Overcoming Problems During OBEs
Out-of-body experiences/astral projections don't always go as planned. In fact, they often defy our expectations and we have problems. Like an infant thrust suddenly into a new world, we find ourselves in a sticky situation without skills and without a clue how to proceed. Here are some common OBE problems and how to overcome them.
Disclaimer: large sections of this article are take from chapter 31 of my second book, Lessons Out of the Body.
If you get stuck to your physical body
During my early years of OBE exploration, I used to get stuck to my body often. It was frustrating to go through an hour-long procedure to leave my body and then be unable to go anywhere. When this happened, I usually struggled against it for a while, but it was useless; my astral body would just not move. Luckily, I found a two-part solution.
Part of the problem stems from our belief systems, so the first part of the solution is to work on your beliefs. If you get stuck, you may be identifying with your body too much. Your beliefs and/or fears may be holding you back. The solution is to work with affirmations that will help you move away from your body even when it is paralyzed. For example, use this affirmation:
“I can travel freely during my OBEs.”
This affirmation should be used throughout the day, not only when you have the problem.
Part two of the solution is to properly deal with the problem whenever it arises. I’ve used this technique many times. When you find yourself stuck to your body and unable to move, try to just forget the astral body completely, then try to push your consciousness forward, without the astral body. Yes, without it.
Pretend you're walking under water. Try to move the location of your consciousness to leave your astral body behind. Don’t try to move your astral body, try to move your mind forward instead. When you do this, your consciousness will move forward. Try to keep up the momentum until you are at least fifteen feet away from your physical body.
OBE pioneer Sylvan Muldoon wrote about a “cord activity range” of about 10 feet/3 meters to 15 feet/5 meters that acts like a strong gravity between you and your physical body. Once you are outside that range, you will be free to travel at will. Curiously, you will still have an astral body. Why? Some researchers have described an "etheric body," or "energy body," a dense semi-physical “vehicle of vitality” (in the words of author Robert Crookall)–that acts like a vehicle for consciousness–that is related to “ectoplasm” used by "physical spirit mediums." It’s possible that this etheric body might occasionally get stuck to your physical body, and perhaps that is what gets left behind when you try to force your mind forward. Some people insist the etheric body is permanently attached to the physical body and will never move until you die. Others say the ability to move the etheric body is why spirit mediums are different from normal people. But I digress.
I’ve also used another method to get unstuck, which is recommended by William Buhlman and Eddie Slasher: demand very firmly that you be released. Focus very strongly and forcefully on the thought, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” and repeat this until you literally feel yourself pried away from the physical body, unstuck.
Astral blindness
At times when you leave your body you can find yourself completely blind. In my experience this is usually also related to Muldoon's "cord activity range." The way to get around it is:
- Make an effort to close your (non-physical) eyes.
- Do your best to walk, glide or otherwise move 15 feet/5 meters away from your physical body.
- Make an effort to open your (non-physical) eyes.
Body sight
Another annoyance is when you make an effort to open your eyes, but your
physical body's eyes open instead, giving you a completely different
and confusing perspective that's not related to your astral body's
position and orientation in space. The solution is the same as with blindness: Move away from your physical body and out of cord activity range.
It’s not always easy to maintain consciousness during an OBE. If you feel yourself getting drowsy or losing focus, you can try to perk yourself up that same way you would when you’re feeling sleepy while inside your body. If that doesn’t work, William Buhlman suggests you ask for, demand or even scream, “Clarity now!”
Another trick comes from author Michael Raduga, and that is to engage your sense of touch: palpation. If you think you're starting to lose awareness, use your (non-physical) hands to touch everything in sight, including touching your own arms, face, and so forth. Engage your sense of touch as deeply as possible until your focus is stronger.
Problems traveling
Most authors of OBE books made out-of-body traveling sound as easy as thinking about a place. It's not as easy as all that. When I first started having OBEs, I encountered many problems when trying to get around. Luckily, I learned to overcome these problems by doing three things:
- Repair a damaged belief system
Many of my early traveling problems were caused by flaws in my beliefs. Flying seemed unnatural and I doubted I would get to my destination. Traveling by thought-power alone didn’t make sense to me. My stubborn scientific mind was convinced couldn't be that simple. After all, there is no room in the laws of physics for thought-based propulsion. The best way to combat these problems is with affirmations. Repeat several times affirmations that empower your ability to travel freely. For example, “When I’m a spirit, it is easy and natural to travel by thought.” - Ask for help and accept it
I never used to ask for help from spirits because I didn’t trust them. Plus, I’m a man, and men never ask for directions, right? Gradually, I learned that there are plenty of spirit helpers out there who are willing to help you travel where you want to go. Once you get over the fear and distrust, you’ll find out it’s okay to ask for help. These helpers are there whether you see them or not, and they can read your thoughts. To ask for help, simply think, “Can someone please help me get to...[your destination]?” Most likely, you will be assisted by a helper who may not even speak to you, or speak briefly, like "Sure." - Think yourself there
Eventually I learned how to “think” myself to another location, as described in other OBE books. The process isn’t easy to explain, but it's easy to do. To travel this way, focus your mind on the desired location, almost as if tuning my mind to a new frequency. It feels like setting an anchor at a distant location and suddenly pulling yourself to the anchor. It doesn’t always work, so keep trying until you get it right.
