Treatise on Astral Projection

PART 8

Waking Paralysis:
Some degree of physical paralysis is a sure sign an OOBE is IN PROGRESS. It shows the mind split, in some form, has already occurred. The physical body has varying degrees of difficulty animating itself when the mind split effect is active. Even though they may not be aware a projection is in progress, a projector's physical/etheric body may feel total physical paralysis, or some degree of lethargy and heaviness and disorientation in their physical body. The degree of this depends greatly upon the strength of the projection and how much energy is being used to maintain it. Strong sensations like these point to an OOBE being in progress.

The degree of paralysis shows the 'strength' of the projection. A full powered Real Time OOBE will cause total physical paralysis (full waking paralysis) while a lighter level of projection can still allow the projector's physical body to stumble to the bathroom - albeit mumbling incoherently and feeling like they are walking on pillows, body fairly numb and fuzzy - but ambulatory all the same.

Waking paralysis (often called sleep paralysis) will also occur where the real time body has been generated 'inside' the physical/etheric body, but actual separation or full projection from the physical/etheric bodies has not occurred. This means a partial projection has occurred, albeit internally, and is causing some degree of waking paralysis. The real time 'projectable double' in this case has not projected completely free of it's physical body. If this is suspected, the projector should relax and let it happen, or use a projection technique like rope. A full projection can then occur if it has not already happened.

Note: Many people are plagued by waking paralysis, and it can indeed be a terrifying experience, capable of causing psychological damage. Waking paralysis can best be broken by concentrating on a single big toe and trying hard to move it. Concentrate 'everything' on moving that big toe. Once this moves, even a tiny bit, full physical movement will be instantly restored.

Unwanted Vibrations & Projection Symptoms:
Frequent bouts of vibrations, waking paralysis and other projection related symptoms are a big problem for some people. Many people do not like these sensations and some can be absolutely terrified by them. Because of this, many people avoid sleep as a way of avoiding the projection symptoms, or other projection related problems, like bad oobe experiences or nightmares. This is the very worse thing they could do as this will have the reverse effect, and will greatly worsen the condition.

Lack of sleep causes overtiredness which encourages projection symptoms.
Sleeping flat on back encourages projection symptoms.
Hunger raises vibrations and encourages projection symptoms.

Lack of sleep can also cause a loss of appetite which can further aggravate this debilitating condition. Together with disturbing energy sensations and bad OOBE experiences, this can set up a psychological reflex and a physical condition which can progressively worsen the longer it is allowed to continue.

The very first thing to address in cases like this is the lack of sleep, which is the 'root' cause of the whole problem. I strongly suggest sufferers of this condition seek medical advice 'urgently' and to ask for a strong enough sleeping medication which will promote long lasting and dreamless sleep. (I suggest people tell their doctor they are suffering from insomnia caused by bad dreams - which is partly true - to save lengthy explanations) Once the sleep deficit is overcome and normal sleep patterns return to normal, appetite will return and the projection related symptoms will quickly cease. Keep in mind here that the medication must be taken regularly (as per medical advice) until the sleep deficit is completely overcome before the medication can be stopped, or the problem may reoccur.

If the use of medication is not possible, I suggest getting up early in the morning and undertaking more physical exercise than usual. This will 'naturally' tire out the physical body, making for easier and heavier sleep. This type of natural tiredness is quite different from 'overtiredness' caused by a sleep deficit that has been built up over a long time. The biggest problem with waking paralysis and OBE exit symptoms is that these 'wake up' the physical body and mind. Therefore, if the physical body and mind are 'naturally' very tired, they will not wake so easily, and waking paralysis and etc will be slept through, instead of them disturbing sleep and causing fear episodes, etc.

Heavy Exit Sensations:
Heavy exit sensations, including the famous vibrations, are simply energy movement sensations. The strength of these, however, appears to be caused by the attempt to shift the centre of 'waking' consciousness 'outside' the bounds of the physical body, along with the real time body as it projects. This forces a reflection of 'waking' consciousness to go with the projecting double as it projects 'outside' the physical body. This throws a spanner into the normal 'sleep projection' mechanism, and causes a type of teeth rattling bio-energetic jarring to occur in the physical/etheric body as it tries to accommodate the unusual demand placed upon it. Normally, this shift of reflected consciousness would follow the real time body, outside the bounds of the physical body, naturally, while falling asleep. This causes far lighter and less noticeable energy movement sensations - ie, not enough to disturb the 'falling asleep' process. It is the presence of 'awake' consciousness during the projection process which causes all the problems. It seems that maintaining two awake and active copies of consciousness, both interior and exterior, requires a great deal more energy flow than nature generally provides for, and this in itself appears to be the real cause of heavy exit sensations. This is, in other words, a true complication of consciousness, of spirit incarnation into a bio-energetic vehicle.

