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SOUND EFFECT

I am going to share a method with you for reaching the awake/asleep line that I had completely forgotten about until last night (which is now many nights ago). I had used this method over and over again in my early traveling with great success. But, treating this method like an old toy, I eventually placed it in a box (metaphorically speaking). Now (important fanfare), I have found it again.

My last night was probably just like yours; ordinary. The particulars of my quiet evening were a movie with dinner, and my favorite radio show as I prepared for bed. It was just another night of winding down, when SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, a commercial came on! This was soon followed by another commercial and yet another and another and AAAAAHHHhhh!!! Too many dang commercials if you ask me. Just give me a list of what you want me to buy and I'll support the program's advertisers, for gosh sakes. Why I never in my whole...(Alan continues to mumble something incoherently.)

Important secret-spy music begins to play.
Agent (insert your name), it's time to receive your instructions for the mission. Are you prepared? The following instructions have been locked away for years. They will never again be repeated! (As if.) Pay close attention Agent (insert your name again).

The Travel Tones Method:
Everyone has songs, tunes, or sounds that really get them going. For me, in the above instance (after the commercials), a tune came on the radio that reminded me of this fact.

It was a recent release by an alternative (that's what they call it this week) band. But it could also have been Pachebel's Canon in D or The Brady Bunch Theme. And whatever your songs, tunes or sounds are, you may use exactly the same method as I have, to reach the awake/asleep line and travel from your physical body.

The first step in this method is to choose your selections. Pick songs, tunes, or sounds that really stir your emotions. One selection might move you to happiness, another to excitement, and the next to melancholy.

Choose songs, tunes, or sounds that make you want to stop everything and listen. Pick about ten. That should be a piece o' pie. I can name ten of mine without even trying. Umm (okay, trying a little)...some songs/tunes by Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana, Kate Bush, Peter Murphy, and Enya. The sounds of tribal drums, windchimes, ocean waves, firewood crackling, rain and thunder (which is happening as I type this). It's a snap to think of songs, tunes, or sounds that you wouldn't mind hearing just one more time. And by coincidence (not), one more listen is all you get.

You may listen to your selection once and only once, whenever you want, prior to your attempt at the awake/asleep line and traveling. Please do not operate heavy machinery if the selection really affects you. This would include operating cranes, cars, pencil-sharpeners, skateboards with engines and of course, out-board turtles. Once you have heard your selection just ONCE, it's time to get groovin'. (Uh oh, I'm time-tripping again.)

Hey there hip dudes and chicks. As you know here on Travel Tones, our selections are rated by you, the listener. You pick the sounds you want to hear and Travel Tones lays down the waxy tracks. Stay fresh like bread you crazy cats. Don't forget to use a different selection for each travel attempt. Whoa, I'm gone. (You can say that again.)

And I'm back. You should have differing selections for each night. Keep the method fresh by choosing a selection that compliments the way you feel that day.

Recapping the method thus far:
You have listened to your song, tune or sound just once (preferably through headphones to capture every nuance). You have it in your head now. It's floating around in your recent memory. It likes it in there.

When you are ready to practice your traveling, get into bed and recall that selection. I want you to play that selection over and over in your thoughts, in every note and pitch and word and boom and ring. If it's a song or tune, I want you to gently hum the parts that fall when your breath exhales. I want you to place your whole being into your selection and recall everything. I want you to hear it loud in your thoughts! That is what I want! So, hop to it! (Alan snaps his fingers.) Because, if you can do that my friend, you are gonna travel. And here's why.

PsychoBabble Breakdown:
Your are in a cycle of deep concentration centered upon the music and sound areas of your brain. With each spin of your selection, you highlight more points of music and sound. Your focus upon this area of thought also counteracts the more logistic-side of you. Therefore, instead of rationalizing yourself right to sleep, you relax and maintain your control.

Simply Stated Breakdown (As I am the simpleton stating it):
This method creates a spiral effect. You hear the song just ONCE. You want to hear it again but you can't. So you listen to it in your thoughts. Then you do it again. Each spin gets clearer and more correct. You get more focused and more relaxed. Suddenly, your physical is snoring and you are alert on the awake/asleep line.

You may become so wrapped up in your selection, as you reach the awake/asleep line, that the only signal of your arrival to the line is that your selection seems to be playing very loudly from everywhere. The notes may seem almost tangible to the touch. You should use this as your WAKE-UP call to initiate your traveling plan (lift-out, destination and goal).

When you do feel that your selection is playing at optimum, you should immediately begin to target into your traveling plan. Don't think about your plan, just do it. A travel-plan which bumps you a good twenty feet from your physical would be excellent. For example:

Humm hum humm. You're re-playing your selection over and over. You're drifting to the awake/asleep line. Drifting, drifting, drifting. Suddenly, there you are on the line. The music is very loud and crisp and clear. NOW, DO IT! (Initiate your travel plan without hesitation.) Down the hall. You're going down the hall. Passing through the door. Getting away from the physical. Getting outside. Moving up the street. Go, Go, Go! It's that easy. Take the whole of your sound-concentration to its finest point and then re-route it, to blast out of your body!

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SIGNALS PRIOR TO DIRECT LIFT-OUT

As you mentally relax and focus, there are certain "signals" that may occur. These signals will alert you that your physical body is near-ready for the separation of your nonphysical. Unless a lift-out occurs very quickly following your controlled physical shutdown, you will likely encounter at least one signal and possibly a combination of signals. I have included a few of the more common signals here.

Vibration Signal

The most widely experienced signal is called "vibration." Its description is concise but the finer points of "vibe" are complex.

A Description Of Vibe: You'll know it when it happens.

The Finer Points of vibe:
Vibration is literally what its name implies. It's almost like a sub-atomic shaking. Vibration feels slightly electric, although not painfully. It may be localized to one part of your body or be full-body. Confused yet? Okay, try this. Ghtrki lkifdfow jjdfiip.

