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Hi, welcome back to the Astral 
Gateway Podcast. 

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I'm Nurith Westoviciani. 
In the previous episode, we 

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talked about the first step of 
astral projection, deep 

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relaxation. 
I hope you had the chance to 

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experiment with some of those 
techniques, because relaxation 

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lays the foundation for 
everything that comes next. 

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Once the body becomes deeply 
relaxed, it naturally starts 

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drifting towards sleep. 
The trick isn't to stop that 

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from happening, it's to let the 
body fall asleep while your 

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awareness stays gently awake. 
That's where the second step 

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comes in creating focus. 
This is one of my favorite parts

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of the process because it's 
where you begin learning how to 

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guide your awareness instead of 
letting it wonder wherever it 

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wants to go. 
Most of us are used to the mind 

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constantly moving. 
One thought leads to another, 

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then another, and before you 
know it, you're thinking about 

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something that has nothing to do
with what you were doing a few 

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moments earlier. 
It's a bit like having 20 tabs 

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open on your computer at the 
same time. 

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Your attention keeps jumping 
from one to another. 

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So the goal isn't to stop 
thinking completely. 

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It's simply to give the mind one
place to rest, one point of 

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focus, one thread of awareness 
that you can gently return to 

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whenever your attention drifts. 
As the body continues relaxing, 

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that single point of focus helps
your awareness stay present. 

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Over time, it becomes much 
easier to enter that state 

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people often describe as mind 
awake, body asleep. 

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And that's really what we're 
working toward today. 

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I'll walk you through several 
different ways to create that 

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focus. 
You don't need to practice all 

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of them. 
In fact, I'd encourage you to 

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choose just one. 
Spend some time with it and 

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really get to know it. 
Once it starts feeling familiar,

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you can always come back and 
experiment with the others. 

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Let's begin with one of the most
natural tools we have, our 

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imagination. 
So how do we actually create 

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that single point of focus? 
There are a lot of different 

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ways to do it, and over time 
you'll probably discover that 

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some feel much more natural than
others. 

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Some people naturally think in 
pictures, others connect more 

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with sound, movement, or even a 
simple word or phrase. 

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There's no right or wrong here. 
The goal isn't to master every 

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technique, it's simply to find 
one that helps you remain aware 

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while your body continues 
drifting towards sleep. 

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OK, let's start with 
visualization. 

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This is simply using your mind's
eye. 

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One of the easiest way to begin 
is by choosing a very simple 

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object. 
It could be a candle flame, a 

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flower, a crystal, even a single
dot of light. 

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Whatever you choose, keep it 
simple. 

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Now imagine that object as 
clearly as you can. 

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Don't worry if it isn't 
perfectly sharp. 

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That's completely normal. 
You're not trying to force a 

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perfect image, you're simply 
holding your attention on one 

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thing. 
Then begin to notice the little 

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details. 
If it's a candle flame, notice 

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how it gently flickers, the way 
the light moves, the colors, and

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maybe you even imagine the 
warmth coming from it. 

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If it's a flower, look closely 
at the petals. 

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Notice their shape, their color,
the texture. 

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Imagine holding it in your hand,
maybe you can even notice it's 

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scent. 
The more attention you give to 

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those small details, the more 
alive the image becomes and 

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something interesting starts to 
happen. 

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Instead of your mind jumping 
from one random thought to 

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another, it has somewhere to 
stay. 

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Your awareness becomes quieter, 
steadier, more focused. 

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If your attention wanders, and 
probably will, that's perfectly 

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fine. 
Just gently bring it back to the

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image. 
That's the whole practice. 

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You don't need to make anything 
happen. 

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You're simply allowing one image
to hold your awareness while 

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your body continues relaxing. 
Spend some time with this 

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technique over a number of 
nights if it feels natural to 

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you, and let your awareness 
become familiar with it before 

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trying something else. 
OK, now maybe visualizing a 

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single object doesn't really 
resonate with you. 

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There's another approach that 
many people find easier. 

