OBE Techniques
From Jouni A.
Smed's Out-of-Body Experience FAQ:
"What
are the prerequisites for inducing an OBE?"
Many of the
inducing methods use as a starting point techniques
designed to improve the novice's powers of
relaxation, imagery, and concentration. The ideal
state appears to be one of physical relaxation, or
even catalepsy, combined with mental alertness.
One of the easiest ways to relax is to use
progressive muscular relaxation. In outline this
technique consists of starting with the muscles of
the feet and ankles and alternately tensing and
relaxing them, then going on up the muscles of the
calves and thighs, the torso, arms, neck and face,
until all the muscles have been contracted and
relaxed. Done carefully this procedure leads to
fairly deep relaxation within a few minutes, and
with practice it becomes easier.
Relaxation usually leads to state of paralysis or
catalepsy. When you go to sleep, your brain
deactivates the mechanism by which you are able to
use your limbs, so that you become incapable of
physical activity corresponding to your dream
images when you dream. Quite a few people have
found themselves in this paralysis state as soon as
they have gotten up after sleeping.
The first type of paralysis, known as 'type A,' is
a condition encountered when approaching a deeper
layer of consciousness from a light trance state.
The second, type B paralysis, is the reverse of
type A, in that it happens during the return home
to physical reality. The first type A 'paralysis'
goes something like this:
"Mmmmmm....
I know I am awake; I can think ..... Mmmmmmm but
my body is asleep ..." (Robert Monroe labelled
it Focus 10 consciousness)
"Wait a minute here, there is something going on
here, I just can't seem to...."
"Yes, I can't seem to move my limbs; they seemed
to be laden with lead, why can't I move at all?
Hey, what's happening here! (Panic!)"
A typical type B
'paralysis' goes something like this:
"Mmmmm...
I am feeling groggy, absolutely. What was that
just now, oh, it must be some dream..."
"Mmmm...... hang on a minute, was that a noise I
heard? It must have come from the door... I need
to check it out, could be a burglar..... but I
am so tired... and sleepy..."
"I need to wake up, it could be important....
Hey, I can't seem to wake up, why are my legs
not waking up, why can't my hands respond?"
"PANIC!!! I need to wake up!!! I don't want to
die... I need to exert more will on this... Hey,
body, wake up, eyes open, ... WAKE UP!"
"Gosh, NOW, I can move my limbs, I am awake now,
body covered with perspiration, sitting at the
edge of the bed, wondering why just now I simply
couldn't wake up..."
"Phew -- Thank goodness, it is finally over. Am
I glad to be back to the familiar physical
environment."
However, type A
paralysis is the type that should not be resisted;
if the person can allow himself to 'go with the
flow,' then some kind of altered state of
consciousness is bound to happen, which is what the
person is hoping to achieve anyway.
Many astral travelers have stressed the importance
of clear imagery or visualization for inducing OBEs
and of course imagery training forms an important
part of magical development. Progressive methods of
imagery training are often described in magical and
occult books, and helpful guidance can be found in
Conway's occult primer [Con72], and in
Brennan's 'Astral doorways' [Bre71]. Most
involve starting with regular practice at
visualizing simple geometrical shapes and then
progressing to harder tasks such as imagining
complex three-dimensional forms, whole rooms and
open scenery.
Practice 1:
Read the description slowly and then try to imagine
each stage as you go along: Imagine an orange. It
is resting on a blue plate and you want to eat it.
You dig your nail into the peel and tear some of it
away. You keep pulling on the peel until all of it,
and most of the pith, is lying in a heap on the
plate. Now separate the orange into segments, lay
them on the plate as well, and then eat one.
If this task doesn't make your mouth water, and if
you cannot feel the juice which squirts from the
orange, and smell its tang then you do not have
vivid or trained imagery. Try it again, the colors
should be bright and vivid and the shapes and forms
clear and stable. With practice at this and similar
tasks your imagery will improve until you may
wonder how it could ever have been so poor.
Practice 2:
This is a rather harder one: Visualize a disc,
half white and half black. Next imagine it spinning
about its center, speeding up and then slowing
down, and stopping. Next imagine the same disc in
red, but as it spins it changes through orange,
yellow, green, blue and violet. Finally you may
care to try two discs side by side spinning in
opposite directions and changing color in
opposition too.
Other useful skills are concentration and control.
Not only do you need to be able to produce vivid
imagery, but also to abolish all imagery from your
mind, to hold images as long as you want and to
change them as you want, both quickly and slowly.
