Some questions for those who astral-travel

[Avinash]

In a few threads, one Guest has mentioned that he does astral travelling regularly. I guess it is the same Guest who has made those posts. (But I may be wrong).

I have some questions for that Guest or anybody who travels on the astral plane. Please note that the questions are not because I doubt their claims but simply because I am curious.

 

1. What exactly do you mean by astral travelling. Do you see things, which people do not see with their gross senses?

 

2. How do you know that what you are seeing is not any ordinary dream?

 

3. I saw 'psychic dreams' mentioned in one thread. By psychic dreams, do you mean dreams that foretell some event? If yes, are there cases when these dreams later proved to be correct?

 

4. Do you astral-travel only when you are asleep or also when you are awake?

 

Thank you

[Guest guest]

You know the answer,Pyschics Astral travel are all lies and totally unreliable,Infact Prabupada strictly advocates not to fall into all these traps,Chant the Mahamantra and thats all you need to know.

[Guest guest]

 

You know the answer,Pyschics Astral travel are all lies and totally unreliable,Infact Prabupada strictly advocates not to fall into all these traps,Chant the Mahamantra and thats all you need to know.

 

Astral travel has nothing to do with seeing psychics. We all astral travel at night when we sleep; this is when our subtle body re-energizes on the astral plane. Some yogis and others are able to have conscious experiences. Most Gurus can travel in their subtle body, and may appear to their devotees in other parts of the world via astral travel. There are many stories about this. Please study the metaphysical, before you condemn things you don't understand.

[Guest guest]

 

You know the answer,Pyschics Astral travel are all lies and totally unreliable,Infact Prabupada strictly advocates not to fall into all these traps,Chant the Mahamantra and thats all you need to know.

 

 

 

 

You advocate the process of realizing God, which is inherently a mystical process, and yet you dismiss other aspects of mystic phenomena.

 

What do you think you'll gain by chanting the mahamantra for one thing? And why would chanting it be so much more reliable than someone practicing or trying to astral travel? Many gurus, in fact, most gurus who are genuine would say to forego the idea of astral travel and other mystical experiences and focus on realizing God. Yet that doesn't mean those mystical experiences are real, or that they don't believe in them. It's supposedly considered as traps for the ego when one has mystical experience, but that in and of itself doesn't make it a bad thing. It can be a good or bad thing to have mystical experiences, but it depends on how you handle it.

 

In any case, if you believe in Krishna, what is your justification for believing in Him, if you don't believe in mystical experiences? After all, astral travel is just one of the many mystical experiences one can have, so it would be foolish to say one process is genuine while dismissing the other without any careful analysis, which you have clearly neglected.

[Guest guest]

The human form has various bodies or sariras or sheaths.

 

The sthula sarira is the gross body or annamaya kosha, the food-made body

aka the physical body or odic body [all synonyms].

 

One sheath or sarira is the pranamaya kosha or sheath of vitality which enlivens the physical body

 

Another sheath or sarira is the manomaya kosha or the intellectual (odic-causal sheath) body

 

Still another sheath or sarira is the the instinctive (odic-astral sheath) body

 

Sariras two and three comprise the gross astral body.

 

Yet another sarira is the refined astral body or the sukshma sarira: the sheath of cognition (mental or actinodic causal sheath).

 

We are kind of like onions and have many layers, from gross to subtle. The more purified you become the more siddhis you obtain as a side effect. The

siddhis are like tests because you can get side-tracked by them.

 

For example instead of being into gross sensual pleasure you might really

get into using some of your siddhis, such as the ability to consciously direct your astral travel [sometimes called dream yoga], be clairaudient or clairvoyant, be able to convince any bound jiva of anything, etc.

 

In all there are 1008 siddhis. If you can pass all 1008 tests and only use all of these siddhis in the service of the Divine, then whew you are doing good.

[Guest guest]

My problem is that when entering or going, there are always high wires and electrical wires that Im afraid of. I have no sleep apnia or any other fears, even though Ive been very seriously affected by the whole lucid affair, but thisa high wire thing always gets me. Ive even asked on lame astral-travel forums about this.

 

Why fear. This astral body is not made of stuff thast can be electrocuted, or even stopped by hard matter, why fear wires? Maybe because Ive taken a 440 volt shock when I was a shipyard worker and smoked and rattled around on the deck of an aircraft carrier for about ten minutes, but other than that, I can see no reason for fearing navigation thru the wires on my way up to do a little sight-seeing.

 

Ive been dong this for fifty years, as long as I have memory, and Ive been allowed to see sights, and it is a very nice sense gratification, even when I land in south central LA during a gangsta battle where I get shot in the face with a shotgun. No problem at all with getting my face blown away, but why do I fear wires? any comments from other travelers?

 

Haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

Dear mahaksadasa,

 

Dandabat pranam, Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatau!

 

Always we can understand things on many levels. As a bumper sticker I saw

the other day said, "Chit Happens!"

