Phase (lucid dreaming and out-of-body experience) maintenance or ”maintaining” refers to techniques that allow a practitioner to remain in the phase for the maximum amount of time possible. Without knowledge of ”maintaining” techniques, the duration of the phase will be several times shorter than it could otherwise be. The shortest phases last just a few seconds. Beginning practitioners usually fear not being able to exit a phase; this shouldn’t ever be a concern because the real challenge is being able to maintain the phase state, which is easily lost unless phase maintenance techniques are used.

Phase maintenance consists of three primary principles: resisting a return to the wakeful state (known as a foul), resisting falling asleep, and resisting a false exit from the phase. As a rule, the first two problems (return to a wakeful state, or falling asleep) are often encountered by beginners, but the third difficulty (false exit) manifests at later stages of practice.

Resistance to returning to the body is self-explanatory, whereas resistance to falling asleep is unclear to many. Not everyone knows that almost half of phase experiences usually end in a quite trivial way – falling asleep. A person usually looses attentiveness, his or her awareness dissipates, and everything around gradually looses clarity and turns into what is for all intents and purposes a usual dream.

Resisting a false exit from the phase is a lot more surprising and dramatic. Sometimes a practitioner detects an impending exit from the phase, subsequent deepening techniques fail to work, resulting in what seems to be a return to the body and physical reality. Sure that the phase has ended, a practitioner may stand up and the fall asleep after perceiving a few steps. In such cases, falling asleep most often happens without any movement, but while still lying in bed. The problem is that the difference between the phase and reality can be so subtle that in terms of internal or external indicators, the phase practically can’t be distinguished from reality. Therefore, one must know the necessary actions to take in the event that the phase ceases, since the end of a phase could actually be a trick and purely imagined.

There are specific solutions for the three problems described in addition to general rules that apply to any phase experience. Studying these rules should be given just as high a priority as studying the specific solutions, since only some of them, when applied separately, may help one to remain in the phase several times longer than usual.

In some cases, techniques for maintaining are not applicable. However, knowledge of how to maintain is useful for the majority of experiences. Also, there might be situations when someone need only resist a foul, while someone else may need to resist falling asleep. All of this is very specific to each case and can be determined only in practice.

With perfect knowledge of all the techniques for maintaining, a phase may last two to four minutes, which doesn’t sound like an extended duration, but really is. A particularity of the phase space is that achieving something and moving around in it takes a minimum amount of time, mere seconds. Thus, so much can be done during 3 minutes in the phase that one literally needs a list, so as not to waste any time.

There are theories that have neither been proven nor disproven claiming that time in the phase contracts and expands relative to real time. Thus, one minute of real time while in the phase may feel much longer in terms of phase time.

Perception of time varies from practitioner to practitioner. Novices especially perceive a real minute as more like five to 10 minutes in the phase. This is determined by the particularities of individual psychology, state of mind, and the type of events that occur in the phase.

In order to understand how long a phase really lasted, one does not need to try using a stopwatch in the real world. It is better to count how many actions took place in it and how much time each of them could have taken. The result will differ from one’s first rough estimate several times over.

The maximum duration the phase varies depends heavily on the ability to apply phase maintenance techniques. Some practitioners have difficulty breaking the two-minute barrier while some find it easy to remain in the phase for 10 minutes or longer. It is physically impossible to remain in the phase forever because even a 20-minute phase is unheard of.

 

TECHNIQUES AND RULES AGAINST

RETURNING TO THE BODY

Of the following techniques, constant sensory amplification and as-needed sensory amplification are applied the most often while performing phase maintenance. However, as opposed to other technical elements of phase exploration, other secondary techniques of maintaining often become mainstream and the most appropriate for certain individuals. Thus, all the techniques should be studied, but the first two should be considered very carefully.