Practice 3:
Brennan suggests trying to count, and only to
count. The instant another thought comes to mind
you must stop and go back to the beginning. If you
get to about four or five you are doing well, but
you are almost certain to be stopped by such
thoughts as 'this is easy, I've got to three
already,' or 'I wonder how long I have to go on.'
All these skills, relaxation, imagery and
concentration, are suggested again and again as
necessary for inducing an OBE at will. Other aids
include posture. If you lie down you might fall
asleep, although Muldoon [MC29] advocates
this position. On the other hand discomfort will
undoubtedly interfere with the attempt. Therefore
an alert, but comfortable posture is best. Some
have suggested that it is best not to eat for some
hours before and to avoid any stress, irritation or
negative emotions.
"How
to induce an OBE?"
Imagery Techniques
It is possible to use imagery alone but it
requires considerable skill.
a) Lie on your back in a comfortable position and
relax. Imagine that you are floating up off the
bed. Hold that position, slightly lifted, for some
time until you lose all sensation of touching the
bed or floor. Once this state is achieved move
slowly into an upright position and begin to travel
away from your body and around the room. Pay
attention to the objects and details of the room.
Only when you have gained some proficiency should
you try to turn round and look at your own body.
Note that each stage may take months of practice
and it can be too difficult for any but a practiced
OBEer.
b) In any comfortable position close your eyes and
imagine that there is a duplicate of yourself
standing in front of you. You will find that it is
very hard to imagine your own face, so it is easier
to imagine this double with its back to you. You
should try to observe all the details of its
posture, dress (if any) and so on. As this
imaginary double becomes more and more solid and
realistic you may experience some uncertainty about
your physical position. You can encourage this
feeling by comtemplating the question 'Where am
I?', or even other similar questions 'Who am I?'
and so on. Once the double is clear and stable and
you are relaxed, transfer your consciousness into
it. You should then be able to 'project' in this
phantom created by your own imagination. Again,
each stage may take long practice.
Inducing a Special Motivation to Leave the
Body
You can trick yourself into leaving your body
according to Muldoon and Carrington [MC29].
They suggested that if the subconscious desires
something strongly enough it will try to provoke
the body into moving to get it, but if the physical
body is immobilized, for example in sleep, then the
astral body may move instead. Many motivations
might be used but Muldoon advised against using the
desire for sexual activity which is distracting, or
the harmful wish for revenge or hurt to anyone.
Instead he advocated using the simple and natural
desire for water -- thirst. This has the advantages
this it is quick to induce, and it must be
appeased.
In order to employ this technique, you must refrain
from drinking for some hours before going to bed.
During the day increase your thirst by every means
you can. Have a glass of water by you and stare
into it, imagining drinking, but not allowing
yourself to do so. Then before you retire to bed
eat 'about an eighth of a teaspoonful' of salt.
Place the glass of water at some convenient place
away from your bed and rehearse in your all the
actions necessary to getting it, getting up,
crossing the room, reaching out for it, and so on.
You must then go to bed, still thinking about your
thirst and the means of satisfying it. The body
must become incapacitated and so you should relax,
with slow breathing and heart rate and then try to
sleep. With any luck the suggestions you have made
to yourself will bring about the desired OBE. This
is not one of the most pleasant or effective
methods.
Ophiel's 'Little System'
Ophiel [Oph61] suggests that you pick a
familiar route, perhaps between two rooms in your
house, and memorize every detail of it. Choose at
least six points along it and spend several minutes
each day looking at each one and memorizing it.
Symbols, scents and sounds associated with the
points can reinforce the image. Once you have
committed the route and all the points to memory
you should lie down and relax while you attempt to
'project' to the first point. If the preliminary
work has been done well you should be able to move
from point to point and back again. Later you can
start the imaginary journey from the chair or bed
where your body is, and you can then either observe
yourself doing the movements, or transfer your
consciousness to the one that is doing the moving.
Ophiel describes further possibilities, but
essentially if you have mastered the route fully in
your imagination you will be able to project along
it and with practice to extend the projection.
Ophiel states that starting to move into OBE will
produce strange sounds. He says that this is
because the sense of hearing is not carried over
onto the higher planes, and that means that your
mind tries to recreate some input, and just gets
subconscious static. He asserts that the noises can
take any form, including voices, malevolent, eerie,
and get worse and worse, more and more disturbing,
until eventually they peak and then just fade to a
constant background hiss while one has OBE.
