CHAPTER 23

OBEs and

Psychic Protection

 

 

AWhat's today's lesson?@ I asked my inner voice.

AToday, stop every once in a while and imagine

your vibrations are getting higher and higher, and with it,

feel an intense love build inside for All That Is.@

 

There are many books about Out-of-Body Experiences with many different approaches, from scientific to the occult.  Many of these books give the readers stern warnings against trying it for fear of death, disease, possession, insanity, heart attack and even the fear of being mistaken for dead and buried alive!  These notions of what can go wrong usually serve to instill the reader with fear, which in turn makes the problem worse.  Since beliefs are more easily manifested in the astral world, your own negative beliefs can influence OBEs to be negative.  Fear can attract malign entities.   So it's important to know the facts and be able to protect yourself and not leave yourself open to attack.

 

Are OBEs Dangerous?

 

Many things in life are dangerous.  Driving a car is danger­ous.  Crossing the street is dangerous.  We do those things anyway.  Sometimes walking into a dangerous situation is our best course of action.  In her book, Out-of-Body Experiences, Janet Mitchell presents the following analogy:

 

My parents did not keep me from walking or tell me that I couldn't, even though they knew I might accidentally walk in front of a moving vehicle; they did teach me how to cross the street safely.  (Pg. 84)

 

     I'm not saying we should walk blindly into the street; I am saying that if we look both ways, we can safely navigate the out‑of‑body experience and add a whole new dimension to our lives.  In other words, ANo guts, no glory.@

 

What are people afraid of?

 

Trying to induce an OBE can be very frightening, especially when you start getting results.  You are faced with two of mankind=s greatest fears:

Fear 1: Fear of the unknown

Fear 2: Fear of death

 

Both of these fears are driven by our instincts.  Because humans are mammals, we have a natural instinct to survive and that instinct makes us respond with fear to situations where we are in totally unfamiliar territory (OBEs qualify!)  Once you realize that millions of people have had OBEs without any problems, it=s easier to accept OBEs as relatively safe, or at least not life-threatening.

Once those fears are conquered, there are Apokes and prods@ that may startle you during practice.  I wrote about them in my first book, but I left the issue unresolved.  I discovered that the pokes and prods were either fears of mine being manifested or astral entities trying to help me out of my body (or possibly trying to discourage me from leaving it.)  In either case, I worked through the fear, and since I did that, I no longer get poked during practice.  Well, maybe just on rare occasions!

I wanted to address a few more common fears that people have concerning OBEs:

 

Fear 3: Not being able to get back in

 

Some people are afraid that they might not be able to get back inside their body once they=ve left it.  Obviously, there=s no way to prove this can=t happen because if it has happened to anyone, they=ve not lived to tell us about it.  I can, however, speak from experience:  I've never had a problem getting back into my body.  Usually I get sucked back in automatically when my body wants attention.  The problem is not getting back in, but rather, how to prolong the experience.

On a related topic, many people have frequent episodes of an experience known as Afalse awakening@ that makes it seem as though they can=t get back inside their body.[1]  False awakening experiences may be terrifying until you understand what=s really happening: Your mind wakes up while your physical body is still disabled by sleep paralysis, a natural mechanism that keeps us from thrashing in our sleep.  Sometimes it can take several minutes before your physical body catches up with the mind.

 

Fear 4: Death due to severing the silver cord

 

Throughout history, people from all cultures have reported seeing a silver cord connecting the astral body to the physical body.  The most notable quote is from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 12:6.)  Some authors warn against tampering with your silver cord during an OBE.  They state that tampering with the cord can result in disease, injury or even death. It=s understandable that people should be concerned about keeping the silver cord safe from harm, but only if the silver cord is a Areal@ (objective) thing.

