Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

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Doug S, modified 11 Years ago at 10/10/12 10:36 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 10/10/12 8:58 PM

Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

Posts: 3 Join Date: 10/10/12 Recent Posts
I had an experience 5 years ago that I still don't know what to make of. After 3 years of fairly rigorous zen practice, I was thinking about an out-of-body experience I'd had about 30 years earlier as a teen, during which I tried a technique out of an astral projection book and started spinning out of my head and had gotten frightened and snapped back into the body. So one night 5 years ago, fed up with my lack of "progress" in zen, I lay down perfectly still around midnight, and mixed a bunch of techniques. I did the microcosmic orbit, "So Hum" pranayama, my zen koans, self-inquiry a la Ramana Maharshi, "centering" (on the space between the in and out breaths) as per Swami Lakshmanjoo, and had it out with God regarding what the point was of not showing me the "real thing" though I clearly knew that there was more than usually meets the eye. I told Him that show me or not, I was on to His game, and was going to persist for as long as it took, i.e., 30 years, or whatever. Did all that for about 30 minutes, nothing happened, and so I went to sleep. Woke up at 5:00 A.M. and did the same. After about 30 minutes, still nothing, so turned my head to the side to go to sleep and suddenly there was a surge of energy from my base chakra up my spine to the back of my head, down to my heart and then a roaring noise and I started spinning upwards through a dark tunnel. I tried to remain calm not wanting to repeat my teenage error, and the after spinning up for what must have been a few seconds, suddenly I was suspended in space, with a sense of perfect stillness all around me, with stars shimmering in the distance and seeming to be the source of beautiful harmonies. I looked and listened carefully to see if it would all fade upon scrutiny, but it remained stable. I was clearly suspended in space, looking at stars and hearing their harmonies. A little in front of me to the right I sensed a female presence, though invisible, and telepathically asked her if I could try some flying. She gave me permission, so I flew around. I came back to where she was a few times, each time asking for permission to fly some more (did I ask her where I was? my true name? who she was? For some reason that I can't figure out, I didn't ask even one meaningful question, I just wanted to fly around). A few times I dove back into my body, down to the base chakra and back up again and into space, though without all of the thunder that had accompanied the first ascent. Eventually, it seemed like time to come back, and I kind of melted into my head and opened my eyes. About 2 hours had passed.

All of this was clearly an "experience," with an "I" and an "It" (the environment), and with a "Thou" (the invisible lady) as well. It had more of the flavor of an OBE than of a lucid dream, both of which I've experienced in a variety of forms over the last 7 years. But as it was much different in content from most OBE's/LD's, with a distinctly spiritual flavor and having been triggered using techniques from a variety of mystical traditions, I'm wondering if someone out there with more experience of the various consciousness states might know where this fits in on the more traditional stage-like "Path."

Thanks!
Eric Michaels, modified 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 3:12 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 3:12 PM

RE: Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

Posts: 14 Join Date: 10/16/12 Recent Posts
I certainly am no expert on this sort of thing, but I spent years trying to have an OBE, thinking it was some kind of spiritual holy grail, so I have some experience with this sort of thing. I've even passed through the "tunnel" you describe.

The mishmash of techniques you did around midnight probably helped to set your subconscious intent. Waking up at 5 am is probably what did it-- early morning techniques have been the heart and soul of conscious-exit OBEs for a long time. Doing an exit technique during the early morning hours, or even thinking about OBEs, will get the ball rolling fairly quickly.

Now, as far as where this fits in when it comes to MCTB and Enlightenment, OBEs are regarded as siddhis-- superperceptial states that are very cool, but won't get you closer to the big E. They are certainly fun and interesting states of consciousness, but by themselves they won't get you Enlightened.

However, the out-of-body state can be a powerful tool, as long as you examine the three characteristics and note everything. emoticon
Tom Tom, modified 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 3:31 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 3:23 PM

RE: Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

Posts: 466 Join Date: 9/19/09 Recent Posts
It was what it was. It was 5 years ago...

I told Him that show me or not, I was on to His game


It's not "His" game (exactly), but "your" game. "I was on to His game" is actually more like "He's onto your game."

I still don't know what to make of


You won't ever know what to make of it, so let it go.
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Doug S, modified 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 9:56 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 9:56 PM

RE: Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

Posts: 3 Join Date: 10/10/12 Recent Posts
Thanks -- I too think that the early morning awakening does seem to have been the most likely trigger, consistent with Stephen Laberge's research on "sleep interruption" being the only common feature of the diverse reports of lucid dreams associated by their experients with one or another activity they had been doing when awake for some time in the night before going back to sleep. I clearly missed an opportunity by getting so involved in interacting rather than merely noting. Having now shifted to more of a vipassana approach in the waking state and meditation, I'm looking forward to practicing it as well during lucid dreams and OBEs.
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Doug S, modified 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 10:08 PM
Created 11 Years ago at 10/16/12 10:08 PM

RE: Suspended in space, musical stars, spirit guide

Posts: 3 Join Date: 10/10/12 Recent Posts
Thanks, and good advice (to let it go). Of course, it's easier to recognize that it's good advice than accept that that is what I should do. It's so tempting to cling to it (and other "spiritual" visions in lucid dreams and OBEs) as a really important vision of things "as they are" as opposed to other sensations/experiences as things "as they aren't" which is what I must be thinking. Nevertheless, if someone was selling a ticket back there I'd buy it -- as long as it was for a round trip.

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