If you will recall, the void is a great dark space that I often find myself in. Recall that, when we use the "radio station" theory of consciousness I presented earlier, the void is like the empty space between radio stations on the radio dial. Now, it would seem like there isn't really too much you can say about a great big space of utter nothingness. In actuality though, being in the void takes up a great deal of my time during astral projections - sometimes much more than I'd like! I will not dwell at too great length on what it's like in the void, but I do want to describe it enough so that if you end up there you will know what to do.
Strangely enough, the void is not simply a homogeneous dark nothingness. There is actually a subtle type of variety to the different times I have been in the void. Sometimes it is simply a dark empty space. Other times though there is a hazy or smoky quality to it. Still other times I seem to see hazy ghost images of things. In this latter case, I suspect that I am very close to a subplane and am seeing ghost images of that subplane. Once I even met a being in the void!
It was the only time I ever saw any kind of creature in the void. I will present this episode below because, at the very least, it is funny.
The general circumstances in which I find myself in the void are as follows. I sometimes appear in the void as soon as I leave my body. I have presented examples of this already. I will also appear in the void if I lose my lockmold on a subplane (you will recall that the lockmold is how well you are tuned in on a subplane). If I lose my lockmold, I usually do not wake up, but instead appear in the void.
Again, I am presenting these experiences here in case you find yourself in the void.
1>
(Seeing ghost images in the void.)
"(Had lost my lockmold and)...Then I was flying through the void. This time, though I was in the darkness of the void, I could perceive faint, but distinct silhouette images around me, and it seemed that I was flying through them. I thought to myself that I must be right on the border of some definite frequency or plane, not locked well enough to actually be there, but right next door to it so to speak. I kept flying on, and the silhouettes were very reminiscent of buildings, cars and city objects. As I flew on, at one point I got the impression that I had entered the water and was under the water, though I was still in the void. The silhouettes reminded me of fishes swimming around.
They were not static images, they were moving too. Even though it seemed like I was under water, my movement through the void was no different, but I was afraid to materialize myself for fear of being under water. The silhouettes were interesting though.
Some were of very large fish, at least 10 feet long. One looked like a shark and I passed close by it. Another one was a round squat shape about five feet in diameter.
A school of swimming creatures passed me by. I remember too that when I would look upwards that I got the same effect that one observes swimming under water and looking
up at the surface. But I kept flying forward and soon it seemed like I had passed out of the water cause now the silhouettes I was passing through looked much different, less organic, like vertical strips. So now I tried to materialize myself. To materialize I stopped my forward motion and simply began to spin round and round. Also I began to concentrate on my hands, trying to lift them up and look at them. Then I began to see the neatest thing. As my hands began to form and I could start to see them, the silhouettes around me began to take on color and form. It was slow at first so I concentrated harder, and I watched an environment form around me. I was now out of the void and somewhere. I was standing in a forest, surrounded by all kinds of plants...."
2>
(A short description of the void.)
"Dream-awoke laying in my old bedroom at Ma's house. I "flopped" out of my body. Flew downstairs. Flew to front door, tried to pass through but went into void.
Stayed in void for some time wondering what it is. There were no recognizable silhouettes, but there were distinct qualities or feelings.
At first the darkness was very "electric." Eventually the void seemed like a heavy fog. I got the idea to try to look at my hands. Watched my body and a red tile floor materialize around me as the fogginess of the void faded away. I was in an empty room with a red tile floor, it seemed like a small gymnasium or something...."
3>
(Here is when I met a strange creature in the void.)
"...I was in the void. Was floating listlessly, enjoying then peace and quiet, figuring out what I was going to do next. I looked off in the darkness before me and was absolutely amazed at what I saw, for coming towards me far off in the distance was a creature of some kind! I was totally startled. I had never seen another being in the void before! I slowly started to fly towards the creature, curiously studying it, as it moved towards me. At first, all I could see was that it was some type of humanoid, but as I got closer to it I could make out more detail. It had a human body, but its face resembled that of a wolf. It had a hairy face, long snout, and dark eyes. It was wearing an outfit that reminded me of the Green Goblin from the Spiderman comic books. As it got closer I could hear it mumbling to itself. I was about 10 feet in front of it, but it acted as if I was not there and simply kept mumbling to itself and kept moving towards me. I asked it what it was doing and, all of a sudden it was on top of me! The thing grabbed me and started to carry me off! I couldn't believe it!
I was not scared at all, but surprised. I started to struggle and was telling it to let me go. I said "you can't do anything to me, I'm astral projecting!". It continued to ignore me and simply kept carrying me through the void. It mumbled something to itself about "a specimen for the bioleum". I heard this and realized that this thing intended to
make me a specimen in some kind of museum! I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I kept yelling at it telling it I was astral projecting and I could wake up at any moment. It ignored me and kept carrying me forward. In the excitement of my struggling, I lost my lockmold and woke up in my physical body.
