Help with &"overdoing&" astral travel?
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Long before finding Thelema I was practicing Ceremonial and Chaos magick, as well as meditation and astral travel. This is important only as background information, but.......
In any case, lately I have found myself drifting into the astral FAR to easily, often without really trying. This can be a nice distraction, a mystical experience, or a bloody disaster depending on my setting. Today I found myself starting to drift while driving. I had not done any ritual or meditation that day, nor was I intoxicated in any way or any of the standard explanations. Practical advice on getting this back into control? I've thought about attempting some sort of ritual, but there isn't a set guideline that I'm aware of, and I wouldn't want to banish the ability completely.
Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you. -
(I had to walk away a bit before answering, because this sort of thing - negligent or inadequate training - pisses me off. People should get better assistance.)
Starting with where you are now...
First, rule out purely physical causes. (This also has the advantage of directing the mind to observation of the physical body and its sensations etc., which is a partial cure all by itself.) Especially monitor (and record) the relationship of blood sugar levels and sleep levels to the phenomenon. You may want to record your sleep periods and amounts, and everything you consume, in your diary for a month while working on this. - Note that the things you describe are easily caused by blood sugar fluctuations, and hypoglycemia is much more common than people sometimes think.
For the first week or two of this, don't do any magick or other occult practices.
Then, after two weeks, start building a personal signal that you will, hereafter, use when you want to move into or out of astral-like states. The best definition is probably: With this signal, and only with this signal, will you be open to dissociative psychic phenomena (or similkar words of your choosing). This could be a phrase you utter, a position you adopt, a specific finger gesture that you never accidentally use, or almost anything (kinesthetic has some advantage over auditory or visual). Also, pick a signal to reverse this (turn the phenomena off).
Once you've picked this, make it a drill: Return to doing some occult work, but using your 'gateway' signal to announce to your subconscious mind that it is now time to permit these phenomena. when finished, give the "closing" signal to terminate.
If you find yourself inadvertently "slipping in," get very firm, give the closing signal, and enforce it.
With this kind of practice, and if there isn't a physical or chemical issue actually causing the problem, you should have it mastered in 2 months or less.
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Thank you Jim for the very good advice. Yes, i was poorly trained in the beginning, as i started practicing at age 13/14 or so, and being in a very strict Christian household i couldn't exactly share my beliefs with my family, and if i did, i certainly wouldnt be allowed to pursue outside help. Beyond turning 18 i erroneously thought i had a grip on things, and thought i did not need any teaching other than what i taught myself.
I tried to get into organized wiccan groups but found it didn't really fit me. Now that I have found Thelema i plan to get involved with a local OTO group that I just located recently, thanks to pm help from another heruraha member. I also hope to join A'A', and possibly look into freemasonry as well, for a historical perspective on secret societies/mystery schools, even though it's not Thelemic, my father is a Mason as was his father, and i would like to join that as well.
I will say in my defense that i did self-teach quite well for a 14 year old.
Of course i began to mistakenly believe that drugs/psychedelics could help with occult work, and thats where the train started to derail.
While i still love my psychedelics and occasionally other things, I now know that they are not to be mixed with ritual, study or Writing.
I will follow your advice (i have already had an extensive physical and psychological examination and there is no "normal" cause.)
I'm going to fully abstain from all magick and ritual for a few weeks and "retrain" myself in the manner you described. Also will abstain from all mind altering substances save for those that are truly medically necessary.
Thank you. -
Psychedelics have their place IMO - which is especially to initially open door ways and to show what is possible.
At least for the time that you're suffering from insufficient "inner boundary" control, I think you're wise to lay off. Think of it as a fast.
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"Of course i began to mistakenly believe that drugs/psychedelics could help with occult work, and thats where the train started to derail.
While i still love my psychedelics and occasionally other things, I now know that they are not to be mixed with ritual, study or Writing.
I will follow your advice (i have already had an extensive physical and psychological examination and there is no "normal" cause.)
I'm going to fully abstain from all magick and ritual for a few weeks and "retrain" myself in the manner you described. Also will abstain from all mind altering substances save for those that are truly medically necessary."Do not do drugs, especially as a teenager. A mature adult if there is reason, and I believe there are good reasons, is one thing, but biologically the brain is still developing through the late twenty's!
I know people who have severe problems from drugs. One guy I work with just cannot hold a single thought in is mind for more than a few seconds; and I am not exaggerating. If you intend to be a yogi/magician, I don't need to tell you that the ability to concentrate is prerequisite. I would also be conscious of the food you eat. It is full of chemicals that will effect your sleep, blood pressure, blood sugar levels etc. which all effect one's concentration. Eat only organic. Eat for a purpose besides pleasure. -
Jim.........I have been fully physically and psychologically examined, no problems. I have abstained from all ritual/magick related things except for meditation for 2 weeks. I have also abstained from all drugs save opiates (legit Rx) and marijuana for over 2 weeks. I have had no further problems. Thank you. When do you feel it is safe to reincorporate these aspects of my life (knowing never to attempt blending them again)?
Thanks. -
I can't really judge that remotely. I'd say give it at least twice as long as you think you need
Undersatnding that I'm limited by only knowing you on a forum, if you nonetheless want some sort of guidelines, I'll take an educated guess: Give at least give 30-60 days on the mixed practices, and six months without the drugs. (That's how long it takes for the body and psyche to stabilize into a change after a full commitment to do so.)
Use the time to get actively invested - actively doing more stuff - in the rest of your life.