I know this may sound like the same thing - a natural shift of 'falling asleep' consciousness out of body, as when compared with a deliberate shift of 'awake' consciousness out of body - but there is a vast difference in the energy requirements and resulting sensations for each. When a projector succeeds in shifting their centre of awareness strongly enough along 'with' their projecting double, there is also much more likelihood of them retaining their OOBE memories after reentry and reintegration - when they wake up. Heavy exit sensations quickly reduce after the first few conscious exit projections, through forced bio-energetic development. The energy body progressively becomes used to the conscious exit process, and steadily adapts and develops in response to further awake OBE attempts, to provide for and handle the required energies.

Torso Energy Surge:
Many projections are ruined by a surge of energy in the torso, as energy flows through the legs and lower primary centres, through the navel and solar plexus to the heart and higher centres. This feels very much like the 'falling' sensation you get occasionally while drifting off to sleep. This feeling makes you catch at the sides of the bed, as if to stop yourself from falling. All these sensations are caused by a surge of emotional type energy through the energy body and heart centre, as the real time double is generated and the projection out of body begins.

This sensation is so strong in some people it leaves them breathless and wide awake, thus breaking the delicate relaxed state necessary for conscious exit oobe. This can be an infuriating problem. The torso energy surge often contains a great deal of emotional, nervous and adrenalin affecting energies as massive amounts of energy move through the lower primary centres into and through the heart centre. This can be felt in much the same way as any emotional surging type of body-rush would be felt...like a huge wave of excitement, much like you may feel if you suddenly won a million dollars, or like the feelings caused by riding roller coaster or bungie-jumping.

Sexual arousal is, also, not uncommonly related to this type of energy surge, as there is a primary energy centre (major chakra) situated directly over the genitals. (This centre is not mentioned in the Treatise, but is dealt with in my book "Astral Dynamics" under the Core Skills & Energy section) A strong upwards energy rush of energy will thus often involve this genital centre, to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon the energy makeup of the projector. Arousal usually breaks the delicately balanced state required for conscious exit oobe.

Lying prone on the back seems to intensify the torso energy surge problem. One way of easing this problem is to experiment with other resting/projection positions, to find one where the sensations are weaker or less distracting. These sensations are generally weaker when lying on your side or when sitting semi-upright. Lying fully on your side, however, tends to promote lucid dreams rather than OOBE's.

This energy surge is, basically, caused by massive energy movement through the energy body and it's primary centres (major chakras). Heavy energy movement sensations are caused by energy blockages in energy structures not accustomed to conscious exit projection. The heavier the sensations the stronger will be the energy blockages causing them. When the energy body is unused to heavy primary centre energy movement, and the projector is awake, these sensations can severely disrupt projection attempts. The only way to solve this particular problem appears to be regular meditation, relaxation, trance & energy work, which promotes energy body development. This is best done separately from actual projection attempts. These exercises should be continued until energy centres and their connecting pathways grow strong enough to handle the stronger energy movements which happen during a conscious exit oobe.

Lost Focus During The Exit:
A common cause of failed projection appears to be a failure to shift the 'centre' of consciousness out of the physical body along 'with' the real time double as it projects free of the physical body. It is extremely important a projector keep their mind clear and focused on the action and sensation of leaving their physical body, to go with it, and not to lose touch with what is happening. Heavy exit sensations can make this difficult, I know, but they must be 'totally' ignored. Stay focused on the projection and where the centre of consciousness is going. If concentration slips at the wrong time, the real time body can project out, without a strong centre of waking consciousness. A reflection of mind will still transfer into the projecting real time double, but the projector's strongest centre of consciousness will, in effect, remain behind locked inside the physical/etheric body. This copy will be, in effect, left behind, feeling some degree of paralysis and weakness, thinking it has failed the projection completely, and will usually fall asleep shortly afterwards. In this case, strong memories are created in the physical brain, for the same time period as the projection. The projected double's memories can thus have trouble overwriting these upon reintegration. The whole idea, with this aspect of projection, is to make the 'projection' memories the strongest and most memorable memories for the same time period.

