Matrika #2 @7314
Sun Apr 08 11:58:12 1990
RE: Astral Travel simplicity itself

The step by step instructions that I was taught, simillar to those in
the LLEWELYN Practical Guide to Astral Travel, worked better for me -
it took me alot of practise to get to where I could do it and it seems
that for most people it takes practise, although some can do it
spontaneously.  In fact it happens to some the first few times with no
warning and then, after worrying they have gone crazy for a while,
they later learn what it is. But I did just want to say for those like
me for whom it does NOT come easy, not to get discouraged but to try
working with it one step at a time.

Two interesting points about astral travel for me.  One is that I find
it more interesting to explore the astral planes than to explore
specific locations on this plane.  However when you are first
learning, exploring specific locations on this plane can help.  Laurie
Cabot suggests picking a store near you that you have never been in,
try projecting to it, immediately on arising write down your
impressions of it and then, as soon as you can, visit the store and
check out your impressions.  If they are not all correct, don't be
discouraged The example she gives is DID YOU SEE RED BEHIND THE CASH
REGISTER AND IT'S NOT THERE?  Perhaps the cashier that day or evening
was wearing a Red sweater!  The longer you wait to visit the
establishment, the more likely it is they will move something or
change a display, so go soon after your visit.

The second is that I used to do it as a kid, no problem - right up
until my Dad told me it was all in my head and I had imagined it.
Then I couldn't do it anymore.

A note here - My DAD, who used to be a hard-core skeptic, started
attending a Spiritualist Church I hung-out at when he married my
step-mother.  I find it humorous that originally he went there because
it was non-denominational so you don't have to believe everything the
ministers teach and because he liked the ministers, but he didn't buy
the Psychic stuff.  Well, lately he's changing his mind as he's had
some startling experiences.  I'm good, I'm nice, I don't tell him he
is imagining things.  But I can't help laughing about it to myself
just a little bit.

Oh, some of the stuff the Llewelyn book suggests is to practise
opening your chakras first and grounding the energy, work on that for
1 week to 1 month.  WHEN YOU HAVE IT DOWN PAT (be honest with yourself
here or you can forget it) work on projecting a cloud of your energy
out through your solar plexus (some people work better projecting from
the 3d eye, I personally project the body through the solar plexus and
when I project the consciousness into it, I do it via the 3d eye.  BUT
since these are all merely visual aids to doing something non-
physical, I am not sure that it matters IF YOU ARE ACHIEVING VALID
RESULTS) and leaving this energy as a cloud only then reabsorbing it.
YOU DO NOT PROJECT YOUR AWARENESS INTO IT.  You absolutely MUST
reabsorb it.  That is done for a week or a month or however long it
takes.  It is done by creative visualization until you get it to the
point where you can feel that it is something more.

Then you do the same thing for a week or a month, ONLY YOU SHAPE THE
CLOUD INTO A SIMULCRAM OF YOUR BODY (if you are also trying to heal
yourself, use the ideal form you wish to achieve - make it realistic
and so it looks like you) WITHOUT projecting consciousness to it, you
send it out to watch a situation you can later check on for yourself.
When it comes back at a prearranged time later on, meditate for a
while and write down your impressions AND DO NOT THROW ANY OF THEM OUT
AS THEY SEEM SILLY OR IMPOSSIBLE - truth is often stranger than
fiction.  Check on these later, DISCREETLY - don't TELL people you
sent an astral traveler to them, say I HEARD THAT you went such and
such a place today while I was in school so you can say to your mom
that someone saw her and told you or something, OR just say it's a
hunch, or, if you have the impression that your mom called your
grandmother while you were in school, just say I WONDER HOW GRANDMA IS
DOING? and see if your mother doesn't say, THAT'S WEIRD SHE CALLED ME
TODAY.

PEOPLE GET PARANOID IF THEY THINK THAT YOU CAN WATCH THEM - AND THEY
ALSO THINK YOU ARE THE CRAZY ONE IF YOU SAY YOU CAN DO THIS.
Interestingly enough science (psychology) tells us that one of the
classic symptoms of Paranoia is to think the OTHER person is crazy.

Always be sure to bring the simulcram back at the pre-arranged time
and REABSORB IT!

The next step is to project consciousness into it, go out with it, and
reabsorb the energy/substance afterwards - but only try this once you
have the watcher exercise down pat.

THESE EXERCiSES SHOULD BE DONE FROM A MEDITATIVE STATE.

ALWAYS SHEILD YOURSELF BEFORE TRAVELING