Persistence is key to overcome OBE problems
The following OBE illustrates how to overcome OBE problems: Many years ago induced an OBE in which I had lots of problems.
I tried to sit up, but could only partially. I struggled to my right to get out of bed and stand up, but I was stuck. I tried to rotate around but I was zapped back to the body.
Round 2. I induced the proper state with extreme ease again, opened my astral eyes and saw the ceiling. I thought I heard some noises as if someone were in the room, playing with the things on the table near the foot of the bed. I tried to listen, and finally decided to sit up to see what was there, but I had no control. I could only sit up a foot off the bed, but not enough to see if someone was there. I tried harder until I lost consciousness and woke up in the body again.
Round 3 was the same as round 2, but this time I got brave and asked, “Who's there?” No reply. I still couldn't move. I was quickly zapped back into my body again.
Round 4. I got out of my body and tried to free myself again. I felt stuck, but then I felt a gentle pair of hands grab my feet gently and help me separate from the body. Unfortunately, I lost consciousness soon afterward and found myself back in my body again.
Round 5. I separated from my body again and decided to peel myself away from it with a backward-somersault. I peeled off awkwardly, floated about three feet off the bed. I didn't see anyone. I thought about what I wanted to do next. I decided to float/fly. With that thought, I started floating up to the ceiling. Then I decided to try to visit Julia, a friend I know from the Internet. I wanted to see if she could detect my presence, since she is psychically sensitive. I wondered how I should go about trying to get to her when I received a thought-communication from an unknown invisible source who said, “It's easy. Just think yourself there.”
I “thought” myself up through the ceiling and over the roof of the house. I tried to get my orientation so I could decide which direction was east. I started flying east at a great speed, perhaps as fast as an airplane, but decided “This might not work, or at least not quickly enough.” The same source said, “Just think yourself there.” So I thought, “With Julia.” It worked! My consciousness shifted. My eyes were closed but I mind-sensed a light/energy in front of me and knew it was her. I reached my astral arms/hands out and cupped the light/energy between my hands, as if holding her head. I tried to telepath to her, “Julia, this is Bob. How are you?” Then I lost consciousness. I decided against making a sixth attempt.
As this OBE illustrates, persistence is a key to solving OBE problems. If you get thrown back into your body, try to induce the OBE state again immediately before you move your body. Do this as many times as you need. If you get stuck to your body during an OBE, try different methods to pry yourself free until you find one that works. Approach unknown entities with caution, but don’t be afraid to ask for help from your spirit guides. If you’re having problems moving to your desired destination, close your eyes and reach out mentally to your desired location, then tell yourself to be at that location by force of will.
Be persistent and never give up.
Bob Peterson
08 March 2022
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Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteDid the sense of being stuck ever feel like it hurt?
My first OBE, where I was aware from the vibes on through, started out being stuck at a singular point on my solar plexus. I fought and writhed and thrashed toward the end of the vibes, and got the sense that it would be my end if I 'broke' the connection.
I calmed down, rode the end of the vibes, and 'went' out the side and eventually out of the house, but not for very long. I was mentally exhausted from the effort. I guess it was technically a 'roll' but I had no obvious body. I was a pinpoint as much as I could ken.
I ended up having an ache for weeks around the solar plexus and can still 'taste' the ache now if I concentrate on it.
Disclaimer: large sections of this article are take [taken ? ] from chapter 31 of my second book, Lessons Out of the Body.
ReplyDeleteA really good book about Obe i am reading right now is Beyond dreaming from Gene Hart. I think you will love it!!
ReplyDeleteHi Bob--this is helpful, thanks. Just finished reading Robert Monroe's 3rd book, Ultimate Journey, where he experienced this very thing. He noticed a "second body," if I recall, that was energetically in close proximity and sensorily similar to his physical body, like the first energetic level away from physical density. He might have called it an etheric body, and this is one he could easily get out of phase with, especially on OBE return (which tooooootally makes me wonder if this close etheric body is associated with False Awakenings on the lucid dreaming front, eh?). He found he had to leave this second body to get to an astral body and/or to venture further out into formless consciousness, and vice versa. He eventually developed the facility to transition to and from this dense second body, a way station, so to speak, so intimately close to his physical. It sounds very much like the one that keeps people within 15 feet and stickier to the physical. Once he launched from this second, etheric body he was free to travel the astral and other planes. So, from what I understood, the first exit can take one's consciousness to a close energetic replica of their form, but to really travel/project, one has to exit this second, etheric body.
ReplyDelete