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Instead of focusing on one 
object, imagine yourself 

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somewhere peaceful. 
Maybe it's a quiet beach, a 

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forest, a garden, or anywhere 
that brings you a sense of calm.

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Rather than simply looking at 
the scene, step into it. 

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Imagine walking through it. 
Notice what's around you. 

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What colours do you see? 
Can you hear the waves? 

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The wind? 
Birds in the distance? 

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Feel the ground beneath your 
feet? 

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Notice the warmth of the sun or 
the coolness of the air? 

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The more of your senses you 
involve, the more real the 

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experience becomes. 
Before long, it starts feeling 

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less like you're imagining a 
place and more like you're 

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actually there again. 
That's all you're doing. 

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You're given your awareness 
somewhere gentle and steady to 

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rest, and if that feels 
comfortable, stay with it. 

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Practice it for a while before 
moving to another technique. 

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There's one more visualization 
method I like to mention because

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it's one I found very effective.
Instead of imagining a place 

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you've created, imagine 
somewhere you already know well.

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It could be your home, or your 
childhood home, a favorite park,

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anywhere that's familiar. 
If it's your home, picture 

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yourself standing outside. 
Open the front door. 

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Walk inside. 
Move through each room slowly. 

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Notice where everything is. 
The furniture, the colors, the 

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windows, the little details you 
probably never think about 

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during the day. 
Open a cupboard, touch the 

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kitchen counter, walk down the 
hallway. 

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The more slowly you move through
that familiar space, the more 

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naturally your memory fills in 
the details. 

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This technique works because 
you're not inventing something 

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new, you're revisiting something
your mind already knows. 

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And just like the other methods,
it gives your awareness 1 clear 

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place to stay while your body 
continues drifting towards 

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sleep. 
Now maybe you're listening to 

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this and thinking, I'm not a 
visual person, I've heard it 

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before. 
That's completely fine. 

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Not everybody naturally thinks 
in pictures. 

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Some people connect much more 
strongly with sound. 

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Instead of using your mind's 
eye, you can use what I like to 

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call the mind's ear. 
The idea is exactly the same. 

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You're giving your awareness one
steady place to rest. 

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The first way to do that is with
a simple imagined sound. 

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Choose something that feels 
calming to you. 

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It could be the sound of gentle 
waves rolling onto the beach 

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when moving through trees, birds
in the distance, the self 

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humming sound, or even a single 
musical instrument that you 

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enjoy listening to. 
Whatever you choose, imagine 

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hearing it in your mind, not 
through your ears, but inside 

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your awareness. 
Let it play naturally. 

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You don't need to make it loud 
or dramatic, just allow it to be

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there, almost as though it's 
playing quietly in the 

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background. 
If it's ocean waves, hear them 

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rolling in and back out over and
over again. 

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If it's went through the trees, 
noticed how it gently rises and 

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falls? 
If it's a simple melody, let it 

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repeat naturally without trying 
to control every note. 

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Just listen. 
As your attention settles into 

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that sound, the rest of the mind
gradually become quieter. 

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If another thought comes along, 
simply notice it and return to 

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the sound again. 
That's the whole practice. 

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You're training the mind to stay
with one thing instead of 

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following every passing thought.
Another approach is to combine 

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sound with your breathing. 
Choose the same imagined sound, 

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then let your breathing move 
together with it. 

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If you're imagining an ocean 
waves, perhaps the waves roll in

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as you inhale and gently flows 
back out as you exhale. 

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If you're imagining a soft 
humming sound, maybe it grows 

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slightly fuller with the inhale 
and softer with the exhale. 

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You're allowing the breath and 
the sound to become one gentle 

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rhythm. 
After a while, it almost feels 

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as though the breathing is 
happening by itself, while your 

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awareness simply follows that 
steady flow. 

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Many people find it especially 
relaxing because it gives both 

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the body and the mind something 
simple to settle into. 

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There's another method that I 
really like, because almost 

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everyone already knows how to do
it. 

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Think about a song you know 
really well. 

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Now play that song in your mind.
Hear the music exactly as you 

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remember it. 
The instruments, the rhythm that

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pauses between the notes, maybe 
even the emotion it brings up. 