Constant Sensory Amplification

The same sensory amplification described in the chapter on deepening (Chapter 6) also applies to ”maintaining”. In essence, having achieved the necessary depth of phase, one should not stop to actively agitate his or her perception but should keep on doing this all the while, albeit not as actively as during deepening.

The idea is that during the entire duration of the phase, all action should be focused on experiencing the maximum possible amount of tactile-kinesthetic and visual perceptions. This entails constantly touching and examining everything in minute detail. For example, if passing by a bookcase, touch and examine some of the books in it, including their pages and corners. Tactile observation should be performed on every encountered object.

Palpation may be applied separately as a background sensation. This is done in order not to overload the sense of sight. The hands should be touching something all the time, or better still, rubbing each other.

As-Needed Sensory Amplification

Applying the as-needed sensory amplification technique is no different than constant sensory amplification. It is used only when a foul (a return to a wakeful state) is imminent or when phase vision starts to blur and fade. For example, while traveling in the phase everything may start to blur, signaling a weakening of the phase. At this moment, the practitioner should touch every available object; observe everything in fine detail. As soon as returns to a clear and realistic state, actions may be continued without needing to perform amplification.

Constant Vibration

This technique is used to maintain constant, strong vibrations in the phase. As previously noted, vibrations are generated by straining the brain or tensing the body without using muscles. Maintaining strong vibrations will have a positive effect on the length of the phase.

Strengthening Vibrations as Needed

In this case, vibrations are created and strengthened only if signs of a foul become apparent. Examples of foul indicators include duality of perception or blurred vision. Strengthening vibrations will help to deepen the phase, allowing a practitioner to stay and continue within the phase.

Diving Headfirst

This technique is the same as the deepening technique of the same name. If a phase is about to dissolve, diving headfirst with the eyes shut and a desire to dive as quickly and deeply as possible. As soon as phase depth returns, translocation techniques may be used to keep from arriving at a dead end.

Forced Falling Asleep

As soon as indicators of a foul appear, immediately lie down on the floor and attempt forced falling asleep; the same as the phase entry technique. After successfully performing the technique (3-10sec.) , a practitioner may get up and continue to travel through the phase since the perception of reality and its depth will most likely be restored. Resist actually fall asleep.

Rotation

If indicators of a foul appear, the practitioner should start rotating around the head-to-feet axis. Unlike the phase entry technique of the same name, the movement does not have to be imagined. This is an absolutely real rotation in the phase. After several revolutions, depth will be restored and actions may be continued. If indicators of a foul persist, rotation should continue until proper depth is achieved.

Counting

During the entire phase, count to as large a number possible – not just for the sake of counting, but with a strong desire to reach the highest number possible. Counting may be performed silently or out loud.

This technique works by creating a strong determination to remain in the phase by providing a goal that requires action in the phase.

Listening in

If there are any background sounds similar to those heard while entering the phase – rumbling, whistling, ringing, buzzing, or sizzling – these sounds may be used to prolong duration of the phase by aggressive attempts at listening in, hearing the entire range of internal sounds. The forced listening in technique may also be used for phase maintenance.

Hooking onto the phase

Another interesting method of ”maintaining” is hooking onto the phase. In the event of an impending foul, grab onto an object in the phase actively palpate or squeeze it. Even if a return to the body occurs during this technique, the hands will continue to hold the phase object and the physical hands will not be perceived. Beginning with these phantom feelings in the hands, separation from the body is possible. Any nearby object may be hooked: the leg of a chair, a drinking glass, a doorknob, a stone, or a stick. If there is nothing to grab hold of, clasp the hands together or bite down on a lip or the tongue.

 

Two rules apply to using the techniques that help to resist a phase exit. First of all, never think that the phase might end and result in a return to the body; thoughts like this are like programming that immediately send the practitioner to a wakened physical state. Secondly, do not think about the physical body. Doing will also instantly return the practitioner to the body, every time.

