HPAVC/HPAVC CD-ROM.iso/MAGIC9.ZIP/MAGICK09.TXT

Text File | 1995-01-07 | 13KB | 279 lines

Copyright (c) 1988 by Phil Hansford. This article is licenced for
free non-commercial distribution only.

               ** MAGICK 9 -- ASTRAL PROJECTION **


Astral projection (OOBE, out of the body experience) is a popular
area of occult literature; for traveling to see other worlds and
places while the physical body sleeps or is entranced is an
exciting notion. Astral projection is not dangerous. It is as
safe as sleeping. Most dreams are probably unconscious astral
projections, anyway. Although there has been quite a bit written
on the subject, astral projection is difficult for many people.
The main difficulty is the tendency to forget dream consciousness
upon awakening. Accordingly, the successful practice of astral
projection requires work.

Modern psychology discounts the idea of actual OOBE (that the
spirit temporarily vacates the physical body). However, the idea
is very ancient. The Tibetans have an entire system of yoga
(dream yoga) based upon astral projection. And here we have an
important assumption: you are involved in an OOBE (at least to a
degree) whenever you dream. What sets it apart from a full OOBE
is your hazy consciousness during the experience and poor recall
afterwards. Many people forget most of their dreams completely.
Learning astral projection requires a kind of inner mental
clarity and alertness.

Dreams are a door to the subconscious which can be used for
psychological and spiritual insight, and sometimes for
precognition. Dream content is influenced by external sounds and
sensations. For example, a loud external noise (such as a train)
will likely appear in your dream (if it doesn't wake you up!).
Dreams are also influenced by events of the previous day, by your
moods, and by suggestion. Everyone normally dreams 4 or 5 times a
night (about every 2 hours). The longest dreams occur in the
morning. Everyone dreams. You are more likely to remember the
details of your dream when you first wake up. By keeping a dream
diary you will improve dream recall. Have writing equipment or a
tape recorder at your bedside for this purpose; also a light
which isn't too bright. Suggest to yourself several times before
you go to sleep, "I will awaken with the knowledge of a dream."
Then when you do awaken, move quietly (sometimes just turning
over drives the idea away). Remember first, then write the dream
down, and then add as many details as possible. The next day
check for objective facts and expand if you can (by remembering
'what happened before that'). Once you start remembering your
dreams in this way, it will become easier to do so. (If you are
unsuccessful at this, and *really* want to remember your dreams,
you could arrange for someone to sit by your bedside all night
long with a dim light on. Then when he sees your eyes moving back
and forth -- rapid eye movements, a sign you are dreaming -- he
can wake you and ask for a dream report.)

                   FORMS OF ASTRAL PROJECTION

Astral projection may be subdivided into three basic types:
mental projection, astral projection (proper) and etheric
projection. And your OOBE may shift between them. Mental
projection is really simple clairvoyance ('remote viewing'), and
'traveling in your mind'. Imagination plays a key role. The
experience of mental projection is not particularly vivid, and
you will more likely be an observer than a participant.
Nevertheless, mental projection is an important 'way in' to
astral projection proper.

During mental projection and astral projection you are able to
travel through solid objects, but are not able to act directly
upon them or to move them (if they are in the physical world).
This is not true during etheric projection. Whether it is simply
subconscious expectation, or whether it is a true etheric
projection which in theory means that part of your physical body
has been relocated with your projection (the etheric or vital
part) may be difficult to determine. Etheric projections
generally travel at or very near the physical world. There are
even cases reported (very, very rare ones) in which the entire
physical body is transferred to another location (teleportation),
or cases in which the physical body exists and acts in two
separate places at once (bi-location)!

But our primary interest is astral projection proper, and mental
projection to a lesser extent. Astral and mental projection are
not confined to the physical world. Travel in the mental and
astral realms is feasible, and often preferred. Nor are astral
and mental projection restricted to the realm of the earth (you
could even go to the moon and planets).

                     STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The electrical activity of the brain has been observed and
classified with EEG (electroencephalograph) equipment; signals
picked up from the scalp by electrodes, then filtered and
amplified, drive a graph recorder. Brain activity has been found
to produce specific ranges for certain basic states of
consciousness, as indicated in 'hz' (hertz, or cycles/vibrations
per second):
delta -- 0.2 to 3.5 hz (deep sleep, trance state),
theta -- 3.5 to 7.5 hz (day dreaming, memory),
alpha -- 7.5 to 13  hz (tranquility, heightened awareness,
                     meditation),
beta  -- 13 to 28 hz   (tension, 'normal' consciousness).
As you can see, some form of physical relaxation is implied in
the alpha, theta, and delta consciousness. These states are in
fact reached through deep breathing, hypnosis, and other
relaxation techniques. OOBE occurs during these states, and delta
is probably the most important for it. The problem is really, as
we have said, one of maintaining mental awareness and alertness
while experiencing these altered states. Experimental subjects
hooked to an EEG do not show a discrete change from drowsy to
sleep; it is very gradual.

At the threshold between sleep and waking consciousness is a
drowsy condition known as the hypnogogic state. OOBE seems to
occur during this state, or a variant of it. By careful control
of the hypnogogic state (not going beyond it) it is possible to
enter OOBE directly.

                        BASIC TECHNIQUES

Most methods of astral projection are methods of conditioning.
Some form of trance or altered consciousness is always involved.
No one ever projects consciously while fully awake (some may
think that they do). Although there are many techniques used to
produce an astral projection, they boil down to ten of them. They
all sort of overlap.

