@Mephis said
"My experience:
I've had problems on the other end of the spectrum, interestingly enough: for a period of about three months I couldn't help but project my " Body of Light," which is a vastly different experience from what I see described here."
You are talking about so-called OBEs here.
@Mephis said
"
I'm sorry to say that 98% of human beings are incapable of entering the Astral realm on their own volition, and many that claim to travel in the "Astral" really have no idea what they are talking about. I think Mr. Allen is perhaps the only one besides Mr. Eshelman who has surefire experience in this realm. "
Apart that I don't think Jim neither care about OBEs (surely he has had many of them, but that's another thing) because they are completely unconsciously directed, you think they are the "real deal" there, when I think it's not. To begin with because (also if you seem to think the contrary) and OBE is much easier to do than a full astral journey (for as I see it now) as someone as Crowley could do. And also because:
It is very difficult to have them at will (i.e. being perfectly sure you will succeed or doing them when YOU - consciously - want to), so you will never be able to "slip" from a state to another fast and reliably (as a full link to the conscious/subconscious can enable you to do) or being "here and there" at the same time.
When you are "out" the subconscious takes completely the lead. You seems to be conscious of what you do in there, but you are NOT. Later you discover, in fact, that all your "choices" were not choices at all in a controlled sense. Example: you are in your room, while there you think "I'm going through the roof to try this and that", but later, when you are conscious, you mind why you did want to go from the roof at all and instead not doing something completely different (and maybe much more important), and so on.
How can you have a "direction" estabilished before? The only way is to probably think intensely of what you care to before the experiment, but given that A) there's a lapse in consciousness in any case (so it can be that all your intent is erased), and B) anyway you cannot control it later, as explained above), what's the point?
They are very short (usually) and done in "laps" (namely, you exit, re-enter, exit again and so on).
Then, it is not difficult at all to have an OBE, on the contrary it is almost too easy after a while (much more than having a full conscious/subconscious communication from an awake state of mind). You just have to do them from an "asleep-awake-back to bed" frame of mind at first (or, even faster, using the hypnopompic one, i.e. willed awake-not move-exit) , to understand what you must do later.
But still, there's no real communication between the conscious and subconscious in that case. Amusing and interesting experiences, sure (I've had many of them, in fact), but after having that Enochian experience I was talking about, I assure you that they come neither close to it. It can be less "spectacular" from a semi-physical experience (if you care about it) and probably (naturally it depends) seem less "real" at beginning (this comes from the society frame of mind that "imagination" is not real and a silly thing, a concept you have no problem to discard when your subconscious takes the lead), but the emotional link and content (and so probably the use you can do of them for the Great Work and the impact on your psyche) it's much much stronger, even for someone like me that's only at the beginning in it (so I imagine for someone like Jim).
Btw, I think that when that link (conscious/subconscous) is fully estabilished, the "reality" of what you experience (either from a pure external categorization, as you do, as if it was the important thing, when it's not) is the same as you get in an OBE (if not more). But this someone other better experienced at it than me at can say it better. I can only say that for me there are not differences at all in images I get in an OBEs and images I get when I watch a movie in my mind (it changes for the moment if I try to have a first person view in there) apart the conscious effort I do (explained better in my thread).
@Mephis said
"
That being said, the secret is this: there is a door between your dream-world and your waking-world. You have to find this door, and learn to control it at Will. In most people, this door swings between consciousness and REM sleep as natural, unconscious mechanism. To enter the astral one must become expert at picking the lock. Be one with the door, young grasshopper. ð"
Nothing new on this, and, in any case, the only way ALL people can experience an OBE (nobody can do it from a conscious state). You seem to think you are one of the "elected people" capable of doing something only the elite can do, but you are not, at all and OBEs are EASIER (much) to obtain than a full conscious/subconsious communication (for example I'm very good at the former, and learned them easily, while I'm only at the beginning in the latter, and it will take me a lot of time learn how to do it).
Btw, If you read my thread, you will know that I mixed Astral Travel with OBEs myself too.