 

We are comprised of sat -chit-ananda. Chit = knowledge. You have articulated remarkable insight into one possible source of fear, electrocution.

I am happy to hear that it was not a lethal dose.

 

Some possible deeper layers of meanings could be: continue to purify your life as you become older, otherwise your astral travelling will be limited to

"skimming the surface" of the planet earth.

 

That is what "wires" could significate: your post indicates a feeling of acceptance with earth-bound, earth-plane astral travel. Caitya guru

could be scaring you a little bit to remind you to "kick it up a notch"

through continuing to educate yourself and purify yourself.

 

Another possible meaning, relates the education: continue to educate

yourself about the nadis. We are made out of electricity. We have

72,000 nadis or electrical currents flowing through us. In Western culture

this is referred to as the nerve cells and our nervous system.

 

In accupuncture there is the same knowledge of the nadis or currents. By fine tuning the nadis we can begin to live harmoniously, which in turn will

maximize our self-actualization potential.

 

The fear of high wires may also indicate the inner wisdom of your soul, chit, telling you to take care and continously exercise mindfulness to rise above this earthly plane. Otherwise you will bump into and hit electrical poles and high wires.

 

The electrical poles and high wires might be actions that lead to dukka, suffering. It may indicate dangers such as watch out for anarthas, old habits of mind that die hard. It could be a reminder to be careful of sensual attachments, addictions, bad habits, identifying with the body and its by-products, or any other of a number of negative vrittis or impressions.

 

The remedy for overcoming anarthas is to create positive vasanas and samskaras. You are very smart, perhaps Divine Intelligence is reminding you

to cop this 'tude: "I wanna take it Higher! Keep on moving higher up the chakras to "rise above" all impediments on the path and obstacles.

 

So that after rigorous testing on this plane, you can confidently say to Durga: "Stick me with a fork, I'm done!"

[Guest guest]

Wow, what profound explanation. Very good remarks, which I take to heart while offering humble obiesancies.

 

I think the problem is that I gotta get back because I have so much to do, and the wires are actually shakles binding me. But ya know, I am done, fried and refried. But if the wires nop longer hold me in, then I cant write to give progress report. Kinda like the radio-heads out there listening to their conspiracy theorists, after the comet hits, there is no instant replay, no tomorrow's commentary, no "see the whole story at eleven."

 

Stick a fork into me, im done. Such good instruction, again, thanks.

[Guest guest]

"On the astral plane we relive many experiences by reactivating them, creating for ourselves heavens or hells." --Hinduism's Contemporary

Metaphysics

 

To be electrocuted and experiencing after effects from it for ten minutes sounds like a trauma to the body, mind, and emotions.

 

The latest Utne Reader magazine issue July-Aug 2006 has a cover story:

"Fear? Anxiety? Trauma? Get Over It: When to Let Go, How to Heal"

 

On page 46 it says that even though we may talk out our traumas with

someone, if the trauma affects the reptilian part of our brain, that part of our brain does not respond very well to talk only as therapy.

 

How the brain works is this: outer layer = neocortex. The source pf abstract reasoning and language.

 

Inside that: limbic system. Emotions and memory.

 

Inside that: amygdala. An organ of fear, source of the "fight or flight" syndrome.

 

These layers are in constant communication. When you are startled, first the

amygdala takes hold: it makes emotional judgements based on sensory data,

such as: causes heartrate to increase.

 

Only then does the neocortex get involved, rational thinking. If your neocortex sees that there is a grave danger, it orders the amygdala to

stay hyperactive.

 

It then orders this experience to be recorded in the hippocampus, the part of the limbic system that stores deep memories. This is to remind you to beware

the next time you are in a similar situation.

 

It is these "flashbulb" memories stored deep in the limbic system that are the source of traumatic memories. This may explain a wariness about any electrical currents in your vicinity when astral travelling.

 

On page 45 of Utne Reader has several orgs that help with the healing of traumas. One therapy mentioned that I also read about elsewhere as being very benefic is EMDR, a therapy that combines talk with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, eye movements that mimic deep REM sleep.

 

Some suggestions for recurring negative vrittis on the astral plane might be:

writing down the negative memory and then burning it to release it [vasana tantra], going to a river with a basket of flowers and then releasing each flower which stands for a traumatic memory [Ganga puja sadhana].

 

Another idea is to find out who you feel the god of electricity is in your

tradition, then start associating electricity with the presence of that

deity, so that when you see the electrical wires you bow to the Deity

inside of them.

 

In one tradition they feel that "Karttikeya flies through the mind's vast substance from planet to planet. He is ever available to those in distress. He is seated on the Manipura chakra. He strengthens our will when we lift through the inner sky through sadhana and yoga.

 

"The kundalini power of the spine is held and controlled by this deity. He

wields a vel that he throws, always hits its mark, and then returns to his

hand. It is the kundalini serpents' power unleashed. The purpose is punishing

remorse when we have transgressed dharma's laws." - - Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism

 

So one idea is every time you see an electrical wire when you astral travel, you can do pranam to Karttikeya. He is scarlet hued and rides a peacock.