Apparently, his 'final noise' sounded like his
water heater blowing up. He says, anyway, to ignore
the noises, voice or otherwise, as they are only
static or subconscious rambling, and do not
represent any being in any way, not even the self
really.
The Christos Technique
G. M. Glasking, an Australian journalist,
popularized this technique in several books,
starting with Windows of the Mind [Gla74].
Three people are needed: one as subject, and two to
prepare him. The subject lies down comfortably on
his back in a warm and darkened room. One helper
massages the subject's feet and ankles, quite
firmly, even roughly, while the other take his
head. Placing the soft part of his clenched fist on
the subject's forehead he rubs it vigorously for
several minutes. This should make the subject's
head buzz and hum, and soon he should begin to feel
slightly disorientated. His feet tingle and his
body may feel light or floaty, or changing shape.
When this stage is reached, the imagery exercises
begin. The subject is asked to imagine his feet
stretching out and becoming longer by just an inch
or so. When he says he can do this he has to let
them go back to normal and do the same with his
head, stretching it out beyond its normal position.
Then, alternating all the time between head and
feet, the distance is gradually increased until he
can stretch both out to two feet or more. At this
stage it should be possible for him to imagine
stretching out both at once, making him very long
indeed, and then to swell up, filling the room like
a huge balloon. All this will, of course, be easier
for some people than others. It should be taken at
whatever pace is needed until each stage is
successful. Some people complete this part in five
minutes, some people take more than fifteen
minutes.
Next he is asked to imagine he is outside his own
front door. He should describe everything he can
see in detail, with the colors, materials of the
door and walls, the ground, and the surrounding
scenery. He has then to rise above the house until
he can see across the surrounding countryside or
city. To show him that the scene is all under his
control he should be asked to change it from day to
night and back again, watching the sun set and
rise, and the lights go on or off. Finally he is
asked to fly off, and land wherever he wishes. For
most subjects their imagery has become so vivid by
this stage that they land somewhere totally
convincing and are easily able to describe all that
they see.
You may wonder how the experience comes to an end,
but usually no prompting is required; the subject
will suddenly announce 'I'm here,' or 'Oh, I'm
back,' and he will usually retain quite a clear
recollection of all he said and experienced. But it
is a good idea to take a few minutes relaxing and
getting back to normal. It is interesting that this
technique seems to be very effective in disrupting
the subject's normal image of his body. It then
guides and strengthens his own imagery while
keeping his body calm and relaxed.
Robert Monroe's Method
In his book Journeys out of the Body
[Mon71] Monroe describes a
complicated-sounding technique for inducing OBEs.
In part it is similar to other imagination methods,
but it starts with induction of the 'vibrational
state.' Many spontaneous OBEs start with a feeling
of shaking or vibrating, and Monroe deliberately
induces this state first. He suggests you do the
following. First lie down in a darkened room in any
comfortable position, but with your head pointing
to magnetic north. Loosen clothing and remove any
jewellery or metal objects, but be sure to stay
warm. Ensure that you will not be disturbed and are
not under any limitation of time. Begin by relaxing
and then repeat to yourself five times, 'I will
consciously perceive and remember all that I
encounter during this relaxation procedure. I will
recall in detail when I am completely awake only
those matters which will be beneficial to my
physical and mental being.' Then begin breathing
through your half-open mouth.
The next step involves entering the state bordering
sleep (the hypnagogic state). Monroe does not
recommend any particular method of achieving this
state. One method you might try is to hold your
forearm up, while keeping your upper arm on the
bed, or ground. As you start to fall asleep, your
arm will fall, and you will awaken again. With
practice you can learn to control the hypnagogic
state without using your arm. Another method is to
concentrate on an object. When other images start
to enter your thoughts, you have entered the
hypnagogic state. Passively watch these images.
This will also help you maintain this state of
near-sleep. Monroe calls this Condition A.
After first achieving this state Monroe recommends
to deepen it. Begin to clear your mind and observe
your field of vision through your closed eyes. Do
nothing more for a while. Simply look through your
closed eyelids at the blackness in front of you.
After a while, you may notice light patterns. These
are simply neural discharges and they have no
specific effect. Ignore them. When they cease, one
has entered what Monroe calls Condition B. From
here, one must enter an even deeper state of
relaxation which Monroe calls Condition C -- a
state of such relaxation that you lose all
awareness of the body and sensory stimulation. You
are almost in a void in which your only source of
stimulation will be your own thoughts. The ideal
state for leaving your body is Condition D. This is
Condition C when it is voluntarily induced from a
rested and refreshed condition and is not the
effect of normal fatigue. To achieve Condition D,
Monroe suggests that you practice entering it in
the morning or after a short nap.