During vibration, your physical may seem to be immobile and unresponsive to your intent to move it. The reason for this is simple. Your conscious control has switched from commanding your physical body to commanding your nonphysical. You can, if you desire, switch your control back to the physical with the force of a decision to do so. The vibration will then subside (you may feel a slight vibration for a few minutes following), and you'll be able to move your physical as always. I found vibration unpleasant as a child until I realized that it wasn't harmful. It's just unsettling until you become accustomed to it.

You may be familiar with the knowledge that all things vibrate at their certain frequency and that there are countless different frequencies possible. This is why a solid object appears solid to the touch. Your physical body vibrates close to the same frequency as the objects that exist in your environment.

The vibration frequency of the nonphysical is faster and allows the nonphysical to permeate physical objects, such as walls, without difficulty. After you're out a few times, you'll get the idea.

Sometimes, the vibration may seem irregular while you are still in your physical but hoping to separate. This is caused by your perception. You're feeling both the nonphysical and physical vibration frequencies as they begin to move out of sync. It can produce a jarring effect. Additionally, as I've mentioned, the vibration may be localized to only one part of your body.

To assist you with the vibration signal that you may encounter at some point, I've a method to share for making the vibe do what you want it to. This method uses the vibe to assist in your lift-out from the physical body. And, thankfully, it does not require any understanding (or opinion) of the concepts at all (jargon-free ala me).

The A.G. Dervish Method:
When you experience full-body vibe, place your acute attention upon it and picture the vibe as one large whirlpool that covers you completely. Visualize the whirlpool becoming less erratic with each spin. See the whirlpool becoming smooth as it spins faster and faster.

For a localized vibration, place your attention on the vibe area and visualize your whirlpool growing larger, smoother and faster with each rotation until it encompasses your whole body.

This whirlpool visualization places your attention on the nonphysical. This suppresses the often annoying dual-perception of the physical vibration (as I explained above). In addition, the whirlpool method will smooth out the "spikes" of the nonphysical vibration. This results in a smoother lift-out.

Vibration is always present as part of the lift-out process. However, the vibration signal may go unnoticed if the jump from physical to nonphysical happens quickly or is accomplished while the individual is in a semiconscious or unconscious state.

Surge Signal
You'll be overjoyed to hear that this signal requires only three sentences to explain. As you near the moment of potential lift-out, you may feel a rush move over your body. It's similar to having that tingly feeling when an emotion overtakes you for a split second. This "surge" signal will often perk up your conscious control level.

Snoring Signal
One of the more blatant signals is to hear yourself snore. (Perhaps more blatant still, is your mate kicking you in the ribs to shut up.) This may occur despite the fact that the majority of your physical hearing is shut down. It's like wearing earplugs; you can still hear yourself breathe. Although you may hear yourself snore, you can ignore-the-snore or silence it by directing your desire upon doing so.

Temperature Drop Signal
When you intend to travel, it's important to keep your physical body a bit warmer than you might normally for a night's sleep. This is because, at the verge of lift-out, you may perceive a drop in your physical body temperature. Although the temperature drop is minor and may be ignored, it could disrupt your level of control. This can delay or cancel your potential lift-out from the physical.

I suggest loose-fitting nightclothes to keep you warm (or turn up the heat). Try not to bury yourself under too many blankets because as you go deeper into controlled relaxation, you may feel smothered by the weight. This extra weight would place more emphasis upon the physical body and may make the focus of your nonphysical travel more difficult to accomplish. (In the glossary, see Variable.)

Seeing Through Your Closed Eyes Signal
You may, as you're lying there deepening your control, begin to see past your closed eyelids. It may take a moment to realize this is occurring, and it seems strange the first few times, but it does signal that you're very close to a lift-out. You're now "seeing" nonphysically and slightly above and out of sync with your closed physical eyes.

Pseudo-Sound/Sight Distraction Signal
You may encounter noises and visualizations as you reach potential lift-out that seem real but are in fact fakes. This might be a phone ringing or a voice or an alarm beeping. It might be an image of your mate walking into the room or your dog jumping on your bed. It can be any type of noise or image that your brain feels like kicking up.

Now, by this point in your relaxation, your physical hearing and sight has likely shut down. Additionally, your eyes should be closed and the room fairly dark. The chances that an actual outside event is truly occurring at exactly the same time as you are reaching the awake/asleep line is slim. And you may lessen the chances of any actual interruption by unplugging the phone, turning off your alarm, and putting puppy on the porch. As for your mate, that's up to you.

I suggest that if you have doubts about what you think you're hearing or seeing, do not physically rise to check on the event. Instead, if the event is a noise, focus on hearing that sound though your ears. This will trigger your physical sense of hearing and raise your alertness just enough to counteract any pseudo-sound. If the event is visual, you would do a similar trick that's a smidge harder to pull off. You would focus upon opening your eyelids just a teensy-weensy bit. Again, this will trigger a jump in your alertness and provide a brief view of your surroundings for further verification.

Once you've satisfied your curiosity, drop your level back to where you were and continue. The pseudo-sound/sight may return but can be ignored or silenced with a command from you. Pseudo-sound/sight does not persist after you've separated a small distance from the physical.

More and More Memory O' Me...
I've had many nonphysical visits to swimming pools . It's an odd sensation to be out and underwater. Traveling through water does not feel like traveling through air or a vacuum. Each is a completely different sensation.

I'm thirteen. It's nighttime, and the pool is closed, yet here I am. I'm gliding through the water. I'm in the deep end near the diving board where we're told not to swim. I experience an awareness of my physical upon the bed. I'm concerned for my breathing. I'm under the water, looking up through it to the night sky.

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ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

Do you fear leaving your physical body? Do you fear what you might run into, out there in the nonphysical? Do you fear falling from nonphysical flight and that you die when you hit the ground? Do you fear that you won't get back into your physical? Do you fear that someone will think you are dead while you are out-of-body? Do your fear that something will take over your physical while you're gone? Do you fear that traveling will make you miss an important physical event that requires your attention? Do you fear that you will get lost while nonphysical? Do you fear the unknown? Do you fear fear? Well don't. You have absolutely nothing to fear my friend.

Please follow along as I answer each question above with an equally one-sentence answer below. Exciting, ain't it?