Upon waking, I felt stupid for acting the way I did. I should have let it carry me to wherever it was going so I could have learned where this creature came from. Still, this was the first time I ever saw a creature of any kind in the void!"
(END OF ENTRIES) 2. Life on the planes
Let's now go onto the scenic elements of the OOBE realm. Again, I will divide these up into four major realms: the lower, the middle (or "normal"), the higher and the surreal realms. And again, each of these broad realms corresponds to states.
a) The Lower Realms
The lower realms of the subplanes are easily identified. They are often dark as if it is nighttime outside. There is also an eerie feel to the lower subplanes. They just feel creepy.
Often, it is hard to move on the lower subplanes, similar to being on the Etheric plane, where your movement seems to be retarded and in slow motion. And of course, you will encounter ghoulish creatures on these subplanes.
You don't need to fear anything you encounter on these subplanes. First, it is unlikely you will spend any amount of time on these subplanes. I always have a bad lockmold on these planes, and thus, often "fade-out" of these lower subplanes within minutes. Since they do correspond to the worst of human existence, you'd have to be pretty evil yourself to be in tune with these subplanes.
Second, it's actually kind of therapeutic and eye opening to see these planes. Part of the goal of overcoming fear means opening up to the aspects of life revealed by these lower subplanes. By understanding these kinds of energies you transform them into something better.
If you repress these energies, they only continue to ferment into something even worse.
So, my advice is, if you find yourself on the lower subplanes, don't be afraid of what you encounter there. Take it as a learning experience.
Now, if you are on a lower subplane, how to you get out of it? One trick I learned is the following: fly through the ceiling of wherever you are at. When you do this, you will go through the ceiling and come up through the floor of the same room you just left! But actually, it will not be the exact same room; it will be the room but on a higher subplane. Do this a few times until you see light outside and do not feel the heavy, eerie feeling anymore. You will then be on a higher subplane. This does not always work, but it does work sometimes, so it's worth giving it a try.
Your other alternative is to just wait it out. As I said, it is unlikely, if you are an average, normal person, that you will be able to keep your lockmold stable on these subplanes for any extended period of time. If you just wait it out, you will probably disappear from that subplane
within a couple of minutes anyway. If you choose this option, just explore your environment. Like I said, and you have to always keep this in mind when you project, nothing can hurt you when you are out of body. You are literally indestructible. YOU are the only thing that can hurt you, and the only way this can happen is by letting your own fears take you over. If you learn to control your fear, you will ALWAYS be safe out of body.
This said, let me give a couple of examples of what the lower subplanes are like.
1>
(A typical lower subplane experience.)
"Felt myself wake up on the physical. Tried to remember my dream but it faded quickly. That made me mad. Plus I hadn't projected for several days, and that sucked too. I thought "go for it" and pretended I was jumping out of my body - and I did!
Surprised, I floated in my room for a brief instant and then faded. At first I thought I was in the void, but then I saw all kinds of humanoid silhouettes around me.
There were all kinds of them marching like sleep walkers. It was a dark and eerie environment. I couldn't fly well and I felt like I was zipping along like a balloon. I shot past a silhouette and it bent out of my way in a distorted and unnatural manner-like it bent sideways or something. I tried to look at my hands, but it was very difficult.
Woke up.
This was a very short projection - less than a minute.
I bet I was on the lowest astral plane. I think I saw a bunch of "lost souls". It was very much like Leadbeater described it - dark, heavy, hard to control one's movements. The silhouettes were like zombies; no self-consciousness, they just marched like a herd."
2>
(Another typical lower subplane experience.)
"...Drifted off to sleep again, imagining I was in the living room downstairs. In the next instant, I was downstairs! I was floating by the ceiling in the living room. It was dark, like nighttime. This time I could move, but it was very difficult. I pulled myself to the floor. I looked at the front door. The dimensions of the room were distorted and enlarged. The door looked far away, like in a telescope. I walked toward the door with great difficulty. I felt a small sense of triumph when I finally reached the door. I opened the door and walked out onto the porch. My movement became a little easier. I looked outside to the street. It seemed to be just before dawn.
In the street, I saw two figures running carrying something looking like sacks over their shoulders. They seemed to be wearing what looked like long underwear. They were hunched over as they ran. I don't know what they were, though they were humanoid.
My first impression is that they were thieves running from the scene of the crime.
But the way they moved, all hunched and distorted made me think that they might be demons or some lowly astral creatures. At any rate, they disappeared across the street. They didn't notice me at all. I wanted to follow them but I knew I couldn't move as fast as they were. Then I flew out through the porch window around to the side of the house. Once outside, everything seemed really dark and murky, and distorted. I realized I was on the lowest astral plane and got scared. I wanted to leave and felt myself back in my body..."