His vel removes the mind's darkness as it pierces through discordant sounds, colors, and shapes on the astral plane.

 

Your name is Mahaksa das, that is Lord Shiva is that not? Mahaksa = Shiva?

Kartikkeya the olderst son of your Isthadevata Lord Shiva, the greatest Vaisnava.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna, PAMHO. Yes, I am a servant of my namesake, Lord Siva. His glorious son, Sri Ganesha deva, is my protector who helps with all the impediments I may face, as well as the scribe whom I credit for all I write. I worship Lord Siva as the topmost Vaisnava, who appears in Sri Panca Tattwa, with Lord Chaitanya to bring the holy names to all towns and villages.

 

I accept your prescription with thanks. I also mention my relationship with Lord Yamaraja, the topmost Vaisnava (my guru maharaja has made available the srimad bhagavatam, which describes Lord Yama as one of the twelve supreme authorities on the science of Bhagavan realization.) I am most attracted to Lord Yamas manifestations as King Yudhisthira, and the glorious Sri Vidura, principle actors in the great mahabharata history. Because of my attraction to Yama (as well as Yami, whom is described on my website), I have actually felt his vivid presence on the occasion of three separate NDEs. I have no fear and actually believe he lingers in a positive way, not merely doing his duties of justice management.

 

Because of the NDEs in the past, received during the course of my dangerous duties as a civilian employee of US Navy. I have been diagnosed with PTSD. Its nice to know for the phisiologic symptomology, but the psychologic effects are somewhat laughable and under complete control due to my training by my Guru Maharaja, Srila AC Bhaktividanta Swami Prabhupada. The psycho side of PTSD are anxiety and depression, and my main philosophy is covered in the statement "Forget the past, and never the future dream at all. But live in times that are with thee and progress you will call." Anxiety is fully controlled by never dreaming the future, and depression is fully controlled by forgetting the past.

 

I certainly am impressed by your recognition of stuff by just a short and rudimentary description of my evening "tourism". Im able to view the lucid stuff as a good movie, even though Im seemingly wrapped up at the time. I wake up in a cold sweat, but fully satisfied by the great experiance I just had, gang-banging, volcanoes, thermo-nuclear stuff, Great karmic relief.

 

Hare Krnsa, ys, mahaksadasa

 

more latah, Im just out of time right now. Lets do stories here, get at the root of all of our insanities. (BTW, feel free to use the term "karmic relief", its a good un, but I wont copyright.)

[Guest guest]

 

Because of my attraction to Yama (as well as Yami, whom is described on my website)

 

Dear Mahaksadasa, I enjoy reading your posts and would like to read your sit, if you don't mind sharing the link.

[mahak]

haribol. My website is at:

 

http://www.geocities.com/mahaksadasa

 

The story about the birth of Death is located at:

 

http://www.geocities.com/mahaksadasa/bod.html

 

Hare Krsna, mahaksadasa

 

PS I wouldve given it before, but I logged in as guest.

[Guest guest]

The British Medical Journal reports that out of body experiences occur most often in people with neurological disorders such as migraine or epilepsy and also in 10% of the population unaffected by such disorders.

 

Out of body experiences are associated with a temporary disruption in regions of the brain called the temporo-parietal junctions. The TPJs are the links between the temporal [time and space] and parietal lobes, located about an inch behind and above each ear.

 

These lobes help process visual, spatial, and tactile information. If a TPJ fails to integrate visual and physical cues, then this may lead to the out-of-body

experience, theorizes Olaf Blanke MD PhD of Ecole Polytechnique Federale de

Lausanne in Switzerland.

[Guest guest]

 

The British Medical Journal reports that out of body experiences occur most often in people with neurological disorders such as migraine or epilepsy and also in 10% of the population unaffected by such disorders.

 

Out of body experiences are associated with a temporary disruption in regions of the brain called the temporo-parietal junctions. The TPJs are the links between the temporal [time and space] and parietal lobes, located about an inch behind and above each ear.

 

These lobes help process visual, spatial, and tactile information. If a TPJ fails to integrate visual and physical cues, then this may lead to the out-of-body

experience, theorizes Olaf Blanke MD PhD of Ecole Polytechnique Federale de

Lausanne in Switzerland.

 

Uh, your point?

 

Great, we know the mechanism, but that doesn't mean it isn't authentic.

 

Spirit, body, and mind interact. To think that any manifestation of spiritual phenomena is unaccompanied by physiological phenomena and vice versa is foolishness.

 

Ketamine has also been used as a drug to induce NDE's. I have friends who have taken herbs that have put them in mystical trances. They do not believe in God (or at least have no true conception of God), yet they would swear to what they experience as being "real". Of course, that doesn't make it so, but the idea of "reality" is certainly one that must come under close scrutiny and be properly defined.

[Guest guest]

Sorry, I thought "the point" was self-explanatory:

 

Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University has a Theory of Multiple Intelligences. The old school view of intelligence is we are smart if we do

good on a standardized test like SAT, which measures math ability and

language arts ability.

