(continued from OBE 0002)
There are many different opinions and beliefs regarding protection. As I mentioned earlier, if nothing else it offers you and your body peace of mind. The Canterbury Institute strongly recommends the following physical protection technique because it’s a technique that your physical body (“Me”) understands. For this technique all you will need is a pound of salt and a squeeze bottle. Mix the salt with a half gallon of water and fill the squeeze bottle with this salt water solution. (Store the rest in a convenient location). Create a circle with a radius of just under 5-1/2 feet(5.44 ft.). Stand inside your circle at the eastern rim and with your squeeze bottle make a complete, unbroken, clockwise circle. As you do this say the following;
Spirits of mischievous intent, Spirits of lower entities, You may not pass this sacred line. As I will, so mote it be.
When you have finished the circle, you should end up facing east. Put the squeeze bottle down and while still facing east make the sign of the cross in the air before you. (An equal armed cross if you are Pagan or a traditional, sword shaped cross if you are Christian). While making the cross you should say affirmations that are appropriate for your religion. After you finish you will turn to the south and repeat the steps, then west and north. An example of simple protective Christian affirmations would be;
EAST: Jesus, son of man, help me find my future. I have no fear, I am strong. Jesus protects me all day long.
SOUTH: Mary, mother of God, Surround me with protection. I have no fear, I am strong. Jesus protects me all day long.
WEST: Michael, angel of the west, As I lie secure my rest. I have no fear…. (same as above).
NORTH: Raphael, angel of the north, come with me as I travel forth. I have no fear… (as above).
UPWARD: Jehovah, from your throne, Protect me with mighty power. I have no fear… (as above).
Once you have completed the cardinal points of the circle, lie down with your head to the east and gesture an upward spiral in the air above you with the fingers on your right hand held closely together. Recite the final (upward) affirmation. Now you can continue your exercise feeling no fear, knowing that you are protected from any harm. (G. & Y. Frost, 1982)
(Note: If you are not comfortable squirting the salt water solution on to your floor you can look for an alternative such as an unbroken circle of pure salt or sulfur. Another alternative is to soak a length of heavy cotton twine in the highly concentrated salt water solution mentioned above. Create your unbroken circle using the string while reciting the affirmations in the same manner, just be sure to connect or tie the ends of the string to close your circle. You can store the string after each use (re-soaking it occasionally to keep it fresh).
Step 1:
Relax your body, both mentally and physically. A good way to do this is with breathing exercises. Don’t concentrate too much on breathing but full, steady breathes are very effective. Be sure your “Me” self is satisfied for the moment. If you are hungry, horny or uncomfortable in any way “Me” will not let you go. It might take several practice runs before you figure out all the things that “Me” is going to do to try to keep you from leaving. Don’t be frustrated if you have to get up and change something in the room or use the bathroom. Be patient and persistent, eventually “Me” will realize that you are not going to neglect any of his needs and will let you go.
Step 2:
As you fall into deeper relaxation clear your mind of any thoughts and concentrate on the darkness before you. (If you accidently fall asleep don’t be discouraged. Simply continue as soon as you wake up). After a short while you may notice light patterns. This is actual residual energy from your neural synapses. They have no important function or effect but they can assist in keeping you from falling asleep. Now you have entered an even deeper state of relaxation and you will begin to lose awareness of your senses, you will be alone with your thoughts. (There is no time limit here. You may reach this state on your first or second attempt or it may take a few weeks, don’t even worry about time, it’s irrelevant).
Step 3:
Eventually you will become aware of what is known as the vibrations. The vibrations are what I consider the onset of projection. Nobody really knows what the vibrations are but you will certainly know when you feel them. Your first instinct is fear and curiosity simply because it’s something new. Don’t be afraid, embrace the vibrations knowing that astral travel is imminent.
Step 4:
Practice controlling the vibrations mentally by moving them around your body. The sensations will intensify and become sort of wave like. (At this point your mind will say things like; ‘I can’t believe this is actually going to happen, but seeing that I arrived here rather easily I am going to wake up now because I can do this again anytime I want.’ This is just your fear trying to bail out at the last second. It’s “Me’s” last ditch effort to keep you from leaving so just assure yourself that you are safe and continue your experiment).
