Tips seperating mental effort from physical

[Transharmonia]

I didn't really see a better forum for this to go into, but I am trying to achieve OBE or to astrally project, I made an mp3 an hour long from the brainwave generator (deep meditation one) and I've been using on my mp3 player. I also have a Robert Monroe hemi sync cd but I don't think thats for me right now (its not clearing presented just exactly whats going on in my opinion right now. Plus its main purpose isn't to train to to consciously induce and OBE).

I think I've achieved a light trance to an "average" trance. My hands most noticeably get heavy/numb (like I can't really feel them there sort of), but I think my main problem is when I'm concentrating hard on blocking my thoughts out while simultaneously trying to feel a falling sensation on exhale my forehead and eyes tense.

I have been trying chakra energy work, and I believe in Robert Bruce's treasie to astral projection he says to pull energy up to your base chakra seven times, spleen three times, etc. Do you open the base chakra first, then pull energy with your HANDS or pull energy after you open it? Also, do you open them every time you pull energy into them (thats just a method of stimulating them right? so I don't see why it would be bad, but I don't think it hurts to ask)?
Normally I've been waiting for tingling and heavy in my feet before pulling energy is this a good thing to do? I haven't had a lot of chakra sensation but I have only been doing it a few days, and RB described some pretty sensational feelings from them, is this bad?

Sorry for so many questions, I don't mean to be redundant if I am

[Korpo]

but I think my main problem is when I'm concentrating hard on blocking my thoughts out while simultaneously trying to feel a falling sensation on exhale my forehead and eyes tense.

The problem is with "concentrating hard". Doing something hard equals tension and strain. You have to do it in a relaxed way, so that you don't induce strain or tension. Strong concentration is not hard, it is still relaxed. Going beyond your tension point does not increase effectivity but reduce it and also induce tension.

Imagine lifting a feather. Piece of cake, eh? Now imagine lifting a real heavy weight - there will be strain if you did not do it before. You're calling on 100% of your strength or for a short time even more than that, inducing strain. The key to lifting the weight is not trying to try the heaviest weight you can find, but finding a lesser weight you need to exert effort to lift but not huff puff and exert all your strength and strain. Instead you lift that lesser weight repeatedly and gain the strength and stamina over time to some day lift that heavier weight.

Strain is a sign of going beyond one's limit. Tension shows you are no longer relaxed. All the more subtle skills require relaxing of body and mind.

Take good care,
Oliver

[CFTraveler]

I think ...but I think my main problem is when I'm concentrating hard on blocking my thoughts out while simultaneously trying to feel a falling sensation on exhale my forehead and eyes tense.

Hi Transharmonia. I'd like to speak to other things in your question also: You don't have to combine 'blocking' thoughts with trance work- you can just let them happen. Mind taming is for getting you centered and able to observe what is happening to your body and mind, and as Korpo said, shouldn't be a source of tension. You can do your 'falling' trancework without trying to block thoughts, and then when you're relaxed/tranced enough, you can concentrate on not having verbal thoughts. Remember also that 'emptying' the mind is not about not thinking, is about not thinking in words. You can observe, listen, and do other 'witnessing' activities that do not use words.

I have been trying chakra energy work, and I believe in Robert Bruce's treasie to astral projection he says to pull energy up to your base chakra seven times, spleen three times, etc. Do you open the base chakra first, then pull energy with your HANDS or pull energy after you open it?

If doing it a predetermined amount of times is helpful, then do it. But the whole point of this is to make sure you do more base chakra work first, because grounding is something that is not done in our present day culture. As to using your astral hands, I never did, except for the 'bread opening exercise'. I don't see how else it can be done.

Also, do you open them every time you pull energy into them (thats just a method of stimulating them right? so I don't see why it would be bad, but I don't think it hurts to ask)?

"Opening" is just a way to describe stimulation. If you use the 'breaking bread' technique then there is a sensation of opening. But wrapping them would have the same effect on the chakra (stimulation) but wouldn't seem like 'opening'.

Normally I've been waiting for tingling and heavy in my feet before pulling energy is this a good thing to do?

If you get the tingling, then yes. But you don't have to be fanatical about it.

I haven't had a lot of chakra sensation but I have only been doing it a few days, and RB described some pretty sensational feelings from them, is this bad?

I never had real strong chakra sensations. So I wouldn't worry about it.

[Transharmonia]

Thank you both for the replies, and I've just noticed the faq in your signature CFTraveler I probably should've looked for that

[JoSac]

Ya i never get strong chakra sensations either.

JS