 

However, Dr. Gardner feels that there are 7 or 8 types of intelligence. Synonyms for intelligence would include "giftedness" or "ability" in:

 

Math -- SAT type smarts

Language Arts -- ditto

 

Visual/Spatial -- artists, architects

Aural/ Music -- musicians, singers

Kinesthetic/ Movement --athletes, dancers

 

Interpersonal -- superstar salespersons, gift of gab

Intrapersonal -- the ability to pray, meditate, reflect deeply, space out, go into trance, go into altered states, make ethical decisions

 

Science/ Nature -- hands on appreciation of nature and the natural world

 

So "the point" is some scientists are researching out-of-body experiences and have identified the possible area of the brain responsible for this. For people whose minds are wired to appreciate things from the scientific angle, for those who are G/T in Science/ Nature intelligence.

 

There is also a good article in National Geographic March 2006, cover story: "What's In Your Mind?" The cover shows a monk meditating, hooked

up to electrodes. Page 31 "Spiritual State" has the results of research hypothesis, "Can meditation literally change the mind?"

 

Pages 28-29 describes research into the temporal lobe area, a part of the body that controls hyper-religious feelings and a sense that even the most trivial events are filled with heightened meaning and cosmic importance.

 

The original person posting this thread wanted to know what astral travel

was. So I provided a possible scientific theory as to what makes it happen.

 

Everyone is gifted and talented in many ways, according to Dr. Howard Gardner. Accordingly, everyone understands information and processes

it differently. Our brains are like so many different computers with different types of software and programs. We are all unique individuals.

 

I personally would like as many people as possible to understand what astral travel is, therefore I tried to include an explanation so that a person who is gifted and talented in Science/Nature intelligence might "get" or understand and not dismiss it out of hand as a hippie-dippy phoney-baloney hallucination.

 

Some people understand the phenomenon better if it is presented scientifically. Others, like yourself, can hold two sides of the story in your

brain simultaneously: that there is a scientific explanation for every mystical

state. Not everyone's brain is "wired" to do that.

 

Other people are open to the mystical explanations but feel more comfortable accepting the possibility of such things existing if there is ALOT of science to back it up. Therefore I was thinking of all possible learners who might be reading this thread.

 

I was a teacher for many years and I noticed that there is discrimination in

Western culture against students who have intra-personal intelligence. My

experience within the eduational system showed me that we live in a society

that favors the interpersonal intelligence gifted and talented.

 

I noticed time and again parents freaking out when their kids who, to my mind

were probably future yogis and yoginis, were "spacing out", and "too quiet",

and "preferred being alone". I myself did not see anything wrong with someone

who has brahminical qualities and appears externally to be spaced out, quiet, and likes to be alone.

 

Einstein's teachers called him "retarded" because he did not talk until he was seven years old. There are many gifted and talented people who have intelligence that the mainstream society doesn't know how to measure

or appreciate yet.

 

When I provided an explanation to the parents about Gardner's Theory of

Multiple Intelligences, then the parents were usually satisfied. They thanked

me for explaining scientifically why their child is special and unique and should be valued for the ability to spend alot of time alone thinking deep thoughts, extremely sensitive to vibes and impressions, yet reflective and sober-minded.

 

I couldn't just come out and say, "Well your kid is a brahmana and you are a sudra." Or, "Yeah man, me and my buds were smokin some herb man, and I was trippin and thinkin man, like hey, your kid is acting like a future stoner or

some kind of freaky space cadet, man, or some kind of a hippie or art major or whoa man maybe even a Hare Krishna, like whoa that is so heavy."

 

So I included the science explanation for those who process and "read" info

scientifically. Cuz I personally would like it if people would stop discriminating against persons with intrapersonal intelligence. So I feel that the more people

are aware of the science behind the art of mystical phenomenon, the better.

 

One, we can advocate for the next generation of people who are gifted and

talented in intrapersonal intelligence. And two, the more we widely educate ourselves and others about the science behind mystical phenomenon, the less other people who have some siddhis, but might not be very nice and are eager to exploit others, can bluff and fool others and overly impress people.

 

And three, for those who like to preach, some science that they can lay on people that mystic phenomenon can be scientifically explained. I myself appreciate all the different points of view and new things I learn on this site

from people whose brains are not wired like mine.

 

Jaya Sri Radhe! Syama.

[Guest guest]

"One must learn the material science and the spiritual science SIDE BY SIDE."

-- Sri Isopanisad

 

"Uh what's your point?" Prabhu

 

Good luck to you next time you are on a dais speaking to an audience, or being interviewed on television, or being evaluated by the Headmaster, or being graded by your Speech Communications professor,

 

or participating in a daily peer critique session with your college classmates or discoursing with your professional colleagues,

 

or speaking in a 110 degree classroom in a ghetto school for the incorrigible full of students armed with paper clips, spitballs, rubber bands, and paper airplanes at hand

 

good luck telling your audience that, "to think [whatever: the results of their research, the conclusion of their term paper, whatever they may think about anything] is ***foolishness***."

