(5) "Sometimes, just before falling asleep, I would see through my closed eyelids a number of small misty-blue or mauve vibrating circles..."
In later times, the appearance of coloured circles, faces and voices in this situation would receive the label of "hypnagogic and hypnopompic imagery."
(7) In 1902 dream with incorrect detail.
In later times, this experience of being aware that you are dreaming is referred to a having a "lucid dream."
(10) One dream - awoke paralysed.
Paralysis of this type is now associated with dream sleep (or rapid eye movement sleep). One of the proven methods of breaking the paralysis is mental willpower being used to move a finger, which breaks the paralysis
(11) Experienced a false awakening.
I have come across some excellent examples of false awakenings in my readings of the years, where someone believes they have awoken from their sleep in their bedroom; they look around the room and all seems normal, except for some small anomaly. They then realise they are still asleep and dreaming; then really wake up. I recall some stories where these false awakenings can seem to occupy several minutes and involve quite a long recollection which seems true at the time until you wake up. I will try and recall where I read some of these accounts and post them.
(12) One night his girl friend appeared to be in his room, when she was not physically present.
(13) The reverse, She awoke to find Oliver in her room, when he was not really there.
These examples imply evidence that the events took place in some real way, as the body of one person was seen by another person, although in reality they were not physically present.
Overall this book is an excellent account of early experimentation in deliberately inducing "astral projection."
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Oliver Fox's book on OBEs
My second book to review, was published in 1962, but recounts experiences from the early 1900's.
I thought that this might give me a very early perspective on the topic. The author was Oliver Fox and the book titled: "Astral projection: a record of out-of-the body experiences." Published by University Books Inc of New York. The following are the notes I made as I read the book.
(1) "As a child I progressed from illness to illness..."p13.
(2) Until age 7-8 dreams were "...of the nightmare variety." p 14.
(3) Two recurrent nightmares were:
(a) Two identical "mothers" - the dream of the double.
(b) "Something in me...is gradually stretched tighter and tighter." p16 - the extension nightmare.
(4) Age 4-5 fell into a reverie - "extension" occurred.
(5) "Sometimes, just before falling asleep, I would see through my closed eyelids a number of small misty-blue or mauve vibrating circles." Tiny, grinning faces appeared and mocking voices were heard, and then he had a nightmare. He learnt to manipulate this face into an ink pot and then found he did not have a nightmare. p19.
(6) As he got older the nightmares decreased in frequency. His youth "...was rich in dreams..." in "which I was exploring what appeared to be a marvellous celestial world..."p29
(7) In 1902 he had a dream where he noted a details which was wrong -something which was out of place. "Then the solution flashed upon me: though this glorious summer morning seemed as real as real could be, I was dreaming!" p53. The quality of the dream imagery changed-vividness increased a hundred fold. Then he awoke. "I think this first experience was a true projection and that I was actually functioning oputside my physical body." p 33.
(8) He experimented within these dreams and found that he could levitate, and pass through solid walls etc p36.
(9) At the end of this he experienced duality-still in the dream but also simultaneously aware that he was actually lying in bed. p 37.
(10) In one dream-he awoke completely paralysed. This paralysis was only able to be broken when he moved his little finger. pp39-40
(11) He experienced a "false awakening." He thought he was awake but something about his surroundings told him he was still dreaming. p48.
(12) One night he was asleep and had a false awakening. He saw "...a large, egg shaped cloud of intensely brilliant bluish-white light. " In the middle of this he saw his girl friend. He was paralysed. She vanished. p 57. He fell back to sleep. Next day she recalled having been in his room somehow, but not physically. She had projected herself there.
(13) Reverse-on another occasion in 1905 she awoke to find Oliver Fox apparently standing in her room. She was paralysed. He then vanished. p61.
(14) 1908 p66. He was lying on a sofa, in the afternoon, eye closed-left his body by "...willing myself out of it..." found himself in the countryside walking "...my body called me back."
(15) Found he could will himself out of his body.
(16) 1913-1915. His interest in projection increased. He had many experiences while lying down, trance, left body.
(17) He describes two methods of projection pp121-124.
(a) Take an interest in your dreams, try to recall them. While dreaming, note an incongruity and realise you are dreaming. Feet feel heavier. Moves as though struggling against an elastic cord attached between the shoulder blades. Gets a pain in top of head and centre of forehead. p123. On returning to the body finds it paralysed. Then may experience a false awakening-not awake but in trance condition. Try to sit up and leave your body.
