f t h e p a ra ly s is , h o w e v e r, th e n e rv o u s sys t e m d o e s n o t c a r r y t h e n e r v e s ig n a ls . O n ly th e e y e s m ove a s th e m in d a c c e s s e s i m a g in a tio n in o r d e r t o c r e a t e im a g in a ry w o rld s.
Sleep States
A s y o u c a n s e e , if t h e m in d m a n a g e s to s u s ta in its c o n scio u sn e ss a few m o r e s e c o n d s , it w ill r e m a in a w a r e w h e n th e b o d y falls a s le e p a n d t h e m in d e n t e r s t h e a s t r a l . T h is is q u i te a n e x p e rie n c e . To acco m p lish th is , y o u o n ly h a v e t o fo c u s o n s o m e th in g t h a t k e e p s y o u r m in d riv eted e n o u g h , a v is u a liz e d o b j e c t o r s o u n d , f o r e x a m p le , to ig n o re th e p ro g r a m m in g a n d s ta y a w a k e .
T he P lan n in g P h a se
P r i o r t o t h e r e l e a s e f ro m t h e b o d y , m o s t p e o p le j u s t lose co n scio u s n e s s a n d e x p e r i e n c e ( o r r a t h e r , d o n o t e x p e rie n c e ) th e i r n o c tu rn a l tu n e in t h e a s t r a l a s d e e p s le e p . B u t a h id d e n p a r t o f o u rse lv e s p ro je c ts m to t h e a s tr a l to m e e t n o n p h y s ic a l g u id e s a n d frie n d s . This p a t I o f us m ally i n a c c e s s ib le f r o m o u r d r e a m in g o r u n c o n s c io u s m in d s. It m ee ts up w ith g u id e s to d is c u s s t h e e v e n ts o f t h e p a s t d a y a n d p la n f o r t o m o .r o w 1, is a s if w a k in g r e a lity is a g a m e a n d w e a r e s e c re tly p la n n m g o u r move a s w e s le e p . T h e p e r s o n in sid e t h e g a m e , th e re a s o n m g , a - ., p a r t o f u s , h a s n o id e a w a k in g life is a s e c n t ^ P'an- k e e p t h e g a m e s e rio u s , w e k e e p o u rSu n d a y , J u ly 1, 2001 A s t r a l C o m m u n ic a t io n
I h a v e a h ard time falling asleep. M y belly a c h e s after too m u ch c h e w a n d beer. I notice a s o u n d in m y brain, clo se to m y right temple. It s o u n d s like a m ech anically repeating p u ff o f wind. After tw o h o u rs o f sleep, I g a in co n sc io u sn e ss. I am in a state that I h au e n ot b efore experienced. A t first, I think I a m aw ake, b u t then I k n o w I am n ot in m y body. I ca n't tell w hethe r I a m h a v in g a lu c id d re a m o r a n astral projection. It is p r o b a b ly so m e thing in betw een. M y a w a re n e ss is in a v e r y su b tle astral body. A less subtle b o d y is dreaming. The d re a m affects me, b u t I a m n ot participa ting in the dream. It is a s if a s e c o n d p e r so n is p articipa ting in the d r e a m w h ile I am o b se rv in g it from a distance. It is a n a w e so m e feeling.
I am talking to a nonphysical being. How did I get here? I know intuitively that I have been talking to this person fo r a few hours. He is m y teacher a n d guide. We have been going through the activities o f the past day a n d ha ve discussed what I could improve and how to encourage the physical m e to m ake those changes. A hidden part o f me must have had this discussion before I gained consciousness, because I do not remember any o f it.
As far as I can figure, a h idden part o f m e talked to this p erson and, suddenly, the aware part o f me woke up in the m iddle o f the conversation. The part o f m e previously talking feels like an exact copy o f me, only it lives in a p lace o th er than the physical. It has its own awareness b u t is still me. This is revealing a n d creepy at the sam e time.
The person I am talking to, a m an w ith dark hair, is d u m b fo u n d e d . He is com pletely taken offguard. He never expected this part o f m e to aw aken while he was talk ing to another part o f me. In a fe w seconds, h e regains com posure. I have so many questions I want to ask him, b u t I can read fro m his m in d that h e is uncertain whether enlightening m e is in m y best interest. I can fee l p ressure building u p in his mind. He regrets having been discovered by the aware m e, b u t h e is also im pressed by my inter- dimensional capabilities. His jo b is easiest w h en h e is hid d en . He quickly comes up with a plan to get out o f here befo re I fin d o u t too m uch.
He introduces me to Sarah, a spirit helper. He says there are a vast number of beings like her. I look at her a n d see that sh e is a cricket. As I turn m y attention to her, my guide disappears. She seem s like a very jolly "person. ” I figure that while I am talk ing to her, I might as well present her w ith o n e o f m y p ro b lem s a n d get som e input. As I talk to her, I try uery hard to speak with m y p hysical m outh. Old habit, I guess. matter how hard I try to speak clearly, only m u ffle d sou n d s co m e o u t o f my physic^ mouth. She seems to get the message from m y thoughts anyway.