 

Do you know why? Because in my opinion, no one is foolish. I think that everyone is a spiritual being whose essence is sat-chit-ananda.

 

I feel that if you think ANYONE is foolish, then it is possible that you might be identifying falsely with the annamaya kosa, the food based body, of which mind is simply one tattva or element. So why reinforce something that is not

even true?

 

I feel that everyone's essence is sat-chit-ananda. Chit means full of knowledge. That is everyone's real identity, in my opinion.

 

One way you could express your point of view and be stronger in a college level discussion, debate, or argument would be to just state your observation without calling someone else's point of view "foolish"

 

[for example: "Hmmm, seems to me as if this scientific research informs the discussion that there is a scientific explanation which can validate all spiritual phenomenon."]

 

I feel it would really be nice if you could kick your level of discourse up a notch. I feel that it would improve the quality of your sharing the eternal Sanatana Dharma with the world.

 

It seems to me that you already have good ideas and you have the ability to synthesize two opposing, divergent world views, which is a plus. In academic

terms that is called "higher level thinking". Not everyone can do that.

 

I feel that your important sharing of higher level thinking would carry even more weight if you could avoid words which might possibly side-track the reader/ audience: emotionally-laden words with negative denotations which can create discord and enmity, such as "foolish."

 

Basic college level Speech Communications stuff: avoid words with negative connotations/ denotations to keep from alienating your audience/ reader.

I realize this is Kali Yug, the age of Quarrel and all, still...

 

Radhe Radhe Radhe!

[Guest guest]

I'm at a very tough time in my life, so I'm very frustrated. I tend to lash out more easily than I usually do, so I'm sorry for that.

 

I don't quite believe in God. I waver between belief and disbelief. Honestly, I prefer solitude to any company, and have been known to space out quite a bit since I was a child. Especially during gatherings or when someone's talking to me. I do a lot of meditation these days, and ruminate on philosophical concepts and how to prove their authenticity to at least myself. It's not easy.

 

I keep wanting to believe in God, that things will change for me, but I'm losing hope that there is anything substantive to it. From multiple accounts, my life SHOULD be turning around, and I've put in the effort to help turn it around, but I don't think it has happened, and I'm near the breaking point. I feel like my humanity and sense of tolerance is slipping away, and I'm losing myself.

 

Reason I say by multiple accounts my life should be turning around is due to astrological signs (if you believe in that sort of thing, which I'm skeptical about, but was willing to give it its fair shake), and a swami that I met at an unlikely place who declared he "saw" my future and said things would change for the better for me and I shouldn't lose hope (which was over a year and a half ago, even gave me a Hanuman pendant to wear).

 

I read that article in Time magazine about brain function and its correlation with mystical phenomena as well. I don't feel comforted by the idea it's all in the brain at all. I can accept that there is a body-mind-spirit complex, and that all three aspects of a person are interdependent, but I cannot acknowledge simply mental processes being the source of mystical phenomena.

 

In any case, your initial explanation was offered without context, so it's impossible to truly decipher what the intent of the post was. It could have been used either way, as the study neither suggests anything truly authentic about mystical phenomena nor does it deride it. Believers and nonbelievers alike can use this information for their agendas, so merely citing it doesn't do a whole lot of good other than to inform others about the scientific studies done.

 

I'm well aware also of unique talents such as Ramanujan and Einstein, and their failures in the school system. As for Einstein learning to talk at seven, I think that's somewhat incorrect. He could talk, but he wasn't fluent in his native language until 9. At least, this is according to one website that is concerned with some of the very same issues you are: Ockham's Razor 17/12/00: "www . abc . net . au / rn / science / ockham / stories / s223949 . htm"

[saidevo]

Dear mahaksadasa,

 

Why fear. This astral body is not made of stuff thast can be electrocuted, or even stopped by hard matter, why fear wires? Maybe because Ive taken a 440 volt shock when I was a shipyard worker and smoked and rattled around on the deck of an aircraft carrier for about ten minutes, but other than that, I can see no reason for fearing navigation thru the wires on my way up to do a little sight-seeing.

 

 

According to Occult Science, dreams involve participation of three bodies or vehicles of consciousness of the human soul: physical body, etheric double and the astral body.

 

The etheric double (called pranamaya kosha) is the exact double of the physical body comprising matter from the four etheric sub-planes of the seven physical sub-planes. (The other three sub-panes are solid, liquid and gaseous). The etheric double is where the seven chakras are located, with their counterparts in the astral body. The etheric double is also responsible for a human's health aura. It functions on the physical plane.

 

The astral body is made of the astral matter of the seven sub-planes of the astral world. It penetrates and extends a couple of inches above the surface of the physical body. It is this astral body that humans use in dreams to travel in the astral world and have experiences.