Step 5:
As the vibrations surge through your body, try extending an arm and feeling for the bed table or the wall, if you do feel an object or the wall try pushing your hand through it. Your movements will feel completely normal until you feel your hand go through the object. If you feel like your arm went straight through the object bring it back to your side just as if it was physical. At this point you may want to slow down the vibrations and gradually return to normal. Now that you have been to the threshold of an out of body experience and your experiment was a success you might want to stop here and celebrate your achievement. This will prepare you for full separation and boost your confidence. Slowly cease the vibrations and return to normal. Be sure to log your success!
It’s important to realize that at any time after you start feeling the vibrations your body might separate and you may float up to the ceiling (or through the ceiling) or drop through the floor. You might see flashing lights, hear strange noises or even explosions, don’t be afraid, try to ride it out and see what happens. The first time will be very scary and your instinct (or even reflex) will be to instantly return to your body. If you do find yourself popping out of it and you can’t do anything about it don’t be discouraged, your experiment was a success.
Step 6:
At this point you either ended your experiment, and then repeated it to end up back at the vibrations, or continued from the last step. Over time you will find it easier and easier to initiate the vibrations. Most people develop what is sometimes known as a “key step” which is your own way of initiating the vibrations. For some it might be a low buzzing that you sense in your forehead, for others it might be a tingling sensation in your fingertips which slowly evolves into the vibrational state. (You will eventually discover or develop your own key step). Once you’ve entered the vibrational state and are semi-comfortable with it, start to detach by thinking about floating up to the ceiling. Do not let your thoughts stray at all, you should be in complete control and completely aware of what’s happening. Keep remembering that what you are doing is completely natural and your guardian is with you and will protect you and your body. Think about the freedom of floating weightlessly through the air as you lift out of your body.
If you’ve reached this vibrational state but are having trouble detaching, there are several different techniques that may help. The “roll” method is another technique that may help you detach. What you want to do is roll over as if you are rolling out of bed. (Be careful not to actually roll onto the floor). Start with your head and try twisting your neck up and over, then continue with the rest of yourself until you are completely out. Sometimes people have difficulty knowing if they are actually separated because our “I” self, or astral vehicle, is identical to our physical body. The reason for this is simply because that is the way we are used to seeing it. While you are projecting your astral body will typically look as you would expect it to look. You might also see a silvery cord which attaches you to your “Me” self, or mundane body. Over time you may find that your astral vehicle is adapting to suit your needs. You don’t really need legs when you are a floating entity! You may also discover that you are capable of modifying your “vehicle” to suit whatever it is you are doing. Maybe you are in a liquid medium and can get around better with fins? I know it sounds bizarre, and maybe it’s not the best example but it’s really not that far-fetched. If you were to stay in your astral vehicle permanently it would eventually just appear as a ball of light.
Another image you never get used to seeing is your “Me” self lying in bed without you inside. It’s a very odd feeling and there’s a good chance that the first time you see this you will jump right back into your body. There’s really no reason to be afraid, your body will be completely safe while you are away. Everyone undergoes what’s known as sleep paralysis while they are sleeping. This natural mechanism is what keeps our bodies from acting out our dreams. It will also keep your body safe and sound while you are projecting. The first time I projected I thought I had just woken up normally. I don’t have my first dream journal handy but if I remember correctly I woke up and had an odd view of my room. I looked across to the mirror but the mirror was much lower on the wall than it was supposed to be. (I might have looked at myself in the mirror for a short while but I’m not 100% sure, I might be mixing this experience with another). I looked down and saw myself lying there in bed in a fetal position sleeping. It took a moment for me to completely grasp what was happening but I soon realized that I was floating up near the ceiling! It was the strangest thing I ever experienced because I didn’t know what was happening. Once I realized what was going on I freaked out and woke up in my bed a second later. I don’t remember why I panicked, I’m pretty sure it was just reflex. Somehow I knew that I wasn’t dead but I knew that I had somehow left my body. Once I read up on it I figured out that I had an out of body experience and I was instantly hooked on the subject.
My first out of body experience is what compelled me to explore the phenomenon further. I never discussed these interests and experiences with outsiders because of the stigma surrounding these subjects. To this day many people consider lucid dreaming and astral projection topics of mythical fantasy, however, once a person experiences a true lucid dream or astral trip their doubts disappear forever and they awaken with a refined sense of awareness.
Thanks for reading….
JC
The protection technique of The Canterbury Institute was taken from the book "Astral Travel - Your Guide to the Secrets of Out-of-the-Body Experiences"
Weiser, 1982
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