Asrral Projection a n d the N a tu re o f R eality
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oU ^ o “i af“I h a v e a p ro b le m . W h e n I a m in a c ro w d , I a lw a y s l o o k at the b o d ie s o f w om en. I can't help it. E v e n w h e n I a m w ith m y girlfriend, m y h e a d g o e s like a ra d a r antenna. I love the ae sthetics o f the f e m a le b o d y . But I d o n ’t w a n t to d o this any m ore . C a n y o u
give me s o m e a d v ic e ? "
“You s h o u ld sto p d o in g it, b e c a u s e it w ill hu rt y o u . " (Actually, the a n s w e r w as longer a n d m o re c o m p le x t h a n that, b u t I d o n o t r e m e m b e r it all.)
N ot sa tisfie d w ith the a n sw e r, I say, “T h e re m u st b e a better re a s o n fo r not d oing it, other than the fe a r o f the c o n s e q u e n c e s . ”
S h e g iv e s m e a n o t h e r re a so n , w h ic h I c a n ’t re m em ber. I a m no t satisfied w ith that a nsw er either.
M y u p sta irs n e ig h b o r ye lls: “I f y o u a re a s le e p d o w n there, then h o w co m e I can hear y o u t a lk in g ?" (A stran ge thing f o r a p e r s o n to say, b u t this is the astral, s o anything can hap pen.) I a m w o r rie d that the m u m b lin g o f m y p h y s ic a l m o u th will d ra w e m b a r rassing attention f ro m m y girlfrie n d o r a ne igh b or, a n d the ye llin g is p r o b a b ly a m a n i festation o f that w orry. M y n e ig h b o r ’s v o ic e c o m e s in th ro u g h the o p e n b a lc o n y door. I c o u ld h a v e s w o r n I c lo s e d the d o o r b e f o re g o in g to sleep, b u t a p p are n tly I m ust b e mistaken. (The d o o r is c lo s e d in the p h y sica l, b u t o p e n in the astral.)
“Sarah, w ill y o u e x c u se me, I h a v e to re turn to m y b o d y a n d g o c lo se the b a lc o n y door.” S a ra h n o d s.
I fin d m y s e lf b a c k in b e d , b u t n o t in m y p h y s ic a l b o d y . I ro ll o u t o f b e d a n d la n d o n the floor. I a m in a d a ze . M y v is io n is b lu r r e d a n d distorted. It se e m s m y e y e s are g lu e d to the ceiling. N o m atter h o w h a r d I try, I c a n ’t d ire ct them a w a y from it. I think: I w ill h a v e to fe e l m y w a y to the b a lc o n y d oor. This fee ling o f m o v in g a r o u n d is sim ilar to m y o t h e r astra l p r o je c tio n s, s o I re a s o n that I m u st b e projecting. I float up in the a ir a f e w tim e s o n m y w a y to the door, j u s t f o r fun. W o u ld it no t b e f u n to float o ut the d o o r ? I c h e c k that I a m n o t n a k e d , to a v o id e m b a rra ssin g situations. I am w earing b o x e rs a n d a s m a ll sheet. Hey, I w a s n ’t w ea ring that sh eet w h e n I went to b e d ! W h e r e d id it c o m e f r o m ? I th ro w the sh eet to the floor. The bo x e rs fee l so real again st m y sk in ! I lo o k o u t the b a lc o n y door. It is a s u n n y day. Sm a ll white c lo u d s are sa ilin g a c ro s s the sky. I try to c lo se the door, b u t fail. M y h a n d s ca n 't w o rk the handle. I i n s t a n t l y p o p b a c k t o m y b e d , b u t I a m s t i l l o u t s i d e m y p h y s i c a l b o d y . I c o n t i n u e to t a l k t o S a r a h . I c a n ’t g e t v i s u a l o r a u d i o c o n t a c t , s o w e h a v e t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h t e x t . It i s l i k e I n t e r n e t c h a t t i n g . I c a n ’t r e m e m b e r w h a t w e t a l k a b o u t . T h e w o r r y s ti ll b o t h e r s m e , s o I d e c i d e t o t r y t o g o o v e r a n d s h u t t h e b a l c o n y d o o r a g a in . I r o l l o u t o f b e d . M y v i s i o n is d i s t o r t e d a s b e f o r e . N o t b e i n g a b l e t o s e e a n y t h i n g b u t t h e c e ilin g , I
c r a s h i n t o t h e a r m c h a i r a n d a l a m p o n m y w a y a c r o s s t h e r o o m . I tr y to c l o s e t h e d o o r , b u t t w o p l a s t i c l a w n c h a i r s a r e in t h e w a y ( t h e y a r e n o t t h e r e in t h e p h y s i c a l ) . T w o y o u n g m e n a r e h a n g i n g a r o u n d o u t s i d e m y b a l c o n y . T h e y a r e s i p p i n g b e e r a n d ta lk in g l i k e p e o p l e t a l k w h e n a p a r t y is o v e r a n d t h i n g s h a v e c a l m e d d o w n . I r e c o g n i z e o n e o f t h e m . I c l o s e t h e d o o r a n d f l o a t b a c k t o w a r d t h e b e d . I s t o p in t h e c e n te r o f t h e r o o m a n d l i e o n t h e f l o o r . P e r h a p s I w a n t t o r e s t , o r m a y b e I w a n t t o p r o je c t . I g e t a n i m p r e s s i o n t h a t m y g i r l f r i e n d a s k s m e , " W h y a r e y o u ly i n g o n t h e f l o o r ? " E m b a r r a s s e d , I g e t u p , f l o a t o v e r t o t h e b e d , a n d l i e d o w n .
