Instructor: Rainsong
Date: January 13, 2018 (Saturday)
Rainsong
Welcome, everybody.
Rainsong
We’ll start with a friendly definition: “Projection” in this context is the act of leaving your body to its own devices while you go somewhere else.
Rainsong
The “where” part – the destination – is a separate issue, and not the topic of this discussion. That said, we will talk about navigation, a little bit.
Rainsong
Are there any questions or comments, before we dive into this?
Flux
Not from me.
Rare peypey
nothing yet
Scelana
Not atm
calamity
Nay
Rainsong
Alrighty then.
Rainsong
Because your body would be unattended, it’s best to choose a physical location that’s safe and comfortable. Many people favour their beds for this reason.
Rainsong
Driving down the 401 or I-95 would not be the ideal time to try this.
Rainsong
Nor indeed would any time where conscious cooperation with – not to mention awareness of – your body would be a good idea.
Rainsong
Having chosen a location, now choose a position: you could lie down, sit in a chair or propped up on pillows, or whatever. A stable position from which you are unlikely to fall is what we’re looking for, here.
Lutasi
handstands are out then?
Rainsong
For most people, this will rule out standing up, any sort of precarious perch, and handstands
Rainsong
Heh. Yes, Lutasi, rules out handstands. 😀
Rainsong
You can use a blanket or not. Can wear just about anything you feel like (I’ve been asked this recently). I’d suggest avoiding things that are too tight or two scratchy, if possible.
Rainsong
The next bit is to relax the body and the mind.
Rainsong
There are a number of ways to accomplish this. One of the easiest is something called “progressive relaxation”. It’s basically going into trance backwards, by causing the symptoms artificially.
Rainsong
It’s been relatively mainstream for decades, for a number of anxiety-related issues, so it’s easy to get detailed information about it. But the fact is, it’s pretty simple.
Rainsong
Normally accomplished lying down, start by paying attention to your toes. (Or whatever the lowest part of your body is, if you are missing feet and so on…)
Rainsong
Curl the toes and make them as tense as you can.
Rainsong
Hold that for a moment, and then let them relax.
Rainsong
Next, tense up your feet. Keep ’em tense for a moment, and then let them relax.
Rainsong
Do the same with the calves… and the thighs, and so on.
Rainsong
Work your way up the body. After the chest, do the shoulders… upper arms, fore-arms, hands…. and then the neck, and face muscles.
Rainsong
It doesn’t require visualization. It doesn’t involve any complicated metaphors: Just tense stuff and let it untense.
Rainsong
Sometimes, it helps to repeat it two or three times.
Rainsong
Questions? Comments?
Flux
Do you personally use this technique to project?
Flux
The relaxation one.
Rainsong
Yes, I sometimes use this approach, but not all the time. This is just the “relax the body and mind” stage of preparation.
Rare peypey
it seems like accidentally going to sleep could be an issue with this technique
Rainsong
It can be. In such cases, substitute another method. I personally suggest inducing one form or another of functional trance (trance states in which you’re “awake” enough to motivate yourself to do things, instead of just drifting off to sleep).
Rainsong
Short version: This part of the method is merely one of the easiest. You can substitute practically any trance-induction you like.
Rainsong
Does that answer those issues?
Flux
Answers mine.
Flux
I’m typically only prone to fall asleep while doing trance stuff if I’m not well rested, though everyone is different in that respect.
Flux
Today for example, I’d probably fall asleep…
Rare peypey
I’ve never really tried a technique like this, so I’ll give this method a try from start to finish either tonight or tomorrow
Rainsong
Fair enough. Yes, if you’re over-tired, progressive relaxation technique will likely send you to sleep. (If you’re having trouble sleeping: try rattling, then clean your field, and then to progressive relaxation. It solves a lot of types of insomnia. Not all, but safe and cheap, so why not try it?)
Rainsong
I’m going to make a bit of a detour before getting to the method I typically use.
Rainsong
I’m sure you’ve heard of Robert Bruce’s “rope-climbing” technique. It works pretty well, and it’s relatively easy. So I’m going to describe it first.
Rainsong
Having relaxed your mind and body, imagine there is a thick rope hanging down from the ceiling, with the lower end of the rope in easy reach of your arms. Perhaps the end of the rope is brushing against your tummy or chest. Or maybe it’s a few inches higher.