If you are in reasonably good health, your physical body will be fine while you are away from it. Other travelers that you may meet while out are primarily more interesting than frightening. You can't fall from flight without a conscious or subconscious desire to do so and it doesn't even smart a little if you do. You can always get back in your physical because you are connected to your physical. Any outside observer can tell that your physical body is simply sleeping. Your physical body is your body and nothing gets in it unless you tell it to. You may be easily roused back to your physical by any outside event that involves your physical. You can't get lost from your physical because (again) you are connected. Never fear the unknown because it's only unknown until you get to know it. Never fear fear, but minimize its hold on you by using common sense in new nonphysical situations. Oh. And the last answer is: Yes, that was exciting.

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DIRECT LIFT-OUT (STEP FOUR CONT.)

Now that I've explained some signals that may greet your attempts at a direct lift-out, I'd like to again refresh your memory. (Refreshing like a cool mountain stream.) A quick-travel may bypass any signals prior to a lift-out from your physical, because your goal is to "be somewhere" with as little fuss as possible. Your nonphysical may then respond less to your conscious desire, than to your subconscious desire, during that quick-travel. If this occurs, you may lose your control temporarily while your goal is being reached. Accomplishing a direct lift-out is just one step past initiating a quick-travel. A direct lift-out is a method that you would consciously choose and control to separate from the physical. As you progress in your traveling, your lift-outs will be quicker and easier from the awake/asleep line.

There. Now you are completely refreshed. Except for that spot behind your left ear. Oh, that's a dime. I see. No, I don't see actually. Why would you glue a dime behind your left ear? Uh huh. So you know that you always have some change left. That's even worse than some of my jokes. And I think you need to work on your delivery too.

Keep in mind that a quick-travel utilizes a visual-destination (or goal) that is general in action and accomplished immediately. A quick-travel is your instruction to get somewhere or do something NOW!

To initiate a direct lift-out and travel, you utilize a more defined visual-destination. You give yourself instructions with more exact intentions. You direct your nonphysical one action at a time, rather than all-at-once.

A quick travel will accomplish the task and introduce you to the nonphysical. But a direct lift-out and controlled travel puts you in the driver's seat.

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ON THE SET OF TRAVELING, A MADE FOR CABLE MOVIE

And action! You are an actor playing the role of a director. No, that's wrong. You are a director directing a scene that has an actor in it. No, wait. That's not it either. You are an actor and a director, both at once, working on a scene. Yes. That is what you are! You are an actor AND a director. And ACTION!

The scene opens with you in your bed. You are at the awake/asleep line.

Actor: Your physical is sleeping but you are not. You begin to focus on rolling over. You hold that visual of your impending movement and make it real. You get into your role. You tell yourself that you're going to move at any moment. You're going to stir yourself and roll over. You're a very good actor.

Director (also you): You have demanded that the actor (you you you) must not move the physical body! This is a role of thought only. The actor must desire to move and see it about to happen. But the actor must not move, or risk revealing the cliff-hanger ending too soon.

Actor: You tease and taunt that you are about to move. You are Academy Award material. You are just about to move but you keep your cool, remembering the director's dictator demand, "No Movement But The Mind, You Acting Swine!"

Following the release of the movie (and the accolades):
Your physical continues to sleep (as you have acted and directed), while your nonphysical goes off on a delightful travel. Here's why.

(Please follow the bouncing stream-of-consciousness ball.)
If you tell yourself that you desire to move and build it up further by preparing to move and any moment now you're going to move and getting ready and here you go and you're going to move at any second now BUT you don't allow your physical to move from sleep...

Your physical will continue to sleep while your nonphysical reacts to the teasing (it's ACTING!). You then slip out of sync with the physical to fulfill your desire. Ta and da (Russian for yes). You may not even realize that you've moved nonphysically instead of physically until you check. Once, I was halfway to my front door to find my newspaper before I discovered that my physical had never left the bed.

Additionally, the way in which you tease (direct your actions) will affect your nonphysical body's lift-out and movement. Your lift-out might be a roll-out right or left, jump-out, slide-out, float-out, spin-out, etc. Your movement might be flying, floating, running, jumping, moving fast or slow. These are just a few commands to tell you how to go. Yes, that's a rhyme. Go back and read it out loud from "Your movement..." because it's fun.

After you've experimented with direct lift-out a few times, you may soon find that you require only a whim of decision to lift-out, without all the teasing (acting). For, as your intent to move nonphysically becomes your usual practice, you bypass the learning process used initially and go straight to a direct lift-out on command. Your separation can become as nonphysically routine as, "I'm going to sit up now" or "I'm going to roll over to the other side of the bed now" or "I'm going to float to the ceiling now" or "I'm going to go check on the morning paper now."

It's best, as you become more proficient at direct lift-out, to lift-out with an intent of moving at least twenty or so feet from the physical. I'll tell you why in step six. Let's take a break from all this deep thought. Got any munchies in the house?

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AWARENESS (STEP FIVE)

I've been elaborating upon awareness since early on, so you may be surprised to find that it also garners its own step, five. (Surprise! Toot Toot!) Well, don't be too surprised. Your awareness following a lift-out can vary from sharp to blurry. So it's important to provide yourself with the best chance for remaining near the sharp side of your awareness. One excellent way to do this is to mentally quiz yourself with "details" as you travel. "Detailing" will provide a more constant control level and allow for a clearer memory imprint after your return to the physical. Detailing also makes it easier to revisit a travel destination at a later time by recalling the specifics and "thinking yourself there." Try some of these handy-dandy detail queries and then invent some of your own as your travel-awareness dictates.

Detailing (Or...What's With All Of The Etceteras?):
How are you getting about in your traveling? Note if you are flying, running, jumping, hopping, swimming, etc. How do you look nonphysically? Observe whether you are normal, wispy, transparent, undefined, etc. Is your vision crisp, indistinct, shimmering, dark, bright, etc.? What details can you note in your surroundings? Look for road signs, the time of day, people you see and their actions, the weather, events that are occurring, etc. Are you in an environment similar to what you know? Look for the differences between what you know and what you observe. What type of place is it? Are you the only one there or are there others?

