Life occasionally gives us new perspectives. It’s unavoidable. And often transformational.

What would you do if you suddenly awoke to find yourself floating near the ceiling of your bedroom? It happened to me, and it changed my life.

In the book, Eyes Of An Angel, I tell my story. I offer this excerpt from it with the intention of encouraging you—if you’re so inclined—to take the leap into the depths of your rich inner life, and discover a whole new world. This is how it all started for me:

The Awakening

What would you do if you suddenly awoke to find yourself floating near the ceiling of your bedroom? It happened to me, and it changed my life. I first heard the term “out-of-body experience” in the summer of 1979. A local television station had broadcast an interview with a man named Robert Monroe. He had written a popular book, Journeys Out of the Body. Intrigued by the incredible story he told, I borrowed a copy from the library and read it from cover to cover.

In the book, Monroe claimed that in his early forties he began to spontaneously leave his body in spirit form while remaining fully conscious. He gave fantastic detailed descriptions of traveling in this spirit body to places on Earth as well as into the spirit world itself.

When the experiences first began, Monroe was afraid that he had become ill, or was actually losing his mind. Submitting himself to intense medical and psychiatric examinations, he was relieved when all tests found him to be healthy and normal. Eventually he just quit worrying about it. Meticulously documenting his experiences, he decided to take advantage of the continuing phenomenon, pursuing every opportunity to explore and learn.

“Fascinating story,” I thought, “but the guy’s obviously a brick short of a load.”

Instead of being in my bed, I was floating like a balloon near the ceiling, bumping lightly against its stippled surface.

Having been raised in a poor farm family with ten brothers and sisters, my grasp on reality was far too entrenched in the physical world to give this kind of fantasy much sway. Returning the book to the library, I soon forgot all about it.

To my amazement, eleven years later, my perception of reality would be changed forever. This life-changing event took place at the end of a long and hectic week. It was late Friday night and, looking forward to a quiet weekend, I sat at my desk thinking about the recent events that were complicating my life. It had been more than five years since I was first elected to city council, and everything in my life was running smoothly. Then, one day, some important government people showed up, asking me to make a big commitment. They wanted me to run as a candidate in an upcoming election to the Legislature. With more than a few reservations, I had agreed to let my name stand. But it wasn’t long before I was second-guessing my decision.

With only days remaining before the nomination meeting, I waged an internal battle. Was this what I wanted to do? Would it be good for me? With all the time I’d have to spend away, would our family life suffer? Would it be worth it? Finally, around 1:30 in the morning I gave up and sleepily crawled into bed, vowing to sleep until noon. The second my head hit the pillow, it was lights out.

The next thing I knew, I was wide-awake. But something was terribly wrong. In dazed confusion, I scrambled to get my bearings. What I was seeing was impossible! Instead of being in my bed, I was floating like a balloon near the ceiling, bumping lightly against its stippled surface.

Disoriented, a landslide of possibilities flooded my mind. There had to be a rational explanation. Below me in bed were two sleeping bodies that seemed so familiar I couldn’t divert my attention from them. As I looked down, a stunning realization hit me: the woman in the bed was my wife, and the guy sleeping beside her was me. ...

The expertise and experiences I’ve gained through probing nonphysical energies and energy systems have been life-changing, jettisoning me into an entirely new trajectory. As dramatic and revolutionary as this has been, it’s, oddly, fairly simple to learn. Bob Monroe discovered this and founded The Monroe Institute to teach his highly effective techniques.

I can't even imagine how much more I need to learn. But I can hardly wait to find out.

If you are ready to begin or upgrade your journey into deeper awareness, you have the extraordinary opportunity of working with seasoned consciousness explorers, including myself and the other skilled trainers at The Monroe Institute.

For a brief overview of events that have helped shape my story, take a look at this seventeen-minute video, "The Afterlife and New Explorations of Consciousness."

 

 

Again from the book—

As for me, my journey continues with new experiences and revelations almost daily. Where it will take me, and where it will end, I have no idea. I do, however, know one thing for sure. Life is an addictive evolution of steps, lessons, and wonderful mysteries to solve. I can't even imagine how much more I need to learn. But I can hardly wait to find out.

    Read Paul’s book, Eyes of an Angel  

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    Paul Elder

    Monroe Residential & Off-Campus Trainer

    Specializing in Remote Viewing, Paul has been a Monroe Institute Residential Trainer since 2002. In addition to his training duties at the Institute in Virginia, Paul also operates a West Coast facility on Vancouver Island, Canada, offering full six-day residential programs.