Hello! First off, I love this site!!! I am at the very beginning stages of Astral Projection. I have read a few books and have been curious about it for several years but lacked the time and full motivation to give it my full attention. A lot of it was also because of fear like most people I have spoken too about it. A lot of things were confusing because every book I read had a little bit of a different view point on the subject just as the readings here have a different view. Here is where I realized how important your chakras are in your work. One book I read only used 3 chakras and didn't even really use the word to define them as chakras. Just said "balls of energy". I realized that once you really begin and start to get "in tune" that this is a lifelong adventure, research and simply the maintenance of your spiritual side so to speak. It's not just "oh I can astral project now". I have gone through all the chapters of astral projection and starting on some other areas of this site and will be ordering the books very soon. If it wasn't for ROPE and the personalized literature in the readings here I don't know if I would have gotten this far (and I haven't even intentionally projected yet. I have 3 times in life all on accident). Sorry, I'll get to my questions, I just have to get the excitement out!

I hear a little bit about protection in everything I read. I understand (to a point) that these negatives come in all different aspects of beings and I do cast a circle of protection when I am in practice. I am married and have 2 little girls and I worry like any father.

Will my activities draw on negative forces and affect life greater than before opening my spiritual side?

Should I take the Self-Defense techniques given on this site and apply them in everyday life or are these more for the stories you hear about happening (possession and what not)?

I have heard that nothing can ever harm you during Astral Projection and there is nothing to worry about. But, I have also heard that every step should be taken to protect yourself and the people around you during these activity's. Which one is correct?

I think this is the biggest barrier that I am working on overcoming right now. Fear of anything and everything seems to penetrate the mind so easily and is so hard to overcome especially when you get mixed answers. I just had someone on another site tell me to only practice in my home at a place I consider extremely sacred to me and follow the protection techniques because I explained that I was using my lunch hour at work to attempt a projection in my car where I could be alone. Now I agree, my car isn't the garden that I want to be in... but I have read about people training themselves to do it in the subway where there is extremely high noises and distractions. I hope all this makes sense and please remember, I am very new but progressing to a point of certain belief and obvious reality. I don't live around anyone I can talk to in person (which is another small side of fear). I want this to happen at every level and know that I can do it. If I can just get over the fear of "will I bring negative things into my house that could affect my family? etc...".

I appreciate anyone's help in advance!