Rainsong
Picture that rope as clearly as you can. A nice, strong, thick rope. Thick ropes are easier to climb than thin ones.
Rainsong
Once you have that nice and vivid, pretend to reach your hands up and grab the rope. Don’t move your physical arms – let them stay nice and relaxed.
Rainsong
Just imagine moving your arms. Visualize the movement, and pretend to feel your arms move. The more senses you can put into this the better. And if you’ve ever climbed a real rope – such as in basic training or in high school gym class – remember what it felt like.
Rainsong
Pretend to pull yourself up the imaginary rope, hand over hand, feeling the effort in the muscles of your arms and shoulders and chest (and tummy).
Rainsong
The idea here is to climb clear of your physical body.
Rainsong
Some people favour a ladder instead of a rope. That works, too.
Rainsong
We’ll come back to what to do after you’re clear of your body later…
Rainsong
Questions or commentary at this point?
Flux
Nope.
Scelana
None yet
Rare peypey
I can move my field away from my physical body kind of like taking off a glove (although this glove moves through you). Is this what is meant to move when you climb? Or should I just visualise myself climbing and leave my field alone
Rare peypey
I’ve never tried fully separating though, only arms and legs
Rainsong
It your field, no. It’s your… consciousness. The “you” part of you.
Rainsong
The part that’d deciding what to type in the chatroom, and wondering if your field is what climbs the imaginary rope. 🙂
Rainsong
Because the distinction is important for the other technique we’ll be discussing, we’ll be getting into a bit of detail about this in a moment.
Rainsong
For the record, I have used Mr. Bruce’s approach once or twice. It does work. It’s just not what I normally do.
Rainsong
If you discuss astral projection with enough people, you’ll hear about “vibrations” and sleep paralysis, and hypnogogia and so on as being necessary for projection.
Rainsong
They are optional. I’ve projected a lot of times over the past several decades and only once felt something that might possibly be “vibrations”.
Rainsong
If you do feel something like that (and you’re not in an earthquake-prone area….) or if you experience sleep paralysis while getting ready to project, that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.
Rainsong
But you don’t need to.
Flux
I’ve felt the vibrations or similar sensations like a rushing noise, and I find that they are associated with a specific kind of projection.
Flux
That’s in my case. I obviously can’t speak for everyone.
Rainsong
Thanks for sharing that, Flux. Interesting that you find them happening with one particular type.
Flux
It’s largely with a technique where you’re trying to exit the body while in a liminal state. It’s the whole body asleep but your mind is awake thing.
Rainsong
Good stuff. I’ve heard of many people experiencing such things. It does happen. Just don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel them. It’s not a problem either way.
Flux
Definitely not. I’ve also done the same technqiue that illicted those sensations and got nothing only to find myself wandering around out of body.
Rainsong
nods
Rainsong
Okay, then… proceeding to how I normally project…
Rainsong
I want to make it clear that I’m concentrating on teaching the way I do it, because that’s where I have the most experience. (Strangely enough.)
Rainsong
There are several perfectly valid ways to project, and mine isn’t the only “good” one. It’s probably not the best way. It works consistently for me, though, and I prefer to teach from personal experience where possible.
Flux
I super okay with that. I value personal experience.
Rainsong
😀
Rainsong
We were talking a moment ago about “what part of you” is it that does the projection. And now we’re going to look at that a little more closely.
Rainsong
Consider for a moment where you are… in relation to your body, as opposed to “Ummm, I’m in my house in Texas” or “Sitting on the hotel balcony in Berlin.”
Rainsong
Are you in your foot? Behind your eyes? In front of your elbow?
Rare peypey
Behind my forehead and eyes in my case
Rainsong
Someone else in the other chatroom suggested considering the question of “If you were sliced in half at the waist, which half would you be in?”
Rainsong
Rare Peypey: Good stuff. That’s the idea.
Rainsong
Now, the cool thing is, that spot can be moved.
Rainsong
Obviously.
Rainsong
Otherwise, projection would be impossible.
