2. The Projectable Double

There are many different types of OBE and therefore many different types of projectable double. To make sense of OBE and projection - to obtain a better understanding of some of the energetic intricacies involved - it is necessary to examine the main aspects of the projectable double.

Let us start by taking a brief look at its structure, starting at its very lowest energetic aspect... the etheric body.
 

The Etheric Body
The human etheric body (also called the energy body) is the subtle body most closely related to and enmeshed within the physical body. I do not believe this aspect can separate from its physical body while its physical body still lives.

It has three main aspects:

1. bioenergetic

2. pure-energetic

3. expanded-energetic

The three aspects are strongly interrelated.

The bioenergetic aspect of the human etheric body is the underlying, supporting bioenergetic mechanism and active living template for bodily intelligence and all biological life processes. It works in line with the biological functioning of the physical body, and exists as an exact bioenergetic counterpart that is firmly enmeshed with the living physical body.

The pure-energetic aspect has at least seven primary energy centers (often called chakras or psychic centers), hundreds of secondary energy centers (minor chakras), and thousands of tiny energy exchange ports. Throughout this runs a complex network of internal and external energy pathways, connecting circuitry, and energetic structures. This aspect of the etheric body does not strictly follow the internal and external contours of the physical body.

The expanded-energetic aspect occurs when the physical body falls asleep, or enters the trance state. The substance of the pure-energetic aspect of the etheric body becomes energetically excited and begins to expand outward. This allows the pure-energetic aspects of the etheric body to function independently from the physical body, without disturbing it while it sleeps.

Holding the mind awake during the trance state creates a wide range of energetic conflicts. These conflicts can cause some very peculiar sensations, such as the feeling of expansion (often perceived as the sensation of shrinking or falling inward). The degree of etheric body expansion possible depends greatly on the level of sleep or trance attained.

The etheric body, in its energetically excited and expanded state, is a true subtle body in its own right. The main difference between it and any other subtle body - e.g., the real-time and astral bodies - is that the expanded etheric body is not normally capable of leaving the confines of its physical body.

The continuing presence of all three aspects of the etheric body appears essential for the continuance of biological life processes.

I believe that the etheric body is far too dense and too firmly enmeshed within the physical body (as subtle bodies go) to allow a full projection of its energetic substance to occur. The closest subtle body to the etheric body is the real-time body, the generation of which begins inside the expanding etheric body before any type of OBE, conscious or unconscious.

Thus the etheric body is found to have more than a small part to play in the process of generating and projecting the real-time double.
 

Trance and Inner-Body Projection
If the physical body falls asleep while its mind is even partially awake, it enters a level of the trance state. The telltale sinking heaviness and cozy warmth of the trance state will then be felt, if only momentarily, before the seeming oblivion of sleep occludes normal waking consciousness.

When the first level of the trance state is attained - light trance - the etheric body begins its expansion process. To be more precise, the first stage of the expanded etheric body generation process forms the separate but still internal subtle body. The deeper the level of trance, the more strongly the etheric body will be generated as a distinctly separate and independently functioning subtle body.

As the expanded etheric body is generated, the center of consciousness automatically transfers (internally projects or reflects) into the etheric body. This is the first stage of the multilevel projection process, just one small step away from the physical body and its normal level of waking consciousness.

The center of consciousness has now shifted one level up from its physical body, and is now just one level down from the first projectable subtle body, the real-time projectable double. I see falling asleep and entering the trance state as having the same general effect, each causing a type of inner-body projection or energetic reflection of the center of consciousness into the etheric body.

If this process occurs while falling into normal sleep, a sleeping copy of consciousness and memory are reflected into the etheric body. A short time after this event, as the sleeping body falls more deeply asleep (or as the trance state deepens), the real-time body will be internally generated in a similar fashion, in preparation for its full extrusion (or projection) by the physical/etheric body outside the bounds of the physical body. This is the second level of the natural subtle body generation and projection process.

The generation and projection of sleeping subtle bodies will now continue, with the projected mind remaining undisturbed and sleeping throughout, on up through the dimensional spectrum. This is the basic outline of the natural multileveled, multidimensional sleep-projection process, as I see it, that occurs to everyone during normal sleep.

The reason this process can occur so gently and naturally is that the projecting center of consciousness is asleep. When it is asleep it is safely out of the way, so to speak. A sleeping mind does not cause any energetic conflicts to arise during this natural process, whereas an awake mind will cause plenty.

If the etheric body generation process occurs while the mind is held awake, a full waking trance state is achieved: body asleep, mind awake.