(b) Way of self induced trance. Lie down-think of an imaginary trap door in your brain. Eyes closed. Numbness appears in feet; up legs, expands to entire body. Room appears lit by a golden pale radiance p127. Experience having two bodies. By will power force the fluidic body through the trapdoor. Fluidic body then gets out of bed and explores.
In the next post I will comment on these notes.
I thought that this might give me a very early perspective on the topic. The author was Oliver Fox and the book titled: "Astral projection: a record of out-of-the body experiences." Published by University Books Inc of New York. The following are the notes I made as I read the book.
(1) "As a child I progressed from illness to illness..."p13.
(2) Until age 7-8 dreams were "...of the nightmare variety." p 14.
(3) Two recurrent nightmares were:
(a) Two identical "mothers" - the dream of the double.
(b) "Something in me...is gradually stretched tighter and tighter." p16 - the extension nightmare.
(4) Age 4-5 fell into a reverie - "extension" occurred.
(5) "Sometimes, just before falling asleep, I would see through my closed eyelids a number of small misty-blue or mauve vibrating circles." Tiny, grinning faces appeared and mocking voices were heard, and then he had a nightmare. He learnt to manipulate this face into an ink pot and then found he did not have a nightmare. p19.
(6) As he got older the nightmares decreased in frequency. His youth "...was rich in dreams..." in "which I was exploring what appeared to be a marvellous celestial world..."p29
(7) In 1902 he had a dream where he noted a details which was wrong -something which was out of place. "Then the solution flashed upon me: though this glorious summer morning seemed as real as real could be, I was dreaming!" p53. The quality of the dream imagery changed-vividness increased a hundred fold. Then he awoke. "I think this first experience was a true projection and that I was actually functioning oputside my physical body." p 33.
(8) He experimented within these dreams and found that he could levitate, and pass through solid walls etc p36.
(9) At the end of this he experienced duality-still in the dream but also simultaneously aware that he was actually lying in bed. p 37.
(10) In one dream-he awoke completely paralysed. This paralysis was only able to be broken when he moved his little finger. pp39-40
(11) He experienced a "false awakening." He thought he was awake but something about his surroundings told him he was still dreaming. p48.
(12) One night he was asleep and had a false awakening. He saw "...a large, egg shaped cloud of intensely brilliant bluish-white light. " In the middle of this he saw his girl friend. He was paralysed. She vanished. p 57. He fell back to sleep. Next day she recalled having been in his room somehow, but not physically. She had projected herself there.
(13) Reverse-on another occasion in 1905 she awoke to find Oliver Fox apparently standing in her room. She was paralysed. He then vanished. p61.
(14) 1908 p66. He was lying on a sofa, in the afternoon, eye closed-left his body by "...willing myself out of it..." found himself in the countryside walking "...my body called me back."
(15) Found he could will himself out of his body.
(16) 1913-1915. His interest in projection increased. He had many experiences while lying down, trance, left body.
(17) He describes two methods of projection pp121-124.
(a) Take an interest in your dreams, try to recall them. While dreaming, note an incongruity and realise you are dreaming. Feet feel heavier. Moves as though struggling against an elastic cord attached between the shoulder blades. Gets a pain in top of head and centre of forehead. p123. On returning to the body finds it paralysed. Then may experience a false awakening-not awake but in trance condition. Try to sit up and leave your body.
(b) Way of self induced trance. Lie down-think of an imaginary trap door in your brain. Eyes closed. Numbness appears in feet; up legs, expands to entire body. Room appears lit by a golden pale radiance p127. Experience having two bodies. By will power force the fluidic body through the trapdoor. Fluidic body then gets out of bed and explores.
In the next post I will comment on these notes.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Comments on Celia Green's book
The following are my comments on the notes in the two previous postings:
"Thus subjects who are deaf or have poor eyesight may find themselves 'hearing' and 'seeing' clearly, in their ecsomatic experiences." p 23.
Isn't this an interesting observation? Deaf individuals hear in their OBE!
"Eighty-one per cent of the subject of 'single' ecsomatic cases stated that, while they were apparently out of their bodies, they seemed to see their physical bodies from outside." p 42.
So, in 19% of cases people did not report seeing their own physical body. How then did they know they were out of body?
