The phenomena within the event of that of OBE ( out of body experience ) itself seem nearly endless, but within them are one that I have felt for some time to write more than the blurb, or paragraph or two I have thus far given to the subject — KUMBHAKA, breath cessation; which so it be said at the start, is not total, for this would bring it into being synonymous with what we call “death”, however, within the state, the breath is so greatly altered as to effectively, for all due purpose live up to its name. In this article I will describe in detail, as best I can, what I witness within my experience of this particular observable event, emphasizing that what is shared will be limited to that of my own discrete experience with the phenomenon, which includes multiple dozens of individual experiences wherein it occurred synchronously with that of the OBE.

I would begin thus:

The decades prior to, and leading into my awakening —the latter of which marks the point at which I began making fully conscious shifts out of body —I taught yoga. More specifically, when teaching, I focused on its middle limb – pranayama (breath awareness and breathing patterns). In meditation, my basic stance has been either 1) siddhasana (to sit upright) or savasana (to lay down), 2) focus the attention at the brow, and 3) maintain awareness of the breath. 

MIND, BREATH, BODY
the potential role of the body in the OBE

I am bringing what I have to light due to what I am about to say, which involves one of my own high fascinations, points of interest, and INQUIRY into the fully conscious shift into expanded states. I will write what this is as a statement, and add here at this juncture that it involves the body— When going out, ie: shifting into the expanded state (just as when one “dies”) it is possible to do so in either one of two ways; the most common is to exclude the body and leave it behind, and what is far less common is to include it and instead bring/elevate/advance/expand it out with you; the body is not what most do think, it is comprised, as all indeed is, of consciousness.

When working with elemental consciousness, as in the elemental consciousness-cells of the body, one is entering the realm of working with-and-within that of alchemy and alchemical processes. I say this without wanting to sidetrack too deeply into it, but this much minimally must be said for it is involved in the direction this article will be traveling. As many of you will know who are already involved in the fully conscious shift into-and-out of body, which I will here say is synonymous with shifting into-and-out of 3D Earth space,—this is possible in a number of ways. Among these is the choice to shift perceptually or experientially through any of the body’s energy centers (chakras), or to do so what I call “whole body”. It is the latter, which for a time, began to result in something which, even looking back at it still blows my mind today.

It is from a series of what constitutes roughly a dozen direct firsthand experiences of this, that I learned it may be just as possible to dematerialize from local ( 3D Earth ) space as it is to do so from within the OBE, -then, again, materializing elsewhere *even if the elsewhere is another potential consensus/material reality. This is something I see from within the Kundalini-type of awakening I have been moving through and also the tendency I have had, notably 2009-2013, to 1) make fully conscious shifts, and 2) refine a capacity within this to hold synchronous states (science would call this quantum location) — all while observing their discrete contents with keen interest. 

Some of you who are familiar with me will know the directive I heard within the event of my first fully conscious shift, which has fueled both my awe and adamant interest steadily inward ever since. For those not yet familiar with me, a loud, booming male voice simply stated:

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT THE PHYSICAL BODY SYSTEM.

This has been a subject of rigorous exploration, ever since. 

To Gently Review—

My own discrete experience has included

• Cosmic processes (Kundalini)
• Alchemical processes involving the body; the consciousness cells of the body
• The fully conscious shift into expanded states; into and out of 3D Earth space
• Synchronous states, quantum location, holding myself in wave form
• Regular shifts directly INTO various dimensions of my own biological system
• Kumbhaka, observance of breath cessation

And at this point,
you may be wondering what any of this other has to do with breath cessation.

It humors me to say that you are not alone. I, too, am still working all this out and find myself wondering what these various phenomena (within the event of the OBE) have to do with one another—notably those which include, and even bring one directly into the internal mechanics and functions of the body. They do all fit together, this I can say with a good deal of certainty, however, it is to what end, for what purpose and design that I am still in question. Liberation within the lifetime (ascension) sits at the top of quite the short list of potentials.

Perhaps, though, what any of what I have brought to the page thus far has directly to do with breath cessation, specifically within the event of the OBE, may be equally and more directly relative to who is apt to experience this phenomenon —possibly even why.

HOW I SHIFT
surrendering mind, breath and body

It is important at this juncture to mention how it is I first began making fully conscious shifts, for I feel it fundamentally related to the phenomenon of breath cessation. Although the event of the shift occurs at once, I may observe and perceive into it more as a process. If interested in the process in full, you can read it here – a brief summary will serve our purpose on this page. When an impending shift is imminent I generally feel it coming on and over me.

At first I will feel the arrival of a highly tangle presence at my back.
The presence merges with me, envelops me, I find myself perceptually within its embrace.
I feel an atmospheric change in pressure, like an alteration in the barometer.
The sensation is like being inside of a balloon being slowly blown up.
I feel this, riveted, and witness myself slowly stop breathing.

Until—I am no longer in our physical matter reality.

I am elsewhere.