A full copy of the awake and thinking mind is reflected into the expanding etheric body. The trance state allows waking, thinking consciousness to continue within the confines of the etheric body, while the physical body and its mind (these latter always containing the original copies of mind and memory) sleep. This is the first stage of the multileveled, multidimensional conscious-exit projection process.

Now using a projection technique to exteriorize the sense of whole-body awareness, the trancer will generate a real-time double within the confines of the physical/etheric body. Once this is successfully generated - again, internally - a full copy of awake consciousness will automatically be reflected into it as it forms.

The newly generated real-time body is the first level of the projectable double, but is still fully enmeshed within the physical/etheric body at this stage. With continued efforts, the projection reflex can now be triggered while the mind is fully awake. An energetic copy of the awake mind can then be projected outside the bounds of the physical body. It is now held and energetically maintained within the projected real-time double.

Thus we have the basic outline of the underlying process that allows and causes a conscious-exit projection, or OBE, to occur.

A deep, tickling, upward-moving, trickle of energy within the torso accompanies the internal generation of the real-time projectable double. This is especially noticeable in the stomach, solar plexus, and chest areas. This sensation is caused, I believe, by the transformation of etheric matter, as different types of energies are generated throughout the physical/etheric body to form the real-time projectable double.

The conditions that allow for a conscious-exit projection, or OBE, are now complete. Full waking consciousness can now be projected free of the confines of the physical/etheric bodies along with the projecting real-time double. This is the second level of the multileveled, multidimensional conscious-exit projection process.

The biggest difference between natural sleep projection and conscious-exit projection is the presence of awake consciousness during the exit. This interferes with the natural sleep projection process, as waking consciousness tries to go along for the ride during the exit, so to speak. The presence of waking consciousness causes a great deal of internal energy conflicts to arise during the now not-so-natural awake projection process.

This explains the greatly increased difficulty levels associated with conscious-exit projection.

It also goes a long way toward explaining why such heavy energy-movement sensations - e.g., racing heartbeat, pressure, heavy vibrations - are so often experienced during the conscious-exit projection.
 

Etheric Body Projection
It is commonly believed that the etheric body is capable of a limited kind of low-powered projection outside its physical body. OBEs where the projected double feels weak and has difficulty moving, perhaps even collapsing on the floor shortly after the exit, are said to be etheric projections. While this is an understandable supposition, to me it is illogical to think that the etheric body can separate or project from the physical body while it still lives.

The internal beginnings of projection as given above show that a progressive refinement of subtle bodies is an integral part of the whole process. This allows the generation and projection of progressively higher levels of a projectable double, while retaining firm energy links with the physical body and its original copy of mind and memory.

The etheric body not only generates all projectable doubles, but it also provides the energy substance required to maintain the separate existence and functionality of all external subtle bodies. The etheric body can aptly be described as being the base-level generator and energy supplier of all subtle bodies.

As the sole energy generator, if the etheric body were to completely project out of the physical body, its plethora of intimate energy links with its physical body, the energy foundation of the projection mechanism, would be grossly interfered with.

This is inconsistent with the nature of the projection mechanism. It also defies logic that a subtle energy mechanism could exist that would allow the possibility of an accidental expulsion of the etheric body. If the etheric body were to be completely projected, it would logically have to have its energy supported and maintained by its physical body, which is far too gross for this purpose. The full expulsion of the etheric body only happens at death, I believe, and possibly to a lesser extent during an NDE, or near-death experience.

The etheric body is the energy fountain. It is the foundation of all biological life processes and the bioenergetic generator and maintainer of all pure-energetic functions. The etheric body depends on complex bioenergetic links with its physical body for all its energy needs, to fuel and enable its pure-energetic functions.

What is often called an etheric projection, I believe, is a type of energetically overextended projection.

How does this happen?

During the course of a full multilevel sleep projection, the physical/etheric body wakes up, usually experiencing projection-related symptoms and vibrations. The sleeping real-time double is already projected and is floating, asleep, just above the physical body at this time. All its higher aspects have, also, already been projected into their related dimensional levels. As the physical/etheric mind awakes beneath it, the real-time double only is reeled back into the physical/etheric body.

All the higher projected doubles continue existing and/or functioning in their higher levels, albeit a little more sluggishly now. The now-awake projector then experiences a spontaneous real-time projection exit, as the real-time double slips back out of the physical body again - but this time while fully awake. Projectors in these events are totally unaware that they are disturbing a full-spectrum, multilevel sleep projection in full progress.

Once this projection of the awake real-time double is complete, the projected double finds itself extremely weak and has great difficulty moving. Usually, the projector will collapse in slow motion and become totally incapacitated very shortly after the exit.

