185) Overview of the OBE Intensive with William Buhlman

My friend Jaime and I had the wonderful opportunity to experience the OBE Intensive with William Buhlman at The Monroe Institute in Virginia this past November 24-30, 2012.  It was likely the most fun and informational workshop we’ve ever been too.  

As I prepared to arrive at The Monroe Institute (TMI), having driven the seven hours from New York to Virginia, I was excited to think I’d be able to use the actual CHEC (Controlled Holistic Environmental Chamber) units (see http://vimeo.com/5498074) that were used for the astral travels and described extensively by Robert Monroe in all of his books.  I was thrilled to know that my friend and fellow astral traveler, Jaime, would be meeting me there and together we would learn more about ourselves and discover the wonders of the inner world within us.

As I neared the grounds of TMI (The Monroe Institute),  I was elated to see a red-tailed hawk flying just in front of my car, a familiar ‘sign’ I get when I need some reassurance that all is going to be just fine! As I pull into the parking lot and got out of my car, Jaime was just getting off the shuttle from the airport!  This was truly an amazing ‘sychronicity’ for us, as his plane from the West Coast was delayed for hours earlier and he did not know exactly when he’d be arriving.  The fact that we both got there at the EXACT same time to me validated that we were both there where we needed to be!

As the rest of the participants arrived over the next few hours, we spent time introducing ourselves and getting to know them, amazed to see that some participants came from all over the world, including across the US, Australia, London, and Germany! 

The next few days included a general schedule of waking to music, the opportunity for early morning yoga, and then breakfast together.  A longer morning session with William Buhlman would include generally two techniques in the CHEC units and great discussions on a variety of topics relating to OBE’s.  Lunch was served about 1pm, and we had a few hours of ‘free time’ to spend as we wish. 

During the free time, we could visit the huge quartz crystal in the beautiful open area on the grounds, walk the meditation labyrinth, visit the nearby lake, or even sign up for a massage.  The bookstore was open for perusing and a few participants even took advantage of testing some new SAM (Spatial Angle Modulation) audio tracks being used for research purposes.   We were able to share our impressions of how effective two different SAM audio tracks were for achieving a meditative state of mind.

The OBE discussions resumed about 4pm where there were even more techniques to experience within the CHEC units.  A great advantage to our CHEC experiences with William Buhlman was the use of ‘live’ audio guidance for every session, as nothing was prerecorded.  He was even able to individualize some of the audio guidance to include aspects of the discussions we had just had in the prior session.  The ability to use a variety of Hemi-Sync and SAM audio patterns embedded within a live OBE induction and relaxation exercise was a highlight of these experiences at TMI. 

Dinner was served about 6pm and the final session each night began at 7:30pm.  More discussions and more techniques were reviewed and it was always fascinating to hear the profound experiences that some participants had with these techniques.  Snacks and drinks were always available and many people would stay up late just sharing their stories and life events.

During this OBE Intensive, another highlight was the fire ceremony Wednesday night that offered everyone the opportunity to release and let go of blocks, as well as the ability to bring into our lives that which we wish to manifest.  William shared with us his story of how this ceremony was a shamanic tool that can be very powerful, and we were even more blessed to have it occur on the night of the full moon!  Quietly everyone placed their individual requests into the fire and thanked the flames and Universe for bringing it into fruition.  (I had a quick response to my request when I received a much anticipated phone call the next morning! – more details will come with the next post when I write up my personal experiences there).

At the end of the sixth day of the Intensive, we all gathered together to celebrate the new ‘family’ of TMI graduates with presentation of certificates and the sharing of a heartfelt closing circle.  Everyone spoke of their deepest thoughts as to what this week meant to them and their gratitude for all we had experienced.  It was an honor to have shared this wonderful experience with our new friends and will always treasure the memories we made there.

Jaime and I made many new friends and learned much from those we met at TMI.  We are both VERY thankful for this opportunity to learn more about our ‘inner Higher Self’ and who we really are as individuals, yet also knowing we ALL are very much connected to each other spiritually.   Our gratitude extends deeply to the entire Monroe Institute staff (including our favorite assistant, Patty!), the amazing participants, and most importantly, our teacher, William Buhlman.

Learning about OBEs and our ‘inner worlds’ from William was a total pleasure every single day.  He is extremely personable, funny, and highly individualistic in his teaching style, with a unique way of showing us how we all are so much more than just a physical body and how we can grow spiritually just by learning more from that which is already within us.  As he discussed various topics and techniques in each session, there was never a time where we didn’t laugh and have tremendous fun together!  Jaime and I highly recommend that everyone who wishes to know more about OBE’s get to The Monroe Institute to see William Buhlman in his workshop!

Thank you everyone who made this past week one of the most memorable and remarkable weeks of our lives!  Our love to all of you!

-Karen and Jaime