 

 

TECHNIQUES AND RULES

for resisting FALLING ASLEEP

 

Constant Understanding of the Possibility of Falling Asleep

Most of the time, falling asleep while in the phase can be overcome by a constant awareness that sleep is possible and detrimental to a continued phase. A practitioner must always consider the probability of falling asleep and actions must be carefully analyzed to ensure that they are based on real desires and not on paradoxical notions, which are common to dreams.

Periodic Analysis of Awareness

Periodically asking the question, ”Am I dreaming?” while in the phase helps appraise situations and the quality of the actions being performed at any moment. If everything meets the standards of full phase awareness, actions may be continued. Asked on a regular basis, this question becomes habit, automatically used while transitioning to the phase state. If you keep asking this question regularly, sooner or later it will arise automatically at the moment when you are actually transitioning into a dream. This will then help one to wake up, after which it is possible to continue to remain in a full-fledged phase..

The frequency of the question should be based on a practitioner’s ability to consistently remain in the phase. If a phase usually lasts five to 10 minutes or more, it is not necessary to ask the question more than once every 2 minutes; otherwise, this question has to be asked frequently, literally once a minute, or just a little less often.

There is another important rule related to resisting falling asleep: no practitioner should engage or participate in spontaneous events occurring in the phase. Events that are not planned or deliberate lead to a high probability of being immersed in the side action, which results in a loss of concentrated awareness.

 

Techniques against  an unrecognized phase (lucid dreaming and out-of-body experience)

Since the techniques of testing the realness of the end of the phase are a little absurd and demand additional attention to actions, they should only be used in those cases when they are indeed required. Until then, one should simply bear them in mind and use them only in moments of doubt. The same methods may be used to safely determine whether or not the practitioner is in the phase when using techniques for entering it.

Hyper-concentration

Since the cessation of the phase experience may be simulated and no different in terms of perception from a real exit, differences between the physical world and the phase world must be actively discerned. In other words, a practitioner must know how to determine whether a genuine phase exit has occurred.

At present, only one experiment is known to guarantee an accurate result. The phase space cannot withstand prolonged close visual attention to the minute details of objects. Within several seconds of acute examination, shapes begin to distort, objects change color, produce smoke, melt, or morph in other ways.

After exiting the phase, look at a small object from a distance of four to six inches, and remain focused on it for 10 seconds. If the object does not change, a practitioner can be assured that the surroundings are reality. If an object is somehow distorted or askew, a practitioner knows that the phase is intact. The simplest option is to look at the tip of the finger since it is always close at hand. It is also possible to take a book and examine its text. Text in the phase will either blur or appear as alphabetical gibberish, or full of incomprehensible symbols.

Auxiliary techniques

There are a variety of other procedures to test the occurrence of a foul. However, since any situation, any property, or any function can be simulated in the phase, these procedures are not always applicable. For example, some suggest that it is sufficient to attempt doing something that is realistically impossible, and, if a practitioner is in the phase, the impossible action will be possible. The problem with this suggestion is that the laws of the physical world may be simulated in the phase, so flying, passing through walls or telekinesis may not be possible, even in the deepest phase. It has also been suggested that looking at a clock twice in a row may help a practitioner determine whether or not the phase is intact; allegedly, the clock will display a different time each time it is observed. Here again, the clock’s display may not change in the phase.

Of all the auxiliary procedures, one deserves mention and works in the majority of cases: searching for differences from reality in the surroundings. Although the usual surroundings of a practitioner may be 100% accurately simulated in the phase, it is very rare. Therefore, it is possible to figure out whether a phase is intact by carefully examining the room where everything is taking place. In the phase, there will be something extra or something will be missing; the time of day or even the season will be different from reality, and so on. For example, when verifying whether a foul occurred, a room may be missing the table supporting a television set, or the table may be there, but be a different color.

 

General rules for maintaining

The rules for maintaining the phase deal with resisting all or most of the problems which cause a phase to end. Some of these rules are capable of increasing the length of stay in the phase by many times and must be followed.