Some habitual astral travelers have never seen their own silver cord, even when they look for it.  This fact leads some researchers to conclude the cord is not an objective phenomenon but rather a psychological one.  Other researchers insist the silver cord is Areal@ and point out that a silver cord has been reported not only by out-of-body experiencers, but also by people witnessing seances and deaths:

 

These Asilver cords@ were not imagined: In the first place, some (namely, those of certain materializations) have been photographed; in the second place, some were seen collectively; in the third place, dozens of people in different circumstances do not imagine the same thingsBor their occurrence in the same series of events.  These Acords@ were objective phenomena, extensions between the vacated physical body and the released, objective Adouble.@  (Out-of-the-Body Experiences: A Fourth Analysis, Robert Crookall, Citadel Press, 1970, p. 167)

 

I=ve experienced the silver cord first-hand.  In my first book, I described some humorous OBEs where I played tug-of-war with my silver cord (and lost.)  Despite this, I tend to side with the first camp in thinking that the silver cord is merely a psychological phenomenon.  In my own experiences, I never came to any harm, no matter how roughly I handled the cord.

Even if the cord is Areal,@ I don=t believe it can be harmed during an OBE because it seems to be made of purely astral matter.  People have flown through high-voltage power lines which should have affected the silver cord as they passed through, if it were made of physical or even semi-physical material.

The silver cord doesn=t seem to have a distance limitation either.  Sylvan Muldoon tried to test the limits of the silver cord and concluded that its Aelasticity is far beyond the imagination, and is not comparable to any material object in its stretching qualities.@  (The Projection of the Astral Body, p. 77)  Other OBEers have flown thousands of miles across oceans and even into outer space, leading some to conclude the silver cord has no limits to its elasticity.

 

Fear 5: Getting lost or losing your body

 

When you're out of your body, you can fly anywhere, even into outer space.  You can also cross into different levels of astral reality, where Adead@ people live.  Naturally some people worry if it's possible to get lost, and not be able to find their body.

It is possible to be Alost@ during an OBE, but it=s not a problem because you can always get back to your body.  I=ve had many OBEs where I found myself in some strange house and had no idea where I was, but I don=t think it=s possible to lose your body.  I've been doing this for twenty years now, and I've never had a problem getting back to my body, no matter how Alost@ I was.  I've had the telephone ring while I was having an OBE, and it brought me back to my body with a violent and unpleasant Aslam.@

Some people think that the Asilver cord@ is used to pull you back inside your body in case of an emergency.  I don't subscribe to this theory, because I think the silver cord is really a psychological device and is therefore not Areal.@  Regardless of whether the silver cord is involved, there is a built-in mechanism that will always pull you back to your body if the need arises.  My theory is that some portion of your soulBmaybe your Oversoul or Higher SelfBmonitors what's happening to your body while you're away, and forces your return when it needs to.

 

Fear 6: Spirits harming your body or soul

 

To address the concern over spirits harming you, you must first examine the issue of Aspirits@ in general and whether they can be trusted. As I said in chapter 5, dying doesn=t necessarily make a person better than they were when they were alive.

Some spirits don't realize they've died, and some of them may desperately try to contact you.  They may try harder and harder to get your attention because ordinary in-the-body people don=t see them and they don't like being ignored.  These people usually hold onto their dense vibrations so tightly that they can't even see the spirit helpers and guides who surround them, waiting to take them to the light, but they can usually see another person who has density, someone who still has a connection to the Earth and whose vibrations aren't quite so high‑‑like someone having an OBE.  Therefore, many OBE adepts are employed as astral rescue workers to convince Earth-bound souls to get the help they need to get on with their non‑physical life.  Sometimes it=s enough to simply tell them they've passed on and they should look for a spirit to help them find their way.

