Dear OBE Newsletter Member, Last month as a preliminary part of my London OBE workshop I did a live interview with the popular U.K. radio host James Whale. During his show a caller brought up a subject that has stirred considerable controversy and debate. The caller claimed that in one of Carlos Castaneda’s books he states that "non organic entities" are prowling the non-physical dimensions and feeding on our energies and manipulating our out-of-body experiences.
He asserted that we are essentially energy food for these creatures and that we are powerless to defend ourselves. To my surprise I have received over fifty emails concerning this topic. In my thirty years of out-of-body experiences I have never encountered a being such as this. In addition no one that I know has personal knowledge of such a being. This fear-based issue is typical of the many myths that continue to persist about out-of-body experiences. I find it amazing how a single statement made by a popular author can become an undisputed “fact” to so many people. Every thing about this belief is erroneous. To begin, everyone and everything in the universe is essentially a non-organic entity. Soul or consciousness is not organic. Second, we as soul are powerful creative beings that create our reality and our lives by the thoughts and actions we make. We are not powerless victims of another being unless we choose to be so. Now on the flip side, if you surrender your free will to another person either physically or non-physically they can energetically drain you. This is why I presented a variety of spiritual protection methods in The Secret of the Soul.
The key to our personal evolution and spiritual development is the knowledge and wisdom we obtain from our experiences. I strongly feel that all fear-based beliefs restrict our ability to explore and experience our true self. This negative stalking belief is only one example of countless that has crept into the collective consciousness of humanity. Each restrictive belief that you accept creates another brick in the wall around your mind. Closely examine your own beliefs, how many no longer serve you?
Interview with Soul Travel Magazine: Have you done any controlled experiments to "prove" that someone during an OBE really is Out-of-Body, such as having two people meet Out-of-Body in the physical world and exchange information?
Over the years I have conducted several experiments such as attempting to move or alter a physical object. I have also observed several physical people and events from the out-of-body state. When I attempted to communicate with awake individuals they didn’t seem to notice my presence. On two occasions when I contacted people during their sleep they recalled my interaction as a dream state perception. Based on my experiences and the feedback I have received from my online OBE survey I feel that during an out-of-body experience we are communicating with the subconscious mind of the person we contact. The best way to obtain personal proof is to self-initiate an out-of-body experience for yourself. Only then will you fully appreciate the reality and potential of the experience. This is the reason I present over forty different techniques in my books.
Your Questions:
What are your thoughts on the difference between a lucid dream and an out-of-body state, and the possibility of using the dream state as a platform for an OBE?
There is a definite difference between dreams and OBEs. I look upon dream states and even lucid dreams as a low powered or partial awareness experiences that require immediate attention and upgrading. Over three decades ago I decided that the minimum state of awareness that I would accept as valid during my out-of-body experience would be equivalent to my waking state or better. However, lucid dreams can be an effective platform or trigger to initiate fully conscious OBEs. The key is to upgrade the dream by using an enhancement technique such as repeating the phrase, “Awareness Now.” There is a wide variety of dream awakening methods that I write about including the classic hand awareness technique. The best approach is to become aware of these methods and then use them.
Is the OBE something that can happen to anybody? Are there certain inner conditionings that have to exist ruling out some people lacking them, meaning that everybody can¹t experience the OBE?
Yes, sooner or later an OBE will occur to anyone. Today many people believe that out-of-body experiences are normal nighttime events that are not remembered or are miss interpreted as dreams. In our modern society and culture we are not taught about the realities and benefits inherent in out of-body exploration. Instead we are conditioned from birth to believe and accept that we are biological beings. This intensive physical conditioning and programming is one of the many major blocks that inhibit our full recognition of OBEs. This is why I use extensive hypnosis reprogramming methods in my OBE workshops. One thing is certain there is no escaping the fact that we all will eventually leave our temporary physical body. Most OBEs are spontaneous events that occur during sleep. According to my survey they are reported worldwide and are especially common in children. The experience diminishes in numbers after puberty. I believe this is due to the intensive social conditioning that teaches children to identify their physical bodies as their self.
Is having an OBE a suitable endeavor for anyone?
