21. Projection Exit Problems

The problems besetting new projectors are many and varied.

With any recurring OBE exit problem, it is important to isolate the cause and take remedial steps sooner than later, or interest may flag and the goal of wake-induced OBE never be realized. Taking prompt action also avoids the possibility of becoming negatively conditioned by a problem, making the exit more difficult than it should be.

Out of the thousands of projection exit problems I have advised on over the years, it is clear that several main problem areas exist. The following sections offer some advice on overcoming these.
 

Climbing Problems
Some people find they have difficulty using awareness hands climbing actions. Usually, one awareness hand will seem weaker and less controllable than the other, and will continually slip away from the rope or ladder, which makes everything more difficult. This problem may also affect stimulation and energy-raising actions. Persevering with awareness hands and energy-raising actions will progressively help overcome this type of problem.

The more often awareness hands are used, the stronger and surer they become. Alternatively, some projection methods given here require no complex awareness hands actions. Find what works best for you and what has the strongest effect on your projectable double. Stick to what works and build on it.

Using a combination of techniques that do not require awareness hands actions is probably the best way to overcome climbing problems.
 

Torso Energy Surge
The torso surge is not unpleasant. It is much like the surge of emotional energy and excitement you'd get if you suddenly won a million dollars. But it can be very distracting. Just as the projection reflex begins to kick in, a strong falling sensation combined with an energetic body rush surges upward through the stomach and chest area. The strong energy-movement sensations caused by the torso surge appear to come mainly from the lower primary energy centers.

My theory is that the moment the projection reflex is triggered, some primary energy centers strobe powerfully, temporarily creating a delicate network of new energetic connections throughout the physical/etheric body. This new network creates the energetic conditions that allow projection to occur. Energy flares throughout this new network as the projection mechanism internally generates the projectable double, before its expulsion out of the physical/etheric body. The torso surge is not to be confused with the racing-heart sensation or the vibrations that are also commonly experienced during the exit, although these appear to be energetically related.

The torso surge is an extremely visceral sensation and can be very difficult to overcome. It is felt within the physical body as if it were a physical sensation. It causes an immediate tension response within the physical body that causes a breach of relaxation and trance discipline, and hence projection failure.

Expect this sensation to hit right on the verge of the exit. Stay calm and do not allow yourself to react to it. The physical reaction can be controlled, as long as it is not too strong. This sensation is a perfectly normal part of the projection process, and will not hurt you. The surge is far stronger during early projections, and progressively eases the more often you attempt conscious-exit projection.

A side effect of projection attempts, even failed ones, is to cause widespread energetic development, as well as development of the projection mechanism. If the energetic surge is too strong to ignore, and leaves you gasping and wide awake every time, spend more time raising and working with energy during regular training sessions. This work is best done separate from actual projection attempts.

If the problem continues, it would also be worthwhile to familiarize your body with a similar sensation. Seek out a highspeed elevator and spend some time in it, getting used to the sudden falling sensation every time it starts down. Close your eyes and relax while doing this and allow the sudden movement to catch you by surprise. Another way would be to spend some time on amusement park rides, especially roller coasters. For the more adventurous, skydiving, high diving, bungie jumping, or water slides may help. The physical body quickly becomes accustomed to anything it experiences regularly.

The effects of the torso surge will then be lessened as the sudden tension response of the physical body to it will be reduced.
 

Cobwebs - Energetic Sensations
Cobwebs are a very common and well-known sensation - a serious problem for some people - associated with trance and energetic development.

This sensation of localized tickling, itching, or stinging is usually felt on the face and neck, varying in intensity from a slight tickling or itching to a more intense stinging sensation on the skin. The most common place to get cobwebs is on the face, especially around the mouth and nose. In rarer cases, cobwebs can be experienced in other places and over much larger areas of the physical body.