"Subjects may find themselves behind, beside or above their physical bodies, but very rarely report having viewed their physical body from a position below it." P46.
It would be very good to take a look at the fine details of the cases where someone viewed themselves from below. In real life, very few people would ever be looking up at people, unless the person was on a staircase etc.
"If the ecsomatic experience takes place indoors, the subject frequently refers to his ecsomatic position as being near the ceiling." p47.
I wonder what the percentages are and what other viewpoints were in the survey? What does frequently mean? Greater than 50%?
"The data presented in the last chapter show that there is some reason to associate ecsomatic experience with decreased muscle tone. " p53.
When you are in dream/rapid eye movement sleep, your muscle tone falls to almost nothing.
"Nearly 5 per cent of subjects report apparent paralysis occurring at some stage of their ecsomatic experience." p 60.
As with the last note, in dream/REM sleep your are effectively paralysed- i.e. have no muscle tone.
"89.3% of the subjects of single cases stated that the tings they saw while out of the body looked just as they would do normally and 82.3% stated that things looked coloured in the normal way..."p71.
Another way of saying that the content/quality of the experience was as real as real, i.e. indistinguishable from conventional awake reality.
"Only 26.9 per cent of the subjects of single cases reported that they felt connected in any way to their physical body..."p100.
This goes against what I thought was the general impression of OBEs; that there was a silver cord connecting the physical and no physical bodies.
"In the majority of single cases there is no consciousness of any transition to or from the ecsomatic state." p 108.
I'd like to see some examples of ones where people do recall the transition.
"Thus subjects who are deaf or have poor eyesight may find themselves 'hearing' and 'seeing' clearly, in their ecsomatic experiences." p 23.
Isn't this an interesting observation? Deaf individuals hear in their OBE!
"Eighty-one per cent of the subject of 'single' ecsomatic cases stated that, while they were apparently out of their bodies, they seemed to see their physical bodies from outside." p 42.
So, in 19% of cases people did not report seeing their own physical body. How then did they know they were out of body?
"Subjects may find themselves behind, beside or above their physical bodies, but very rarely report having viewed their physical body from a position below it." P46.
It would be very good to take a look at the fine details of the cases where someone viewed themselves from below. In real life, very few people would ever be looking up at people, unless the person was on a staircase etc.
"If the ecsomatic experience takes place indoors, the subject frequently refers to his ecsomatic position as being near the ceiling." p47.
I wonder what the percentages are and what other viewpoints were in the survey? What does frequently mean? Greater than 50%?
"The data presented in the last chapter show that there is some reason to associate ecsomatic experience with decreased muscle tone. " p53.
When you are in dream/rapid eye movement sleep, your muscle tone falls to almost nothing.
"Nearly 5 per cent of subjects report apparent paralysis occurring at some stage of their ecsomatic experience." p 60.
As with the last note, in dream/REM sleep your are effectively paralysed- i.e. have no muscle tone.
"89.3% of the subjects of single cases stated that the tings they saw while out of the body looked just as they would do normally and 82.3% stated that things looked coloured in the normal way..."p71.
Another way of saying that the content/quality of the experience was as real as real, i.e. indistinguishable from conventional awake reality.
"Only 26.9 per cent of the subjects of single cases reported that they felt connected in any way to their physical body..."p100.
This goes against what I thought was the general impression of OBEs; that there was a silver cord connecting the physical and no physical bodies.
"In the majority of single cases there is no consciousness of any transition to or from the ecsomatic state." p 108.
I'd like to see some examples of ones where people do recall the transition.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Celia Green's book on OBEs part 2
"If the ecsomatic experience takes place indoors, the subject frequently refers to his ecsomatic position as being near the ceiling..."p 47.
Posture of subject's physical body - Lying down 73.3%; sitting 17.6%.
"The data presented in the last chapter shows that there is some reason to associate ecsomatic experiences with decreased muscle tone." p 53.
"Nearly 5 per cent of subjects report apparent paralysis occurring at some stage of their ecsomatic experience." p 60.
Sensory modalities involved - single cases - sight 93.2%; hearing 33.5% p 67.
"89.3 per cent of the subjects of single cases stated that the things they saw while out of the body looked just as they would do normally and 82.3 per cent stated that things looked coloured in the normal way." p71.
"Only 29.6 per cent of the subjects of single cases reported that they felt connected in any way to their physical body...p100.