A s I lie o n m y bed, I think it w o u ld b e c o o l to astral project. (Som etim es I mistak en ly think I am in m y p h y sic a l body, w h ich is confusing.) I v isu a lize m yse lf b y the ceil ing, look in g d o w n at the bed. In a se co n d , I a m floa ting b y the ceiling. I a m n ot sure if I am projecting into a h ig h e r astral b o d y o r if m y curre nt astral b o d y is m o v in g there. My girlfriend p h y sically to u c h e s m y b o d y in h e r sleep. This c a u s e s m e to p o p b a c k into the bed, b u t still ou tsid e m y p h y sic a l b o d y (p e rh a p s b a c k into the astral b o d y I projected from).
I visualize m y se lf being in a b ea utiful park. I m o v e there. M y girlfrie nd touches me aga in a n d I p o p b a c k into the bed. I v isu a liz e m y s e lf b e in g in a p la c e w h e r e e ve ry body is k in d to e a ch other. N o th in g h a p p e n s ...
Then I p o p o ut a n d fa ll into a vo id . A m an , w h o m I c a n ’t see, re pea te dly calls out m y name, a s i f h e is trying to f in d a m issin g child. I c a n tell f ro m h is v o ice that h e has be e n ye llin g f o r q uite a while, y e a rs e ve n. I a n s w e r in thought: “I a m o v e r h e re !" M y girlfriend to u c h e s m y b o d y a third tim e a n d I a m b a c k in bed.
I feel I h a v e to write e v e ry th in g d o w n , s o I w ill n o t fo rge t it. Su d d e n ly , I h a v e a pen a n d a n o te p a d in m y h a n d s. I write a s fa st a s I can. T h e s o u n d o f p e n against p aper s o u n d s extrem ely real. Th e n I think: Hey, w h e r e d i d I ge t this p e n a n d p a p e r ? I must be dreaming. W a k e u p ! W a k e u p !
I h a v e a f alse a w a ke n in g. I get o u t o f b e d . M y v is io n is still distorted, s o I reason that 1 m u st still b e asleep. I m o v e a r o u n d a fe w s e c o n d s in the ro om . Then I falsely a w a k e again. W h e n I re a lize I a m still sle e p in g, I u n d e r s t a n d h o w difficult it is to know w h eth e r y o u a re a w a k e o r asleep. W h a t i f I g o to the b a t h r o o m w h e n I a m asleep, but think that I a m a w a k e ? I s lu m b e r a bit. T h e n I w a k e u p f o r real. I p in c h m y arm to see if I am still asleep. I se e m to b e p h y s ic a lly aw a ke.
This exp e rie n ce la ste d a lm o s t a n hou r. It m a k e s m e re a lize that lu c id dreaming a n d astral p rojection a re v e ry c lo se ly related. I a m t h a n k fu l f o r the o p p o rtu n ity to con- sc lo u sfy c o m m u n ic a te w ith w h a t I th in k w e re astra l beings. T h e m a n w h o repeatedly ca lle d o ut m y n a m e se e m s to b e v e r y e a g e r to c o n ta c t me. I w o n d e r h o w lo n g he has
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questions to whether it is possible to project from a lower astral body into a higher astral body.
P e rh a p s t h e h id d e n p a r t o f u s t h a t is e n g a g e d in a s tr a l a c tiv itie s is our tr u e s t b e in g , r e s id in g in t h e p la c e w e call h o m e , d o in g th in g s it thinks a re o r d in a r y b u t a r e in c o n c e iv a b le to o u r r e a s o n . F o r so m e r e a son, we d o n o t a llo w o u r s e lv e s a g lim p se in to w h a t it is d o in g . B ecau se of th is se c re c y , s le e p r e m a in s a m y s te r y fo r m o s t p e o p le , b u t n o t fo r long. W e a r e fin a lly d e v e lo p in g t o o ls to in v e s tig a te it.