The above is a complication of the mind split effect which causes enormous problems for projectors. It goes a long way to explaining what may have occurred when (as happens to many people) everything goes fine right up until the exit stage, with all the right sensations: vibrations, rapid heartbeat, falling or floating sensation, etc, and then everything just stops. It just goes away, leaving the almost-projector lying there wondering what happened and why they failed. Most people this happens to also feel exhausted, or partially or fully paralysed, after their seemingly failed projection attempt and soon fall into a deep sleep. The projection, in this case, will proceed without them, being centred in their projected double, without them being aware they have succeeded. In most cases, no memory of the successful projection will be evident upon waking.

FEAR has many colours:

Fear of heavy projection exit sensations.
Fear of the unknown out of body environment.
Religion instilled worry/fear of doing the wrong thing.

Fear has many subtle forms. All of these can be progressively overcome by understanding the mechanics and dynamics of OOBE and by experiencing the projected state at first hand. Projection out of body requires some bravery and fear is one of the first natural barriers faced by all new projectors standing on the threshold of a conscious exit projection. Fear is a natural barrier, apparently designed to stop people projecting until they are psychologically ready to operate out of their bodies.

"True bravery is not the ability to feel no fear, but is the ability to control fear whilst continuing to function in a reasonably normal fashion." (RB)

During an oobe, a projector is virtually invulnerable and can pass through solid matter, sit on ground zero during an atomic blast, or even to bask within the heart of a supernova unscathed. The only thing to fear while out of body is 'fear' itself. Nothing else can directly hurt a projector and nothing can get at their physical body and mind during a conscious projection. While it is fairly rare to come across anything nasty or negative during a projection, any troublesome entity a projector might stumble across cannot, therefore, directly harm them. They can, however, show themselves as a form designed to scare the daylights out of a projector, and this can cause psychologically damage. This can also result in a subconscious fear of OOBE. It can cause an instinctive, negative baulking type of reaction which can ruining every conscious exit. This can stop a projector from enjoying conscious OOBE for the remainder of their life, unless they can program themselves to overcome it. If this is already the case, I suggest a course of affirmations and self hypnosis be used to overcome it.

Fear Of OOBE Exit Sensations:
Fear of OOBE exit sensations is the very first of the natural barriers to conscious exit oobe needed to overcome. This is not easy and can take a lot of control, as well as a lot of faith that the heavy physical sensations of early conscious projections will not actually hurt you. The sensations can be 'extremely' physical and violent, especially during the first few conscious exit attempts, but will always progressively reduce during subsequent projections.

The physical heartbeat is 'not' actually increased by a conscious exit projection attempt. It is not 'caused' to physically race by the OOBE attempt - although it will often definitely 'feel' like it is racing so fast it seems about to explode. This racing sensation is the heart chakra (primary centre) working overtime to provide the energy needed to generate and project the Real Time vehicle. The difficulty here is, again, caused by the real time body attempting to take an 'awake' copy of consciousness out of body. This is something quite different from natural sleep projection, and therefore can cause some rather extreme energy movement sensations, which are often felt as extremely physical sensations.

The heart may, indeed, increase in speed when the heart chakra becomes fully active 'if' the projector becomes frightened. Fear and panic can cause further sensations by way of an 'actual' rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, vertigo, nausea, cramps and pain, etc. The best way to get over this is to concentrate everything on climbing ROPE and getting out of body as 'quickly' as possible - while totally ignoring the racing heart sensation and heavy bodily vibrations. The sooner the projector gets out of their body the sooner these will stop. The heavy physical sensations can, to a great extent, be reduced by regular meditation and energy work, which progressively develops the energy body, enabling it to provide and deal with the energies required for conscious exit projection. A smooth and rapid exit from the physical body is, however, the very best way of overcoming this.

Please note that 'not' everybody experiences heavy exit sensations, but it is far better to be prepared for a worst case scenario than to be caught by surprise and scared out of a perfectly good projection. Heavy exit sensations, on their own, can also cause psychological scarring and make each future projection attempt even more difficult to achieve. This is like how you might wince by instinctive reflex action while brushing a once sensitive tooth, even long after it has been repaired and no pain will be felt.

Fear Of The Unknown Out Of Body Environment:
Fear of the out of body environment itself is not easy to get over. This is simply caused by fear of the unknown and most people get some degree of this the first few times they get out. This type of fear seems related to the natural fear of the dark which all children have to grow out of. This type of fear goes away gradually, as you become accustomed to projection sensations and the out of body environment through progressive personal experience. A new projector must be brave and control and ignore this fear, if only for a short time. Even if they still feel strong feelings of fear, they can and must ignore these and go on with their OOBE attempt. Once they get out of body, they'll have overcome the first great barrier to OOBE and fear levels will be greatly reduced the next time they get out. Becoming progressively more and more familiar with the out of body environment, through multiple projections, is of the best ways of overcoming this type of fear.