You can expect to get cobweb sensations at some time or another. Severe cobweb problems are quite rare, and appear to be symptoms of energy blockages and narrowed energy pathways in the connecting circuitry on the surface of the energy body, felt in the skin of the physical body. Cobwebs are caused by energy movement through the myriad smaller energy centers and connecting pathways that cover the entire body.

The most common cobweb sites correspond with acupuncture points and major nerve endings in the facial area. Cobweb sensations will normally reduce only gradually as the energy centers and their connecting circuitry develop to handle the greater flow of energy caused by the trance state and projection attempts.

Some cobweb activity usually is present in people with a strong or more than usually active brow center, even if the brow center is undeveloped. The face contains a powerful and complex energetic support structure for the brow and crown centers. Any increased energy flow through this structure causes at least some cobweb sensations to be felt there.

The stronger the energy flow in this area, the stronger the sensations it causes. This continues until the support structure develops enough to handle the increased energy flows required by these higher centers. Even if the facial support structure and the brow and crown centers are all fairly well developed, some cobweb activity is usually still felt, especially when these higher centers are being actively used during the full-trance state.

The NEW secondary system helps to reduce cobweb sensations by progressively developing the circuitry of the energy body. Specific problem areas such as the face should also be targeted and deeply massaged with a suitable awareness action, brushing or wrapping, to nurture the development of those areas. Keep in mind here that rectifying serious cobweb problems can take time. Please be patient and work through this problem until it improves, and don't give up on OBE just because of it.

I recommend that cobwebs be ignored as far as possible, but if they become unbearable you can scratch them. If you do, take care to move slowly and deliberately, and scratch them in a dreamy, relaxed way, so that you do not break your relaxed physical and mental states.

When I get cobwebs, I look on them as a test of my concentration and ignore them totally. They usually fade after a few minutes, but occasionally I have had to scratch an intensely itching or burning one, just in case it is a feeding mosquito, which has often been the case. It is therefore wise to spray your room before trance sessions and projection attempts, to eliminate this possibility.

I have come across very few people with really bad cobweb problems. In rare cases, cobweb sensations can cover the entire surface of the body. This feels, or so I have been told, like a horde of insects crawling all over your body, which sounds unbearable and probably is. Conscious-exit projection becomes impossible under these circumstances. I suggest concentrating on relaxation techniques, meditation, and energy work until the blockages in the energetic circuitry clear.

Once these areas are more developed, cobwebs sensations will lessen.
 

Primary Center Pressure
Mild to intense pressure sensations are sometimes felt in the head as a result of primary energy center activity and energy movement during trance work or projection attempts.

These are natural sensations, caused by some of the higher functions of the brow and crown centers, as these grow out of dormancy. Ignore pressure sensations as best you can. They are a good sign that these energy centers are responding to the stronger energetic flow caused by development exercises and projection attempts.

Pressure sensations, especially when localized to the brow center, indicate clairvoyant potential. Pressure is rarely intense enough to cause actual pain, but it will often be extremely uncomfortable. Intense episodes of pressure are unpredictable and infrequent.

They are more often experienced by novice projectors who have done no significant energetic development before their projection attempt.
 

Localized Pressure
Localized brow center pressure feels much like a thumb being firmly and steadily pressed into the center of the forehead.

This is felt either in a small area in the center of the brow or in a larger circular area covering the whole middle of the forehead. This can vary from mild to intense pressure, and can last for several minutes or longer. More rarely, a small area of intense thumb-like pressure is felt in the center of the top of the head.

This last sensation is related to crown center activity and development.
 

Tight Band around Head
This feels much like a leather belt tied around the head being slowly tightened.

Pressure is felt around the entire circumference of the head, in a wide band level with the brow, and all over the whole top of the head, including the whole forehead, as if the whole head were bandaged too tightly. This top-of-head pressure sensation is caused by crown center activity. Brow and crown pressure sensations are related and will often occur together. More rarely, the facial area will also be involved; this feels like the entire skull is coming under pressure.