Based on my OBE survey of 16,000 participants the vast majority of people report positive experiences. They often state that they have expanded their concepts of reality and their perception of themselves. However, I do feel that a small percentage of people may not be mentally prepared for the experience. For example, if you believe due to your religious or cultural conditioning that there are demons and devils waiting to snare or attack you if you leave your body then you may create a “negative” experience for yourself. Today many people remain unaware that we shape and mold the subtle nonphysical energies around us with our thoughts and expectations. They continue to cling to old fear based belief systems and disregard their natural abilities and potential to explore the unseen dimensions.
How does a person generally react to their first OBE, and how are they effected by it?
For many it is a memorable and sometimes transformational experience because it is their first personal verification of their immortality. Some are shocked by the reality of the experience. Many are surprised by the intensity of the vibrational state - which is the now popular name for the immediate prelude and aftermath to an OBE. The vibrational state commonly manifests as temporary paralysis, humming and buzzing sounds, voices and high energy sensations just to name a few. A complete list of the various phenomena is presented in my books and on my web site. For many OBEs are more physical-like then expected. In other words they are not perceived as an airy-fairy experience or a colorful dreamlike environment but rather a stable three-dimensional reality. They are surprised to discover that their surrounding are often similar to their physical location and their bodies are perceived as “solid”. The affects of the experience are diverse; in Adventures Beyond the Body I list twenty-four commonly reported reactions and benefits.
What would you tell a person that found himself caught up in between the worlds, so to speak? People in limbo that have had some experiences of the astral planes and then went into a state of hesitation don't knowing what to do next?
This fear-based issue of becoming lost or somehow trapped away from our body is one of the greatest falsehoods still lingering in our society. During an OBE any focused thought upon your physical body will rapidly return you to your body. In fact the opposite of this myth is true, we must train ourselves to forget about our physical body in order to prolong and control our experiences. Many people have problems initiating an OBE because of the erroneous self-concept that they are a being of flesh. In truth we are consciousness, or if you like soul, temporarily inhabiting a vehicle of matter. As such our true state of being exists far beyond the physical body.
During an OBE, and when going through the experience afterwards, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish what was "real", meaning something physical or objective, and what was "hallucinatory", meaning a private reality produced by your own subconscious (such as ordinary dream elements). Do you have any methods that one can use to check what was real and what was hallucination or dream like?
Yes I feel that reality checks and personal confirmation is extremely important. For thirty years I have used and taught a simple but effective technique. During your experience demand, “Awareness Now” and repeat it until you see an enhancement in your perception. I repeat this demand often during my OBEs. This power phrase is effective in upgrading our awareness in both dreams and OBEs. I present other reality confirming techniques and methods for focusing and expanding awareness in my books.
In general what is your opinion about what is actually "real" or "unreal"?
Based on my out-of-body experiences the reality that we perceive is relative to the vibrational state and consciousness of the participant. The universe consists of countless dimensions and realities. Be aware that it is common for nonphysical realities to be created and maintained by a group consensus. In a sense realities are the result of a group mind, a group of individuals that share the same basic beliefs and expectations. Ultimately each individual must determine the reality of their experience for themselves.
How familiar are you with the Seth-material by Jane Roberts? How does it compare to your own findings?
I am not that familiar with the Seth material. However, in my travels I have met and observed many trance channels. I have also observed the tendency for people to become dependent on external sources of information whether it is from a book, a channel or a psychic. In general I feel that all second hand information whether it is channeled or created by traditional authors has a serious flaw. We must remember that all information is interpreted and framed by someone’s mind. As such it is inherently colored by a human state of consciousness and is open to interpretation. How many millions of people throughout history have been manipulated and even murdered because of an author’s good intentions. How many written texts have become undisputed belief systems and the “Word of God?” Our great task is to become self empowered and evolve beyond our dependence upon external sources of information and discover the truth for ourselves. A self-initiated out-of-body experience is a powerful way to do this.
I am pleased to announce that The Secret of the Soul is now available in German and French. Adventures Beyond the Body also has a new Italian version available. The newly expanded list of foreign publishers is located on my website.
We have a limited number of signed books (English only) available for delivery before the holidays.
Have a great holiday season.
William Buhlman