The practitioner should not look into the distance. If faraway objects are observed for a long period of time, a foul may occur, or one may be translocated towards these objects. In order to look at distant objects without problems, a practitioner has to employ techniques for maintaining. For example, from time to time the practitioner should look at his hands, rub them against each other, or maintain strong vibrations.

Constant activity. Under no circumstances should a practitioner remain passive and calm in the phase. The more actions performed, the longer the phase is. The fewer actions – the shorter the phase. It is enough to pause for thought, and everything stops.

Plan of action. There should be a clear plan of action consisting of at least 5 tasks to be carried out in the phase at the earliest opportunity. This is necessary for several important reasons. First, the practitioner must not pause in the phase to think about ”what to do next”, which frequently results in a foul. Second, having a plan, the practitioner will subconsciously perform all of the actions necessary for staying in and maintaining the phase to carry out all the tasks that have been planned. Third, intelligent and pre-planned actions permit focused advancement of purposeful actions versus wasting phase experiences on whatever comes to mind at a given moment. Fourth, a plan of action creates necessary motivation and, consequently, pronounced intent to perform the techniques to enter the phase.

Stopping the ID. The less Internal Dialogue (ID) and reflection that occurs in the phase, the longer it lasts. All thinking must be concentrated on what is being achieved and perceived. Talking to oneself is completely prohibited. The reason for this is that many thoughts may act as programming in the phase and even announcing them internally may introduce alterations, including negative ones. For example, thinking about the body cause a return to it. The practitioner may also get lost in thought, which will lead to a foul. Also, sporadic thoughts usually and quite easily cause the practitioner to simply fall asleep.

A practitioner must try to re-enter the phase after experiencing a foul. Always remember that a typical phase experience consists of several repeated entries and exits. Essentially, in most cases it is possible to re-enter the phase through the use of separation or phase state creation techniques immediately after returning to the body. If the practitioner has just left the phase, the brain is still close to it and appropriate techniques may be applied in order to continue the journey.

(the phase = lucid dreaming(LD) + out-of-body experience(OOBE) + astral projection(AP)

Deepening refers to techniques that induce realistic perception and awareness in the phase state(OOBE, astral projection and lucid dreaming).

The phase is not an exact, fixed state where a practitioner is present or not. It is a realm of states characterized by a transition from the usual perception of the physical body to a complete alienation from it, while maintaining consciousness and reality of perception, albeit in a different frame of space. The transition begins with perception of the natural, physical body followed by a moment of ambiguity where a clear experience of body is intermingled with a sense of the perceived body. Afterward, the perceived body enters the phase space, while the physical body becomes a memory. At this point, the perceived senses may be quite dull; for example, vision may be blurred or completely absent. Deepening techniques solve the problem of diminished or absent sensory perception in the phase.

Sensory experiences within a fully realized phase experience are as realistic as those in everyday reality. In almost one-half of all cases, practitioners observe that reality-based surroundings pale in comparison to vibrant detail and color of the phase space. To this end, after entering the phase, a practitioner must perform deepening techniques to enhance and solidify the degree and quality of phase reality.

Full spatial perception in the phase only occurs after deepening techniques have been applied. There would be no point to remaining in the phase without deepening. For example, what is the point in finding a person in phase, if it is not even possible to discern his or her eyes there?

In a considerable number of cases, deepening is not necessary, since the phase experience is completely realistic, if not hyper-realistic. In cases like these, deepening may be bypassed.

Deepening is also related to the length of time a practitioner may remain in the phase. If an action is taken without a deep, realistic phase, the experience will always be several times shorter in duration than a phase where deepening techniques had been applied. The properties of the phase space very much depend on its depth. When surroundings are blurry and unclear, the stability of objects is very weak.

There is a direct correlation between the realism of a phase and a practitioner’s level of awareness, so it is extremely important to ensure a deep phase in order to promote maximum awareness.