Added to this, it is likely that the presence of awake consciousness in the projected real-time double is contributing to the energetic tension between the physical/etheric body and all its higher sleep projected doubles. The real-time double, being the only subtle body that is properly awake, throws an energetic spanner in the workings of the natural full-spectrum sleep-projection process, so to speak.

Another cause of weakness during a projection is the physical body and its mind remaining too awake and physically tense after the exit, especially if the projected double remains within close proximity (within twenty feet, or six meters) of its physical body.

This can cause a great deal of energetic tension, which can cause various sensations of duality and weakness, with the center of consciousness often flicking back and forth between these two awake aspects of the same projector.
 

Three Basic Aspects of the Projectable Double

Real-Time Body
The real-time body is the first level of the projectable double. If observed by an awake observer with real-time sight (a type of clairvoyance), it will be seen to have a faintly silver, ghostly, see-through appearance.

 

Often just a vague ghostly shape will be seen, but sometimes facial features will be made out as well. If a real-time projector observes another real-time projector, while both are out of body, they will usually look reasonably normal to each other, although often a little shadowy or transparent.

They will also always look slimmer and younger, fitter and better looking than in actuality. All projected doubles are shaped by body awareness, and will always look younger and fitter than their actual physical body. With older projectors, the age of their projectable double's appearance is usually about thirty-five.

The real-time double's natural level of operations is within the real-time zone. It can exist and function in real time only so long as there is enough energy flowing to it from its physical/etheric body. This energy flow maintains its integrity and mental coherence on that dimensional level. There is more than one variation and strength of real-time double possible. This is greatly influenced by the quantity of energy flowing into it from the physical/etheric body, and by its energetically developed state.

A projector's real-time body parts will only become visible if that projector deliberately looks for them. The hands are the easiest body parts to observe: They vary in appearance from fairly normal to quite distorted, elongated, spectral, and ghostly. This variability in appearance is probably related to energetic flow and the corresponding strength of a projection. In all cases, though, real-time hands will begin melting away almost the moment they are observed, like white ice sculptures under a powerful blowtorch.

This goes a long way toward explaining how out of body shape-shifting works. Projectors can deliberately alter their appearance by overriding their natural sense of whole-body self-awareness. They simply feel themselves as having another shape and form, and concentrate on holding their new sense of whole-body self-awareness firmly in mind at all times.

 

Natural out-of-body creative ability does the rest, and their shape is thus altered for as long as they can maintain awareness of their new sense of form.

Fig. 1.

Melting and distorted hand effects

The whole real-time body of a projector can be seen clearly - with no melting effect - by other real-time projectors, and even by awake physical observers with real-time sight. This apparent contradiction appears to be caused by the nature of out-of-body perception, which is a kind of direct mind perception.

 

It is also worth noting the apparent similarities between out-of-body perception and normal clairvoyance. Every projected double, I believe, broadcasts its own image of whole-body self-awareness energetically. This energetic broadcast is received by other projectors, and by clairvoyants, as a fixed image that will not melt and requires no interpretation.

As with clairvoyance, when awake observers use real-time sight, their brow centers receive energetic broadcasts directly. This energetic reception is translated into bioelectrical signals that flow into die sight center of the brain, as per normal sight, where they automatically convert into a visual image in the receivers' mind's eye. If the natural energetic broadcast image of a projector is deliberately altered - say through shape-shifting - then the resulting image is changed.

 

As the projected double does not have functioning eyes, per se, this shows something of how direct energetic mind perception works in all types of projected double.

 

It also provides an insight into how tile mind's eye images of visual clairvoyance work.
 

Astral Reflection
I consider the astral body to be a completely separate subtle body in its fully projected state. A much weaker version exists as a continual astral reflection or echo of self-awareness in the astral dimension.

 

This astral echo exists whether a person is awake or asleep. It is a mindless astral reflection of awareness, thoughts, and fantasies, with no more substance than a reflection in a mirror. This astral echo does not have the ability to think or reason independently. (If you think of the way the astral planes work, absorbing, filtering, and recording all energetic reflections and emanations of consciousness, this is not an unreasonable suggestion.)

Because of this, an awake person viewed by a projector may appear to be doing some very peculiar things indeed. This is because the majority of awake people have in their minds at any given time a mixture of objective thoughts and awareness, and subjective fantasy and ideas. The exceptions to this rule are those individuals who are totally focused on a single task, or those who have conquered the necessity of having uncontrolled fantasies and a continual internal mental dialogue.

As an example: Jill is hanging out her washing (objective experience) while her mind is far away, sitting on a tropical island having a romantic lunch with Jack, her favorite person (subjective fantasy). Viewed by an astral projector or clairvoyant, Jill's astral reflection might be seen to be having lunch with Jack under a palm tree on a beach in her backyard, with a line of washing hanging in the foreground and Jill's house just behind the scene.