With eyes closed look into the blackness at a spot
about a foot from your forehead, concentrating your
consciousness on that point. Move it gradually to
three feet away, then six, and then turn it 90
degrees upward, reaching above your head. Monroe
orders you to reach for the vibrations at that spot
and then mentally pull them into your head. He
explains how to recognize them when they occur. 'It
is as if a surging, hissing, rhythmically pulsating
wave of fiery sparks comes roaring into your head.
From there it seems to sweep throughout your body,
making it rigid and immobile.' This method is
easier than it sounds.
Once you have achieved the vibrational state you
have to learn to control it, to smooth out the
vibrations by 'pulsing' them. At this point, Monroe
warns it is impossible to turn back. He suggests
reaching out an arm to grasp some object which you
know is out of normal reach. Feel the object and
then let your hand pass through it, before bringing
it back, stopping the vibrations and checking the
details and location of the object. This exercise
will prepare you for full separation.
To leave the body Monroe advocates the 'lift-out'
method. To employ this method think of getting
lighter and of how nice it would be to float
upwards. An alternative is the 'rotation' technique
in which you turn over in bed, twisting first the
top of the body, head and shoulders until you turn
right over and float upwards. Later you can explore
further. With sufficient practice Monroe claims
that a wide variety of experiences are yours for
the taking.
Ritual Magic Methods
Most magical methods are also based on imagery
or visualization and use concentration and
relaxation. All these methods require good mental
control and a sound knowledge of the system being
used, with its tools and symbols. Charles Tart, in
introducing the concept of 'state specific
sciences' [Tar72b] also considered state
specific technologies, that is, means of achieving,
controlling and using altered states of
consciousness. Many magical rituals are really just
such technologies. In a typical exercise the
magician will perform an opening ritual, a
cleansing or purifying ritual and then one to pass
from one state to another. Once in the state
required he operates using the rules of that state
and then returns, closes the door that was opened
and ends the ritual.
This technology varies almost as much as the
theory, for there are a multitude of ways of
reaching the astral. One can use elemental
doorways, treat the cards of the tarot as stepping
stones, perform cabbalistic path- workings or use
mantras. The techniques are very similar to all
others we have been considering, so we can see the
complexities of ritual magic as just another
related way achieving the same ends.
Meditation and Chakra Meditation
Meditation has two basic functions -- achieving
relaxation and improving concentration. Therefore
the ideal state for OBE is familiar to meditators
and indeed OBEs have occasionally been reported
during meditation and yoga. The two main types of
meditation are concentration meditation (focusing)
and insight meditation (mindfullness). Most kinds
of meditation are the concentrative type. One
simply focuses his attention upon a single physical
object, such as a candle flame; upon a sensation,
such as that felt while walking or breathing; upon
an emotion, such as reverence or love; upon a
mantra spoken aloud or even silently; or upon a
visualization as in chakra meditation.
Concentration meditation is, simply put, a form of
self-hypnosis.
The other main type of meditation, insight
meditation, is the analysis of thoughts and
feelings in such a way as to cause realization of
the subjectivity and illusion of experience. Such
meditation is done in an effort to attain
transcendental awareness.
Chakra meditation is a special type of
concentrative meditation which is basically
kundalini yoga -- the practice of causing psychic
energy (kundalini) to flow up sushumna, energizing
the various chakras along the way. A chakra is 'a
sense organ of the ethereal body, visible only to a
clairvoyant' [Gay74]. As each chakra is
energized by this practice, it is believed to add
occult powers (sidhis), until at last the crown
chakra is reached, and with it, full enlightenment
is attained.
According to East Indian philosophy, man possesses
seven major chakras or psychic centers on his body.
In theosophical scheme there are ten chakras, which
permit those trained in their use to gain knowledge
of the astral world (three of the ten are used in
black magic only). Each of the chakras forms a
bridge, link, or energy transformer; changing pure
(higher) energy into various forms, and connecting
different bodies together. The chakras are located
along the nadies (a network of psychic nerves or
channels) and follow the autonomic nervous system
along the spinal cord.