If you focus your thoughts on the specific details of what you are experiencing...YOU WILL:

1. Retain a better memory imprint when you return to your physical
2. Gain more insights for later traveling attempts.
3. Enjoy an increased level of awareness and control while traveling.

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READER'S BLOCK

If you've read my preface to this book, you're aware of my displeasure at the lack of helpful insights I've been able to accumulate from "expert" sources. Most of the books attempt an explanation of getting out and then send you on your merry way without an "instruction map" of how things work while you're nonphysical. The few books that do include a map are either too convoluted to be useful or so vague, it's as if they took a couple of x's and drew a line between them. If it appears to you that I have a chip (chocolate, I hope) on my shoulder, you're a very keen observer of one so obvious as myself. I don't understand why so much is written and so little explained. Well, that ends here. Included at no extra charge, I'm about to supply you with the map it took me twenty-eight years to grasp. I'm going to explain the way things work when you're out and how to get the most from your efforts. I'll be glad to write a sequel to this literary masterpiece (which, due to your kind letters, I have now done), but I refuse to leave anything out from this one book that's of immediate importance towards your success at traveling! So by golly, let's get to it. Step six has lots o' parts.

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TAKE A TRAVEL (STEP SIX)

There are laws of the physical environment (i.e., gravity) and there are laws of a nonphysical environment. In addition, some of your physical senses have correlations to senses that you possess while nonphysical. The laws and senses of being nonphysical require a basic understanding and a tad of practice to master.

Thought Equals Action
Just as your physical activity may be motivated by conscious and subconscious thought, your nonphysical may also carry out an activity during varying states of consciousness. But, although there is a similarity, there is also a major difference. When you move about physically, you think to go here or there or do this or that, and then you move into action. Or you don't. Sometimes you change your mind and do something else or nothing at all. In contrast, when you're traveling, the action responds so instantaneously to your thought process that you may have no opportunity to correct or redirect your intent. If you have a lack of direction, any whim at all of conscious or subconscious thought may initiate an action. If for instance you're out but your physical body is nearby, and you casually think about a return, you're there in a flash. There is no delay of any kind worth mentioning (so don't mention it).

You may observe your physical or wander around your home, but you must avoid accidentally thinking yourself back into bed. Even at a great distance from the physical, a gentle thought about your physical body may send you hurtling back. However, from a distance you may have a chance at redirecting your action (perhaps a few seconds).

A return to the physical is not the only result of misdirected thought. You may be pulled away from your desired destination or never reach it. You may find it difficult to control your movements as if being tossed in a strong wind. It all depends on your thoughts. It's as if you were to think about raising your physical arm and before you could think to do otherwise, up it goes.

It takes practice to accommodate this law of nonphysical behavior, but it's not too difficult if you plan ahead. For instance, if your travel was destination-oriented to a nearby park, you'd plan your route before you directed your lift-out.

After your lift-out, you'd stay focused on your chosen route and the final destination of reaching the park. You may observe as "non-directing" thoughts what you find while on the way to the park but keep your primary actions geared to your intent. If your thoughts wander and you find yourself misdirected, pull the reins in and get back to your original plan.

As you now know, a quick-travel (whoop, whoop, get-out-ma-way!) may bring you to a destination, person or thing by visualizing and "feeling" a desire to be there. Although this type of "you-are-there travel" may eliminate conflicting thoughts that send you places you don't wish to go, you must still contend with the "thought equals action" law after you arrive. Once again, you should have a plan as to what you'd like to do or see after the quick-travel has worked its magic of getting you there (where ever there is).

If your travel is task-oriented, before a lift-out, you would plan what you hope to accomplish or learn. For instance, if your goal is to practice your nonphysical movement, you would stay focused to the movements that you have planned before the travel. "I want to fly straight up. I want to stop. I want to move to my right. I want to go faster. I want to slow down. I want, I want, I want." (And you deserve it too.)

You should always have a basic plan for your travels. That way, even if you become misdirected, there is still a chance to reroute yourself and benefit from being out. Although you may concoct a plan after lift-out, a travel without intent will likely pull you first here, then there, then back to the physical.

It's also a grand idea ($1000.00 worth) to have a preset agenda that you don't mind repeating. This helps when you find yourself out without having planned a direction or goal. For instance (I always have a for-instance.), there's a gazebo near my home. I've repeatedly instructed myself (so that now it's part of my back-up) to visit the gazebo in the event that I suddenly find myself out without planning. I've also instructed myself to regain conscious control when I find myself at the gazebo. These instructions place me in a familiar setting, peak my awareness while out and allow for some distance from the physical, thus avoiding an uncontrolled "pull-back."

Seeing Is Believing
As I've explained, while you're nonphysical, thought equals action. It may also be said that desire equals perception. The senses that you possess while out are primarily utilized by wanting to do so.

When you first begin to venture from your physical, you may find that your "vision" is not quite up to snuff in comparison with your physical sight. You may find that objects appear fuzzy or muted. Don't worry; you don't need nonphysical glasses. This is an easily corrected, occasional occurrence that's common to the newly nonphysical. (Say that sentence three times fast while eating crackers.)

If your "vision" is poor following your lift-out, place some emphasis on wanting to see. Gently prod your vision with a desire to see in total clarity. You'll find that your nonphysical sight responds readily to your direction.

Objects viewed nonphysically may appear to shimmer or glow. There may appear to be a radiance that permeates all that you "see" regardless of the actual light available. (I wish I'd known as a child to "turn on" my vision while lost in my darkened bedroom.)

You may also, by focus of your desire, observe details that are a great distance away. This skill takes more honing to perfect, but after awhile you should manage to do so.

It should not be necessary to "turn on" your vision every time you travel. This, as with all nonphysical skills, becomes a part of a learned routine that is self-perpetuating.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye
Your sense of hearing, that may be present or absent (hearing impaired) while in your physical body, will probably seem distant or garbled while traveling. You may perceive sounds that are either physical or nonphysical in nature. You are not, however, using your physical ears to do so. Sounds are not heard in the manner we're familiar with but felt as "waves" that may be "decoded" with some concentrated effort. To explain further, sounds behave much as they do while underwater. A sound may seem to come from everywhere or be distorted. To hear nonphysically, you should first locate the direction of the sound and then attempt to interpret it. This, as always, gets easier and more bountiful as you practice.

