[aparneioninny]

Hey all,

I have a borrowed copy of Astral Dynamics and have been working on attaining a conscious exit projection for a little over a month now.

I attempt projection fairly regularly, but I seem that have a major problem calming my mind
I can push thoughts away for a few seconds but usually they end up coming back and distracting me.
My biggest problem is the fact that I always hear music. A random song, that just refuses to stop playing.
I do my best to do the concentration exercises, and maybe I'm improving it's hard to tell.

So, I was practicing the trance state which I usually follow up with a projection attempt.
As usual my mind was busy at work, despite my best efforts with breath awareness and what not.
So when I put myself into the trance state I literally make myself feel like I'm falling. I basically almost push downwards without using my muscles (it seems to work but is this effective?).
Then I seem to get these little eye rushes very quickly, it feels like my whole eyes is twitching involuntarily, but it happens very quickly and usually during my sensation induction. This couldn't be REM motion could it?
Then today something unusual happened.
I began to feel very lethargic, and I figured maybe I should let myself drift a little while trying to keep the falling motion going.
Then all of a sudden it was like I hit something I felt a short but intense rush, and I saw a burst of color/pattern, I believe its called hypnogogic imagery, it almost felt like I was falling.
Then I began to think that for the first time I was in a noticeable trance. So I tried to continue the falling motion and clear my mind, but my mind seemed different. It didnt want to obey, my thinking felt more clear but at the same time more distant. I could still hear music, which I tried to tune out.
So then I let my eyes roll around loosely under my eye lids and this quick jolt falling sensation happened a few more times.
Then I tried to start a ROPE exit technique.
Every time I have done the ROPE nothing seems to have happened.
I might not be using my awarness hands when I climb, I may just be visualizing myself climbing rather than feeling it.
When I actually force myself to feel it, I get a weird chest rush sensation, that feels very good. This is almost identical to my falling sensation.
But I usually cannot get anymore sensations while doing an exit technique.

So basically.
1. Was I in a trance state?
2. What was the rush/fall sensation with the hypnogogic imagery?
3. Is my problem with exit techniques usuals

Thanks much!!