Deepening should only be performed following complete separation from the body. If initiated before separation, the phase may end prematurely. If complete separation does not occur, primary deepening should be used. As regards the deepening techniques themselves, there is one main one and there are several subsidiary ones. The main technique, which does not present any difficulties, is sufficient for having a successful practice.

 

PRIMARY DEEPENING TECHNIQUES

The goal of primary deepening is to achieve complete separation from the body, allowing further actions within the phase. Primary deepening entails achieving two principal objectives: complete separation from the physical body and anchoring the perceived body within the phase space.

When separation from the body occurs through the use of a separation technique, a posture must be assumed that completely different from the posture of the real, physical body. The greater the degree of postural similarity between the physical and perceived bodies, the more shallow and brief the phase will be. For example, in the case of horizontal levitation, a 180′ turn must immediately performed, arms and legs spread, adopting a vertical posture. Under no circumstances should a practitioner in the phase remain in a posture identical to that of the physical body.

If a practitioner is pulled back toward the body after separation, anchoring should be initiated that facilitates standing or sitting in the phase. Resisting the gravity of the physical body is paramount to remaining in the phase. The result of willful resistance is directly proportional to the degree of applied effort. It will help to grab hold of surrounding objects and hold on to them; any means of anchoring the perceived body within the phase are appropriate. It is possible to start rotating around an axis; not simply imagining the rotation, but performing it with the perceived body as well.

DEEPENING THROUGH SENSORY AMPLIFICATION

The more a phase is experienced by the sensory faculties, the deeper and longer the phase will be. Sensory amplification in the phase is the most effective deepening technique precisely because it allows the activation of primary internal sensations during the transition from reality to the phase. There are several ways to perform sensory amplification.

Palpation is the first deepening technique that should be recalled when entering the phase.

Vision may be absent at the beginning of a phase experience, but the sensation of occupying a defined space is almost always present. In the case of a completely absent sense of sight, only tactile-kinesthetic perception is possible. That is, movement throughout a space and the touching objects there is the only option when vision is absent. The sense of touch plays a key role in the perception of everyday reality. Accordingly, if the sense of touch is actively used in the phase space, it is only natural that the phase will deepen and reach its maximum potential.

Palpation is performed by fleetingly touching anything that may be found in the immediate surroundings. This should be done by quickly but carefully perceiving the feel of surfaces and shapes. Hands should not remain on a particular place for more than one second, remaining constantly in motion to locate new objects. The goal of palpation is to touch and also to learn something about encountered objects or shapes. For example, if one feels a mug, one may touch it not only from the outside, but also from the inside. Once a practitioner has rolled out of the body, the bed may be touched; the physical body lying in bed may be touched, as well as the floor, the carpet, nearby walls, or a bedside table.

Another palpation technique is performed by rubbing the palms against each other as if trying to warm them on a cold day. Blowing on the palms also produces sensations that will help deepen the phase. Since tactile perception of the world is not limited to the palms, the hands should be moved over the entire body while in the phase to excite and fully activate the sense of touch.

As soon as palpation begins, the feeling that the phase is deepening and becoming fixed soon follows. Usually, it takes five to 10 seconds of palpation exercises to reach the maximum level of deepening. After performing this technique, the pseudo-physical sensations will be indistinguishable from those of everyday reality. If vision is absent on phase entry, it quickly emerges during palpation.

Peering is the primary technical variation of sensory amplification. However, it is not always initially accessible since it requires vision, which may begin as absent in the phase. Once vision appears or has been created using special techniques (see Chapter 8), peering may begin. The effectiveness of this technique originates in the fact that vision is the human’s primary instrument of perception. Therefore, by exciting vision to its maximum potential within the phase, it is possible to attain a fully immersive phase state that is completely apart from normal reality.

