concentrate, clear the mind,raise energy, stimulate the chakras and enter the trance state.CALMING THE MINDRelaxationYou must learn and master, a full body relaxation exercise. If you know one already itcan be adapted to suit. Here is a very simple one:Sit, or lie down, and relax. Starting with the feet, tense and relax them. Continue thiswith calves, thighs, hips, stomach, chest, arms, neck and face until your whole body isdeeply relaxed. Go over this a few times, making sure your muscles stay relaxed.Note: Deep physical relaxation is the key to bringing on the trance state, i.e., deeprelaxation CAUSES the trance state. Once you are in the trance state, projection on theastral body is relatively easy. ContemplationWhen you begin meditation, you will be plagued with thoughts from your surface mind,which acts like a huge Memo pad. It carries messages, reminders, pressing thoughts,problems to solve, unresolved issues etc. It is constantly busy, it NEVER rests, thoughts,thoughts, thoughts, one after the other, all clamoring for attention.Before you attempt to clear your mind, with the breath awareness exercise below, it iswise to deal with these surface thoughts by the act of contemplating them. Sitcomfortably, do the relaxation exercise and think, nothing more, just think. Search out thestrongest thoughts in your mind and examine them, try to resolve and understand them.Note the word: THINKING. Contemplation does not involve clearing the mind, orvisualization. It requires you to THINK, deeply and thoroughly, about something, to gaina deeper understanding of its nature and how it relates to you, an insight.Breath Awareness MeditationThis is a simple form of meditation. It will clear your mind and focus your awareness.Sit or lie down, close your eyes, do the relaxation exercise and clear your mind. Breathedeeply and slowly and focus on the breath entering and leaving your body. Feel itcoming in and feel it going out. Focus your whole attention on your lungs and thebreathing process. This simple action is enough to occupy your surface mind. Firmlypush intruding thoughts away, as they begin, before they can gather strength and distractyou.Breath awareness occupies the surface mind and allows you to think on a much deeperlevel.Surface ThoughtsSounds are very distracting, they generate surface thoughts. A car horn will generate:Whos that, whats happening? A door opening will generate: Whos coming in orgoing out? The surface mind is always very curious about what is happening aroundyou. It wants to know all, and it wants to inform you of every little thing going onaround you. It will pressure you to open your eyes, get up and go find out whatshappening.Dont allow this to happen. USE these annoying, attention getting thoughts as a trainingaide. By learning to quash and ignore them, your powers of concentration will grow.Stop these annoying little thoughts as they begin, before they can take root and grow intosomething stronger.For example: Whos that, whats happening? Becomes: Whos th............Whos coming in, or going out? Becomes: Whos co............With practice the start of these distracting thoughts will get shorter and shorter until youget: Wh....?........?.......... And W...?................... And finally:.......?........?...........................?...................Many people say they cant clear their mind as they are too easily distracted