Getting out, if only briefly and for the very first time, is the most important goal for any new projector. This will make the out of body environment much more real and it will make it even more achievable next time. Even if a projector only manages the conscious exit a couple of times, the memory and 'reality' of OOBE will be forever instilled into them by those experiences. The knowledge that they can exist apart from their physical body and remain intact, alive and functioning, will remain with them forever. This, on it's own, can also greatly help to reduce the fear of personal death, and even the pain of grief felt when a loved one is lost. OOBE provides very attainable first hand experience of what it will be like to die. What is death if not the final projection out of body? If OOBE has been experienced, therefore, they are not going to some strange place or having some totally unknown experience, ie, death. They are only repeating (albeit with slightly more finality) something they have already experienced before.

Projecting during daylight hours is the very best way to quickly overcome fear of the out of body environment. There is 'nothing' scary about flying around out of body on a bright sunny day. It's an enormously enjoyable experience, to say the very least. Have you every wondered what it would be like to fly like Superman? And, if you worry about meeting something scary: I have never seen or heard of any type of negative or troublesome entity, not even the simple mischievous types, operating out in the open in full sunlight. While it is possible to come across some things inside a building, the chances of meeting something scary are extremely remote if, after the exit, the projector immediately heads outside into the open and into the full sunlight. The action of doing this quickly, immediately after the exit, may also throw a projector straight into the astral planes, again greatly reducing the likelihood of meeting anything scary.

Religion Instilled Worry/Fear:
Many people worry they are breaking God's laws, or infringing upon something in the Bible, by having OBE's. There are NO direct Biblical references which directly state projection is wrong, evil or even advising against it. In fact, there are many references within the bible that mention OBE, ie, if memory serves me, St Paul speaks on this, when telling of one man's mystical experience: "whether in or out of his body I cannot tell".

If it's not written in the Holy Bible then it 'must' be evil is another common flame against OBE. However, the majority of the technological accomplishments of the modern world are also 'not' in the Bible. This does not make them evil in any way.

OBE is witchcraft, as witches are known to have OBE's, and they therefore must be evil is another popular flame against OBE. Well, this is like saying that air travel is evil, simply because Hitler was known to fly in aircraft, or that the night is evil, simply because witches are generally more active at night, or that explosives are evil, simply because some people make bombs out of them to hurt people with.

My way of seeing this is: God created the heavens and the universe and everything within them. His creation is perfect and nothing has been overlooked, down to the smallest atom. God also created the integrated physical and energetic subtle bodies within man, and unseen inside His design lays the potential for the natural multi-dimensional mind split effect, which occurs to 'everyone' whenever they sleep. The ability to have conscious out of body experiences is a 'natural' ability and, even though many people find it difficult to accomplish, everyone has the potential for this ability. I think, if God did not want people to have OOBE's, He would have designed us a little differently, and made projection impossible? To think otherwise is to claim that God made a mistake, which is to say God is fallible, which is definitely irreligious and probably goes against all known religious and Biblical laws. My life experience leads me to sincerely believe that God is wise and that HE never ever makes mistakes.

Calling For Help:
It is possible to call for help from another projector when attempting to project, or to call someone to meet you when you get out of body. Once you hit the trance state, or feel heavy and are close to falling asleep, mentally call out the person's name several times, as loudly (mentally) as you can. If they are out of body they will definitely hear you, no matter where they are or how far away them might be, and will be drawn to come visit you. If this person is experienced, they may be able to help you out of your body.

Another projector, although they may be able to help in other ways, will not, however, be able to actually 'pull' another projector out of their body. Any attempt to do so will be perceived by the projector as a psychic/energy body attack (very unpleasant cold shivers, etc) which will tend to break their delicately balanced 'projectable' state. A projector can best help another projector by waiting for the natural projection (sleep projection) to take place and then making them aware they are projecting, helping them to remember it. Good advice at this time would be for them to dive back into their physical body shouting "I did it!" to help them cement their oobe memories.

Often, when a natural projection occurs, the real time body will drift slowly out of it's physical body and hover just above it, mimicking it's sleeping position. The real time projector in this state is asleep, just as it's physical body and mind are. A helpful projector can best help them attain an OOBE by gently waking the sleeping projector's real time body and urging them to reenter their physical body before it falls too deeply asleep. If this has already happened, a joint projection can then proceed. In this case, I suggest the novice projector periodically returns to their physical body and keeps a close eye on the time. They can then make sure they are hovering nearby and ready to dive back into their physical body shouting "I did it!" the moment the alarm clock starts to go off, when they feel the first tugs from the physical body as it begins reeling them in for reintegration.

