Astral Travel – gradual or sudden shift?
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It could be either - especially in the learning stages.
But, even later, it isn't unusual for there to be a "background awareness" of being in both locations at once. For published examples, see The Vision & the Voice, where Crowley, in deep vision, is simultaneously aware of what is happening in his body and, in other places, is otherwise obviously "in both places" at the same time. (There are probably a lot more of these occasions, too - just not mentioned since the colocation becomes as familiar as having two arms.)
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I believe this skill is acquired fully before one graduates from Neophyte.
There's just too much to learn without being aware of the astral in any higher grade.
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@Faus said
"When working with the body of light is the success in transferring the conscience to the simulacrum usually marked by a:
sudden shift of conscience (suddenly you are there, fully in the body of light, effortlessly)
or
it happens more gradually (the intensity of the astral experience increases gradually with sustained effort until you find yourself there, but if you reduce the concentration the intensity reduces)?I am getting the second experience, even doing some interesting journeying while at it but it does not match the descriptions I find in literature (well, no luck trying to find a Neophyte in Brazil). Should I aim at a higher level of concentration so I will get the first type of experience?"
Do you ever do mental wandering (i.e. visualizing what another part of your town would look like now) and then transfer over like that?
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@gerry456 said
"Do you ever do mental wandering (i.e. visualizing what another part of your town would look like now) and then transfer over like that?"
That’s just one of the thousand ways to use the body of light. Since I am not really interested in what is happening in the other side of the city, no.
@gerry456 said
" to get to Yetsirah shut down the senses, to get to Briah shut down the mind "
I believe that you are quoting my words.
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@Faus said
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That’s just one of the thousand ways to use the body of light. Since I am not really interested in what is happening in the other side of the city, no.."
Where are you interested in going in the physical world?
@Faus said
"[
@gerry456 said
" to get to Yetsirah shut down the senses, to get to Briah shut down the mind "
I believe that you are quoting my words."
I've deleted it.
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Years ago, before I started doing proper ritual magic and learning practices, sometimes tripping, and sometimes jackslamming dope would throw me in the astral almost by accident, and I would wander through the neighborhood and different places around. This is actually an effective practice.
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@gerry456 said
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Where are you interested in going in the physical world?
"
I would better enjoy driving there. Astral travel is much more interesting when travelling the astral.
@gerry456 said
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I've deleted it."
No problem to use it, especially if it is helpful to you. It would just be polite to mention the source.
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Here, I'll quote some famous people to lighten the situation:
"Get behind me, Satan!"... 'There's a horrible storm brewing and I wouldn't want you to get hurt...'
"To be or not to be, that is the question"... 'or the answer, in almost any given situation.'
"Woke up this mo'nin' an got myself a bee-yah"... 'woke up this mo'nin' an got mself a bee'yah. yeah we goin' down the road house an gonna have a ree-yah.. a-goo-time.'
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@Faus said
"No problem to use it, especially if it is helpful to you. It would just be polite to mention the source."
No worries, I've been meaning to change it for a while.
@Faus said
"[ would better enjoy driving there. Astral travel is much more interesting when travelling the astral.
."
and.....................
@Faus said
"When working with the body of light is the success in transferring the conscience to the simulacrum usually marked by a:
sudden shift of conscience (suddenly you are there, fully in the body of light, effortlessly)
or
it happens more gradually (the intensity of the astral experience increases gradually with sustained effort until you find yourself there, but if you reduce the concentration the intensity reduces)?
?"
"Well the reason I brought up "mental wandering" is that when you do mental wandering you are literally projecting into and visiting* the etheric plane *which is the exact replica of the physical plane but the "next step up" although it penetrates the physical plane of course. That is, you are then etherically projecting and watching the etheric plane through your astral eyes.
You seem to be dismissing mental wandering as fanciful and useless when it might actually be the key to your success by acting as a launch pad to astral projection. That's what I try to do anyway.
To answer the initial question I think it's a sudden shift.
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@gerry456 said
"Well the reason I brought up "mental wandering" is that when you do mental wandering you are literally projecting into and visiting* the etheric plane *which is the exact replica of the physical plane but the "next step up" although it penetrates the physical plane of course. That is, you are then etherically projecting and watching the etheric plane through your astral eyes. "
Straight from Ophiel book on astral travel. Not wrong but not exactly relevant to this specific practice (Ophiel has this tendency to digress, but I like his work in general).
Once you start to practice the astral drills there are some very useful information that you don’t find in books. Some of it I found out myself other I got from those more experienced.
For example, I found out that only daily practices taking more than 30 minutes where effective in increasing the results. It is not only about intense concentration but the very act of indwelling the imaginary body for a longer period, even if your concentration is not very intense.
Or that some intense middle pillar practice, with extra charge of the solar center, does wonders for the stability of the body of light once you are trying to get in it.@gerry456 said
" You seem to be dismissing mental wandering as fanciful and useless when it might actually be the key to your success by acting as a launch pad to astral projection. That's what I try to do anyway."
Not fanciful or useless, just not "the key" or even "a key". That’s only one more kind of astral drill, like Ophiel idea of walking around the house or Jim suggestion of practicing your rituals in the body of light (this have some extra benefits).