Once spirits realize they=re dead, they won=t bother you because they are either (a) wrapped up in non-physical worlds and therefore not interested in you or (b) guardian angels who accepted the job of watching over the living.  The number of negative entities out there is extremely small.  The trick is not to attract their attention.  Some religious fanatics believe so strongly in their ASatan@ and Aevil@ that they attract negative entities.  They believe in the power of evil, so they empower evil to work.  Also, their fear of these evil powers causes them to have negative experiences.  If they truly believed that they were protected by God, and higher forces (which they are) such things would not happen to them. Some of these fanatics successfully drive away negative entities by invoking the name of Jesus Christ, even in cases where the spirit does not share their Christian beliefs.  Their power is in their faith.  Jesus knew that faith was the key.  A Buddhist, Taoist or other religious devotee with as much faith could do the same.  If you believe that an entity can hurt you, then you empower it; however, if you believe that you are protected, then you will be.  If you have conflicting beliefs, then usually good will win.

In general, spirit entities can't really harm you physically.  They can mess with your mind, but only by using deception and illusions.  They can control you only through fear, so fearlessness is the best protection in the world. AThe only thing you have to fear is fear itself.@   Most people don't realize how much power they have; therefore they let themselves be controlled by fear, but if you realize your power, you can wield it. 

When I have an OBE, I am fearless.  I dare any astral entity to mess with me!  I'll kick its ass, and it knows it!  Call me naive, but I personally think that ordinary in-the-body people should have that fearless attitude toward attackers and rapists too.  Most rapists use fear to control their victims and if the victim reacts by fighting and screaming, resisting and refusing to give up that control, the attacker will usually flee.

Some people believe that there are guardian angels that will watch over your body while you=re away.  You probably won=t even notice them because their higher vibrations may render them invisible, just as most people don=t see ultraviolet light.

I also believe that some portion of our Higher Self watches over our body during an OBE and keeps it from harm.  Your Higher Self, which is more powerful than you can imagine, has invested several years of your life creating your body for a collection of life experiences and unless your life is through, it=s not about to give up your physical body.

 

Fear 7: Demonic Possession

 

Demonic possession has been reported throughout written history.  It's not surprising that some people are concerned about it.  There are several reasons why you shouldn't be worried about possession.  I don't know if there are any studies showing possession statistics, but I believe the majority of Apossessions@ reported in the last two thousand years were not demonic possession, but rather, either a physiological problem such as Tourette's Syndrome[2], or even rabies, or else a psychological problem such as Dissociative Identity Disorder (also known as Multiple Personality Disorder[3] or MPD) or Schizophrenia.  Until the 20th century, people with Tourette's and MPD were usually thought of as demonically possessed.  Today, psychologists and doctors understand mental illnesses and brain diseases a lot better, eliminating most of the superstition.

 

In my first book, I mentioned that I don't believe in Aevil;@ therefore, I don't believe that Ademons@ are a force of organized evil, as most Christians believe.

I mentioned that I believe there are two kinds of demons.  The first kind of Ademon@ is the kind we create in our own minds.  They are usually a manifestation of a deeply rooted belief that OBE is somehow wrong.  These Ademons@ may be created subconsciously to deter you from inducing the OBEs if you believe deep down that it is wrong.  A common variation of this experience is when people hear voices ordering them to Astop@ or Ago back@  Others hear their wife, mother or an authority figure calling them to Awake up@ during OBE attempts, but when they snap out of it, there is no one there.  The person who was calling was a creation of their own subconscious mind.  

The second kind of demon is a spirit that is playing the roll of a demon.  This kind of Ademon@ is really just an astral entity who is no different from you or me, but they're impersonating a demon.  Maybe they're trying to intimidate you or frighten you, but they are imposters nonetheless.  Like any stranger you meet on the street, the entity might be benign or malign.  They may have good or bad intentions, but they can only possess your physical body while you're away if you give them permission to, or if you're frightened enough to give up control of your body.  As long as you remain fearless, they cannot harm your body and they can't steal your body.  Even if they could control your body, they couldn't hold onto it for long.  Once again, your body's automatic Apull-back@ mechanism comes into play.  If some entity disturbs your physical body while you are away, you will automatically be pulled back inside before they can do any harm.  Fortunately, most of these malign astral entities are confined to their own private hells, far away from the places you=ll be visiting out of your body.

 

What are the real dangers?