"In the majority of single cases there is no consciousness of any transition to or from the ecsomatic state." p 108.
ESP. "A characteristic form of apparent extra-sensory perception associated with ecsomatic states is 'travelling clairvoyance' - i.e. the subject appears to travel to as distant place and to obtain information about the state of affairs at that place, which he could not have acquired by normal means." p126.
End of my notes.
Posture of subject's physical body - Lying down 73.3%; sitting 17.6%.
"The data presented in the last chapter shows that there is some reason to associate ecsomatic experiences with decreased muscle tone." p 53.
"Nearly 5 per cent of subjects report apparent paralysis occurring at some stage of their ecsomatic experience." p 60.
Sensory modalities involved - single cases - sight 93.2%; hearing 33.5% p 67.
"89.3 per cent of the subjects of single cases stated that the things they saw while out of the body looked just as they would do normally and 82.3 per cent stated that things looked coloured in the normal way." p71.
"Only 29.6 per cent of the subjects of single cases reported that they felt connected in any way to their physical body...p100.
"In the majority of single cases there is no consciousness of any transition to or from the ecsomatic state." p 108.
ESP. "A characteristic form of apparent extra-sensory perception associated with ecsomatic states is 'travelling clairvoyance' - i.e. the subject appears to travel to as distant place and to obtain information about the state of affairs at that place, which he could not have acquired by normal means." p126.
End of my notes.
Celia Green's book on OBEs
The first book I looked at was "Out-of-the-body experiences" by Celia Green. It is the Proceedings of the Institute of Psychophysical Research Volume 2. Isbn 0900076011, and was published in 1968.
My notes are as follows:
This book contains the results of a study conducted in 1966. Two questionnaires were sent to about 400 persons who responded to a media appeal. 326 replied to the first and 251 to the second. Gender wise, 68% were female and 32 % male.
It should be noted that OBEs are referred to as 'ecsomatic' experiences in this work.
Definition:
"We define an 'ecsomatic experience' as one in which the objects of perception are apparently organized in such a way that the observer seems to himself to be observing them from a point of view which is not coincidental with his physical body." p 17.
Ecsomatic experiences occur in a number of situations; while apparently asleep; under anaesthesia; while walking; while sitting alone or in company.
12% of 'single" cases occurred while asleep. 32.4% of 'single' cases while anaesthetised or unconscious.
60.9% of subjects reported only one experience - i.e. a "single' case.
Ages - "...are reported as occurring at almost all ages, although they are less frequently reported later in life." p 23.
Duration - "...the majority of 'single' cases last no more than a matter of minutes." p 24.
"The psychological circumstances which precede ecsomatic experiences, particularly 'single' ecsomatic experiences, are frequently characterised by the presence of some identifiable form of stress." p 25.
"Thus subjects who are deaf or have poor eyesight may find themselves 'hearing' and 'seeing' clearly, in their ecsomatic experiences." p 32.
800% of subjects of single cases report they appeared to be 'a disembodied consciousness." p 34.
"Many subjects comment on their feelings of well-being and reality, in their new position apart from their physical body..." p 39.
"Eighty-one per cent of the subjects of 'single' ecsomatic cases stated that, while they were apparently out of their bodies, they seemed to see their physical bodies from outside. " p42.
"Subjects may find themselves behind, beside or above their physical body, but very rarely report having viewed their physical body from a position below it." p 46.
(To be continued)
My notes are as follows:
This book contains the results of a study conducted in 1966. Two questionnaires were sent to about 400 persons who responded to a media appeal. 326 replied to the first and 251 to the second. Gender wise, 68% were female and 32 % male.
It should be noted that OBEs are referred to as 'ecsomatic' experiences in this work.
Definition:
"We define an 'ecsomatic experience' as one in which the objects of perception are apparently organized in such a way that the observer seems to himself to be observing them from a point of view which is not coincidental with his physical body." p 17.
Ecsomatic experiences occur in a number of situations; while apparently asleep; under anaesthesia; while walking; while sitting alone or in company.
12% of 'single" cases occurred while asleep. 32.4% of 'single' cases while anaesthetised or unconscious.
60.9% of subjects reported only one experience - i.e. a "single' case.
Ages - "...are reported as occurring at almost all ages, although they are less frequently reported later in life." p 23.
Duration - "...the majority of 'single' cases last no more than a matter of minutes." p 24.