Peering should be done at a distance of four to six inches from objects within the phase. A practitioner should glance over the minute details of objects and surfaces to bring definition to the phase space while increasing the quality of vision. When looking at hands, the lines of the palm or the fingernail and cuticles should be examined. If observing a wall, study the texture of its wallpaper. When looking at a mug, one should look carefully at its handle, the curve of its rim, or any inscriptions. Attention should not remain on one area of an object for more than half a second. Active observation should constantly move to new objects and their minute details, approaching objects or picking them up to draw them nearer. It’s best when objects near one another; otherwise, too much time is spent moving around.

Peering brings quick and clear results. Usually, if vision is blurry and there is a yearning to return into the physical body, with just 3-10 seconds of peering all of this will be gone without a trace. After peering, vision adjusts as quickly and clearly as if a camera lens was correctly installed in front of the eyes, capturing the image in the sharpest of focus.

Simultaneous peering and palpation provide the maximum possible deepening effect in the phase. This method of sensory amplification engages the two most important perceptive, thus the effect is twice greater than when the two actions are separately performed. If vision is present in the phase, simultaneous peering and palpation is an absolute necessity because it facilitates good phase depth in the quickest and simplest manner.

The combination of palpation and peering must not only be performed simultaneously, but also upon the same objects. For example, while a practitioner may look at the hands and simultaneously rub them against each other; or while looking at a coffee mug, all of its parts may be observed and touched at the same. It is necessary to maintain dynamism of action, remembering that feelings should be experienced not half-heartedly, remembering that full concentration on sensory amplification is an excellent means to a deep, quality phase.

SECONDARY DEEPENING TECHNIQUES

Diving Headfirst

Diving headfirst is used if sensory amplification techniques do not work, or when the practitioner in the phase is located in an undefined space where there is nothing to touch or look at. This technique works thanks to the unusual vestibular sensations that it causes, which help to enhance perception. This technique is performed with the eyes shut if vision is available and the practitioner literally dives headfirst into the floor or space at the feet. A feeling of movement away from the physical body will immediately arise during the flight down, and the dive itself will be experienced as if it is really happening. Simultaneously, the surrounding space may darken and become colder. Agitation or fear may also appear. After five to 15 seconds of flight, the practitioner is either arrives in an undetermined place in the phase or hits a dead end, like a wall. In the case of a dead end, a translocation technique should be used. Translocation may also be attempted if deepening does not occur during the flight, if sense perception stops improving, or if a good degree of realism has already been achieved. An alternative to the translocation technique: hold the hands about four to six inches in front of the face and try to observe them without opening the eyes; this will move the practitioner to another random location.

When falling headfirst, do not think about the floor; assume that it will be penetrated. This very effective if the phase has not reached a fullness of depth.

A desire to not simply fall down observing one’s perceptions, but instead race swiftly downward while trying to move away from the body is extremely important. In case of failure to do so, instead of deepening, such a fall may lead to a return to the state of being awake, i.e. to a foul.

Vibration

Like falling headfirst, the vibration technique should be used if sensory amplification techniques do not work, or when the practitioner in the phase is located in an undefined space where there is nothing to touch or look at. This technique works thanks to the unusual vestibular sensations that it causes, which help to enhance perception.

After separating from the body, it is normally quite easy to create vibrations by thinking about them, by straining the brain, or by straining the body without using muscles. The occurrence of vibrations provides a significant opportunity to deepen the phase. An advantage of this technique is that it does not require any preliminary actions and thus may be practiced at any moment.

The brain is strained to the maximum extent possible, which cause vibrations that may be intensified and managed through spasmodic or prolonged straining.

If this technique does not produce deepening after five to 10 seconds, the technique has to be changed or action should be taken at the practitioner’s current depth in the phase.

Aggressive Action

This technique may be used as an alternative to any other deepening technique since it can be used at any moment. Practicing this technique only requires aggressive action of the perceived body. A practitioner may run, roll on the floor, perform gymnastics, or move the arms and legs. Maximum activity and aggression are paramount to the successful use of this technique.