 

What can a malicious entity do to you?  Hurt you physically?  Not good enough: If I were afraid of physical pain, I wouldn't drive my car every day.  (And most women wouldn't have babies!)  Can they invade your body?  I don't believe so.  Can they take away or imprison your soul?  No way.

Most of the danger is from within.  People who are unstable may just come unglued because of OBEs.  People who are unwary or gullible may let some spirit with ill‑intent talk them or trick them into giving up control, inviting possession and so forth.  If you are strong, spiritual and connected to God, then you have nothing to worry about.  People who don't understand the rules of astral travel and can't control their fears may create their own Ademons@ to torment them.  It's not for timid or foolish people.

 

Fears are detrimentalBdiscard them.

 

Anytime we face the unknown, it can be frightening.  But approaching anything with fear is harmful.  Early European sailors believed the Earth was flat and they could sail off the edge.  Because of their fear of the unknown, they concluded it was dangerous to sail too far west.  When they conquered their fear and went bravely ahead, not only did they discover a whole new world, they also made the transition from two-dimensional thinking to three-dimensional thinking about their reality.  Likewise, if we can conquer our fears, we will also discover a whole new world, and we will make the transition from three-dimensional thinking to four-or-more-dimensional thinking about our reality.

All the great pioneers have set aside their fears, at least temporarily, and gone ahead despite the dangers.  Courage is not the ability to walk into danger without fear.  Courage is the ability to walk into a dangerous or frightening situation and think to yourself, AYes, I'm scared‑‑I'm scared to death‑‑but that's not going to stop me.@

 

How to handle malign entities

 

If you encounter negative entities during an OBE, there are several strategies you can use to safely handle the situation.

 

Strategy 1: Return to your body

 

The first strategy is also the simplest if you meet up with negative entities during an OBE: Simply drop back into your body.  This is the safest and simplest way to escape bad OBE situations, but you also forfeit your chance to explore.

 

Strategy 2: Surround yourself with a protective light

 

One good strategy for dealing with danger is to imagine an opaque barrier or wall of protective white light surrounding you.  This works to keep all entities from coming near you because powerful thoughts often become reality in the astral world.  Also, imagine a Ado not disturb@ message that will be encountered by all who try to reach you.  Although protecting yourself with the light seems like a short‑term temporary solution, it need not be.  If you wield your power of protection well enough, and with enough consistency, you will eventually convince negative entities that they can no longer get to you.  You can even inform the entity that it's no use trying to attack you, because you will always have a defense; therefore it's wasting its time.

Incidentally, this method of protection works to keep entities from bothering you while you=re inside your body too.

 

Strategy 3: Turn your power against the attacker

 

Since entities typically use fear as their weapon, one strategy is to turn the tables on your attacker.  The best defense is a strong offense.  You can get really pissed off and scream at the entity to leave you alone, or else you will kick its butt.  Threaten to cause it more pain than it ever thought possible.  Most entities are frightened by the power we possess as incarnates.

 

Strategy 4: Respond with Love

 

Try feeling as much love as you can for these misguided souls.  The feelings of love will have multiple benefits.  The love will drive away all fear, robbing the entity of its power over you.  It will also raise your vibrations to a level where the entity can=t reach you and create a protective energy all around you.

 

Strategy 5: Ignore them (they hate that!)

 

If you see any demons, tell them to leave you alone and AGo bother Bob Peterson!@  I=ll deal with them in my own way!

 


[1]See chapter 20 for more information on False Awakening.

[2]Named after French doctor Georges Gilles de la Tourette, Tourette=s syndrome is a chronic, physical disorder of the brain which causes both motor tics and vocal tics (often with foul language), that typically begins before the age of eighteen.

[3]Sensationalized by movies like The Three Faces of Eve and books like Sybil, this psychiatric condition is a dissociative disorder where one person has two or more distinct personalities, each personality having a distinct and consistent pattern of relating to self and the environment.  At least two of these personalities recurrently take full control of the person's behavior.  MPD may occur in 1% of the population (Sidran Foundation, 1994).