Energy center pressure can be quite uncomfortable, even painful at times. Although this is rare, it can spark strong headaches, even migraines if you are prone to them. Actual pain will be more frequent if the brow and crown centers are being worked on more than the rest of the energy body, which I do not recommend. If pain becomes a problem, the best solution is to stop all stimulation and development work. Take a break and allow everything to settle down. This may take several days or more.

You can work around problem areas with energetic development exercises, but this may still cause some pressure pains to occur. In all the cases I have come across like this - including my own experiences - crown and brow center pressure pains progressively reduced once regular energetic development exercises were undertaken.

You must stimulate the brow and crown centers very gently in the early stages of development. It is very important not to overwork them, especially if strong pressure sensations are being experienced.

A lot of time and patience may be required to gently and safely bring these centers out of dormancy.
 

Breathing Problems
Pressure is sometimes felt in the chest and throat and feelings of choking or even asphyxiation can result from this. This can feel like you are not getting enough oxygen, or as if you are forgetting to breathe during a projection attempt. The chest and throat pressure is normally caused by primary energy center activity, but the lack-of-oxygen sensation often has another cause.

Sleep apnea, a fairly common sleep breathing disorder, causes a person to stop breathing many times while they are asleep, and to gasp for air when their lack of oxygen becomes acute and wakes them. This problem is not caused by projection attempts, but is a preexisting medical condition that has not been noticed.

During trance work or a projection attempt, the physical body is put to sleep while the mind stays awake. Any sleep breathing problems become much more apparent during this time because the mind is awake and thus notices them.

One possible solution to this problem, if it is not too severe, is to adjust your trance work or projection position so your head is tilted further back and your airways are held more open. Even a slight change in position can make a big difference with breathing problems like this. Please consult a medical doctor if you feel you have any type of sleep breathing disorder. These conditions, while treatable, can be dangerous if left unattended. Smoking, drinking, and being overweight worsen them.

Improving the health of the physical body usually cures the condition.
 

Stuck to Body during Exit
Some people at times experience feeling themselves glued to a part of their body during an otherwise successful exit, usually at their stomach, head, or legs. This appears to be caused by an incomplete projectable double being generated, resulting in only a partial projection. There are several possible reasons for this.

Heavy protein meals eaten before projection attempts appear responsible for many partial-separation problems. It takes a lot of energy to digest food; the heavier the meal, the more energy is diverted into bioenergetic digestion processes. The energy body will virtually shut down for an hour or more after a heavy meal of any kind.

After this time, just having a large amount of undigested heavy protein in the stomach can cause energy centers in that area to become sluggish and unresponsive to the projection reflex.

The sub-navel storage center is also situated near the lower stomach area, and energy flowing to and from this important center may become restricted while the stomach is busy digesting a heavy meal. Trying to force primary energy centers open during a projection attempt in this case can cause varying levels of discomfort, cramps, and even pain during the exit.

This is easily overcome by not eating such a heavy meal so late, and by cutting down on the amount of heavy protein eaten, especially in the last meal before bed.
 

Exit Cramps and Pain
I have had many reports of varying levels of cramping and pain, from mild to severe, in the stomach or chest - and more rarely, in other areas - during projection exits. I have also experienced this myself on several occasions. The action of pulling yourself out of body using a climbing technique can sometime cause internal cramping and tugging sensations, as if the stomach, heart, or lungs were twisting and cramping.

This is directly related to the projection attempt. For example, each pull on the rope can be found to cause a painful internal tugging sensation that stops as soon as the climbing action causing it is ceased. This can be quite uncomfortable, even painful, if you continue trying to force yourself the rest of the way out of your body at this time.

This problem appears to be caused by inactivity in a single part of the energy body. This interferes with the generation of the projectable double in a single area.

There are many possible causes for this. One possibility is continued projection efforts after a successful separation has already occurred. Continued projection efforts after projection has occurred is likely to cause problems for the etheric body, which cannot normally leave the confines of the physical body.