 

To understand the nature of dreams as explained in Occult Science and Theosophy, we need to bear in mind that we humans are surrounded by a pulsating current of physical, astral and mental matter which interpenetrate each other and eddy around us. These currents carry concreate thought shapes and thought-forms generated by emotions that emanate from us and from other people near and far. The etheric brain is usually sympathetic to these thought currents and picks up some of it that create sympathetic vibrations. The human brain dramatizes the conglomerate of thought currents during sleep and plays them out in the etheric plane. This is the reason for totally unconnected and illogical dreams where the scenery and people change abruptly, often at an alarming pace.

 

The other kind of dream is the clear dream which is actually due to the astral travel (an OBE, not NDE). This usually follows the first set of etheric dreams and happens to every human during sleep, though most of us remember only occasional fragments of these dreams. During astral travel, the astral body slips out of the physical body and wanders about the astral world. Nevertheless, it is always connected to the physical body (by what is known as a silver cord).

 

We usually don't remember the experiences of our astral body because there is no continuity in consciousness as it shifts from the astral body during sleep to the physical when we wake up from sleep. To have a lucid dream and remember most of it in the physical state, one needs to practice maintaining the continuity of consciousness in the physical and astral bodies.

 

In your case it seems, since you do remember your dreams vividly, you are able to keep your consciousness continuous during sleep. As to the recurrence and fear of the electrocution in your dreams (even though you know that your astral body is not affected by physical forces), I think your bad experiences of electrocution in physical life have made a lasting mark on your chitta or subconsciousness, which keeps bubbling up in dreams.

 

From what I have read on the subject of astral travel, one way to overcome the problem may be intense self assertion. Watch for the exact moment you slip to the sleep state and at that time assert to your mind that in any dreams that might happen that day, you would not have any fear of electrocution and that you would successfully overcome any problems with the wires that might bind you. Doing this repeatedly, I think, would enable you to erase the subconscious fear in a short time.

 

I suggest that you practice the relaxation techniques descirbed in this website: swamij.com

 

Some specific info about astral projection might be found in these links:

dimensional-doorways.com/NEW/index.htm

astralvoyage.com

beyondtheveil.net

[Guest guest]

last night I was chanting japa in my dream.

I even remember coming to the sumeru bead and turning around.

 

I figure I chanted about 3 rounds in my sleep.

 

I also had some awkward dreams about a couple of old Godbrothers that were very close friends,

 

For some reason or other I had a lot more control over my mind in my sleep last night.

 

since I have been putting the herb sage in my herbal tea formula, I have noticed an improvement in my mental control during sleep.

 

Sage, the herb, is called sage because in ancient times it was used by wise men or sages.

[Guest guest]

Haribol, great stuff, one and all, very interesting (to me anyway).

 

I was a very good surfer in my youth, even on big waves (up to 15 feet, rocky point okay, but no banzai pipeline or wiamea, and sunset was too crowded for me). And since I recognize the electro-nature of the majority of my "journeys", I have tried to adjust. I do see the linkage with my jolt (ca 1979), because earlier lucid dreams had other "danger trips", such as cannons going of.

 

But now, its like surfing. I take the navigation thru the wire meshes like surfin in the olden days, if ya make it, exhillarating, if ya dont, oh well.

 

Ive never been trapped by the wires, but sometimes I didnt land because the mesh was too tight, but then, I just went elsewhgere.

 

Sri Bhutabhavana das, on another political channel, mentioned remote viewing, and Ive tried to do things while flying around, spying, just to test authenticity in awake comparisons, and some that I remember have held true. But I doint have that kind of control, like Ed Dames, who employs a strict protocol in his science. When Im airbourne, the journey itself take priority, and Im just there for the ride, the entertainment.

 

Ive even had vivid dreams while fully awake, and I have written such stories on my website. Scroll above to where I link the site, and look for Dialog with Dismas, the truest story I have ever told.

 

Anyway, hope Im not boring yall, just havin a bit of fun before work at the health food store. I like the scientific explanations as well. Thanks again for all the intelligent replies, hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

To Guest author of post #17

 

Thank you for your kindness and generosity of spirit. Apology accepted. I liked both of your posts and I learned from both of them.

 

I find others' comments, perceptions, observations, input to be useful as a catalyst to enrich my own meta-cognition and processes of analysis and synthesis. Thank you very much for your posts.

 

 

 

 

My heart goes out to you in your current situation. Here are a few quotes and techniques that I've personally found helpful to navigate the dark night of the Soul. There must be billions tidbits of wisdom in the world, so if it doesn't speak to you personally, no problem, I understand.

 

Sometimes my very best friends that I know love me more than anyone or anything in the world will try to help me. However maybe whatever they suggested works for them but not for me. Even so, the fact that they took the time to share helped to buoy my spirit when treading life's dark waters.

 

I hope there's a little grain of truth here [below] to buoy your spirits, too:

 

 

 

 

"We make very little progress when we strive to conquer the baser instincts in a good mood. However, vast strides are possible when we are miserable and work within ourselves.

