Mirror gazing

This an apparently very simple technique, but also one that appears to be very effective. 

It was devised through a series of trial and error experiments by Sylvan Muldoon.  It is described in his book The Projection of the Astral Body – a book which contains quite a large number of both out-of-body experiences and suggestions for techniques.

It works via Befuddling – confusing the mind by telling it that really ‘you’ are not here but there!  Reason thinks it knows you are actually in your body, but if you keep on telling the Reasoning system that it is wrong, that really you are over there, it gets totally confused – which is what you want.  There is also a little help give by Relaxation, being in a comfy armchair and also the repetition involved – you are also stilling the Learning system.

The following is a direct quote from the book – astral projection means out-of-body:

1. Place a chair before a mirror, for you are now about to try to bewilder yourself with yourself!
2. In this exercise, you are to study yourself so intensely that you almost go to sleep while doing so and lose your understanding of which is the real You.
3. I am assuming that you are now comfortably seated in an armchair, facing your reflection in the mirror.  Do not think of the mirror, and do not believe that you are looking at a reflection; try rather to convince yourself that you actually are where the reflection is; that you are not in your real body at all.
4. Now begin to scrutinise yourself carefully, trying to find things about yourself which you have never recognized before.  See the true colour of your hair, the true expression of your eyes, the true shape of your nose. See that cheekbone, those few whiskers on your chin, the lumps on your forehead, the little ridges around your nose! Yes, there is enough to keep you busy looking at and studying yourself for some time ; so keep it up!
5. Now that you have given yourself a concentrated examination stand in front of the mirror and look directly into your eyes.  Keep your eyes centred on the eyes in the reflection.  Blink when you are inclined to, but keep your eyes on the eyes in the mirror.  Are you growing unsteady now? Are you swaying slightly from side to side? That is what you should do.
6. Now sit down again in the chair and gaze directly into the eyes in the mirror, keeping your stare concentrated upon those eyes.  As you do this, repeat your own name over and over, distinctly and monotonously. This has a very subtle effect upon the mind.  If, after a while, your eyes seem to be getting dim, or misty, do not let this distract your attention, but keep everlastingly gazing into your own eyes.
7. In your mind you are to believe that the reflection in the mirror is the real you.  You are not to remember the fact that you are sitting in the chair ; believe only that the real you is the reflection in the mirror!  You are seeing Yourself, but the real You is in the mirror!  Try to relax with this in mind, and with your eyes centred upon the eyes in the mirror.
8. This delusion of self " rattles " the astral body, for it puts the idea in the subconscious mind that the reflection is the real You; and … the suggestion to that effect is often strong enough to "possess the subconscious will " to move the astral body over to the place where the innate mind thinks you really are
9. Remember, it makes no difference how true the suggestion coming from the subconscious mind really is; if the mind is deluded by the belief that you are at the spot shown in the reflection, it impresses the subconscious will to that effect.

References

The Projection of the Astral Body – Sylvan Muldoon with commentaries by Dr Hereward Carrington 1929

Observations

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• Azam, Dr Etienne Eugène - Hypnotism, Double Consciousness and alterations of personality – The side effects of hypnotism - catalepsy
• Mirror gazing
• Tholey, Paul and LaBerge, Stephen - Mirror Technique for OBE Induction