The solution is to stop and look for projection-related symptoms. If you've felt vibrations or the torso energy surge, or if partial or full waking paralysis is present, or if some degree of real-time or astral sight is present, the chances are you have already projected.

You must now await the return of your projected double. If this appears to be the case, it is worth trying to contact your projected double. Reach out with your feelings and attempt to feel yourself inside your projected double, imagining you are already out of body. This will often result in a telepathic connection and an instantaneous transfer of memories from the projected double. If you manage this, remember to still keep the projection short.

Try to reenter your physical body well before it can fall into the deep-sleep state.
 

Jewelry and Watches
Gold, jewels, and other solid metal objects can interfere with the generation of the projectable double. I learned many years ago, through experience, that wearing watches, rings, or neck chains caused me problems during the exit, as well as during trance and energetic work.

I have also had many reports of jewelry and watches causing problems and pain during otherwise successful projections.

One young man reported severe pain in his tongue during several otherwise successful projection attempts. He was a fairly experienced projector and had never had problems before this. The pain always started as pressure in his tongue that quickly became painful and spread through his jaw and neck, becoming more and more painful as he continued toward the exit.

The pain became so bad it caused him to abort each projection during the exit. I questioned him thoroughly and it came to light that he had recently had a gold stud inserted through his tongue, with the wound not being quite healed. He did not see how this could possibly interfere with projection, but, on my advice, removed the gold stud and successfully projected later that same night with no recurrence of the pain.

Along similar lines, a young female projector recently reported to me that she had experienced intense pain and pressure in her chest during a conscious-exit projection. She was forced to abort her projection attempt. On her return, she found her pet rat asleep on her chest, where it normally slept. The presence of the pet rat on her chest appears to have been the cause of the pain and pressure she felt during the attempted exit.

The projected double can pass through solid metal and gem-stones with ease. The presence of them on the physical body during projection attempts however, appears to interfere with the generation of the projectable double, which causes the projecting double to become stuck to its body at that area. For some reason, this also causes pressure and discomfort during the exit.

This appears to affect some more than it does others, but every thing points to the presence of gold, jewelry, and other items on the physical body causing problems during the exit. It is possible that gold fillings, false teeth, and other solid items may also cause problems for some people. If you feel localized pressure and pain during projection, it is worth taking a good look at the affected area to see if any item is present that could possibly be causing it.

The variable energetic makeup and levels of development of individual projectors may cause a wide range of seeming inconsistencies, with particular projection-related problems affecting some projectors and not others.
 

Magnetic North?
The direction the physical body faces during a projection attempt does appear to have an effect on the ease of the projection exit for some people - and every little bit helps. I prefer to have the top of my head pointing north if I am lying down, but if I am sitting up I like to be facing either north or south, although this may just be a foible of mine.

But I have projected many times while facing east and west, lying down and sitting up, and experienced no noticeable difference. While direction does seem to have an effect on some people, it does not affect everyone equally and will not stop a determined or experienced projector.

I suggest that new projectors experiment with the direction they face and see for themselves whether it makes any difference.
 

Lunar Cycle
The lunar cycle also seems to have an effect on projection exit difficulty levels, as well as on the frequency of spontaneous projections.

I find the best time for OBE to be the week surrounding the full moon, with the first night of the full moon being my prime projection time. Although I have projected on every day of the month, all year round, I feel the urge to project more strongly during a full moon. Some people appear to be more affected by the lunar cycle than others.

I suggest that projectors check the lunar cycle against their successful projections, especially spontaneous ones. It is also worth checking this against lucid dreams and patches of vivid dreams, as opposed to uneventful dreamless nights. This will give a clear indication of the best time of the month for them to project, and whether or not the lunar cycle is affecting them.

The moon factor may also contribute to or cause many common projection difficulties like cramps and pains and partial exits, especially when there is no moon at all.
 