BREATH CESSATION ( KUMBHAKA )

I can speak of more than once, when rather than allow the attention to go “elsewhere” I instead took it deeper, more directly and at times for prolonged periods into the shift itself, specifically this very juncture wherein I am no longer breathing. I recall wanting to see the difference between our more standard in-and-out breath and what it is that was occurring here—because there is indeed still a “breath” of sorts, an energy, or aliveness, or dynamic. I would sit here in it for as long as it took to discern detail enough to satisfy my curiosity. The word-concept I found that best describes the innermost experience here in this state — is RADIANCE.

It is pure GIVING, pure EXTENSION, the experience of which (through me) is one of pure equilibrium, bright and calm joy, – words truly do it no justice.

It is something that, even here in this state, could be visualized, symbolized. I would see it as something like an unwavering attention directed naturally inward into a structured diamond white light geometry ( a star, if you will ) — the focus unwaveringly inward into the light causing a radiance of the same to extend equally, steadily, infinitely out from itself.

This—now lives within the life I live here.

There is no greater gift, goal, nor fulfillment than to give mind breath and body to the expression of this, of what has now taken up residence in me, to the best of my ability.

Having said this,

Let’s now speak of the more physical mechanics I have observed.

SIGNS OF BREATH CESSATION WHILE OUT OF BODY

I have mentioned previously that in the years between 2009-2013, wherein the conscious shift into expanded states (ie: the OBE) was occurring near daily, I was often taken directly into my own body system. On multiple occasions this was to more directly observe the event of kumbhaka (breath cessation). This began, as all things do, with my own curiosity and query. You see, having been out and about, I had begun a phase of re-entering our local space with another curious phenomena, that of my mouth being dry as a bone —and I do mean DRY AS A BONE.

This having happened multiple times, I began to wonder what it was that was causing this. No sooner did I wonder, than I began being taken in to see—to directly experience in first person, from directly within my own mouth cavity! I would be remiss to not mention here the synchronous states (quantum location); I am not solely positioned within the mouth cavity, but also in my more regular position, laying in the bed with my eyes closed, as well as viewing/experiencing from the point of the aforementioned “highly tangibly presence” (some aspect of my greater being) fasciliting all these events. This gives a depth and thoroughness of experience which, not wanting to sidetrack, I will simply mention. You may, on your own, be able to imagine the multiple data sets from which a more broad spectrum of information is being drawn into the experience.

From within the mouth cavity I viewed in awe.

Although I never did quite get, or manage to arrive at the force (or function) responsible for the event of the cessation of breath —I did not feel it could be simply assigned to the autonomous nervous system, for this is not something that occurs, in any sense, normally or regularly —what I could detect is an organization, of sorts, following what could be called “directions”; I could sense the directing, just not locate or accurately/effectively identify it.

What I could also very clearly detect, see, feel and fully experience is the mechanics from within the mouth cavity, secondarily responsible for holding the body and the breath in this suspended state. The structure held, interestingly so, by a few simple means:

• All moisture from the mouth cavity was removed
• The tongue was made to seal the floor of the mouth
• The mouth cavity itself was made to expand to its fullest capacity
• The tiniest pinhole opening was made in the center of otherwise fully sealed lips

All of this, I observed.

There were times in which I viewed for hours —while, synchronously, at times, also further out in experiences beyond that of the body. Periodically, on average roughly every 30 minutes (though it could sometimes be much longer), there was the slightest, RAPID expiration of air shot through the pinhole opening in the lips. The amount so microscopic, in a fraction of a second, as to be beyond my ability to identically, consciously reproduce. —and I have tried.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BREATH CESSATION IN THE OBE

This is an area of ongoing investigation and exploration.

There may come a time when I may be motivated to say more.

At present, the best I feel I can do is direct you to the questions naturally arising in me in the wake of experiencing all I have. For instance: Is something unique, discrete to itself occurring in OBEs wherein breath cessation is in play —relative to those in which it isn’t? I, myself, following upwards of a thousand fully conscious shifts into expanded states (2009-2013), detect no qualitative difference in my own experiences, however, this may be due to them beginning with breath cessation. It could be that a change was effected within myself from the beginning, which remained qualitatively thereafter, minimally through the years mentioned. BUT—

Had my experiences not begun in this way, would there then have been an observable qualitative difference? I cannot say, with certainty, as I type these words. —though there are those, who for the reason of breath, respect the NDE (near death experience) over the OBE.

Setting the idea of a qualitative difference aside, — another question:

Is the body – ITself – undergoing in this state any additional transformative processes? — such as what could be likened to that of the consciousness. I currently sit in this question in the affirmative. Though I hesitate to speak further. The subject, for one, is not pertinent to most, and, also, I have far more to directly experience, and process, prior to sharing any more than my discrete queries. It is of great interest, and even intrigue to me, to be sure.

I will leave you with this for today.

If you would like, keep the conversation going in the comment area below.