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Journeys out of the body – Robert Monroe

Arrived at the hospital EEG lab at 9:00 pm , after driving seventy miles from Richmond. No particular sense of fatigue.  Sleepiness earlier in the day, around 1 pm, but no rest was taken. Active day from around six-thirty in the morning.

By nine-thirty in the evening, all electrodes had been attached by the technician, who was the only person present when I arrived. I reclined on a temporary cot, in a semi-darkened room, using a pillow and sheet, no shirt, but retaining trousers.

Experienced usual difficulty in getting head comfortable, especially the ear pressed against the pillow. As a "side sleeper," it made no difference which side; each was equally uncomfortable due to the electrodes attached to my ears. After a semblance of ease, I attempted to relax naturally, but was unsuccessful. I went finally into the fractional relaxation pattern - count up from number one, associating each number with a body part starting with feet, fixing closed eyes in direction of body part as number and mental command to relax were thought.

Experienced usual mind "drift"  at various points, and forced attention back to relaxation technique. Went through entire sequence without complete relaxation, so I started again at the beginning. After about forty-five minutes of this without attaining full relaxation, I decided to take a break, sat up (halfway), and called to the technician.

I sat up partially, smoked a cigarette, and talked with the technician for about five or eight minutes, then decided to try again. After some time spent in attempting to ease ear-electrode discomfort, concentrated on ear to "numb" it, with partial success. Then went into fractional relaxation technique again. Halfway through the second time around in the pattern, the sense of warmth appeared with full consciousness (or so it seemed) remaining. I decided to try the "roll-out" method (i.e. start to turn over gently, just as if you were turning over in bed using the physical body). I started to feel as if I were turning, and at first thought I truly was moving the physical body. I felt myself roll off the edge of the cot, and braced for the fall to the floor. When I didn't hit immediately, I knew that I had separated.

I moved away from the physical, and through a darkened area, then came upon two men and a woman. The "seeing" wasn't too good, but got better as I came closer. The woman, tall, dark-haired, in her forties (?), was sitting on a love seat or couch. Seated to the right of her was one man. In front of her, and slightly to her left, was the second man. They all were strangers to me, and were in conversation which I could not hear. I tried to get their attention, but could not. Finally, I reached over, and pinched the woman (very gently!) on her left side just below the rib cage.  It seemed to get a reaction, but still no communication. I decided to return to the physical for orientation and start again.

Back into the physical was achieved simply, by thought of return. Opened physical eyes, all was fine, swallowed to wet my dry throat, closed my eyes, let the warmth surge up, then used the same roll-out technique. This time, I let myself float to the floor beside the cot. I fell slowly, and could feel myself passing through the various EEG wires on the way down. I touched the floor lightly, then could "see" the light coming through the open doorway to the outer EEG rooms.  Careful to keep "local," I went under the cot, keeping in slight touch with the floor, and floating in a horizontal position, finger tips touching the floor to keep in position, I went slowly through the doorway. I was looking for the technician, but could not find her. She was not in the room to the right (control console room), and I went out into the brightly lighted outer room. I looked in all directions, and suddenly, there she was. However, she was not alone. A man was with her, standing to her left as she faced me.  I tried to attract her attention, and was almost immediately rewarded with a burst of warm joy and happiness that I had finally achieved the thing we had been working for.  She was truly excited, and happily and excitedly embraced me. ……….. However, there was no direct intelligent objective communication with her other than the above. None was tried, as I was too excited at finally achieving the separation and staying "local."

I then turned to the man, who was about her height, with curly hair, some of which dropped over the side of his forehead. I tried to attract his attention, but was unable to do so. Again, reluctantly, I decided to pinch her gently, which I did. It did not evoke any response that I noticed. Feeling something calling for a return to the physical, I swung around and went through the door, and slipped easy back into the physical. Reason for discomfort: dry throat and throbbing ear.

After checking to see that the integration was complete, that I "felt" normal in all parts of the body, I opened my eyes, sat up, and called to the technician. She came in, and I told her that I had made it finally, and that I had seen her, however, with a man. She replied that it was her husband.