Saliva Problems
Many people have problems during trance, development work, or projection attempts with either an excess of saliva, necessitating continual swallowing; or a lack of saliva, causing a dry throat and mouth. Both conditions can be very distracting and will interfere with conscious-exit projection.

If your mouth and throat tend to become dry during development exercises or projection attempts, first make sure you have had enough to drink before beginning so you are not becoming dehydrated, especially if you live in a warm climate. The only other thing that could cause dryness is breathing excessively through the mouth. The solution is to breathe more through the nose. Make sure the nasal passages are clear by blowing and clearing them beforehand. A slight change of position may also help if your mouth tends to fall open naturally.

Snoring can also cause dry mouth and sore throat problems.

When the physical body is put to sleep during the trance state and projection attempts, it often begins to snore on its own, even though the mind of the projector is wide awake. In many cases projectors will not be fully aware of this, especially if they are having problems and drifting in and out of the sleep state. The solution is to restore the sleep deficit so that falling asleep is less likely, and to change the resting position of the physical body until a position is found that does not promote snoring.

If excessive saliva tends to build up, try not to think about it. Thinking about it causes you to become more aware of your mouth and tongue, which, in itself, can cause an increase in saliva flow. Avoid sweet drinks, tea, or coffee, and anything that leaves a flavor residue in your mouth that may cause saliva to flow. Brushing your teeth and using a saltwater mouthwash, then rinsing with fresh water, helps rid the mouth of unwanted tastes.

Prop yourself up slightly higher if lying flat; this will help slow the tendency for saliva buildup at the back of the throat. Keep your mind off of it; swallow normally whenever you have to, in a relaxed and dreamy way. Swallowing, or moving the body to ease it, must be done at times, even during trance work and projection attempts.

Minor movements like this can be done without breaking relaxation and trance disciplines, as long as they are done slowly and in a dreamy and relaxed way.
 

Sexual Arousal
Sexual arousal is a less common problem that is related to energetic activity in the lower primary centers, specifically the genital primary center. This can be very distracting, for obvious reasons.

The solution is to spend more time raising and working with energy, separate from projection attempts, so the energy body can develop to the point where an increased energy flow from or through the genital center will not cause arousal. If a sex partner is available, having sex before a projection attempt can help alleviate this problem. If a sex partner is not available, imagination can be used to serve this purpose.

Many people have asked whether having sex before a projection attempt will interfere with it or not. Some worry that sex may drain the energy body and make projection more difficult until it has replenished itself. In my opinion, sex before a projection attempt has more positive than negative aspects to it.

Sexual fulfillment greatly eases physical and mental tension by promoting energetic balance and deeper physical and mental relaxation. It causes a lingering warm energetic glow and a state of well-being, which can be a great help with projection, especially with early attempts, as energetic balance and deep physical and mental relaxation are essential ingredients for successful projection.

The main reason people think sex is energetically draining, I think, is because most people have sex at night before going to sleep. The deeply relaxed state experienced during the aftermath of sex, especially if people are already tired, will usually tend to make them fall asleep very quickly. If this is the case, I suggest you use the quick or instant projection methods to take advantage of the situation before the need to sleep becomes too urgent.

In some cases, however, sex energizes people and they have trouble falling asleep for some time afterward. In this case, sex may be temporarily detrimental to projection. On the other hand, this is a very good way of temporarily overcoming tiredness so a projection attempt can be made before the onset of sleep.

When projecting after sex, though, remember to keep the projection very short, as the physical body will tend to fall into the deep-sleep state much more quickly than usual.
 

Defective Astral Vision
Defective astral vision occasionally causes problems during or immediately after the exit. I'd say about ten percent of all new projectors will encounter some kind of vision problem during their first few exits. The most common vision problems are blurred vision; one eye not working; having to squint and strain to focus; tunnel vision; partial blindness, and full blindness.