If the practitioner is stuck in a dark space, waving the arms and legs from side to side is appropriate. If the practitioner is in water, swimming with determined, powerful strokes would be suitable recourse. The type of action very much depends on the specific situation along with an aggressive desire on the part of the practitioner.

As a rule, the effect of such movements and relocations comes quite quickly, especially if attention is focused on all the accompanying sensations.

Imagining reality

This interesting technique should be used by experienced practitioners, or if all other deepening techniques fail.

A practitioner aggressively imagines being located in the physical world, experiencing its intrinsic reality of perception, and not in the phase. This should be done while in a state of separation from the body with a sense of vision present. If successful, the surrounding phase space will immediately brighten and sensory perception of the phase will exceed the normal experience of reality.

If this technique produces no clear results after a few seconds, another technique should be used.

GENERAL ACTIVITY

All deepening techniques should be practiced with a high level of aggression, with no pauses, only continuous, deliberate action. If techniques are practiced in a calm, relaxed manner, then deepening attempts will most often result in falling asleep or returning to the body.

(the phase = out-of-body travel + astral  plan + lucid dreams)

In some cases, the behavior of the deceased in the astral plane may resemble that of a deranged person, exhibiting the most diverse manifestations of neuroticism, ranging from inability to comprehend the situation to inarticulate speech. The subject may also be fairly aggressive.

It’s worth noting once again that, especially in the early stages of one’s practice, the behavior of the deceased in the astral plane can greatly depend on how they passed away. It also depends on how specifically involved the practitioner was with all of the events involved in the process (funerals, for example). Therefore, if the deceased displayed some symptoms of delirium before passing on, this could very easily be reflected in the astral plane space.

If that happens, it is naturally unlikely that the situation could be resolved in a positive manner by trying to restore the subject’s inadequate behavior to normalcy. The techniques for re-achieving contact should be immediately employed. Afterwards, the strange behavior is unlikely to reoccur.

Case Studies

October 2006

Don’t watch the morning news and eat at the same time. I vomited all today’s breakfast into the toilet after watching the news report that someone I knew, far from a passing acquaintance, had been brutally killed that night. He had he tried to call me a couple of weeks before, but I hadn’t been in the mood to accompany him on another one of his drinking bouts. For my own peace of mind, I decided to somehow try to make amends.

I lay down. With great difficulty, I calmed down and began to focus my attention on phantom wiggling with my arm. No wiggling occurred at first, but once it came, it started quickly increasing in amplitude. A short lapse in consciousness occurred after about 10 minutes, and I was able to easily get up out of bed.

I didn’t need to deepen. After closing my eyes, I immediately focused my attention on the image of my friend. Then, something picked me up and moved me in an unknown direction. After several seconds, I was literally thrown into the kitchen of his apartment. As usual, he sat in a chair at a table cluttered with cognac. He didn’t pay any attention to me. He didn’t look good, with many bruises and cuts on his face and arms. Although there was almost no blood, it was all awful to look at due to the hyper-realism, and I began to feel nauseated again. When I came closer, he turned to me and sobbed… I tried to ask him what had happened, because they didn’t say exactly what had occurred on the news. It turned out that his lifestyle lay at the cause of it all. He started shouting that he wanted to live, and that he would no longer act like that if he could only live again. I apologized for not having picked up the phone. I looked at him for the last time. And, acting against my beliefs, I returned to my body.

By evening, his explanation of what had happened was confirmed. As for his behavior and external appearance, they were understandably triggered by my still raw emotions. I think that if I meet him in several months, he’ll look and act differently.

