Finished Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. Loved the book. Series keep getting better and better.

After much deliberation on what to read next, went with Valour’s Choice by Tanya Huff. Book 1 of “military sci-fi” series Confederation. Tanya Huff was recommended a long time ago on reddit, but I wasn’t sure if I was in “military sci-fi” mood, but I am really enjoying the book.

The book is years after you join the Confederation, and it doesn’t hand-hold you by explaining each “alien” term or how each species look like right away, giving you the feel that these words / things are so common that there is no need to explain them, but as the novel progress you start learning what’s what and which species look like what.

What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening?

  • TheFriar
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    10 months ago

    I’m reading Journeys Out Of The Body by Robert A. Monroe.

    A few years back I stumbled upon the Astral Projection subreddit. I thought it was absurd, especially the really crunchy view a lot of people took on the matter. But something about the subject struck me, I read up on methods and gave it a shot—now, I never understood how to do controlled dreaming or lucid dreaming, but I always wanted to. Love layered states of consciousness, I’d love to be able to explore some naturally.

    Well, that night, I used some of the techniques I learned and actually started experiencing some of the preliminary signs! I hit the vibrational stage, I was “moving” without moving my physical body. It was all so surreal, but it felt so intuitive.

    Well, after a few weeks of trying it, I hit a wall after finally escaping my body on a few occasions. Now, I’m still not sure about some of the claims, and I do believe there is a scientific explanation…but there are some things that almost do kind of escape explanation. It’s such an interesting thing, and I’d love to master it to test my own beliefs about consciousness and reality.

    But it’s been years since I’ve even gotten close. Maybe it’s some form of the yips, I dunno. If the rest of my life serves as any basis, his is definitely the case. I find natural abilities and then when I am surprised by my own success and seemingly untapped potential, my mind breaks. I lose all ability.

    But anyway, I was hoping reading this book would put me back in the right mind space to see some success again. I have a few more obstacles standing in my way now, as I have chronic pain that often wakes me up/leaves me unable to sleep still. But I am still determined.

    Anyone have any AP experience or tips to share?

    • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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      10 months ago

      That’s interesting. I dabbled with some lucid dreaming when I was young. I was able to do it most of the times but at very basic level and without proper discipline or using most of the techniques they mentioned, but then stopped it for some reason. Might be interesting to give it another try.

      I recall once picking up a random book about telepathy, again when I was pretty young, don’t recall anything from the book, except it had many exercises mentioned, that will let you experience astral projection and things thing like. On the very last page, it had a warning that not to do these exercises without any professional as they can be dangerous physically and mentally. I found it really hilarious, that the warnings were on the last page and not the first page, if I had been doing them as I was reading, I wouldn’t have seen them until I had reached the very end 😀

      Would love to hear how your AP journey goes, and if the book helps with anything.

      • TheFriar
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        10 months ago

        Yeah, it’s pretty interesting. I’ve always been a more logical, sort of evidence-based person. I didn’t believe the spiritual AP stuff when I first read it, but I assumed it was explainable by unconsciousness mixing with consciousness. A mind trick, basically. And I don’t have much evidence to the contrary, still, but I also haven’t made as much progress as I would’ve liked.

        If I ever see any serious progress, I’ll happily share my experience! I’m always willing to learn about something I was previously skeptical about.

        • dresden@discuss.onlineOPM
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          10 months ago

          Well, I do like to think there are things beyond what we can understand. Even in non-religious sense. That doesn’t mean I believe Astral Projection is real… I guess I am more of in the “it would be cool if it were real” group.