 

"Therefore, if you are ever disappointed or discouraged, count it as a blessing, for you then have the opportunity to conquer the instinctive

nature and really stabilize yourself dynamically on the spiritual path."

 

-- Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

 

 

 

Because you mentioned your intrapersonal intelligence gifted and talented nature, I am enclosing this quote:

 

"The best thing to do when you begin meditation is to live in a good environment among good people. Meditate alone and don't talk about it to

anyone except the person who is helping you on the path. Do it inconspicuously, privately. It's an inner process, so it should be performed alone.

 

"Then only inner things will happen to you, and your outer life will get

better and better and better. You'll get into a blissful flow with life -- a perfect timing in your outer life.

 

"You will find yourself standing in the right place at the right time everyday. You will be in the energy flow with life, guided by your intuition. All the wonderful things that you should be experiencing on thie planet will begin to come to you."

 

[ibid]

 

 

 

 

Re: astrology, have you had your vimsottari dasa chart done? I know of

two good astrologers who have helped me: goravani dot com has a very inexpensive computer printout you can get that includes the vimsottari

dasa periods. However you need to know how to interpret them yourself.

 

And I found Nalini Kant could answer specific questions about career and

specific relationship issues. However that costs alot more money.

 

Something that is FREE is world wide web dot astro dot com. I check it every single day. It's spooky how accurate it is. You can check your daily horoscope, your long term six months forecast,

 

check compatibility with others, and even astro-cartography [where in the world is a good place for you to live, and how people from certain places will meld with your energy]. That's FREE and I have found to be very helpful and insightful. Maybe that's your best bet.

 

 

 

 

Re: "I don't know whether or not I belief in God", I am okay with that. In fact, I feel that way too alot of the time.

 

However, I also feel this to be true: I feel that is there is a God/dess, then S/he believes in me. S/he is the Parent and I am the kid. I feel that if there is

actually a God/dess, S/he loves me no matter what I do, like a nice parent would do and not like a selfish, abusive, mentally ill parent. I feel that S/he wants the very very best for me in life and is my biggest fan and supporter, just like a nice, supportive, loving and caring parent would be.

 

I also take solace from the fact that Hinduism is a huge religion. According to some rsis, basically Hinduism aka Sanatana Dharma is a whole bunch of ideas and then it is up to EACH INDIVIDUAL to analyze and synthesize the information.

 

Some rsis feel that in Hinduism there is room for atheism, agnosticism, monism, theism, and monistic theism. There is room for dwaita and adwaita. All of it is a way of understanding God/dess. All are valid schools of thought.

 

Some rsis feel that we go through many lifetimes, growing from young soul to medium to old soul. So we go through many stages of self-discovery along the way.

 

I feel that it doesn't help to try and rush this process of self-unfoldment. I have never seen anything good that comes from rushing around, as opposed to slow, steady, mindful analysis FIRST before taking any action. In fact, I feel it could be very harmful and detrimental to try to rush.

 

I say, why not be like an organic peach growing in a heritage orchard that is allowed to fully ripen on the Tree of Life, so that God/dess will be attracted to taste the fully ripened nectar that is in your heart? Why rush the process and try and pick the fruit when it is still green?

 

 

 

Since you mentioned that you are gifted and talented in intrapersonal intelligence, here are a few last thoughts that I hope will help:

 

1) "There is only one thing that God cannot do: He cannot take Himself out

of you."

 

God is already in your heart and it doesn't matter if you believe in Him or not. S/he loves you. God is love and is nothing else but love. S/he doesn't require a pledge of allegiance to the Flag from you. It is an unspoken love so deep, true and pure.

 

 

 

2) I've found this affirmation to be very helpful in times of transition, stress, and change: "I am a wonderful being with a special mission to fulfill."

 

By writing out this affirmation daily, it helps you to uncover and discover what Divine Intelligence's plan is for your life. It helps to unlock your inner potential to "Be the change you want to see in the world!" -- Gandhi

 

 

 

Best wishes

[Guest guest]

Well, thank you for your kind words.

 

I appreciate the advice, although I don't believe it is too helpful.

 

It's because of all the distress I'm having that I went into meditation in the first place. I'm not sure if I have any intrapersonal intelligence, all I did say is that I don't like crowds, socializing for the sake of socializing, and I prefer to talk about things that are meaningful at least to me. I tend to space out, but I don't think that means much really, as it could be just a reaction to stress, or something like that.

 

In any case, my astrological chart was done when I was born, so it is there. It supposedly says a lot of great things about me, that my future is supposed to be great, and many people have told me that I would go on to do great things (the swami was one of them).

 

Supposedly Shani was obstructing my path and has now cleared itself from my path or something to that effect almost a year ago, and things were supposed to improve drastically for me. Before that, no matter how hard I would work I would end up messing up somehow. I'd get ill before exams and I wouldn't be able to study properly for them. It got so bad at one point I almost gave up completely and considered dropping out of school. I've graduated but that is all I've done since then, other than just try to meditate to see what's in me, where my potential lies, and just search for God and request His help and guidance.