3>
(This entry illustrates some of the denizens of the lower subplanes, a topic to which we will return). Was in one of those scary brown heavy regions.
Thought I had woke up. Was lying in bed and I heard soft but threatening hissing voices. It made me scared. Had my back to the voices but it sounded like they were getting closer. Realized I was in the nasty Etheric levels and tried to wake myself up. It backfired and I went into a higher dream level for a moment but lost lucidity and had a false awakening. Thought I had woke onto the physical but actually was in some dream facsimile of my room at Dad's. Saw a clear blue sky through crack in the curtains and it made me feel great; couldn't believe I let those stupid Etheric ghouls get to me. Went back to sleep unafraid.
Next I knew I was in the Etheric again and heard the voices. This time I was irked and determined to confront them. I got up, with difficulty and said, also with much difficulty, "Whoever you are, come out and face me, I demand it!" Looking forward with it still appearing that I was in my Dads (actually it didn't feel like Dads in the episode, more like my own place but very comfortable), my brown curtains seemed to marshmallow out and it seemed this pack of strange humanoid creatures stepped through. My vision was very bad and I was having a difficult lockmold but I thought I saw about four of em. They had on long dingy robes and had strange distorted features. It seemed like they were yelling at me or something. I lashed out at them and stepped into them best I could. They seemed to disappear into the other wall.
Fell back asleep more happy than before. Mold was terrible the whole time, everything had a brown cast to it. I could barely move or speak. As I was falling off to sleep, kept thinking about how Leadbeater says that the initiate has a hard time moving on the lower planes. Boy he was right."
4>
(This is an example of using the "flying through the ceiling trick to get out of a lower subplane.)
" I struggled to get out. I flopped out of my body and rolled onto the floor. My vision was blinking but I quickly realized where I was at and thought, "Shit! I gotta get outta here!" I saw I was on the lowest astral plane. I felt that dark, heavy uncomfortable feeling. Everything was in grays and browns. And worst of all, there
were ghoulies all over my bedroom! They were broken and twisted bodies, moving about in their lethargic fashion. At least I didn't get frightened this time. I stayed level headed. My first thought was to wake myself up, but then I thought, "no, I'll just go to a higher plane." So I flew upwards through the ceiling, passed through the ceiling and came up through my floor. I did this a second time. Now there was sun shinning through my window and the ghoulies were gone, and everything was in normal colors. I was quite pleased with myself.
I flew through the ceiling, this time going outside the house. It was sunny and beautiful outside..."
(END OF ENTRIES)
b) The Middle Realms
The middle planes are very much like our physical world.
Here you will find houses, schools, cities and buildings, forests and rivers and pretty much all the things you find on the physical plane. Remember though, we are NOT on the physical plane. These middle regions have a very ethereal feel to them compared to the physical plane.
One place you will often go in these middle subplanes is the room you are in when you project. In my case, this is always my bedroom. That fact that you will project into your bedroom will afford you many opportunities to compare what your bedroom is like in your projection to what it is like on the physical plane. When you study these differences, you will quickly realize that, when you project, you are NOT in the physical world. So, if you do find yourself projecting into the room that you are in, I highly encourage you to study the details of your astral bedroom and, as soon as you wake up, pay close attention to how what you saw in your projection was similar to or different from how your room is on the physical plane. I will give an example of this below.
One of the most interesting aspects of the middle subplanes is that many authors claim that in this region you will find discarnate people. In other words, these middle regions are where so-called "dead" people dwell, at least for a certain amount of time after their passing away. Thus, what you can find on these regions are places specifically designed for the recently dead. Such places take the form of hospitals or dormitories. Robert Monroe clearly describes such places.
Monroe calls these "Rehab Centers", and I have visited them (or happened across them as the case may be) on many occasions. "Rehab Centers" exists in the astral world supposedly to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the recently deceased, to allow them to get used to their new surroundings and new condition. As a matter of fact, entry number 6, in file 8, where I describe being dragged by the wind force, is a description of one of these "Rehab Centers". In this case it was for younger people; older teenagers and people in their early and mid twenties. I will put another such description below. And, if I was ever skeptical of the idea of these "Rehab
Monroe calls these "Rehab Centers", and I have visited them (or happened across them as the case may be) on many occasions. "Rehab Centers" exists in the astral world supposedly to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the recently deceased, to allow them to get used to their new surroundings and new condition. As a matter of fact, entry number 6, in file 8, where I describe being dragged by the wind force, is a description of one of these "Rehab Centers". In this case it was for younger people; older teenagers and people in their early and mid twenties. I will put another such description below. And, if I was ever skeptical of the idea of these "Rehab