Robert Monroe - Journeys out of the body, Practical Guidebook

Due to specific characteristics of human perception, the chances are nil that hypnosis is a likely conduit to phase entrance. So, it seems unlikely that hypnotic techniques will become well-known, or that a top-notch hypnotist would, through suggestion, easily be able to lead a subject directly into the phase.

However, it is completely feasible that hypnotic suggestion may promote higher frequency in dream consciousness or awakening without moving (and remembering to do indirect techniques). Here again, this method is only a facilitator, while actual phase entrance depends on the efforts of the practitioner.

PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNALS

The simplest way to supplement the practice is establishing a reminder that prompts conscious awakening and subsequent indirect techniques. This may be accomplished by blindfolding the eyes or tying a cord taut around an arm or leg. The idea is that the reminder is immediately felt when the practitioner wakes, prompting the attempt of indirect techniques. In actuality, mind-machines work using the same principle since these are most effective as cues that arouse an intention to perform a specific action.

A more sophisticated example of a reminder is when a practitioner dozes off in a position meant to cause numbness to a certain body part. While awakening, the practitioner will take the physical numbness a cue to practice indirect techniques. A secondary benefit to this method of physiological signaling is that the numb body part may easily be used to perform phantom wiggling. Falling asleep while lying on the back with an arm behind the head, or by lying directly on an arm are effective examples. These and other postures will impede circulation, cause numbness, and promote awakening. Naturally, the numbness should not be excessive.

Diverse experiments that exploit physiological needs are especially popular for inducing conscious awakening or becoming conscious while dreaming. For example, a practitioner may forgo water over the course of the day before attempting to enter the phase.

The effect is an acute thirst while dreaming, which may be used to communicate that the dream state has taken over. Or, thirst causes repeated awakenings, during which the practice of indirect techniques may commence. An alternative to depriving the body of water is including more salt in foods consumed before going to sleep.

Another method is to drink a lot of water before sleep, causing the practitioner to awaken, naturally producing an opportunity to perform indirect techniques. Using this has been known to result in dream consciousness.

Another popular method helps with direct techniques. It works by falling asleep while keeping the forearm propped up at the elbow.

When the practitioner falls asleep, the forearm falls to the bed as the body shuts down. Feeling the arm fall signals a lapse of consciousness, after which direct techniques may be attempted. If this method fails to produce results on the first try, it may be repeated by raising the forearm before falling asleep. This method helps some, but rarely on the first try. It should not be counted as panacea.

Like all other non-autonomous methods, practicing phase entrance using physiological signals should not be done on a regular basis.

There are more pleasant, autonomous techniques that only require a natural willpower and healthy desire.

CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES

Since the beginning, the history of advances in phase entrance methodologies has included a direct link to the use of consumable supplements, starting with plants and mushrooms in ancient times.

The use of specialized herbs, mushrooms, and cacti is still practiced in isolated cultures; Siberian shamans and North American Indians, for example. Amid the hunger for altered states of awareness, these chemical supplements have reached every corner of the developed world. However, the proliferation of these substances has caused a marked degradation in the progress of modern phase practice.

The names and descriptions of these various chemical concoctions, herbs and plants included, are not worthy of inclusion in this text. They are officially considered illegal in some countries while still available in the pharmacies of others; nevertheless, they are all dangerous.

There are two primary problems with using such supplements.

First, practicing the phase through the consumption of chemical substances and various herbal supplements is not a path to development, but to ruin. Drug abuse and personal development are polar opposites, in no way compatible. Cheap thrills are consistently followed by chemical dependencies and health problems.

Second, although a user may experience phase sensations under the influence of such substances, the quality of experience is completely different. It is not only the stability or depth of phase that are affected by these supplements, but a user’s consciousness and awareness. The use of substances and the resultant alteration of mental processes negatively impact self-awareness. The phase must be accompanied by two things: phase sensations and a complete, conscious awareness. If one of these is missing, then the state experienced, by definition, is not the phase. When descriptions of these chemically “enhanced” experiences are studied, the hallmark of every one is a complete lack of control.

Using any type of chemical or herbal substance to reach the phase must be ruled out. Summarily, these make it impossible to experience the phase and ultimately destroy physical and mental health.

THE FUTURE OF NON-AUTONOMOUS METHODS

FOR ENTERING THE PHASE

Even though no beneficial non-autonomous technologies currently exist, the future is wide open before them.

With the development of effective technologies, the phase will cease as the exclusive domain of the initiated and become a widespread practice. Only then will the (sometimes justified) stereotypes and prejudices connected to the mystical nature of the phenomenon be dispelled, and only then will the phase gain the necessary attention from researchers needed to ably develop the science of phase practice.

When externally applied methods that cause phase entrance are discovered, the human experience will drastically change. These technologies for inducing and monitoring phase experiences will open up incredible possibilities. For example, it will be possible to participate in a movie instead of just watching; people will be able to try and evaluate products without leaving home; travel throughout designed worlds will take place; computer games will be substituted with analogous experiences including real physical sensations.

The ultimate step would be the unification of phase experiences into a collective, parallel world integrated to existent digital networks: the Matrix (the Mindnet). Using this Matrix, it will be possible to communicate with someone on the other side of the planet

- not just through a broadband video link, but literally tête à tête .

This vision of the future is a drop in the ocean of possibilities that will open with phase entrance technologies. The first step toward the future is a thorough, pragmatic, and correct application of the techniques now available.

TYPICAL MISTAKES

WITH NON-AUTONOMOUS TECHNIQUES

• The belief that devices are able to phase entrance if autonomous techniques fail, even though it is much easier to enter the phase through strictly individual efforts.

• Wasting a large amount of time and effort on various technologies to create a phase state. No such technology exists.

• Using cueing technologies on a daily basis, even though they aren’t supposed to be used more than twice a week.

• Using cueing technologies all night long, when it is much better to use these in conjunction with the deferred method.