Spirits:
Personally, I do not advise projectors call out to 'unknown' spirits or 'unknown' guides to help them project, unless they know 'exactly' who or what they are calling, and can verify their credentials as to exactly who and what they are. Calling blindly for any help from anywhere carries a high risk of attracting the unwanted attention of undesirable astral wildlife and mischievous spirit entities. Most types of intelligent astral wildlife and spirit entities appear to require some kind of 'permission' before they can interfere with a living person's life. Calling blindly for help can provide an entity with all the 'permission' it needs, albeit obtusely. And, once permission is given in cases like this, it cannot so simply or easily be revoked. It is, I believe, a very unsafe practice indeed, to deliberately solicit the help of unknown spirit entities, as any type of open invite or request for help may invite a negative entity to trouble you instead. Calling upon Angels, however, does not carry the same cautions as does blindly calling upon unknown spirits.

Prayers to God (in whatever form or name you believe in) asking for His protection and help, however, are 'highly' recommended and do not carry this same risk. I thoroughly recommend a prayer for protection be 'sincerely' said before any projection, even just a few words, regardless of belief or religion - or even the lack of it. Prayers are most effective when said from a deeply relaxed 'quiet' mental state; ie, from in the trance state.

If a spirit of some kind does manifest during an OBE, and the projector is not sure if they are genuine or not, a simple test is to ask it to go away and leave you alone, and to return at another time, when called upon. Any good spirit will obey this request, and will return another time when called upon. If a spirit does not leave, or argues against this request, saying it knows better than you what's good for you, etc, then its a pretty safe bet this spirit is not who they say they are.

There are certain skills necessary to be learned by any projector wishing to OOBE at will. There are 'no' safe shortcuts to projection. The difficulties associated with conscious exit OOBE are best thought of as natural barriers, barriers which are there for a 'reason' and which are therefore unwise to avoid. If there is a friendly spirit or guide associated or interested in the progress of a projector, and they are interested in helping, they will know 'exactly' what the projector is doing and 'when' they are doing it. If they are willing and able to help with them learning projection, they will do so, without any request from the projector.

The difficulties of conscious exit OOBE are 'natural' barriers and it is unwise to avoid the lessons these hold and the skills that can be gained in overcoming them. These skills: deep physical relaxation, clearing the mind, concentration, trance, bodily awareness actions, energy raising and the ability to overcome fear, are necessary requirements for successful and safe out of body operations. In a nutshell, if you cannot make it out of your body under your own steam, you should not be projecting at that time. This does not, however, mean you should not keep trying, as once the necessary skills are learned, and you have fulfilled the requirements for OBE operations, you will have passed the first natural barrier and will be ready to take your first steps out of your body.

Physical Body's Eyes:
While this may appear obvious to many people, I have had a lot of queries over this matter. The physical body's eyes must remain closed at all times during a projection attempt. (you wouldn't believe how many times I've been asked about this:) Real Time and/or Astral sight will enable by itself during or just prior to a conscious projection exit. If a projection is too dark or the projector feels they are blind, I suggest they use the out of body energy raising techniques, as given earlier. It is also possible to create light by visualisation, by visualising a torch or lamp, etc. Many people find they simply have to ask for their sight when out of body and they get it straight away. Another way to overcome darkness is to visualise a well lit destination and use the instant travel method to project there.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Rapid Eye Movement, commonly called the 'REM' state, often happens during an oobe attempt - often, but not always. This is a natural event triggered by the trance state when the physical body is very tired - when the physical body falls into a deeper sleep than is actually required, but with the mind still being held awake. The REM condition signposts the ideal time to have a lucid dream, as this indicates the dream mind is becoming active. If fear or other difficulties make OOBE difficult I suggest the projector focus on having a lucid dream at this time, as this will give some type of related out of body experience which will help prepare them for a full blown conscious exit OOBE later on. At this time a 'conscious' lucid dream becomes a viable alternative to a conscious OOBE, especially if REM activity is disturbing and breaking the concentration of the projector. Keep in mind here that a lucid dream can be converted into a Real Time or astral projection if the projector focuses on and 'feels' for their body. They will then either project back to their body, or near to it, and a full OOBE can continue, or is then much easier to attain.