At nearly every seminar I get to enjoy a different student telling the same funny story. A bewildered student attends the second or third session and relates his experience: the usual story is that he abruptly wakes up in the morning, in a fully conscious state, and starts to try to separate from his body. And nothing happens. He then tries to employ the techniques. Still nothing happens. In a bout of frustration, he then thinks to heck with everything, gives up, and decides to go back to sleep. Then, he gradually starts to realize that his body is lying in a different position than when he woke up. For example, he woke up lying on his back and performed the techniques in that position. But a minute later, it turns out that he’s lying on his stomach! All the while he has sure as day not moved at all physically.

What does all this mean? Friend, if you’re going to doubt whether or not any of this will work for you, then even when you are in the astral plane, you may simply be unable to get out of bed, which is what needs to be done in such a situation. Any doubt will keep you in your body, and peg you to it.

And just the opposite, in most cases, especially when it comes to indirect techniques, it is sufficient to simply be confident and completely certain that you’re going to get with it and just do it! I’m not trying to psych you up, and I’m not exaggerating. That’s exactly how it is. Sometimes it is enough simply to want it, to believe in it, and to act.

Over the course of several months, I conducted a study at each seminar on the effect of confidence on effectiveness. It turned out that 90% of those who get results do everything confidently, knowing that they will be successful in either the current attempt or a following one. It also turned out that 90% of those who were still unable to achieve anything were making their attempts without confidence, without belief in themselves or in their ability to enter the astral plane. Draw your own conclusions, my friend.

In this book, you’ll read about a large number of experiences, not only those of my own, but also those of other practitioners. This should bolster your confidence so that you’ll go on and do it.

By using the technologies for finding objects in the astral plane, one will be able to meet with any person, whether still living or not. In practice, this practical application of the astral plane is mainly used to meet with deceased relatives, and not, for example, famous historical figures – the reasons why would be a topic for another discussion.

Naturally, nothing brings greater sorrow than death. Both one’s own death in the future and that of loved ones in the present. This is natural, since no one has managed to escape biological death as of yet. People are used to the idea of losing loved ones forever, and any idea of continuing to communicate with them is often dismissed as silly, paradoxical, and fantastic. Some believe in the resurrection of the dead or that souls are sometimes able to visit from beyond the grave. Nevertheless, due to the absence of any specific techniques that would make this accessible to everyone, there is nothing but skepticism among the masses on this issue. But is it all so hopeless? Is everyone’s belief that the loss occurs forever correct? And, if there is a specific method for achieving contact with a deceased person, then how to relate it to everything else in this life?

No-one is yet able to say exactly what kind of phenomenon the astral plane is, or what it’s true nature is. But one thing is known: it can be applied to many spheres of human existence, including to meeting with the deceased. This is possible, tested, and there are step-by-step technical instructions for doing so. Irrespective of whether you’re a materialist or pragmatist, it can be said without exaggeration that humanity loses a lot by not paying attention to the very real opportunity offered by the astral plane.

However, this is the only truly real opportunity to consciously and directly contact a deceased person, whether personally familiar or not – something that is often strongly yearned for, but has long seemed impossible. And everyone can experience this for himself. A student who applies the skills learned in this book will soon be able to once again meet with those whom he had never hoped to see again for the rest of his days. Is there anything comparable to this?

Moreover, a person met in the astral plane will be just as real in terms of sensory perception as he would be if encountered in the day-to-day world. Such people can be touched. One may converse with them, and hear the timbre of their voice. Family members can be hugged. Even their habitual perfume will be recognized… This is not imagination, nor some faint picture – this can be even more vivid than the world in front of you right now. Of course, the metaphysical nature of people encountered there is a discussion for another day. For some, it’s the actual souls of the departed. Some may not believe in the soul as such. People in the physical world look at the same things and see them differently. Should that situation be any simpler in the astral plane? Of course not. It is mainly for that reason that there’s no point at all in getting held up on this. The important thing is that this can be done. And even more importantly, there is no other way to do it. The algorithm (procedure) is simple: entering the astral plane, deepening, finding objects. And then just be brave enough…