Scelana
I guess be behind my eyes, it’s also where I kinda am roughly postioned in the linkee when I’m mind ninjaing someone interestingly enough
Rare peypey
That makes me wonder why some people seem to have better empathy when working from the sternum, whereas telepathy seems to be best from the head, where consciousness sits by default
silton2
Hey
silton2
Is thr lecture still going?
Rainsong
Hi, Silton. Yes, it is.
Rainsong
Rare Peypey: Interesting question. I don’t know the answer for why that is. As far as I know, the reason hasn’t been established.
silton2
And with the rope method I never know “where” im climbing to. So it doesnt usually work
Rainsong
For this method, we’ll be moving that spot in the body before leaving the body to project…
Rainsong
This moving-it-around makes an interesting exercise in itself, in fact.
Rainsong
Many people find it easier to do if they close their eyes, at least early on in the learning process.
Rainsong
Pick a spot in the body to move it to. For example, behind your left knee, or the palm of your right hand.
Rainsong
Breathe in, and then as you breathe out pretend the breath is pushing your “you” toward the spot you’ve chosen.
Rainsong
Just a little shove.
Rainsong
And then in the next breath, as you breathe out, it pushes a little further.
Rainsong
It’s a fun way to pass the time in the airport, anyway. 😀
Rainsong
Questions? Commentary at this point?
Flux
None right now.
Rainsong
Alright.
Rainsong
To project, we’re going to move that “you” down to your tummy. More precisely, about halfway between your belly button and the xyphoid process (the little “tab” of bone at the bottom of the sternum, which is itself the plate of bone in the middle of the front of your chest.)
Rainsong
Once it’s approximately there (you don’t need to worry if it’s in exactly the right spot), you’re going to throw it clear of your body, like a cat puking up a furball: Breathe in, and heave the breathe out a few times, and when you feel ready, give it an extra push and throw your consciousness out of your body (yep, through your mouth or throat, approximately).
Rainsong
You end up above and a bit in front of your body, this way, usually.
Rainsong
Although, if you were particularly violent in the heaving, you might bounce against the opposite wall 😉
Scelana
Hehe
Flux
Well shit, did your technique wrong. I’m not aces at reading comprehension.
Rainsong
It’s a bit hard to convey precisely in text-only format.
Flux
Still got out for a sec though. :p
Rainsong
If you got out, you did it right. “Right” doesn’t necessarily mean you did it the same way I do… just that it works. 😀
Rainsong
What did you do?
Flux
I was pushing myself out of my tummy. I’m a doofus.
Rainsong
Ah, okay. If it works, run with it. 😀
Rainsong
It’s not uncommon to take a few tries to get it to work, so if any of you find that it doesn’t work on the first attempt, don’t be concerned.
Rainsong
It seems that this method tends to often have faster results than the rope approach if you can manage to deliberately move your consciousness around. (Again, that doesn’t make it better. We also don’t know how well most of the rope-people were working on it nor what their prior experience with energy work might have been.)
Rare peypey
What are your senses (from your consciousness, I assume your body isn’t gonna be doing much of anything) like in this state?
Rainsong
Good question, Rare Peypey. For some people, the senses are the same as for the physical body. Some people find that their senses are roughly the same but sharper (for example, they can see clearly, even though their body is near-sighted, but the senses are otherwise normal). And some folks find some strange distortions.
midnight
i get an overlay of my “astral” senses over my physical ones. the physical senses are still there, but “further away”
Rainsong
Interesting, Midnight. Thanks for that.
Rainsong
Questions and commentary before we get to “navigation”?
silton2
Noo
Scelana
Not so far
Rainsong
Movement and Navigation it is, then.
Rainsong
While your body’s enjoying a nice nap, your consciousness has some choices about how to move around: walk, fly, swim, teleport… All sorts of options. Gravity doesn’t seem to matter, except as a “norm” that many people find comfortable. In the same way, you don’t need to use doors unless you feel like it.
silton2
True true
Rainsong
An easy way to start moving around is to…. start moving around. Take a look around your room, and the other rooms around,…. float or climb up to the roof, and take a look at the condition of the shingles….
Rainsong
That sort of thing.
Rare peypey
Are you in the astral, or the physical when you project?
Rainsong
Notice what method you use to move. Do you glide around? Walk? Float along the ceiling?