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You don't have to analyze it, 
just let it play. 

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If your attention drifts away, 
simply begin the song again from

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wherever it feels natural. 
The music becomes your anchor. 

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It keeps your awareness gently 
engaged while your body 

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continues relaxing. 
Over time, you might even notice

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that you stop hearing the whole 
song. 

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Instead, you're simply aware of 
the feeling of the music, and 

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that's enough, because once 
again, the purpose isn't really 

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the sound itself. 
The sound is simply helping you 

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remain aware while everything 
else begins settling into sleep.

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So if sound feels more natural 
than visualization, spend some 

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time exploring these methods. 
Give yourself several nights 

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with one approach before 
deciding whether it's right for 

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you. 
Sometimes the technique becomes 

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much easier simply because 
you've become familiar with it. 

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Now there's another way to 
create focus that, for a lot of 

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people feels even more natural. 
Instead of seeing something or 

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listening to something, you 
imagine movement. 

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This has always been one of my 
favorite ways to work with 

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awareness because movement 
naturally holds our attention. 

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Even when you're completely 
still physically, your mind can 

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create the feeling of motion, 
and sometimes that's all it 

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takes. 
The important thing to remember 

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is that you're never physically 
moving your body. 

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Your body stays completely 
relaxed. 

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The movement happens only in 
your imagination. 

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You simply allow yourself to 
feel it as vividly as you can. 

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One of the easiest places to 
start is with very gentle 

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movement. 
Imagine yourself slowly rocking 

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from side to side. 
Not a big movement, just enough 

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that you can almost feel it 
happening. 

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Or imagine yourself gently 
swaying, almost like you're 

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floating in calm water. 
Some people like to imagine 

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slowly rolling from one side to 
the other. 

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Others imagine themselves 
drifting forward or backward 

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very slightly. 
Whatever movement you choose, 

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stay with that one movement. 
Let it become steady, let it 

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develop naturally. 
The goal isn't to force the 

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sensation, it's to become so 
familiar with it that it almost 

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begins to feel real. 
Another gentle movement is 

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floating. 
Imagine yourself becoming 

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lighter, not trying to leave 
your body yet, just feeling as 

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though you're floating a few 
centimeters above your bed. 

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You don't have to see yourself 
floating. 

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Just imagine the feeling. 
How would it feel if gravity 

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becomes just a little weaker? 
How would your body feel if it 

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becomes almost weightless? 
Stay with that feeling. 

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Over time, it often becomes 
surprisingly vivid. 

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Another movement I talk about in
my book is spinning. 

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Very slow spinning, almost like 
you're turning in place. 

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You stay physically still, but 
mentally you feel yourself 

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rotating. 
It's interesting because 

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sometimes imagine movement 
begins to create a very real 

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sensation. 
In fact, my son intuitively 

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discovered something similar. 
Sometimes in the morning, he'd 

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get out of bed, spin around a 
few times, and lay back down. 

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Even though his body was 
completely still again, he could

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still feel himself spinning. 
That lingering sensation often 

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carried him into a lucid dream. 
It shows how powerful movement 

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can be even after the physical 
movement has stopped. 

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Another approach is what I 
describe as floating movement. 

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Imagine yourself moving through 
a slow sequence of movement that

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already feels familiar to you. 
Maybe you're practicing Qigong, 

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moving slowly through each 
posture, feeling your arms rise,

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then gently lower. 
Or perhaps you're simply walking

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slowly through a peaceful place,
feeling each step, feeling your 

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body moving naturally. 
The important part isn't exactly

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what you're doing, it's staying 
completely engaged with the 

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movement itself. 
You aren't watching yourself, 

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you are experiencing it from the
inside. 

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Then there's something a little 
different. 

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Some people naturally connect 
with more active movement. 

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If you enjoy exercise, sports, 
or dancing, you can use that 

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too. 
Imagine yourself moving through 

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a familiar workout. 
Picture yourself lifting the 

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weights, walking between 
exercises, feeling each movement

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as though you're actually there.
Not because you're trying to 

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exercise in bed, but because 
your mind already knows those 

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movements so well. 
You're giving your awareness 

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something detailed enough to 
stay with. 