Tell Me How You Feel
On the chance that you encounter another traveler, it's important to understand nonverbal communication. This type of exchange requires intuition and intent. In other words, you should develop the ability to discern the message being "sent" by the other traveler and "broadcast" your own thoughts and feelings to that traveler. This takes place in a rapid-fire exchange of information that far exceeds normal conversation.

To illustrate, let's assume that I've just eaten a doughnut to end all doughnuts, and I'm communicating this information to you in the usual way. "I just ate the most spectacular doughnut. It was a masterpiece. The filling was a delectable cream that danced on my tongue, and pastry so light it practically floated from my mouth. The doughnut was drenched with blended chocolates yodeled from Switzerland, and I believe that I've fallen in love with this confectionery delight." Okay, you have my permission to go buy some doughnuts before continuing to read. It's my fault, of course, so you better save me one for when you get back.

Oh, you're back. (Hey, where's my doughnut? Why you, I outta...)

To continue, now that you're satiated. If I were to meet you while you were traveling, you could "receive" the doughnut information, in all its sublime deliciousness, in one quick blip. You'd receive the emotion I've attached to my thoughts and perhaps a "visual" image of me eating the doughnut. Our exchange would occur in a millisecond as opposed to minutes. It's like throwing you a compressed "ball-of-info" instead of unwinding an extensive line of descriptive sentences. Although normal sentences are possible between travelers (also "sent" without actually speaking the words), it's more likely that you'll encounter the "ball" type of communication. To practice this before traveling, think of something that you wish to convey. Don't think of words that describe. Visual images will replace the words as you concentrate on the feelings that surround your topic.

Examples:

1. To send a ball-of-info about your environment to another traveler:
Your visuals, impressions and thoughts might be...
A clean lake. Fresh air. Tall and lovely trees.

2. To send a ball-of-info about your cherished pet to another traveler:
Your visuals, impressions and thoughts might be...
Fido cuddles your lap. Fido chases a stick. Fido chews up your slippers.

3. To send a ball-of-info about your dinner to another traveler:
Your visuals, impressions and thoughts might be...
Fresh, crunchy chicken stacked in a box. Plenty of napkins. Burping.

By eliminating your dependence on words, you are combining your perceptions of the topic with a directed intent and imagery. This nonverbal ball-of-info may then be tossed (with discretion) to another traveler.

Nonverbal communication does require practice, but it's not really too difficult. Your intuition will serve you best for communicating during a travel, and you should not experience a problem with reading what another is sending. Remember however, that another traveler may only send what she/he/it wants you to receive. Play it safely until you get accustomed to nonverbally communicating. After a few tries, you too will be seasoned enough to send selective information.

August 2, 1986
Work was very prevalent in my mind as I tried to become relaxed. I'd used travel suggestions and breathing techniques: I was at the entrance to Park 16 (Osborn and 16th St.), and six travelers floated towards me. There was some initial animosity on their part that seemed to pass almost immediately. We proceeded to "chat," and I explained my job in the building, transmitting my thoughts and feelings as best I could. During the group "discussion," there was one among them who floated to the center and challenged me. The antagonist primarily used a threatening movement to do so. It was quickly realized that I wouldn't rise to the aggressive level being exhibited, and our exchange of nonphysical attack and counterattack was then carried out in good humor. The most accurate similarity I can draw is rough-housing. This was followed by a short bit of further "discussion," and then I returned to the physical. -end entry-

No Tongue, Nose Knows
Forget about taste. It does not seem to have a correlating nonphysical sense. If you think you're tasting something while you're out, you're either "picking up feedback" from your physical body in bed or recalling the sensation from a prior physical experience.

The lack of a physical nose on the other hand (a nose on your hand, how odd) does not seem to limit the nonphysical from "sensing" scents (abundant flowers for example). In addition, an odor appears to permeate the whole nonphysical rather than being limited to a sniff, as through our physical nose.

Seven Quick Facts That You May Find Strange But Useful

Fact One
While traveling, you will encounter many physical barriers that would halt you if you were in your physical body. You're not of course, so don't worry 'bout 'em. You can pass through a rocky mountain or a giant mound of feathers placed just so. You can go underwater or into space without running out of oxygen or blowing up (oh yuck). Weather and temperature conditions may be perceived while traveling without the discomfort often associated with the extremes of either. Basically, I'm telling you to choose a tour and explore galore.

Fact Two
Physical objects when "touched" nonphysically may seem to offer a slight resistance at first and then yield to the more intensified "push" of your nonphysical as you pass through. Your nonphysical, due to its light density and faster vibration, can occupy the same space as a physically solid object. However, I wouldn't try remaining within a physical person. That's oh so rude and it's not gonna work anyway.

Fact Three
You won't, under normal circumstances, move physical objects while nonphysical. Although there are accounts stating that this has occurred to some travelers, it's the exception, not the rule.

Fact Four
Nonphysical objects or other travelers will "feel solid" if their vibrational frequency is close to that of your own frequency.

Fact Five
You may while nonphysical, with the proper lighting and a "desire to be seen," attract the attention of a physical person or animal. It happens more often with animals than people due to the mental blocks we impose upon ourselves, but it can be done. You may also with a force of desire "touch" a person or animal, but it's usually disconcerting to them. I suggest avoiding this temptation for attention.

Fact Six
You may, by focusing your desire while out (notice that trend), increase your vibrational frequency and explore beyond the physical environment. I know that this sounds bizarre, so please at your discretion, either buy the premise or pass it by. I'll explain it anyway to satisfy your curiosity. (Meow.)

The nonphysical frequency that you initially vibrate at while traveling is still only slightly faster than that of the physical. Therefore, you overlap and perceive both environments. However, by increasing your vibrational frequency, you may explore the faster vibrating environments that exist beyond our normal scope of perception.