The cause of all OBE vision problems is a lack of energy flowing into the projected double from the physical/etheric body. The projected double is pure energy, generated and maintained for the entire projection by the physical/etheric body. The energy flowing into it gives it life and greatly affects its functionality and abilities.

The most effective method I have found to overcome vision problems is to draw energy directly from the physical/etheric body during the projection. This is quite simple to do and very effective. Use your awareness and feel yourself drawing energy from your physical/etheric body. If you can, use your imagination to see a flow of sparkling energy coursing into you. You don't have lungs and do not have to breathe while out of body, but you can use the remembered feeling of breathing to aid with this process.

Re-create the feeling of breathing IN and of drawing in energy, feeling yourself sucking energy from your physical/etheric body and feeling energy flowing into your projected double. This will create a strong energetic demand in your projected double that will cause a flow of energy from your physical/etheric body to fulfill it.

Once you get the hang of the energy-drawing action, you can draw extra energy into your projected double anytime you have need of it. Keep in mind here that the more energy the projected double has to operate with, the stronger and more vivid will be its experience, and the stronger and more vivid will be its memory.

Here are a few more ideas and solutions that have helped other projectors with vision-related problems.

All of these are done while out of body.

• Ask for your sight, speaking aloud if possible, and you'll often get it.

• Use your creative ability to imagine and feel light all around you.

• Create a lit torch or a lamp and use it.

• Use the instant travel method and shift to a well-lit destination.

• The room you are in may actually be dark, so move to a well-lit room.

• Leave a lamp or nightlight on while you are projecting.

• Leave a lamp on in another room and shift into it after the exit.

• Project during daylight hours.

Disorientation and Subtle-Body Misalignment
Weakness and disorientation are sometimes experienced after an OBE, especially if it has been too lengthy or has been abruptly ended.

This can happen even if the conscious exit has been missed and the projector has become aware some time after the exit. This malady is popularly believed to be caused by some kind of subtle-body misalignment, where the projected double has not correctly realigned itself within its physical counterpart during reentry and reintegration.

Many people today believe the projected double is a perfect copy or template of the physical body, containing a subtle copy of all internal organs. The "body inside a body inside a body" theory is popularly used to illustrate the way subtle bodies can separate from the physical body and hold consciousness exterior to it during an OBE. This illustration looks good on paper and does effectively show part of what happens, but it is not a workable theory when applied to some of the more complex energetic aspects of projection.

Subtle-body misalignment is not, I think, a reasonable or logical explanation for weakness or disorientation following a projection.

According to my understanding, the projectable double is internally generated by the etheric body, then extruded as an energetic point of consciousness that contains within it a reflected copy of consciousness. The body of the projectable double, when observed, is created and shaped by its own sense of whole-body self-awareness, but only when it or parts of it are deliberately observed.

When the projected double reenters, it reintegrates with its original physical/etheric self, downloading its shadow memories in the process. The energetic substance of which the projected double was composed then effectively dissolves back into the physical/etheric body. It turns back into the raw energy from which it was made.

This raw energy is instantly reabsorbed back into the vitality storage areas of the etheric body.

It is believed that the astral body is simply enmeshed within the physical body during its waking state, and that it is released to pursue an out-of-body astral existence whenever its physical body sleeps. Some people even claim that the astral body is capable of becoming misaligned with its physical counterpart while in the full waking state. The reasons stated for astral-body misalignment are many, but usually involve improper or too-abrupt reentry. Some psychics and healers actually blame a patient for having OBEs at too early a stage of development, even though this may be spontaneous and totally beyond the patient's control.

I think this line of reasoning has spawned a blanket excuse - astral-body misalignment - that is used whenever a psychic or healer cannot work out what is actually wrong with his patient. A more reasonable blanket explanation would be bioenergetic conflicts involving the etheric/physical interface. My reasoning here is that any subtle-body problem capable of affecting the physical body must logically stem from the etheric body.

This is the closest subtle body to the physical body, energetically speaking, and therefore has the greatest effect on it.

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