Now really, you’ve got to stay awake. The temptation of crossing the line into sleep is great but can be overcome some of the time with ‘controlled relaxation’ methods. Controlled relaxation allows you to stay alert some of the time while your physical body relaxes down into sleep. And why do I keep saying “some of the time”? Because during your search for good relaxation methods, that work for you some of the time, you are going to fall asleep.
To prepare for the awake/asleep line, you choose a relaxation method and a travel ‘plan’. Your relaxation method drops you down near to physical sleep while you remain alert. You then step onto the line, allowing your physical to take the final plunge into sleep. When it does, you maintain your control and transfer your consciousness from your sleeping physical body to your willing nonphysical body. You ‘push’ yourself into your travel plan and off you go. Some of the time.
RELAX ALREADY
As you explore the nature of traveling there will be times when you suddenly ‘awaken’ right on the awake/asleep line in stunned but confident control. It’s what you’ve been training for and—surprise—here it is. Thankfully you’re prepared, because you thought ahead about this happening when you read it in some handbook you bought.
There, on the line, you can feel your nonphysical body. Your nonphysical isn’t sleeping but your physical is. You are fully conscious and in control. And because your physical is slumbering and your nonphysical is willing and your travel plan is ready and your desire is strong, off you go. Some of the time.
More often than not you will have to work your way down to the awake/asleep line, not just find yourself there. So it’s a good thing I have some methods and tricks that help you remain alert while relaxing your physical. Be sure to visit a library, or surf the internet too, for other relaxation methods to keep your traveling fresh and exciting. There is no shortage of relaxation methods designed to calm us all down. We’re all too jumpy! We’ve got to mellow out! Stop climbing around. I mean it—come down from there! That’s it, no more energy drinks for you. You need to calm down so that we can work our way to the awake/asleep line. Then we’ll get you set up with some travel plans and delve into the nifty things that happen when you’re nonphysical. It’ll all be just spectacular, I promise. Some of the time.
RECORDING RELAXATION
Testing. Testing, one, two. This is a test of the Get Out Of Your Body Testing System. If you are hearing this recording within the confines of your physical body it’s because earlier today you recorded some positive and calming thoughts into a recording device and now they are playing back to you while you lay upon your bed. “I am so relaxed and at ease”, the recording of your voice says. “I am relaxed and comfortable. It’s so quiet and peaceful. My body feels so light and relaxed. I am alert and relaxed. I am aware and relaxed. I am relaxed and in control.” This concludes this test of the testing system being tested for this test.
As relaxation methods go, recording your voice and then playing it back is one of the best. Nothing beats hearing your own voice tell you to do things that you want to do anyway. You can customize the words that relax you, while keeping you focused and alert. You can set a traveling plan in your thoughts or inspire a dream you want to have or just talk yourself to sleep. You can make different recordings for what you want on specific nights. It’s the power of your own voice, and the exact nature of your words, that has an effect unmatched by many methods.
I am currently using a twenty-dollar digital recording device I bought from a large chain store. It stores three hundred minutes, which is more than enough for you to record some words to yourself about being relaxed and in control as you travel out of your body. You can borrow it. Or you could wander over to that heap you’re calling a closet and see if you already have a recording device in there. I think it’s in a shoe box. Once you’ve found it go find a piece of paper. I think I saw some in the kitchen. Write a script to record, which includes words you find pleasing and relaxing. Include suggestions to remain alert and aware as your physical drifts towards sleep.
Even at this early point, before I have explained many out of body traveling tricks, you can add a simple traveling plan to your recordings. You can insert a few words throughout your recording with a small ‘action’ involved: “I will take an out of body stroll to the garden”; “I will explore the ceiling in the hallway”; “I will sneak up on the cat, as if I can”. Once your script is complete find a quiet place to hide from everyone who might think you’re talking to yourself and make your recording. If you have the ability to loop the recording, all the better. Try to give yourself at least fifteen minutes of you talking to yourself. Repeating the same script over and over is fine and actually desirable for this method.
An added bonus to this method is the ability to set a timer for the playback of the recording. Set your timer to go off after you’ve had a few hours sleep. Set the volume of playback to gently rouse you from slumber. Since your physical is already relaxed it takes less effort to convince it to fall asleep again. And, with your consciousness sharp from a bit of down time, this is perfect for your out of body intentions.
You can replay your recordings anytime, except when operating a motor vehicle or using heavy equipment. So I’ll just wait for you to put down the sofa with that forklift. It was fine over there by the window anyway. You should listen to your recordings when you feel they’ll work the best for you. Maybe you have a spare hour on Sunday morning or some time just before you go to sleep at night or some time a few hours after you sleep or just because you’re laying in bed not sleeping anyway. The more you hear your recording the better it works. You may find the suggestions of your recording occurring even when you’re not playing it back. That’s because your words to yourself are in your subconscious and conscious thoughts now and you can’t get them out. This is usually a good thing unless you told yourself to think you’re a goose whenever the doorbell rings.
If you’re hearing impaired, not to worry. This is just one method of many. You could still write a few scripts and commit them to memory. Then, when you’re ready to relax, recall your script as best as possible. Focus on your plan to stay alert as you relax. Think about your travel. Off you go.
ANOTHER MEMORY OF ME
I was an oddball grandson. I was fourteen when I visited with my grandparents in Florida. Since they took naps every afternoon I decided I’d use that time to play back the recordings I had brought with me for the trip. The recordings I made at that time were very specifically honed to deepen my relaxation and follow though with a travel plan. The elders would grumble off to their bed-chambers and I’d lay on the carpeted floor, which I was into at that time, with a pillow. The less than familiar surroundings, combined with the less than comfortable laying about on the floor, combined with the more than merely unusual recordings, worked amazingly well. Oh how the grandparents slept while I nonphysically wandered around their condo and down to their little man-made lake and over to the spot where they re-charged the golf carts that they drove everywhere, including the store. Their age-gated community was my out of body playground. Granny and Gramps go to bed and I leap out of my body. I was an oddball then and I’m still waiting to grow out of that phase.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
I see you there reading these words. There you are. I see as your eyes move across the letters on the page. I see you wondering what I’m up to next and why can’t I just get to it. I see you trying to figure out what I’m teaching you by introducing this chapter the way that I am. I see you looking over to the coffee table with one leg shorter than the others. I see you taking this book over to balance the table. I see it’s dusty down here under the table. You should clean more often. I see you walking away to the kitchen. Fine. I’ll just sit here in the dust under the table and ‘visualize’ all by myself.
‘Visualization’ works just as well as any recorded suggestions you might have made of your voice that you play back over and over and over and let me know when you get tired of reading over and over and you should be getting close now over and over and come on already I’m getting carpal tunnel over and over and over and anytime you want to stop