"The psychological circumstances which precede ecsomatic experiences, particularly 'single' ecsomatic experiences, are frequently characterised by the presence of some identifiable form of stress." p 25.
"Thus subjects who are deaf or have poor eyesight may find themselves 'hearing' and 'seeing' clearly, in their ecsomatic experiences." p 32.
800% of subjects of single cases report they appeared to be 'a disembodied consciousness." p 34.
"Many subjects comment on their feelings of well-being and reality, in their new position apart from their physical body..." p 39.
"Eighty-one per cent of the subjects of 'single' ecsomatic cases stated that, while they were apparently out of their bodies, they seemed to see their physical bodies from outside. " p42.
"Subjects may find themselves behind, beside or above their physical body, but very rarely report having viewed their physical body from a position below it." p 46.
(To be continued)
Friday, August 21, 2009
Reading, reading
The two books I selected from the Radcliffe Library are:
(1) "Out-of-the-body experiences" by Celia Green, published in 1968 in the U.K. Celia was the Director, Institute of Psychophysical Research, at Oxford in England.
(2) Astral projections: a record of out-of-the body expereinces" by Oliver Fox, published in 1962, in New York.
Celia's book is a study of a large number of OBEs, while Oliver's concerns his own, personal OBEs.
I am in the process of reading and making notes on both books.
(1) "Out-of-the-body experiences" by Celia Green, published in 1968 in the U.K. Celia was the Director, Institute of Psychophysical Research, at Oxford in England.
(2) Astral projections: a record of out-of-the body expereinces" by Oliver Fox, published in 1962, in New York.
Celia's book is a study of a large number of OBEs, while Oliver's concerns his own, personal OBEs.
I am in the process of reading and making notes on both books.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
As I sat in the Radcliffe Library of the Theosophical Society yesterday, surrounded by several thousand books on a variety of esoteric subjects, I wondered where to start? I thought back over the range of topics which I have studied, and recalled that recently I had come across a scientific study on "out-of-body experiences (OBEs)", which from memory, claimed that it might go some way towards a scientific explanation of these experiences. So, I have decided that I will review the topic of OBEs as my first foray.
I went to the relevant section of the Radcliffe Library and found two older books on the topic, as I felt that I initially needed to ground myself in what people thought about the topic 30-50 years ago, before reading current research findings.
Hopefully, my next post will review the first of these books.
I went to the relevant section of the Radcliffe Library and found two older books on the topic, as I felt that I initially needed to ground myself in what people thought about the topic 30-50 years ago, before reading current research findings.
Hopefully, my next post will review the first of these books.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Welcome notes
It has now been some seven months since I decided to retire from the field of "UFO research." My 40 year saga in this arena of human knowledge was long enough.
Refreshed from the break, I have decided to return to an exploration of other topics which could broadly fit into the area of "Anomalies." Although, over the years, my main interest was the study of UFO reports; I always kept an eye on such topics as "out-of-body experiences"; "near-death experiences"; falls of "Angel hair";and various Fortean phenomena.
Along the way, I read widely as a lay person, in various aspects of psychology, and especially the application of knowledge about hypnopompic and hypnagogic imagery; the fantasy-prone personality; and sleep paralysis to the topics listed above.
I am currently volunteering my time in the Adelaide Theosophical Society's invaluable Radcliffe Library on South Terrace, Adelaide. This library, which is open to public membership, holds some 4000 volumes on a diverse range of topics, which would keep any researcher busy for many years.
The purpose then, of this blog, is to document my research interests; my readings; research papers and musings.
Happy reading!
Refreshed from the break, I have decided to return to an exploration of other topics which could broadly fit into the area of "Anomalies." Although, over the years, my main interest was the study of UFO reports; I always kept an eye on such topics as "out-of-body experiences"; "near-death experiences"; falls of "Angel hair";and various Fortean phenomena.
Along the way, I read widely as a lay person, in various aspects of psychology, and especially the application of knowledge about hypnopompic and hypnagogic imagery; the fantasy-prone personality; and sleep paralysis to the topics listed above.
I am currently volunteering my time in the Adelaide Theosophical Society's invaluable Radcliffe Library on South Terrace, Adelaide. This library, which is open to public membership, holds some 4000 volumes on a diverse range of topics, which would keep any researcher busy for many years.
The purpose then, of this blog, is to document my research interests; my readings; research papers and musings.
Happy reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)