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The movement becomes your focus.
Your body stays completely 

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still. 
Your awareness keeps moving. 

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Another technique is what I call
the pendulum technique, and it's

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one of my favorite ways of 
creating focus. 

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Imagine a pendulum slowly 
swinging from side to side. 

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Now imagine that pendulum moving
gently between different parts 

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of your body, maybe between your
elbows, then your wrists, your 

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knees, or your ankles. 
As it swings, imagine the 

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pendulum just slightly brushing 
against your skin, almost like 

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you can feel the faintest touch.
Back and forth, back and forth. 

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The movement is slow, rhythmic, 
predictable. 

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After a while, it naturally 
quiets the mind, because your 

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attention has only one simple 
thing to follow. 

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The pendulum keeps moving, your 
awareness stays with it, and 

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everything else begins to fade 
into the background. 

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Some people notice that after 
several minutes they stop 

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feeling so connected to the 
physical body. 

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Their awareness becomes much 
more absorbed in the imagined 

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movement itself. 
And that's exactly what we're 

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trying to develop. 
Not by forcing anything, simply 

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by staying present with one 
exercise long enough for the 

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body to continue falling asleep 
while the mind remains aware. 

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Another way of creating focus is
through a mantra. 

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A mantra is simply a word or a 
short phrase that you repeat in 

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your mind. 
It's not about words having any 

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magical power. 
The purpose is to give your mind

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one thing to return to over and 
over again. 

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When we repeat the same phrase 
gently, the constant stream of 

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thoughts begin to settle by 
itself. 

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Some people like using the 
traditional mantra, Umm. 

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Others use something simple like
I remained aware my body is 

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asleep, my mind is awake, or 
even just a single word that 

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feels calming to them. 
When I was younger, I actually 

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used my dog's name without 
realizing that I was using a 

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mantra. 
I would repeat it quietly in my 

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mind while I was laying in bed, 
and it naturally led me into one

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of my first lucid dreams where I
found myself floating peacefully

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down the river. 
Years later, I realized that's 

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exactly what a mantra is. 
So it doesn't have to be 

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anything special. 
The important part is the 

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repetition. 
As you repeat it, don't rush 

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through it. 
Let each repetition have a 

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gentle rhythm. 
You might notice that after a 

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while, the mantra almost begins 
repeating itself. 

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You're no longer making an 
effort to say it. 

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It's simply there in the 
background of your awareness. 

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And because your attention stays
with that one simple phrase, the

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body is free to keep relaxing. 
Eventually, the body may become 

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so relaxed that you hardly 
notice it anymore while the mind

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remains quietly awake. 
If your attention drifts away, 

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that's perfectly normal. 
Simply come back to the mantra. 

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No frustration, no starting 
over, just gently return. 

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Some people combine a mantra 
with breathing, for example, 

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mentally repeating the first 
half while inhaling and the 

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second-half while exhaling. 
Others simply let the words flow

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at their own pace without 
matching the breath. 

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Either way works. 
Again, remember that we're not 

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trying to force anything. 
The mantra isn't there to make 

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an experience happen. 
It's simply given your 

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awareness, somewhere peaceful, 
to rest while your body 

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continues moving towards sleep. 
And just like the other methods 

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we've talked about today, give 
it some time before deciding 

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whether it works for you. 
Practice it for several nights. 

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Get familiar with it. 
Notice how your mind responds. 

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You may discover that it's 
exactly the kind of focus your 

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awareness naturally likes to 
settle into, or you may find 

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that another method suits you 
better. 

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That's completely fine. 
The goal isn't to master every 

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technique. 
The goal is to find one that 

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allows you to remain gently 
aware as your body falls asleep.