1) Diet -- Certain dietary practices may aid in OOBE,
especially at first. These include fasting, vegetarianism, and in
general the eating of 'light' foods as discussed in a
previous lesson. Carrots and raw eggs are thought to be
especially beneficial, but all nuts are to be avoided.
Over-eating should be avoided. And no food should be eaten
just before an OOBE attempt. If you intend to practice during
sleep, for example, allow 2 to 4 hours of no food or drink
(except water) before bedtime. In general, we see here the
same kind of dietary restrictions advocated for kundalini
yoga.

2) Progressive muscular relaxation -- This is one of the basic
methods used in hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Physical
relaxation can assist one in attaining the requisite trance
state. These techniques involve beginning at the toes and
tensing, then relaxing the muscles, progressively up the
entire body.

3) Yoga and breath -- Yoga, mantra, and breathing exercises
similarly aim at physical relaxation. The practice of
kundalini yoga is particularly relevant, since it is concerned
with altered consciousness. In fact the arousal of kundalini
requires a similar state of consciousness to OOBE.

4) Visualization -- This involves a type of extended
clairvoyance or picturing of remote surroundings. If you can
experience the feeling of being there, so much the better.
Although this technique is essentially mental projection, it is
possible to deepen mental projection into astral projection
through (you guessed it!) visualization. Crowley taught a
similar technique: a) visualize a closed door on a blank wall, b)
imagine a meditation symbol on the door, c) visualize the door
opening and yourself entering through it. And J.H.
Brennan describes similar techniques wherein the door is
shaped and colored like a tattva, or alternately, a chosen
tarot card is visualized and the student visualizes entering into
it.

5) Guided imagery -- In many respects similar to
visualization. Except in this case, there is a guide (or
perhaps a voice on tape) directing you by means of
descriptions. As with visualization, mental rather than astral
projection is most likely.

6) Body of Light -- The old Golden Dawn technique. Imagine a
duplicate (mirror image) of yourself in front of you. Then
transfer your consciousness and sensation to the duplicate
('body of light').

7) Strong willing -- Sort of like creative visualization
experienced in the present. That is you express your strong
desire to project through your willpower while you visualize
yourself doing it.

8) The Monroe techniques -- These are a series of steps
developed by Robert Monroe: a) relax the body, b) enter the
hypnogogic state, c) deepen the state, d) develope the
sensation of 'vibration', e) separate from the body. The
Monroe Institute has developed some cassette tapes which are
claimed to help in this.

9) Dream control -- This is one of the most important
techniques. It involves becoming aware that you are dreaming.
There are several ways to do this. Oliver Fox says to look for
discrepancies in the dream to realize you are dreaming. One
occult student I know of visualized a white horse which he
could ride wherever he wished to go. After a time, when the horse
appeared in his dreams it was his cue that he was
actually dreaming/projecting. Don Juan tells Castaneda to look at
his hands while he is dreaming. And even the tarot and
Cabala may be used as dream signals. Another method is to tell
yourself each night as you go to  sleep, "I can fly"; then
when you do, you will know you are dreaming. Once you know you
are dreaming you can control  your dream/OOBE and go anywhere you
want. Repetitive activities will also likely influence
your dreams. For example, if you are on an automobile trip and
spend most of the day driving, you will probably dream about
driving. You can condition yourself to be aware you are
dreaming by doing a repetitive activity many times (walking
across the room or a particular magick ritual, for example). Then
when you dream about it, you will know you are dreaming.

10) Dream expansion-- A variation on dream control. A dream may
be *extended* by imagining it continuing from where it was when
you awaken. Then it is just a simple step to 'astral
project' by directing you 'dream'.

Although all these techniques may appear straightforward, they
all require effort. Astral projection is generally learned.

The astral world is the "ghostland" into which one passes after
death. It is sometimes possible to visit with the dead, or you
might be called upon to reassure and assist those who have just
passed over (died) or those who are consciously projecting for
the first time. Many spirits, elementals and ghosts exist in the
astral world. The magician should feel comfortable there. Tibetan
belief is that through proficiency in OOBE, you no longer need
reincarnate after death. The astral world is extremely changeable
and subject to your thoughts. Your will can control your
movements in the astral world, and if you seem to be going
somewhere non-volitionally ('astral current') it is probably your
true will causing it anyway. You might also experience heightened
magical ability while in the astral realm.

[This is a popular subject, and there may be other files online
about it. Check the MIND file area for OOBE.ARC. This file
includes the following articles --
MIAS.DOC.
MONROE.DOC.
OBEBOOK.AST
OOBE.THR.
TN.TXT.]

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What is the relationship between astral projection and
   dreams.
2) What is mental projection?
3) List the ten basic methods of astral projection.

BOOK LIST
H.P. Battersby, Man Outside Himself.
Susan J. Blackmore, Beyond the Body.
J.H. Brennan, Astral Doorways.
Robert Crookall, The Techniques of Astral Projection.
Denning and Phillips, The Llewellyn Practical Guide to Astral
  Projection.
Oliver Fox, Astral Projection.
Gavin & Yvonne Frost, Astral Travel.
Celia Green, Out-of-the-body Experiences.
Richard A. Greene, The Handbook of Astral Projection.
Herbert Greenhouse, The Astral Journey.
Jack London, Star Rover (historical occult novel).
Janet Mitchell, Out of Body Experiences.
Robert Monroe, Journeys Out of the Body.
Robert E. Moser, Mental and Astral Projection.
Muldoon and Carrington, The Projection of the Astral Body.
Ophiel, The Art and Practice of Astral Projection.
A.E. Powell, The Astral Body.
D. Scott Rogo, Leaving the Body.
J.M. Shay, Out of the Body Consciousness.
Susy Smith, The Enigma of Out-of-the-body Travel.
Brad Steiger, The Mind Travelers.
Yram, Practical Astral Projection.

========
Phil Hansford, 4/88
Mysteria
[phone] (modem)
P.O. Box 83
Tujunga, CA 91042