LD Note: A good way to attain a lucid dream, if lying down when the REM state hits, is for the projector to stop the OOBE attempt, staying relaxed and turning on their side (not their back) and to imagine a department store setting while allowing themselves to sink gently into sleep. If all goes well, they'll slip directly into a lucid dream with no apparent break in consciousness.

Closing Energy Centres?
*Author's Note* This section contradicts, corrects and replaces an earlier section in the original Treatise - on closing primary energy centres after using them. The reason for this contradiction is simply that my continuing research has led to an increased understanding of the energy body and how it works - with experience teaching me otherwise in this case:)

After any type of energy work it is, traditionally, believed to be important to close all energy centres that have been stimulated or opened. While this idea appears to have some merit on the surface, I have come to the conclusion it is a completely illogical practice. No localised awareness action or visualised action can cause an energy centre (chakra) to deactivate or close. This applies to any type of energy centre, secondary or primary. Experience tells me that no matter how an awareness action is performed at the site of an energy centre it will 'always' cause stimulation. It is a mistake to think that any awareness or visualised action can succeed at closing or deactivating an energy centre. This is a little like fanning a spark (inactive energy centre) into a flame with an stimulation action (making the spark an 'active' energy centre) and then trying to make that same flame go out by blowing up on it from a different direction. However it is done, it will continue to fan the flame.

Consider this: Most popular chakra opening methods involve visualising a small door or pair of curtains opening over the site of a chakra. Once this is done that chakra is deemed to have been 'opened'. This method is then simply reversed to 'close' that chakra at the end of the session. Once these doors have been visualised as closing, the chakras are deemed to have been 'closed'.

Primary chakras are complex non-physical 'vortexes' of energy, each with a great many functions, about the size of the palm of your hand. If you look at just how a visualised 'little door' opening technique like this would affect a powerful energy structure like this, it becomes fairly obvious that a reversed action of 'closing' a simple little door would have little or no effect. It would also not affect it in the desired way. If you understand how bodily awareness and Tactile Imaging works, as per the Treatise, it becomes clear this reasoning is somewhat faulty. Both opening and closing methods involve a visualised or bodily awareness action at the site of a major chakra. Both opening and closing actions will, therefore, each cause some degree of stimulation. Primary energy centres can not be likened to simple mechanical devices that can be switched off or closed by any such visualisation or awareness action.

Energy centres are, I think I have shown, not simply little doorways that can be opened and shut with good intentions and a little visualisation. Some people may dispute this, as energy centres are 'traditionally' supposed to be closed after use; as per popular new-age type theories and literature on this subject. Be that as it may, my logic is sound and based on repeatable experiments, and energy centres simply 'cannot' be deactivated or 'closed' in this way. If a person thinks they have succeeded at doing this, they will find this is merely a coincidence, and that the energy centres in question were deactivating on their own anyway. In most cases, primary energy centres will begin deactivating very quickly from the moment relaxation discipline is broken, when physical body movement and normal levels of mental activity are restored.

Reversing the energy 'raising' action and taking energy down through the legs (not through primary centres) however, does help reduce activity in primary energy centres. This reversed energy raising action does not involved any type of direct chakra stimulation and will reduces the amount of energy flowing into the energy body, especially through the legs. This reduces the amount of energy available to primary energy centres, thereby reducing activity in them to some extent. This does not, however, involve any focused awareness actions at the sites of primary centres.

Energy centres, primary and secondary, naturally reduce their level of activity once relaxation discipline is broken, as well as when they cease to be stimulated or used. The best way to deactivate energy centres is to stop stimulating and using them. Energy centres will also cease activity when they become energetically exhausted. This will happen when the supporting energy body circuitry shuts down, becomes exhausted, or for some other reason becomes incapable of providing the required energy flow necessary to maintain primary energy centres in their active state.

Note: if no significant continuing energy movement or activity is felt in primary energy centres, after a development session or projection attempt, they should be left alone. An attempt should be made to reduce activity 'only' if continuing chakra sensations are pronounced or become bothersome and uncomfortable. If left alone, they will naturally deactivate very quickly once relaxation discipline is broken and physical movement and activity are restored.

Ways Of Reducing Primary Centre Activity:

Reverse the energy raising action in the legs and arms alone - pushing energy back down and out of the body.

Stop focusing awareness on any primary energy centres.
Break mental relaxation and trance and restore normal physical and mental activity. Move, stand, talk, stretch and restore full circulation and movement.
Curl up and go to sleep - if this is appropriate.
Have a substantial snack or meal.
Press and hug a pillow into an uncomfortably overactive centre, then go to sleep or take a nap.
Vigorously rub, massage or slap the sites of overactive energy centres.
Physical exercise, like walking, jogging, swimming, aerobics, etc.
Take a shower - cold if necessary.

