plane. The astral plane refers to other dimensions in the universe that some call the heavens.
Whether astral travel is an illusion of the mind or real is way outside the scope of this book. Our purpose is to provide another piece of information that leads to the belief that we humans are more than our physical bodies.
So, how do you conduct an out-of-body experience? Robert Monroe’s 1971 book Journeys Out of the Body demonstrated how audio technology could facilitate OBEs. Monroe conducted research on human consciousness from which he produced evidence that specific sound patterns have identifiable effects on our states of consciousness. By testing certain combinations of frequencies on himself, Monroe was able to encounter what he termed an out-of-body experience. Monroe went on to develop Hemi Sync, an audio technology that facilitates OBEs. Just Google “Hemi Sync” and you will be able to purchase his audio CDs of sounds.
You may be thinking this is all far-fetched, but I’ve actually experienced an out-of-body experience on multiple occasions. Whether this was really my spirit rising out of my body or just an illusion based on psychological or neurological factors, I cannot say.
In any event, here is how I experienced an OBE using the Monroe Hemi Sync method:
➢ Lie in bed with hands at your side and get as comfortable as you can. You need to place yourself in the best position and environment to achieve success. You should be in a distraction-free environment where you can darken the room and remain undisturbed during the 30- to 45-minute exercise. Loosen any tight clothing and remove shoes and glasses (or contacts).
➢ You will hear a voice on the Hemi Sync CD and then you will hear sounds. There are three steps that you must follow for any OBE exercise: create an energy conversion box; recite the affirmation; and conduct resonant tuning.
➢ An energy conversion box is symbolic of a location where you can place all your worries and concerns, leaving you free and unencumbered. Create it in your mind, even if you don’t see, hear, or feel it.
➢ Say the affirmation: “I am more than my physical body.” The affirmation helps you focus your attention on what you want to accomplish during the exercise. It helps you focus your intent, thereby enabling you to become more aware of your expanding consciousness.
➢ The final step is resonant tuning, which is a breathing exercise to help you vitalize and charge your entire system. It promotes an accelerated gathering of your vibrational energy while reducing your internal dialogue. From the Monroe CD you will hear strange, eerie sounds of a symphonic or synthesized nature. You need to put your mind into the rhythmic sound waves.
➢ If you are successful (and it may take three to ten exercises to get there), you will feel a tingling sensation throughout your body. When you do, keep your mind focused and soon the tingling will change to vibrations, which will get more intense by the second, capturing your entire body, head to toe.
➢ And then it could happen—you will be looking down at your body. You will have experienced an OBE. It is possible that you will have a sensation that your spirit is floating freely and drifting upward toward the bedroom ceiling. It will be a glorious feeling.
When it is over, you will say to yourself, Did this just happen, or was this a dream? Was this my imagination, or reality? Personally, I don’t know whether to believe or not to believe, but I’m glad for the experience. In any event, these Hemi Sync sounds will take you on a spiritual journey whether you experienced an OBE or not. And you will certainly have the sensation that you are more than your physical body, an important tenet for the practice of positive aging.
Connect Through Crystals
There is a small but growing segment of people in America today who utilize crystals as an aid to awaken their spirits. Crystals have had prominence in ancient rituals and practices over the past millennium. For believers, humans emit an energy into the universe, and crystals absorb energy vibrations emitted from their surroundings and then send them back into the world. People connect with crystals and feed off their emission of positive energy, lifting their vibrations and moving them to a spiritual state.
Crystals are physical forms of the Earth’s energy. When you connect with your crystal, your crystal gets to know you, in a sense, based on your vibration. It is believed that programming your crystals with specific intentions creates a special aura in your environment, helping you fight off any negativity that may be affecting your well-being. This is particularly useful for people seeking to tap their spirit and embrace positivity as they age.
The question of whether the power of crystals is real is up to each one of us. For purposes of tapping our spirit, believers should use crystals as an aid. For nonbelievers, there may still be a positive psychological effect of using crystals, thinking that maybe they have the power to tap into your spirit.
If you acquire a crystal, put it into practice by wearing it as jewelry, placing it in your home, or carrying it in your pocket. Here are five crystals associated with facilitating a spiritual journey:
Clear Quartz. Quartz is one of the most basic crystals to begin your spiritual journey with. Quartz carries the power to cleanse your thoughts and clear your mind. Once you feel connected to your quartz, clarify your intentions for the stone and trust that it is listening.
Selenite. This stone is known for unblocking stagnant energies, ensuring a positive flow of vibrations between you and your crystal. Selenite is one of the most powerful tools for removing negativity as you age.
Shungite. This stone contains natural antioxidants, making it a powerful healer of health-hazardous energies to the body. It can be used for detoxification and relief from anxiety as you age.
Amethyst. It is believed that this stone acts as an energetic shield containing a spiritual light around your body. This stone is particularly useful for people confronting physical and mental decline because it helps strengthen your spiritual body, as well as boosting your self-worth.
Citrine. This stone carries the energy of the sun and promotes happiness and positivity as we cope with the marks of aging. Citrine is a useful crystal for people as they age because it fills you with optimism and motivates you to form good habits for achieving balance in your life.
Pray
Prayer is a profound way to tap into your spirit and communicate with what some believe to be godlike powers or a higher self. For many, prayer is an effective form of coping that helps older people as they physically and mentally age.
I did not lean on prayer during my battle with cancer. I guess I felt awkward communicating with something I’m not sure about. However, nearly 60 percent of Americans report praying daily. Interestingly, group prayer is associated with a greater well-being and happiness, while solitary prayer is associated with depression and loneliness. There is some scientific validation of the benefits of prayer, in terms of health outcomes, but it is not conclusive. Critics of prayer maintain that any perceived benefits of prayer are likely due to a placebo effect. However, until science proves otherwise, prayer is an effective way to summon our spirit and is useful for anyone dealing with the marks of aging or a life-threatening disease.
Practice Yoga
Sometimes it is necessary to prepare your body for meditation by stretching and building strength. Yoga, an ancient Indian health regimen, is a practice that accomplishes this task by creating balance in the body’s energy centers through developing both strength and flexibility. Yoga unites the body, mind, and spirit,