Fact Seven
There is such a thing as mental-traveling. Mental-traveling doesn't mean that the travel occurs only in your mind. (Ya know, mentally?) Instead of your consciousness traveling in a nonphysical "body" that may allow certain "sensations," your consciousness travels a bit like a dot that primarily "sees" rather than feels. You will find while attempting to visit the much faster vibrational environments that a slower vibrating nonphysical body may not transcend the travel. Therefore, a mental-travel would occur automatically because of the desire to reach that environment.

The following entry elaborates upon facts one and two and the importance of planning ahead.

July 17, 1985
Whenever I awoke during the night, I worked on concentration exercises:
At 5:00am or so it was very bright in the room, so I put some shielding over my eyes to assist in my relaxation. I don't recall starting the process of leaving my body, although I experienced the separation, for I felt my heart beating as I went out. I also felt the wall to the right of my bed as I passed through layer by layer and to the outside. I then became momentarily confused because, although I'd desired travel from prior suggestions, I'd no real goal in mind when I set out. I reentered the room and paused to float in the doorway. I then went out again, this time through a window. I remembered the mountains out by Deer Valley and began heading in that direction. I felt as if a breeze were blowing around me, and I turned about in it a couple of times. The breeze, in fact, may have been only my lack of initial decision as to a travel destination. This absence of a preplanned direction was responsible for my pull-back return to the physical that happened shortly after. The return took almost no time at all. -end entry-

Physically Attracted
You know by now that I prefer to use just those average words that make the most sense regarding traveling. Well, for this section, I don't have to fix the dictionary. Unbelievable. There is simply not a better choice of word to describe the "cord" that connects the nonphysical to the physical than the word cord. That's what it feels like, acts like and is. Best of all, almost all of the information on the cord names it approximately the same thing. There is an actual consensus.

While I've been out, I've reached behind me to verify this chosen word. The cord is usually located near the nonphysical base of the head and neck and upper-back region, assuming that a standard bodily shape is your chosen form of travel. (The actual shape of a traveling body is limited primarily by desire.) It's a cord all right. It feels in actuality like a number of cords that make up the whole. (Think of cables braided together.) As I'll explain in the next section, the cord plays a very important role in your traveling.

Travel Connection
You may recall to my explanation of a direct lift-out that I instructed you to move to a distance of at least twenty feet from the physical after your separation. Well, no matter whether you remember or not, I wrote it. Go back and look here and here. (And you still owe me a doughnut. Don't think I forgot about that either. But I digress. Such a surprise.)

The cord that connects your nonphysical to your physical works somewhat like a rubber band that doesn't break. When you're closest to the physical, it's wider, and as you move away it thins out. But it's also the opposite of a rubber band. Unlike a rubber band that increases its pull as you stretch it out, to spring back to its original form, your cord pull increases as your distance from the physical decreases. You may find yourself pulled right back into where you just got out from. The pull can be overwhelming despite your resolve to stay nonphysical. So, the further you move away from your physical, the better your chances will be to resist. Twenty or more feet of distance from the physical should be enough to gain you the upper hand if you can avoid premature, random thoughts of a return.

Although the pull-back to the physical is a tad frustrating on occasion, it's a wonderful safeguard. The cord insures that you will never get lost while traveling. You're attached to the physical, so you can always find your way back. (It's better than a trail of bread crumbs and considerably less sloppy.)

When you feel like returning to your physical, you just have to think of the physical body or "feel" for it or tell yourself you wish to move the physical body, and the return trip is guaranteed (no postage due). The cord pulls you back neat and tidy, realigning the nonphysical with the physical in a reverse of the way you lifted-out. For instance, if you've lifted-out by a roll-out to the left, you'll return by a roll-in to the right. (Uh oh, I feel a cheer looming. Run while you can. Too late. Roll to the left, roll to the right, stand up, sit down, flight, flight, flight. The rah-rah song for Traveling University. That's T.U. to you.)

The cord connection may also alert you and/or pull you back in response to an event that involves your physical. This might be a discomfort of your physical body or someone shaking the bageebies out of your sleeping self upon the bed.

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ZAP TRAP

There is a potential difficulty I'd like to warn you about in hopes that you'll heed my advice. Avoid electric blankets. Allow me to explain.

Electricity that moves through your home in a wire here and a wire there is not a problem when trying to leave your physical body. Even the main junction to an electrical supply (i.e., a master fusebox to your home's electricity) is confined to an area that your nonphysical could pass around without incident.

An electric blanket however, has wiring that runs throughout the blanket from top to bottom. The electricity is restricted to its "wiring pattern" and your nonphysical may not get past or go around the dense "electric fence" that's created. It's as if you're trying to get through a pattern of bars that's too small. Although you may simply slip out through the top of your head (unless you cover that too), I do advise that you avoid the possibility of difficulty.

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EMOTION EXPLOSION

It's sometimes difficult to remain calm while traveling from the physical. This overwhelming emotion is due, in part, to the actual incredibleness (look it up) of the event. But your emotional highs AND lows are also affected by your nonphysical proximity to your physical body. Near the physical, less desirable emotions (than those associated with incredibleness) may amplify without restraint.

Fear is one of the not-so-fun amplified emotions that may occur close to your physical. A brush with amplified fear can easily drag you back into yourself. There doesn't even need to be a cause for the alarm. One second you're wary, the next second you're terrified, and the next second, you're back in your physical. However, once you are a few feet (I say again, 20 of them!) from your physical, this emotion-boost of highs or lows decreases. Then, you may continue your travel with clearer thoughts.

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CONCEPT OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Your consciousness may exist in two places at the same time and this is not unusual. Well, it's not for gosh sakes. Even during your normal waking state, you may be in two (or more) places at the same time. It is your selective perception that decides which place will get the majority of your attention.

For example:
Perhaps you are sitting in your chair watching tv, but you are thinking towards the fridge for a cold drink. You see yourself moving to the fridge. Now, you're inside the fridge, standing on a ketchup bottle. Any beverages left in there? Can you see what shelf they're on? You can? Your fridge light must be stuck. It's supposed to turn off when the door is closed. Must be bright in there. Hey, while you're getting a drink, grab one for me.

Ta da. You just existed in the fridge and in your chair at the same time. Your perception made it happen.