* Combinations of the above actions will slow or stop energy centre activity.

YO-YO OOBE Technique:
The whole point of any OOBE technique is to exteriorize bodily awareness outside of the physical body to trigger the projection reflex quickly, whilst the projector remains mentally awake. This, apparently simple, awareness action can, however, be extremely difficult for most people to maintain for more than a couple of seconds. If this is done only briefly, however, over and over and rhythmically, for long enough, it will also have the effect of triggering the projection reflex.

Following is the outline of a new technique I call YOYO. I have used this myself and it seems to have almost as many good points as the Rope technique, but most people find YOYO much easier. This method is a good alternative if you are having trouble with ROPE. This can also be used as a good preparatory exercise for an OOBE attempt. It helps 'loosen up' the projectable double, even if another technique is to be used for the actual exit.

Get yourself into a deeply relaxed state, or into the trance state if possible, as you normally would prepare for using an OOBE technique.

Pick a target on the ceiling above your bed, or on the wall if using a chair. This can be a light fitting or picture (anything) or you can tape a small paper target up above you.
Stand on a chair (careful not to fall) and get the feel of what it is like to have your face up close to the target. Feel the changed spatial coordinates. Feel what this new position (up next to the target) feels like from there. Feel where the floor and bed and furniture and windows and doors are now. Memorise what it 'feels' like to be in this position, up close to your target.
Instead of using ROPE, shift your awareness out of your body and push it right up next to the target, as if target were right next to your face. Imagine and 'feel' yourself being at the target, right up close to it. Hold your awareness there for one second only and then pull your point of awareness back to your body. Feel yourself move right up to the target and, briefly, feel your spatial coordinates in the room change as your bodily awareness changes location. Feel the room move around you, briefly, as you fly up to the target and back to your body. Feel the room change back to normal when you pull your centre of awareness back to your body.
Bounce your awareness back and forth between the target and your body at roughly one second intervals (whatever feels most natural). Try and develop a natural rhythm, in and out, in and out, over and over.
When you get used to using this technique, extend your time at the target slightly, just a little bit longer. Always keep this time short enough to be comfortable and achievable so you can do it repeatedly, over and over, with ease. This takes concentration but is quite easy when you get the hang of it.
Keep this up and it will trigger the projection reflex just like ROPE.
Vary this technique as you see fit, with other OOBE techniques like ROPE, or rolling out of your body, or feeling yourself floating out of body, point shift, etc. You may, for example, trigger the projectable state, feeling vibrations, etc, using YOYO and find it easier to finish off the exit using ROPE, or by rolling out of your body, or with another favourite method.

Racing Heartbeat, Disorientation & Pressure:
In my opinion, disorientation and head pressure, during or after an OBE or OBE attempt, stem from forced bio-energetic development, caused by an OBE attempt. Any problems resulting from this will settle down over a couple of days. I do not advise further attempts until you feel completely normal again - as things must have time to adjust and develop in response to what has happened - as a muscle must be given time to heal and develop after being overworked and strained.

While a logical observation, and partly true, the assumption that the heart chakra is not getting enough energy, and that this is causing it to race during an OBE attempt, is not entirely correct. This matter is far more complex than it appears.

When you cease a projection causing bodily awareness action, ie, Rope, and observe the throbbing in your heart chakra slowing, you have actually eased the pressure that was forcing your energy body to generate your projectable double. This eases the load on the heart chakra, thus slowing its activity.

The heart chakra is forced to provide a lot of energy, to generate the projectable double, during an awake induced OBE attempt. Excessive heart centre activity, and all other heavy exit sensations, are 'caused' by the presence of 'awake' consciousness, which cause a plethora of bio-energetic conflicts to arise. To support this: think how easily you project out of body when your mind is asleep, and out of the bio-energetic equation? When asleep, you'll find you slip out with hardly a murmur from your hear chakra, feeling only a mild, brief falling sensation. At the very worse this level of exit sensations will make you catch the sides of your bed, especially at times when you are drifting in and out of sleep, before actually falling asleep.

When awake consciousness is present during an OBE attempt, a true 'complication of bio-incarnated consciousness' arises. Your awake mind changes the whole equation, and the usual bio-energetic projection mechanism comes under a lot of unusual pressure. It finds it must work overtime to provide the energies needed to generate the projected double while awake consciousness is present. When awake consciousness is present during projection, the bio-energetic projection mechanism has to overcome the awake mind's conscious control over its physical body, and the 'tension' this automatically generates.

