Lehal Library

2. The Projectable Double There are many different types of OBE and therefore many different types of projectable double. To make sense of OBE and projection — to obtain a better understanding of some of the energetic intricacies involved — it is necessary to examine the main aspects of the projectable double. Let us start by taking a brief look at its structure, starting at its very lowest energetic aspect... the etheric body. The Etheric Body The human etheric body (also called the energy body) is the subtle body most closely related to and enmeshed within the physical body. I do not believe this aspect can separate from its physical body while its physical body still lives. It has three main aspects: bioenergetic, pure-energetic, and expanded-energetic. The three aspects are strongly interrelated. The bioenergetic aspect of the human etheric body is the underlying, supporting bioenergetic mechanism and active living template for bodily intelligence and all biological life processes. It works in line with the biological functioning of the physical body, and exists as an exact bioenergetic counterpart that is firmly enmeshed with the living physical body. The pure-energetic aspect has at least seven primary energy centers (often called chakras or psychic centers), hundreds of secondary energy centers (minor chakras), and thousands of tiny energy exchange ports. Throughout this runs a complex network of internal and external energy pathways, connecting circuitry, and energetic structures. This aspect of the etheric body does not strictly follow the internal and external contours of the physical body. The expanded-energetic aspect occurs when the physical body falls asleep, or enters the trance state. The substance of the pure-energetic aspect of the etheric body becomes energetically excited and begins to expand outward. This allows the pure-energetic aspects of the etheric body to function independently from the physical body, without disturbing it while it sleeps. Holding the mind awake during the trance state creates a wide range of energetic conflicts. These conflicts can cause some very peculiar sensations, such as the feeling of expansion (often perceived as the sensation of shrinking or falling inward). The degree of etheric body expansion possible depends greatly on the level of sleep or trance attained. The etheric body, in its energetically excited and expanded state, is a true subtle body in its own right. The main difference between it and any other subtle body — e.g., the real-time and astral bodies — is that the expanded etheric body is not normally capable of leaving the confines of its physical body. The continuing presence of all three aspects of the etheric body appears essential for the continuance of biological life processes. I believe that the etheric body is far too dense and too firmly enmeshed within the physical body (as subtle bodies go) to allow a full projection of its energetic substance to occur. The closest subtle body to the etheric body is the real-time body, the generation of which begins inside the expanding etheric body before any type of OBE, conscious or unconscious. Thus the etheric body is found to have more than a small part to play in the process of generating and projecting the real-time double. Trance and Inner-Body Projection If the physical body falls asleep while its mind is even partially awake, it enters a level of the trance state. The telltale sinking heaviness and cozy warmth of the trance state will then be felt, if only momentarily, before the seeming oblivion of sleep occludes normal waking consciousness. When the first level of the trance state is attained — light trance — the etheric body begins its expansion process. To be more precise, the first stage of the expanded etheric body generation process forms the separate but still internal subtle body. The deeper the level of trance, the more strongly the etheric body will be generated as a distinctly separate and independently functioning subtle body. 10