Unfortunately, this dual-perception of consciousness can bind you to your physical on occasion. While attempting to travel, you may seem to be part here and also, part there. You may find a nonphysical bit of yourself flopping about while the rest of your nonphysical is still "locked" into your sleeping physical. You may also experience nonphysical signals, such as vibration, and feel trapped at that signal-point. You experience both your body on the bed and the nonphysical attributes. You are (again) perceiving two places (environments) at the same time. Now, stop flopping about like that. Do you have any idea how silly you look? And I repeat (as I like to remind myself), this is not at all unusual.

Now, although signals are interesting, they are supposed to be signals, not a sticking point. And although flopping about nonphysically is good exercise, it is also counterproductive to your attempts at traveling. Your goal is to separate completely from the physical, not to ponder bi-location observations. There will be time enough for that later on in your traveling.

If you choose to travel, you will experience bi-location (or even tri-location) due to your ability to perceive more than one event and place. It's a fact. It's just like being in a classroom. There's the teacher speaking but you also hear doodling pencils and classmates snoring and you see the lovely day beyond the window and look at bird on the tree singing a tune and snap of a ruler, you're back to answering questions at the board. Your perception makes it possible to be many places at once.

So, the way to get past the lock that holds you and your perception to both places at once, when all ya really wanna do is float to the fridge is...
(dramatic pause)
Switch your attention to just one place or the other. Either allow your nonphysical to cut loose and LEAP into your traveling plan, or let the effort end and go to sleep. Make a decision and DO IT. It's that simple.

As I mentioned, the vibration signal (and others) that may seem to hold you at that point is a bi-location event. It is nonphysical and yet, you still are in your physical. You feel your physical on the bed at the same time. Again, to get past a dual-perception that locks you to your physical, you should note the event that has happened (signals, flopping about, etc.) and PUSH ON. It is your choice of perception. So note the signal or dual perception; then ignore it and PUSH FORWARD towards a full separation from the physical.

PUSH yourself to your travel destination. Pay no attention to being temporarily stuck. Don't fixate on the signals. Don't concern yourself with how much of your nonphysical is in or out. Note those events and PUSH to the next part of your travel plan. That is where your selective perception should focus.

As a result, you will:
Bypass your bi-location fixation.
Speed up your vibe.
Have a wonderful travel.
Get me a drink from your fridge.

You have been using selective perception your whole life. Use it now to PUSH your perception into the singular task of being where you want to be.

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NOW, WHERE DID I PUT MYSELF?

As I sat earlier tonight on the edge of my bed, it occurred to me that I was out-of-body and ever so slightly above my physical. This was not by choice, although the ambiance and my attitude certainly contributed to my separation. The moonless night was gently lit by a candle and I was feeling loose. It was a quiet moment that followed a long day of effort. On a night like this, I just let what's gonna happen, happen. And it did.

I was suddenly nonphysical, three feet up and observing my physical just below. At the same time, I'm sitting physically upon the bed, fully aware and observing my nonphysical up above. Sounds like bi-location fun, doesn't it? Well, it might have been had I not been faced with a major dilemma that you might not have even thought of. Go on, guess the dilemma. Nope, that's not it. My dog would never use me as a tree while I'm out-of-body. Good guess though. It is about time for his walkies.

The major dilemma I faced which made the event more of a snag than a joy was that I was sitting physically upon the bed. I couldn't let my nonphysical go off exploring or my physical would lose what little control I was managing to stay upright, and just flop ridiculously to the floor. It was this dilemma that finally dragged me back in. I just had to save my gorgeous (heh heh) physical body from succumbing to gravity during this unintended travel. Next time, I gotta remember to lay down before I let what's gonna happen, happen.

April 22, 1988
While waiting for a phone call, I decided to lie down and take a short nap of approximately forty-five minutes. At some point during my relaxation, I found myself out in the living room near my easychair. I could see that I wasn't in the chair, and I tried to remember where I'd left my physical. I felt for it and discovered that it was stretched out on the couch in the other room. Unfortunately, by thinking of the physical, I caused myself to return. As I reentered, I pondered the fact that I'd obviously had a spontaneous travel. Although my mind was preoccupied prior to lying down and was the catalyst to my travel, I'd earlier consumed about three cups of coffee. It seems amazing that I could relax at all and that I'd even considered taking a nap. -end entry-

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RETURN AND MEMORY (STEP SEVEN)

Return (Part One Of Step Seven)
You're now familiar with returning to your physical because it was explained as part of the cord description. Since it's step seven, I stuck it here as well with some further explanation.

You can slow your return to the physical with a bit of restraint. This is done by first concentrating on the direction of your physical body. You then move towards your physical with a controlled, dilly-dally attitude. You simply instruct yourself to return at a pace of your choosing.

The return to physical is much easier than getting out because it's the natural "state of being" for this environment. We live in a physical environment, so our physical takes precedence over our nonphysical. Traveling is the oddity. We are "pushing" with our desire beyond the physical perspective.

Memory (Part Two Of Step Seven)
I've explained the importance of committing your nonphysical travel to physical memory after you return. It was way back at the beginning of the book so you might have forgotten by now. (Gee, if you forget to remember about remembering memories, they should cancel each other out, and you'd remember to remember and...oh forget it, I'm getting a headache just trying to remember what my point was before I forgot.)

Rather than make you click for the passage on memory, here's a rerun. A clean memory of the nonphysical event requires that it be imprinted upon the physical brain. A simple, conscious effort by the individual to recall the nonphysical event after returning to the physical is enough to imprint the travel. If the return to physical is immediately followed by falling directly to sleep and not committing the event from nonphysical knowledge to physical knowledge, there's a good chance of a muddled memory later or none at all of the event.

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KNOCK KNOCK, WHO'S THERE AND GO AWAY

I get a lot of email regarding possession possibilities and I just wanna say this about that. When was the last time you spoke with a possessed person? Be honest. I'm not just talking about some guy who seems a bit daft. I'm talking possession. Never, right? It's just not happening. Despite all the hype about the dangers of losing your physical body or your SELF (eep!), it's not an average event. The only way anything is getting hold of your goodies is if you want it to (on some level). Even a channeler (if you're into that) links with an outside-other for a brief time by choice. It's not a give-me-your-body-or-else situation. Possessions are more rare than winning the lotto.