By partly true, I mean that the heart chakra does speed up when increased energy demands are placed upon it. This can occur during an OBE, when the projected double deliberately draws more energy from its physical/etheric counterpart, which is energetically maintaining its projected double via the Silver Cord. A noticeable heavier thrumming will also be felt from within the perceived chest area of the projected double when this happens, even though it does not have a chest, per se. This is especially noticeable at close range, within 20 feet (6 metres) or so, during a Real Time OBE, and eases with greater distance.

But, when heart centre throbbing speeds up during a conscious exit OBE attempt (which is especially noticeable during early OBE's and OBE attempts), this is a sign that awake consciousness is throwing a spanner into the works, so to speak.

Apart from the 'unavoidable' presence of awake consciousness - which must be overcome through repeated OBE attempt experience (which develops the projection mechanism to the point where it can compensate), plus simple bio-energetic development - most of the problems this causes stem from a lack of deep physical relaxation. This is the most 'widespread' problem and general cause of this. The vast majority of would-be projectors do not attain a sufficient state of deep physical relaxation prior to OBE attempts, and then experience heavy exit sensations and problems as a result.

No way! you might say, "I'm in full trance and so 'must' be deeply physically relaxed enough for projection to occur. Well, while an understandable assumption, think on this: it is quite possible to attain a fairly deep level of trance (usually too deep for easy OBE) while the physical body still retains sufficient physical tension to interfere with the projection mechanism. In a similar way, it is also possible to fall asleep while still full of stress and tension. For example, I can attain a full trance state while standing and even walking - which obviously entails physical tension, which obviously would interfere with an OBE attempt, if I attempted one at this time.

My suggestion is to read The Treatise on OBE, Version 2.00, parts 1 - 8, and then to spend at least a few weeks practicing deep physical relaxation, and trance work only. Do this 'separately' from OBE attempts, preferably at times when you are wide awake, like in the morning. This makes relaxation and trance work much harder, but has far more development benefits because of this.

If after following the above advice, you still have problems, I'd consider the Mind-Split as being the culprit stopping you from 'remembering' your OBE's. If you experience vibrations or other exit sensations prior to the racing heart centre sensation, it possible that you had already succeeded at projecting, but had missed the exit: meaning that after your projected double had departed, your physical/etheric aspect was continuing to attempt projection. Under this circumstance, projection is impossible, re the etheric body cannot leave its physical counterpart while a OBE is 'already' in progress.

Emotion & Reentry:
The emotional content of the reentry phase is 'extremely' important as it strengthens OBE memories. If the mind split is responsible, and it probably is, for failed OBE attempts, this means your memories of existing in your physical/etheric body are not allowing your OBE memories to 'overwrite' them after reentry. The nature of the physical brain is to record only a single memory for any single time period. During an OBE, two completely separate sets of memory are present - those of the physical/etheric body and those of its projected double. The 'strongest' memory set will be the set retained, as a recallable memory, after an OBE. The memories of the physical/etheric body have more of an immediate impact on the physical brain, as these memories are automatically recorded, as per normal physical memory recording.

In order for an OBE memory download to take place, and overwrite these memories, they have to be stronger and have more 'impact' than the resident memories. Emotion can thus be used to empower OBE memories, to give them more impact on the physical brain. It is for the above reasons that fearful or exciting, more dramatic, OBE's are more easily remembered than are the more mundane type.

I remember during my early days of OBE (when I started doing it deliberately) floating near my physical body trying to work out why I seemed to be failing and losing the OBE memory most of the time. I was trying to OBE just about every night, but had only succeeded a few times that year. At these times, my projected double had no problem exiting my physical body. I wondered, as it was so easy, why I was not remembering more of my OBE's. Then I remembered how excited I was during and after these OBE's, and started to wonder....'hmmm, maybe emotion itself had something to do with carrying the OBE memories back into my physical body with me?'

I made a successful 'emotional' reentry that night, and remembered my OBE reasoning. I have applied this reasoning ever since then, and have thus had countless successful OBE's. Now, I always 'shout' my success 'savagely' in some way as I make the reentry. I hold the OBE memory very strongly in mind and use a trigger phrase to enforce an effective memory download, ie, "I did it!" or "My hands melted!" or etc. This works! I always come to (wake up) with my trigger phrase on my lips, and with full memory of my OBE. This really does make a world of difference.

Good luck!...never give up!...you'll succeed if you keep trying!
Table of Contents for this Article

Treatise on Astral Projection

Part 8