 

However, even after this Shani supposedly has stopped influencing me, I have felt no difference, and even less hope as a result. The one source of hope (that there is a God and that He has a plan for me, that He does care about me, and that my future will turn out great) that I've had for continuing on seems to be increasingly just an illusion.

 

I met that swami by the way at a subway station in America. I was on my way back from college, very depressed at the time when I met him. I had never met any swami or anyone of that kind at the subway station before and never have since then. He told me that I was unlucky at the time (which is true, I got into a car accident going to college just a few days earlier and I had no idea how it happened as I was driving carefully on the road when it happened, the train I was supposed to take that day had been cancelled so I had to take another train when I met that swami), my health was erratic, and he knew that I was extremely depressed from what was going on in my life. He told me not to lose hope that things would turn out great. He said he saw my future and in the following year things would start going great for me, that I'd get a good job or something and I'd help a lot of people. He told me to take a Hanuman pendant, that it would protect me,and told me to not lose hope as things would get better.

 

I thought maybe that God sent him and that my meditation must have made God listen or something, but it has been over a year since then and I see no change. I know a brahmin who is a jyotish, who usually stays with my family and me when he's in America, and he said something similar about me before the swami, so I thought maybe there was really something to it. But now, I don't think so.

 

I just recently took a medical examination to get into medical school. Worked harder than I have ever done in my life, and yet at the time of the exam I felt like I hit a wall, I was in such a fog and couldn't think straight. I fear I might not have done well, because I was so fatigued during the test. I was well-prepared for the exam and know that I wouldn't have had much trouble with it if I was fully alert, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. This test has big repercussions on my life and I really can't handle another disappointment. I'm almost ready to give up completely on this life as a result as I see no sign of anything changing.

 

My meditation hasn't been helping me, and I've been doing it for a long time. I feel no difference when meditating and praying to God. There were times during meditation I would get an intense feeling of pressure on my forehead, and possibly see faint waves of blue during meditation, but that is all that has ever happened, and I think that might have been just my mind playing tricks or something.

 

Anyway, thanks for listening to me, I appreciate your advice.

[Guest guest]

Dear spirit soul, Guest author of post #21

 

Wow, you are really smart. We need people like you on the planet. Please don't give up.

 

Since you know about medicine, here's some other possibilities: you know that

according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs we need our basic needs met before

we can pursue our higher level needs. The basic needs: food, air, shelter, etc.

 

Here are some over-the-counter things that have helped me when I was in a

situation you described:

 

Phosphatidyl Serine 100 mg with Choline and Inositol is very good for brain function. Any health store has a section on brain function supplements. From studying for years you can deplete certain nutrients from your brain and body.

 

Acai powder - from Sambazon. This is freeze-dried powdered berries from Brazil. This fruit is supposed to be the number one superfood in the world

as far as antioxidants and other benefic attributes goes.

 

Ginseng with Royal Jelly combo - good for taking right before a test instead of coffee

 

Emergen-C - packets of megadoses of B vitamins and C vitamin. These vitamins are depleted when under stress or duress.

 

Brewers yeast - Make sure you have enough Vitamin B12 in your diet

 

Seaweed, such as Wakame: Sea vegetables have many trace nutrients

that can help boost energy, vitality, and alertness.

 

Plenty of rest, sunshine, and exercise. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.

Go out in the sun at least fifteen minutes a day. Go on a treadmill or take

a brisk walk daily. If possible join a gym and go there at least 5 days a week.

Exercising produces endorphins - the body's natural drugs that make you fell good.

 

You might have a mild form of PDD - prolonged duress diorder. The human

body is designed to only respond to stress for about 20 minutes at a time.

However when we are under continual stress like studying for exams for

a number of years or working in a job that is continual stress for years on

end then that is a very unnatural state. The body is producing the "fight

or flight" hormones/chemicals constantly.

 

Anyway you are a med student so you know the terminology better than me.

I hope this was not being too bossy, just we need people in the world like you

today. Some traditions feel that young people who want to be doctors are people who came to Earth plane from the devalokas, so it can be very very stressful for people who were living on a higher plane of existence to get used to living here on earth.

 

They feel about ten percent of the population is here from Devaloka and the

rest are from Narakaloka. Therefore it feels very stressful and scary here like we are doing a tour of duty, or like an astronaut on a moon mission.

 

Again, sorry if this isn't that very helpful either; the intention is there of support for a difficult time, care and concern. Let us know how you are doing

so we can pray for you. Did you want to go to medical school or did your

mom and dad pressure you into it?

 

If you don't make it into medical school [i think you will though] there are always other things you can do. There have been times I wanted to end it

all and then two or three years later amazing things were happening that

I would not have wanted to miss for the world.

 

Hang in there.

[Guest guest]

Sorry, I'm Math challenged as you can see!

[gHari]

I astral travel to the sun, but only at night since obviously I would burn up during the day.