This Week's Article Is:

Checking Your List And Checking It Twice

Let's visit my flashback, of a travel in July, 1995. No? What do you mean, no? Come on along, won't you? Aww shucks, I promise it'll be fun. Still no? Well then. You can just wait here until I'm finished. So there. Meanwhile, for the rest of us...

-------------------------------------

Here I go again. Through the bedroom door. Out into the living room. There's the cat. He's always pleased to "see" me. The curtains are closed except for a few inches. I target those few inches and slide through the glass. I'm on the balcony.

My wry humor kicks in. What if I'm not traveling? What if I'm physically sleep-walking (somnambulism)? What if I take an ironic leap from the balcony to the ground below?

Of course, I know that I'm traveling. But I love the what ifs. While physical, I certainly would not jump from the balcony (not without slinkies attached to my sneakers...don't try this at home), however, as I am currently nonphysical, I take the first step, and hop from the floor of the balcony to the railing.

The gazebo below is shining in the glow of all things nonphysical. Poetic, huh? Well, perhaps so, but it's the truth. The "illumination" while nonphysical can be striking.

I jump off the balcony and "land" gently, just above the path, near the brook. I then float, my front facing down, within inches of the grass and dirt. I "smell" the damp early-morning earth.

I drop down to just below the ground, under the grass. I have the most wonderful sensation of sharing space. I pop back up above ground and rejoin the brook, back to the right and over TOWARDS THE FENCE.

_________________________________________

What the? Hold everything! There's a fence there??? How long has that been there? I gotta get outta the house more.

Anyway. So, here is this fence, and of course, I'm up and over it. And what do I find? Houses. The backs of houses. The backs of houses that I did not know were there, previous to this travel. How long had these backs of houses been there without my knowledge? Same as the fence.

While some may say, "you must have seen that fence and the backs of those houses at some point and forgot"...

...I will first say, that you are a long-winded so and so (grin), and second, that I know me. Although, I am very observant, I can truthfully see myself blanking out on that observation.

And here is the upshot to this particular travel.

Although I recall the travel well, complete with a visit inside one of the houses (something I don't normally do, but the back door was open), I didn't realize for a few months following the travel, that it was so near to my home.

I had thought that following my trek along the brook, I had accidentally gone miles elsewhere. It turns out, however, that I remained in my own backyard (and someone else's). If I had just physically retraced my steps, following the brook, I would have discovered the fence and the houses much sooner, and perhaps, learned more about the travel, at that time.

_________________________________________

Which brings us to you, my friends. I would like to help you to spot the obvious in your travels (unlike me, in this instance:). All it takes, is a little attention to detail.

And so I present:

(Of course, copyright © 1996, for personal use only, by permission of A. Guiden:)

A.G.'s Travel Check-List

Check-listing can ensure that you monitor the pieces of your travel attempts and successes. Print out a bunch o' copies of the following list and add items that you personally need or want to check.

After a week or two, you simply check-out the checklists (one checklist should be filled out per travel attempt) and target the "positives" (items that you feel were helpful to your travel attempt) that are found. You then adapt these "positives" as needed, to fit the travel you are about to attempt. (i.e., if you find that you relax best while warm, but tonight it is cold...get a blanket...duh, Alan).

_________________________________________

Travel Checklist (Don't forget to add items of importance to you:)

1. The date was __________, the time I attempted to travel was __________

2. Dinner was ______, drink was ______, medic./vitamins were ______, other ______

3. The inside temp. was __________ , the humidity was (h, m, l) __________

4. My physical body position was __________

5. My relaxation method was ________________________

6. My plan of action/destination was ________________________

7. It took me ______ minutes to relax

8. I noticed the following signals:

Snoring ____

Vibration ____

Surge ____

Seeing Through My Closed Eyes ____

Pseudo-Sound Distraction ____

Other ____

9. I recall reaching the awake/asleep line: (check one) yes OR no

10. I traveled: yes OR no

*** If no, what can you target/adapt for the next time you attempt to travel?

*** If yes, continue below...

11. I lifted-out in the following manner: ________________________

12. The travel occurred approx. __________ minutes after I began the attempt

13. The final destination of my travel was ________________________

14. It took me __________ seconds/minutes to reach my final destination

15. I traveled to the destination in the following manner: _______________________

*** i.e., nonphysical body position and action (flying, running, jumping, etc.)

16. I passed through the following objects: _______________________

17. I observed others while I was traveling: yes OR no

*** If the answer above is yes, recall the details: ________________________

18. I recall the following sights/impressions from my travel: _____________________

19. I returned to the physical because I wanted to: yes OR no

*** If the answer above is no, recall the details: ________________________

20. My method of return to the physical was: ________________________

21. After my return to the physical:

I fell asleep and forgot the whole thing ____

OR

I wrote a diary entry ____

23. I know the destination that I traveled to: yes OR no

*** If the above answer is yes, detail the route taken, if possible: _______________

24. I have verified this travel by physically retracing my steps: yes OR no

_________________________________________

As always, please write regarding your questions, attempts and successes.

Alan Guiden