It's your physical body and you are connected to it. It's a sealed connection. The door is locked tight. Nothing gets in without your say so. Nothing kicks you out of your own physical. You won't be overcome by another while traveling from your physical. Just as you protect your physical in daily life (look out for that bus), you protect it in sleep. It's automatic. You would hear more on this, but it doesn't sell as well as the scary stuff.

If you care to use prayers or chants or sword images or shouts, to fend off a nonphysical intruder, or to protect yourself while traveling, do it. These methods work well to trigger that natural protection response you always have.

With any method or none, you will either take flight from fight, or exhibit a powerful posture, preventing potential possession-poachers. So stop worrying about someone wanting your body. That only happens in Hollywood (where everyone wants your body).

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TO TRAVEL, FOR EXAMPLE

I felt it would be helpful to give you an example of how a potential travel might play out. It should be a travel that includes a bunch of what I've been writing about. My diary entries are oh so fascinating (uh huh), but they primarily highlight only one or two aspects of something I've learned. Therefore, I've culled various entries from my collection and assembled the following.

Nonever 33, 20018
I was intent upon some traveling last night after my long day of writing. Towards this goal, I first took a brief bike ride to calm my body. Then, to calm my thoughts, I took a shower by candlelight and listened to some ducks quacking proudly outside my bedroom window.

As I reclined in my bed, I planned my travel. I wanted to visit my old neighborhood back in Maryland. Since it's a long way off from where I live now, I planned to first lift-out and go to my nearby gazebo. From there, I could then direct a quick-travel to the old neighborhood rather than meandering all the way there. Once I reached my destination, I'd tool around the neighborhood and the woods where I played as a younger me.

My relaxation method soon brought me to the awake/asleep line. As I gathered my control, I felt a quick surge and then some smooth vibe located around my lower torso. I immediately focused on moving the vibe by whirlpool method to full-body.

The vibe seemed right after a short time, so I directed a spin-out and went through my bedroom window to the ground below. It was a moonless night but everything still shimmered in the glow of all things nonphysical. I moved away quickly from the window because I felt a close-to-physical tug of my cord.

As I reached the gazebo, I spied my egg-raised, extra-big-and-mouthy duck, BooBoo (because that's what she was), lounging in the water. I took a moment to detail her markings. This helped to hone my awareness for the quick-travel.

I reached with attachment for the old neighborhood and quickly began to move in that direction. My vision blurred, and I felt the incredible speed of the travel. After about ten seconds, my vision cleared as I began to slow. I came to float about fifteen feet above the ground in the backyard of where I grew up. Talk about a good landing.

I took off exploring as I'd planned to do. I flew through the woods and up the near-vertical trail I'd climbed on my way to school. I ventured to the creek and rock where I'd hung out on summer nights. I went over my street and took it to the end, where it emptied onto the main roads. There were new buildings where once was woods. At last, I visited my nearby elementary school playground. I explored the large, open-air, upper level. I then rose to a few hundred feet and scanned the sleeping neighborhood.

I decided it was time to return, so I felt for the direction to travel and slowly moved towards my physical. I allowed the speed to increase gradually until it blurred, and I was soon near my home again. I saw another traveler outside my complex, but I couldn't discern any messages or intent being broadcast. I sent a brief greeting but avoided an invitation due to that lack of communication. Perhaps they were not aware that they were traveling and were only dreaming their actions. I moved off to below my bedroom window and floated gently up. I went back through the glass and spun-in a reverse of the way I'd left. I could feel the charge throughout my body, and I lay quietly thinking about my travel, committing it to my physical memory for a later entry.

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STEP EIGHT (AN OFF OFF OFF BROADWAY PLAY)

Cue music. Curtain up. Cue spots. Music down.
There are two travelers on stage. One is holding a book. They speak.

You: Hello? I thought that there were only seven steps.
Me: Oops. I did say that, didn't I?
You: Yes, you did. What the heck are you trying to pull with this section?
Me: A fast one?
You: Always with the jokes. What's the eighth step funny man?
Me: You are the eighth step.
You: All right, now I'm confused. Stop being so cryptic.
Me: I can only take you so far. The decision to travel is up to you. The interpretation of the event is up to you. The eighth step.
You: Hmm. You did say from the beginning that I should formulate an opinion that was correct for me. That does seem like a step. You're off the hook, Alan.
Me: Whew, imagine my relief.
You: Well, I should be getting back to whatever I was doing.
Me: Yeah, me too. It's been nice hanging out with you.
You: When will I see you again?
Me: Soon, my friend. I hope to see you soon.

Spots go down. Music swells. Curtain closes for another night.

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LOOSE ENDS

I've always been a thinker of this and that. When I started leaving my body, I had even more to ponder. Over the years, I've given the question of why I travel some considerable attention. I've always wondered why I started young and it never left me. Now, my eventual answer circles back to my questions. I travel because I've always been a thinker. My thoughts run deep and focused (even my dumb ones). At the age of eight, my thinking collided with my strong desire and I jumped out-of-body. I've never been the same since.

I lead a normal life, but my life is not normal. During the hours unoccupied by routine and necessity, traveling is my ever present obsession. If I don't travel, I think about traveling. It's not the fixation of an unhappy man hoping for more than life offers. I'm happy with my life and the person that I am. It is simply a desire to understand and experience.

Writing this book, like my search for answers, was a solitary task. I have sat alone in my not-so-comfortable chair and stared at the screen. I've typed and then retyped and then retyped the retype. Through it all, I've thought about you. I'd like to think that my words will comfort the next accidental expert.

I won't feel so isolated the next time I write. I'm hopeful that your letters and your thoughts will be with me. And if one day we happen to meet, whether physically or nonphysically, you still owe me a doughnut.

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SIGNING OFF

Here we are at the end of my book in a book. Thank you for reading.

This sequel has been a lot of work AND a lot of fun to write. It helped me to recall traveling events and feelings from long in my past. I remembered a time when I wasn't an accidental expert. I was just some guy trying this and that. I was just like you may be now.