How to attain/access Altered State of Consciousness (please suggest)

[Lasuh]

I am always curious about altered state of consciousness, I would love to explore different aspects of our consciousness, but I have no access to Psychedelics, so I tried to look for others ways. I use to meditate but I did not experience anything different from the ordinary state, I was wondering if there were some specific techniques I was missing out, so I tried searching for meditation techniques through web but I couldn't find any specific technique, I will be very grateful to Avalon Members, if any of the members can suggest or share the techniques which you find helpful or useful. Thank you!! :bigsmile:

[Baby Steps]

I like drumming combined with shamanic journeying:

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?77933-The-Therapeutic-Effects-of-Drumming&p=911558&viewfull=1#post911558

[shaberon]

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mot-snakes/rotsnake2.gif

That's stationary. If you lock your gaze on it, it will stop.

I'm very visual; I find that focusing onto the Indian Sri Yantra can make it start glowing. This same kind of focus can expose the human aura. I found that Paramahamsa Yoganada's aura was so strong, I could see it on pictures.

That's not a very high state of altered consciousness--unless maybe you start doing it for a long time. I did it too much, and had to make it stop.

[Jayren]

Smoke some weed and try to meditate, go within.

[Mark]

Lucid Dreaming and OOBEs. Search anything by Robert Monroe. Most direct and useful explanatory text, "Journeys Out of the Body". A number of websites around where methods are detailed.

[conk]

Lucid Dreaming and OOBEs. Search anything by Robert Monroe. Most direct and useful explanatory text, "Journeys Out of the Body". A number of websites around where methods are detailed.

Indeed, or books by William Buhlman. Adventures Beyond the Body or How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel is a good one and much more than the title would suggest.

[Johnny]

There are lots of YouTube videos out there e.g ov6flx2hsO0

And books: http://www.baytallaah.com/bookspdf/132.pdf

http://exopoliticshongkong.com/uploads/far_journeys.pdf

Johnny :)

[Violet]

:)


but I have no access to Psychedelics

In my observation the moon/chandra also plays a role. Try waxing moon for your exercises and compare them with exercises done under a waning moon. Currently the moon is waning.

[Hawkwind]

Exploring altered states is generally much safer and more productive when done with a reliable, experienced guide. If you find one, he or she will be able to instruct you in whatever method(s) he or she has explored. It's often been said that when the student is ready the guru appears. That's certainly true in my case. So, my suggestion would be rather than search for ways to explore altered states of consciousness, just stay open to the possibility and whatever states of consciousness you're ready to experience will find you. Psychedelics are very much a two edged sword. They will get you to altered states, but if your mind isn't prepared for what it encounters there, the experience can be extremely unsettling and sometimes dangerous. In any case, any mental state that can be achieved with psychedelics can be achieved without them, and if you learn to reach them without chemical assistance, you don't leave the state when the drugs wear off.

[samildamach]

Frequencies work very well for me while meditating.usually I stick to 528 .headphones and quiet space.look into your eyelids and follow the shapes and colours

[Unicorn]

I suggest tratak.

It is a form of meditation, where you stare into the flame of a candle until your eyes start to water (or not).

A few alledged benefits of staring into a candle flame:

Tratak has been known to treat several eye disorders such as weak eyesight, and it improves the internal and external optic function.
It improves concentration and internal strength.
It helps in disconnecting and becoming unattached to the distractions of the external world.
It helps develop intuition as you focus on the third eye.

[seah]

Hemi-sync, which is Bob Monroe's invention is training for right and left hemispheres of the brain to work in unison, something we were meant to do naturally before we were tampered with. I recommend it.

The Ganzfeld method is something I've read about but never tried, if you're up for it, here is the explanation:
https://mindhacks.com/2008/11/17/ganzfeld-hallucinations/

[Basho]

Exploring altered states is generally much safer and more productive when done with a reliable, experienced guide. If you find one, he or she will be able to instruct you in whatever method(s) he or she has explored. It's often been said that when the student is ready the guru appears. That's certainly true in my case. So, my suggestion would be rather than search for ways to explore altered states of consciousness, just stay open to the possibility and whatever states of consciousness you're ready to experience will find you. Psychedelics are very much a two edged sword. They will get you to altered states, but if your mind isn't prepared for what it encounters there, the experience can be extremely unsettling and sometimes dangerous. In any case, any mental state that can be achieved with psychedelics can be achieved without them, and if you learn to reach them without chemical assistance, you don't leave the state when the drugs wear off.

I concur with this great advice.

But I'm guessing the OP is a young man whose strong desire to explore is severely restricted, due to lack of outlets in our increasingly repressive & totalitarian world. Mostly financial restrictions. Hard for a guru/teacher to appear when one is stuck in their city without much disposable income to go out & meet people outside of the mundane circle. Or having a good job that eats up the majority of each day & having only a week or two of vacation time a year. And that's in the USA, magnify that at least 10 fold in a developing country.

Sometimes a push from psychedelics is much needed. So, I'm probably gonna get sh!t for saying this. But F it. Go get some NoS in the form of whipped cream dispenser chargers. Pretty sure cheap & easy to find in India. Indulge in a solitary setting without distractions, like you're meditating. Don't do it with a bunch of people around at a party. Although that can be quite an enlightening experience in itself lol.

[Hawkwind]

... Sometimes a push from psychedelics is much needed. So, I'm probably gonna get sh!t for saying this. But F it. Go get some NoS in the form of whipped cream dispenser chargers. Pretty sure cheap & easy to find in India. Indulge in a solitary setting without distractions, like you're meditating. Don't do it with a bunch of people around at a party. Although that can be quite an enlightening experience in itself lol.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking better living through chemistry. I've done my fair share of the magical mystery tour (maybe a bit more than my fair share even) and I still do ayahuasca sessions with a local shaman about once a year. I have, however, gotten stuck in altered states, ie- hallucinated for a week straight, been attacked by demons, had a friend accidentally kill himself, etc. So, I don't recommend taking mind altering substances lightly. As for NoS, I tried it once and it was something on the order of being smacked in the back of the head with a 2x4. Not something I'm inclined to try again or recommend to others (although I do know much of the research done by William James was based on his use of it). Anyway, to each their own I suppose. Best of luck in wherever your journey takes you, Lasuh.

[provolon]

Rebirthing (from Leonard Orr)