From: mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu (Robert McGrath)
Subject: Re: Methods of Projection (repost)
Reply-To: mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept of Computer Science
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 20:25:26 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.152007.1@eagle.wesleyan.edu>, jtulli@eagle.wesleyan.edu writes:
|> here is an article i wrote a while ago on methods of projection, based on
|> reading and experience...hope it is helpful:
|> 
|> there are many, many, MANY ways one can induce an oobe.  experimentation is
|> usually necessary to find out which ones work best for you.
|> here are some of the techniques i have been trying (and i'm getting closer, i
|> hope):
Interesting and useful post.

|> some physical manifestations:
|> for me anyway the strongest vibrations usually come at the temples and 
|> meet at the third eye.  
Please indicate what you mean by "the third eye".  I don't seem to have
one for reference.

|> fear: if one is afraid to succeed at projection, one will not allow oneself to
|> succeed.  the fear pulls you back quickly. 
Unfortunately this is not always true:  many people have had OBEs without
wanting to, and were badly scared.  As far as I can tell, though, no
bad consequences can come of an OBE (besides the effects of being scared).

|> deconditioning: in order to project it is helpful to feel confident that it is
|> possible for the consciousness to leave the body.  it is not necessary to
|> develop this awareness, but it doesn't hurt.  writing/saying/thinking 
|> affirmations, reading about projection, thinking about projection, thinking
|> about things in a new way as a result of learning about projection, etc., etc.
|> all help.
Actually, what you are describing is CONDITIONING.  This is a very sound
concept brought to you by nasty old materialist/reductionist psychology.
I should say that you are probably correct that believing in your own
ability to leave the body (and that you will enjoy it) will help induce
OBEs.


|> also, i think it would help not to tell anyone about your interest in
|> projection unless you are absolutely SURE that they will not throw disbelief
|> and fear and everything else in your face.  i read this in at least 2 books and
|> chose to ignore the advice, thinking, "my friends are open-minded enough to
|> understand".  i think that choice set me back; too much negativity and everyone
|> else's skepticism caused me to wonder whether there were such experiences, etc.
|> now i'm pretty sure there are and it doesn't matter what anyone else says, but
|> if i had it to do over again i wouldn't tell anyone for quite a while.  also, 
|> keeping all the excitement to oneself helps increase the desire to project.  
|> the stronger the desire the more likely one is to succeed.
This depends.  What matters is your OWN attitude.  If you tend to care a
lot about what other people think of your ideas then you will have
problems.  But if you do things you believe in despite the opinions of
others, it's no like to matter what they say.  Basically, this boils
down to the 'conditioning' discussed above.

|> looking with the physical eyes toward the third eye.  it hurts like hell but
|> i've read if you can build up a bit at a time to the point where you can hold
|> it for eight minutes or so, you'll be off.
This is a mystery to me.  Are you talking about crossing you eyes, or what?

|> also, there are some wonderful books out there.  (you might want to check your
|> local library.  usually good books are under the subject astral projection
|> (took me a while to figure that one out!)).  i highly recommend Robert Monroe's
|> books "Journeys Out of the Body" and "Far Journeys"...they are the best books
|> on the subject i have encountered, though i have heard Ophiel's "The Art and
|> Practice of Astral Projection" is also quite good (i haven't happened upon a
|> copy yet though, so i can't say for sure).
But read Susan Blackmore's "Beyond the Body" for a survey of most of the 
methods.

-- 
  Robert E. McGrath
  Urbana Illinois
  mcgrath@cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: alt.out-of-body