 

The objective parts of this scene have become mixed with subjective fantasy elements to produce this bizarre scenario around Jill's astral reflection.
 

Astral Body Proper
The next major state of existence above the real-time body is in the astral body proper. The astral planes are the natural level of operations for this subtle body. As with all subtle bodies, projected astral bodies viewed by another astral projector, or with astral sight or clairvoyance, will appear to be very solid and real looking, albeit younger and fitter than they are in reality.

Once the center of consciousness has shifted from the real-time body to the astral body, the physical/etheric body diverts the majority of its energies into the astral body. This fortifies the astral body, making it able to easily support a full copy of awake and thinking consciousness. The astral body is much more stable than the real-time body and hence is easier to maintain during a conscious astral projection. And, as the astral projector is existing in an environment that bears little or no resemblance to the physical dimension, reality fluctuations are much less noticeable.

In its natural environment, the astral double feels much lighter and more energized than does the real-time projected double. It is dimensionally more removed from its physical body, and as a result experiences far less by way of energetic conflicts, tensions, and pressures than the real-time double usually does.

 

The astral body perceives itself as having a body, but as with the real-time body this will only be seen if deliberately looked for. It will also have difficulty studying its body parts closely. The melting-body-parts effect still happens to the astral body, especially with its hands, but this is visually less dramatic than it is with the real-time double.

Once the quality of energies flowing into the real-time body changes-as the astral body proper is generated and energized—the real-time body quickly weakens. It soon starts falling asleep in the real-time zone. Typically, when the real-time double loses power in this way and begins falling asleep, it will either be reeled in by the physical/etheric body, to hover nearby mimicking its physical body's sleeping position, or will wander aimlessly about the real-time zone, only partially conscious.

This explains, I think, why most projectors encountered during a real-time projection seem to be wandering aimlessly about, like sleepwalkers, unaware of where they really are or what they are doing. They often seem to be mentally in another dimension entirely. They still have a partially functioning real-time body, but they are not existing in it strongly enough to function mentally on that level. They can be briefly awakened by other real-time projectors, but will usually be confused and muddled. They have the annoying tendency to become suddenly incoherent and even to fall asleep midsentence.

Similarly, if a higher subtle body is energized strongly enough, awake consciousness will become centered most strongly in that higher body, causing the astral body to fall asleep in the astral dimension.

 

It may then wander about the astral in much the same way and mental state as does the real-time body under the same circumstances.

Children, Animals, and OBE

Children
According to my observations, children frequently have OBEs, and seem to have more energy for this than adults. I often see and hear children gallivanting about the real-time zone. I have not seen babies younger than walking age though, unless being carried by their mothers. Solo OBEs appear to start when children become more physically and emotionally independent.

I usually develop fairly clear real-time sight and hearing during trance-meditation sessions; especially in the evenings. At these times I will often see and hear my own children while they are projecting.

 

There is nothing vague or imaginary about these observations. They usually cut and dive about the room calling for me to watch their antics - as children do. They do not understand the reasons underlying their temporarily enhanced state of being, but are hugely excited by it all the same. Like most adults, children generally remember little of their OBEs after-ward. But I must say children take their newfound abilities, like flying and passing through walls, in their stride, as if these were all perfectly natural for them.

I can't see, hear, or feel them physically at these times, even if they all scramble onto my lap. But I can see their faces clearly and hear their voices distinctly with my real-time senses.

 

I also feel the telltale energetic shivers that are a basic indicator of close contact with any nonphysical being. With real-time sight, children look ghostly, as if made of pale smoke, but their faces are denser, with a silvery sheen, making them clearly recognizable as who they are.
 

Animals
In my experience, animals project regularly, especially pets. I suggest this is a natural ability common to the entire animal kingdom. I have frequently observed pets and other animals roaming the real-time zone.

 

With real-time sight I have also observed my own pets as they exit their bodies - a truly fascinating sight! I rarely see animals projecting in higher levels of the astral planes, although I frequently encounter them in lower regions, with pets often accompanying their human friends.

On many occasions I have also seen and interacted with deceased pets in the real-time zone (apparently visiting) and also in the spirit worlds (often called heavens) when I have visited these.

 

The repeatable nature of these experiences suggests animals not only project, but also survive death as independent spirit beings. This last may or may not apply to domesticated and wild animals. I believe close long-term association with humans stimulates animals' higher emotions, as in the case of much-loved pets, elevating them to more independent levels of spiritual being.

 

In principle, this last has similarities with how humans are elevated by lives of spiritual discipline, love, and service, and by long-term contact with advanced spiritual beings.

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