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There's one more technique I'd 
like to mention, and that's 

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focusing on the area between 
your eyebrows, often called the 

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third eye. 
Now you don't have to think 

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00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,840
about it as something mystical, 
it's simply another place to 

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rest your attention. 
As you're laying there deeply 

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00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:54,480
relaxed, gently bring your 
awareness to the space between 

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your eyebrows. 
Don't strain or concentrate too 

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00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,480
hard, just notice the area. 
Some people like to imagine a 

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00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,840
soft point of light there, 
others simply place their 

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00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,720
attention there without 
visualizing anything at all. 

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After a while you might notice a
subtle sensation, maybe a little

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00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,200
warmth, A gentle tingling or a 
feeling of pressure. 

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00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,200
Some people notice nothing at 
1st, and that's perfectly fine 

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00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,400
too. 
The technique isn't about 

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00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,200
chasing a particular sensation, 
it's about giving your awareness

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00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:34,040
another quiet place to rest. 
Sometimes, as everything else 

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00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:38,520
becomes still, you may also 
notice a very subtle sound in 

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00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:43,200
the background, almost like a 
gentle ringing or a soft high 

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00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,320
pitched tone. 
Some people call it the sound of

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00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,360
silence. 
It isn't something you create, 

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00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:52,720
it's something many people 
naturally become aware of once 

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the mind grows quiet. 
If you notice it, simply listen.

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00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,480
Don't analyze it, don't wonder 
where it's coming from. 

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00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,960
Just let it become another 
anchor for your awareness. 

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00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:10,360
Whether you're focusing on the 
point between your eyebrows, 

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listening to that subtle inner 
sound, or combining both 

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00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,120
together, the principle is 
always the same. 

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00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,280
One steady point of focus, 
nothing more. 

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00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,760
Now, after everything we've 
covered today, you might be 

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wondering which technique you 
should choose. 

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00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:35,360
My advice is to keep it simple. 
Don't feel like you have to try 

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00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,560
every single method this week. 
Pick the one that stood out to 

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you while you were listening. 
Maybe you're naturally visual, 

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00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:48,720
maybe sound feels easier, maybe 
imagine movement feels 

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00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,160
surprisingly real, or perhaps 
repeating a mantra feels 

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00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,320
calming. 
Whichever you choose, stay with 

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00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,760
it for a while. 
Give yourself the opportunity to

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00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:02,480
become familiar with it. 
Like learning any new skill, it 

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00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,480
becomes easier through 
repetition. 

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00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,800
And remember, these techniques 
all have the same purpose. 

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00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,560
There are simply different ways 
of maintaining single, pointed 

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00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,080
awareness while the body falls 
asleep. 

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00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:21,000
The technique itself isn't 
what's creating the experience, 

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00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,440
it's helping you reach the state
where the experience can unfold 

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00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,840
naturally. 
And once you begin reaching that

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00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,800
state consistently, that's when 
the next step becomes important.

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00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,920
In the next episode, we'll talk 
about exit techniques. 

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00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,880
We'll explore how to recognize 
the right moment to use them, 

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why timing matters, and some of 
the different ways people 

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naturally separate from the 
physical body. 

359
00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,840
Once you've built a foundation 
with relaxation and focus, the 

360
00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,400
exit techniques make a lot more 
sense because you're applying 

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00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:03,600
them at the right time rather 
than trying to force them from 

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00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:08,840
an ordinary waking state. 
Before we finish, if you'd like 

363
00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,440
to continue learning and connect
with other people exploring 

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00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,520
these experiences, I'd love to 
have you join the Astro Gateway 

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00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,920
community on Facebook. 
You'll also find my website and 

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00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,400
my book, Beyond the Edge, 
Journeys in the Astro, and 

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00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,000
Dreamworlds in the episode 
description if you'd like to 

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00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,240
explore these techniques in more
depth. 

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00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,760
If you have any questions, feel 
free to leave them in the 

370
00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,600
comments. 
And don't forget to follow the 

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00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,800
podcast so you don't miss the 
next episode. 

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00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,080
And if you found this helpful, 
feel free to share it with 

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00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,360
others who might benefit from it
too. 

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00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:50,120
OK, thank you so much for 
spending this time with me. 

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00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:56,720
Until next time, stay present, 
stay curious, and keep 

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00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,960
exploring. 
Take care.