No OOB yet, but..

[jay.validus]

When I sleep, I get to the point after I lay down to an infinite blackness beyond my body. This usually scares the fuck out of me. A few mornings ago I decided to try an out of experience everyone talks about, I said fuck it to the fear finally.   I tried to 'move', very tensely to bring the experience, but a voice came and said, "observe the spirit".

I had no idea what he meant. I cannot locate the spirit. While I was in this infinite darkness this morning, twice actually, the first time I sent out my belief in God & my faith, and then sending out love to all beings. I recalled a previous experience, that I am nothing but only exist to give love to others. But, this voice had no doubt, there is a spirit. But, where? From observing I see nothing but phenomenon that comes and goes. Where and what is the spirit? Is he talking about awareness?  That the most permanent thing, but I hardly it call it a spirit.

Thoughts? Any experiences?

[Jhanananda]

This is very good work, Jay.  This is the transition between the material (rupa) domains and the immaterial (arupa) domains.  In my experience it can indeed be terrifying.  It is terrifying, because it is the point where we are shedding the body, the mind, and the identity.  So, it is good the you forged through your fear.  Keep going there, and eventually you will break free from the burden of this body and its mind, and you will be free, free at last, to move about in space-time as you will.

[Valdy]

Hello Jay

I have had the black introduce itself to me, it seemed like a shiny chrome black color. It is scary but I think it is the incubation area, maybe the silent part of the spirit.

One quote you may find is "The one you are looking for is the one who is looking"

If you quietly observe yourself you may catch it. (it's not literal)

When you meditate for a while you may notice that the internal dialog stops, your fear will also stop about the same time.

When you try to move you may freeze in place, the try has to be extremely gentle, trying without trying sort of thing.

You can also ask the spirit to pull you out while you are sleeping
and then wake you up, you can bypass the fear that way but you would still have to go back some day and learn to meditate past that point.

Bless Valdy

[jay.validus]

Lol breaking apart from the body and the mind.... I think I am away from that for a little longer. I don't plan on going through a temporary psychosis where I currently am. 

Observe the observer, an interesting exploration that never seems to lose its appeal.  Right now I am not focusing my energies on other things, but I have spent lots of time pondering and exploring that.

I had a friend tell me one time OOB is relearning how to move in a more fluid state -- things are not as dense.

[Jhanananda]

I had a friend tell me one time OOB is relearning how to move in a more fluid state -- things are not as dense.

Yes, I agree.  Dream paralysis is essentially an OOBE about to take place, but the individual does not know how to move out of body.  So, when we begin to have OOBEs, most often we will go through a phase of Dream paralysis which can be quite disturbing and frustrating.