The first chakra, located at the base of the spine
at the perineum is the root chakra, muladhara. The
second chakra, known as the sacral center,
svadhisthana, is located above and behind the
genitals. Third of the chakras is the solar plexus,
manipura, located at the navel and it is said to
correspond with the emotions and also with psychic
sight (clairvoyance). The heart chakra, anahata, is
the fourth chakra, located over the heart and
corresponding with the psychic touch. The fifth
chakra is the throat chakra, vishuddha, located at
the base of the throat (thyroid) and corresponding
with psychic hearing (clairaudience).
The remaining two chakras are believed to relate
mostly to elevated states of consciousness. The
frontal chakra, (or 'third eye') ajna, the sixth
chakra, is located between, and slightly above, the
eyebrows. Ajna is the center of psychic powers and
it is believed to be able to produce many psychic
effects. Finally, the crown chakra, sahasrara,
located atop the head, (pineal gland) is the
seventh chakra. It is referred to as the
thousand-petaled lotus and corresponds with astral
projection and enlightenment.
To practice this chakra meditation, you simply
concentrate on the chakras, beginning with the root
chakra, and moving progressively up, as you
visualize psychic energy from the root chakra
traveling up shushumna and vivifying each higher
chakra. As mentioned above the chakras have certain
properties associated with them, so that this type
of visualization may 'raise consciousness,' promote
astral projection, and other things -- once you
have reached ajna and eventually the crown chakra.
Hypnosis
In the early days of psychical research
hypnosis was used a great deal more than now to
bring about 'traveling clairvoyance,' but it can
still be used. All that is required is skilled
hypnotist with some understanding of the state into
which he wants to put the subject, and a willing
subject. The subject must be put into a fairly deep
hypnotic state and then the hypnotist can suggest
to him that he leaves his body. The subject can be
asked to lift up out of his body, to create a
double and step into it, to roll off his bed or
chair, or leave through the top of his head. He can
then be asked to travel to any place desired, but
hypnotist must be sure to specify very clearly
where he is to go, and to bring him safely back to
his body when expedition is over. If this is not
done the subject may have difficulty reorientating
himself afterwards.
Drugs
There are some drugs which can undoubtedly help
initiate an OBE. Hallucinogens have long been used
in various cultures to induce states like OBEs, and
in our own culture OBEs are sometimes an accidental
product of a drug experience. In absence of any
further information we might already be able to
guess which are the sorts of drugs likely to have
this effect. They might be those which physically
relax the subject while leaving his consciousness
clear and alert. Drugs which distort sensory input
and disrupt the subject's sense of where and what
shape his body is ought to help, and so may
anything which induces a sense of shaking or
vibration. Imagery must be intensified without
control being lost and finally there must be some
reason, or wish, for leaving the body.
Considering these points hallucinogens might be
expected to be more effective than stimulants,
tranquillizers or sedatives. The latter may aid
relaxation but help with none of the other features
just mentioned. Few other types of drug have any
relevant effect. This fact fits with what is known
about the effectiveness of drugs for inducing OBEs.
Monroe states that barbiturates and alcohol are
harmful to the ability, and this makes sense since
they would tend to reduce control over imagery even
though they are relaxing. Eastman [Eas62]
states that barbiturates do not lead OBEs whereas
morphine, ether, chloroform, major hallucinogens
and hashish can.
Relatively little research has carried out in this
area, partly because most of the relevant drugs are
illegal in the countries where that research might
be carried out. It seems that certain drugs can
facilitate an OBE but what is not clear is why drug
experience should take that form rather than any
other. Part of the answer is that usually it does
not. There is no specific OBE-creating drug, and
OBEs are relatively rarely a part of a psychedelic
drug experience. Drugs may help in inducing the OBE
but they are not recommended as a route to the
instant projection, they are no alternative to
learning the skills of relaxation, concentration,
and imagery control.
Dream Development
Many OBEs start from dreams and since, by
definition, one has to be conscious to have an OBE,
they tend to start from lucid dreams. The dreamer
may become aware that he is dreaming and then find
himself in some place other than his bed and able
to move about at will. He may have another body and
may even attempt to see his physical body lying
asleep. This topic is covered separately in the
later section on lucid dreams.
Palmer's Experimental Method
In the search for a simple and effective method
of inducing an OBE Palmer and his colleagues
[PL75a, 75b, 76, PV74a, 74b] use relaxation
and audio- visual stimulation. Subjects went
through a progressive muscular relaxation session
and the heard oscillating tones and watched a
rotating spiral. One of the interesting findings
was that many of the subjects claimed that they had
been 'literally out of' their bodies, and there
were indications that their experiences were very
different in some ways from other those encountered
in OBEs.