Rainsong
You can go to either… The method of travel works for both types of destination.
Rare peypey
I see, how would you specify where you want to go then?
Rainsong
To go longer distances… or to enter the astral (or places like the astral…)… I swim into a fog-like thing or a cloud. I’m not entirely sure what that is or why it’s there.
Rainsong
(Rare: I’m trying to explain that… Hence the “Navigation” part.)
Rainsong
One of the easier ways to find a particular place, is to use landmarks.
Rainsong
For example, let’s pretend that you want to see whether your local library has a copy of Roget’s Thesaurus.
Rainsong
First, make a mental image of the building and an obxiously clear sign showing the address. Feel free to include a map, in this.
Rainsong
Your intent to go there, combined with the very clear idea of the destination, should be enough to have you heading in that direction.
Rainsong
Approaching the building, choose a spot through which to go inside.
Rainsong
I strongly suggest the door, if you are doing this kind of thing where there may be witnesses. Sometimes, your consciousness is visible to other people, psychic or otherwise.
Rainsong
Suddenly appearing through the wall of a public building could cause problems.
Rainsong
Or, it can be a really fun prank.
Rainsong
Depends on your mood. But better to make that your choice instead of an accident, yes?
Rainsong
For astral locations, still use landmarks or other “indicators” of place. It’s a little trickier because the landmarks are less stable.
Rainsong
As usual, it’s helpful to decide what you’re going to do, before you do it. So figure out where in the astral you want to go, and how you’ll know what part of the astral you’re in when you get there….
Rainsong
…and use that idea of how you’ll know when you get there, to focus on the destination.
Scelana
Is trying to get to a place in the etheric any different than getting to a place in the astral?
Rainsong
Not really, no.
Scelana
Ah kk
Rainsong
I believe it is more stable than the astral, generally. Otherwise, not really much difference.
Scelana
Ahhh
Rainsong
A small point before I forget about it…. You may have heard of a “Silver Cord” that connects you to your body. Don’t panic if you don’t see it. Most people don’t, it seems. I have no idea if it’s even real. But “not seeing your cord” does not mean you died.
Rare peypey
What about interacting with the world while projected? Are you unable to effect things? Does pk work?
Rainsong
Yep. PK works.
Rainsong
Don’t expect it to be easier to affect the physical world, by any means, but it works… in the physical world.
Rainsong
And in the astral, too, of course.
Rainsong
Any other questions? Commentary?
Scelana
If I’ve had a part of me pulled out/yoinked like an energy body or something to somewheres by someone but my consciousness was still in my physical body, would any of the techniques mentioned be useful in shifting or moving my consciousness to the pulled out/yoinked part? Or would something else be a more viable method?
Rainsong
I think it would be simpler to just pull it back directly. If it’s part of your energy body, it should still be attached, usually via some kind of tendril (Maybe that’s where the Silver Cord idea came from?),… pull it back in the same way you’d pull your whole field in close.
Rainsong
But if you just want to move your consciousness to that other part, yea, you’d do it the same way as for any other projection.
Scelana
I’m trying to keep that yoinked part where it’s at the moment though
Rainsong
Navigation would be simply focused on that part.
Scelana
Ahh i see
Scelana
Does having a yoinked part already where you want your consciousness to go actually help with navigation?
Rainsong
That part should still have enough of your pattern/appearance/thing on it that it should serve as the “address and imagined picture of the building” we were talking about earlier.
Scelana
Ahh thxies
Rainsong
Anyone else?
Rainsong
Or Scelana also,… ?
Scelana
Sounds like I can use my current situation to better get to finding my way to my teacher’s private plane then right?
Flux
No questions or comments from me.
Rainsong
Random note: If you normally Shield, it’s probably a good idea to Shield your body while you’re away.
Rainsong
Getting back to your body is the same as getting anywhere else, but you’re familiar enough with it that it’s easier than most destinations.
Flux
I’m going to have to bow out early. Have dinner to eat. I’ll catch up with what’s written later. Enjoyed the lecture, and hopefully this time I’m going to give the technique a proper technique barring any additional user errors.
Rainsong
Thanks for participating
Rainsong
I believe we’ve come to the end of the class.
Rainsong
Have fun with it 😀