I'm pretty new to these teachings, and am only now going over Robert Monroe's first book "Journeys out of the body".

Fascinating stuff, to say the least.

Anyway, doing some research on Mr. Monroe I stumbled upon this article on a website called "Psi Encyclopedia".
(Not posting the link as I'm a new member and can't do that yet, but it's easy to find with a quick Google search).

In this article was a statement which I found somewhat perplexing and disturbing at the same time, and I could not find any explanation or reference to anywhere else, thus prompting me to address, you, members of this amazing community, and ask if you could please shed some light on this!

In the aforementioned article it said that:
"Monroe’s wife Nancy died in 1992. He described having twice to visit her in the afterlife, but was so upset by the experience that he quit OBEs altogether."

That was it. The article did not go into any more detail.

What I wish to know is, why was he "upset" by the experience to such an extent that he quit OBEs altogether? A practice he has dedicated much of his life into exploring? And (as I understand it) promote as a generally positive experience. What actually happened?

I feel this is probably discussed in some of the books I haven't yet read, so if someone could please expand on this that would be greatly appreciated! "Spoilers" are allowed, I don't mind, really!  ;D

Thank you to anyone who can help!

I see this is your first post.  Hello and welcome!   :)

Off the top of my head I don't remember that quote or what he meant by it.  It's been so long since I've read his books. 

Hopefully someone of our regulars who still visit here will know the answer.

I am not a regular here, and I checked here by chance.

You may have found your answer already, but in case you didn't, I refreshed my recollection of the subject (Bob's wife passing on).

This is a chronological review of Bob's last years:

• 1991
  A new program at the Institute: Lifelines – an immediate success. Participants are introduced to the new Focus-levels: 22 – 27.
  Bob has started writing his last book. Nancy Monroe falls ill. Bob collaborates with Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross on the “Going Home” CD series and they are introduced for sale. (Focus 27)
  
• 1992
  Nancy Monroe dies. Bob has a difficult time adjusting to life without her.
  
• 1994
  “Ultimate Journey”, his last book is published.
  Bob creates a new residential workshop called Explorer 27, where Focus levels 34/35 are introduced. This is the focus level where participants are taken to the Gathering mentioned in his second book Far Journeys.
  
• 1995
  Robert Monroe dies on the 17th April 1995, aged 79 years old.
  

From Bob's "Ulitmate Journey"


Quote:

To make a very long story very short, when she devel- oped breast cancer, Nancy accepted the orthodox route for treatment. This meant surgery to remove the tumor and a number of lymph nodes, chemotherapy, and radiation. Each slowed up the process but no more. Two nights after her departure, I thought I had cooled down enough to attempt to visit her. Which I did. The result was an emotional explosion that included every nuance ex- isting between two humans deeply in love, all up-front and simultaneous, without the limitations of time and physical matter. It was a great effort to return, and it took days to recover. A second attempt a week later brought the same result. It was simply too much to handle. Until I learned more, I had to put up a shield that restricts any kind of nonphysical activity on my part. No more Interstate pro tem or contacts with friends in that area. Only the I-There of me. I begin to drift in Nancy's direction even in the deepest sleep, so the barrier had to include this state too. Thus my rest is greatly impaired. I now have a new challenge, a massive adjustment to make. One I hadn't considered. A very new direction. Can I live in two worlds at the same time? With Nancy in 27, and Here with our lonely fur family—seven cats and two dogs—in a lonely house? I don't know. * * * . . . Still, another voice from my I-There insists: Once the transition is made, only the heavily addicted remain closely attached to the physical life they have just de- parted, according to your data and others. For most, the resonance/interest/attachment begins to fade almost immedi- ately, some slowly, some rapidly. But it does. All of your data show this, except for the rare "ghost" application. Even with your Big L as binding as it is. How long will your Silver Queen lady remain in and around your Focus 27? You don't know and we don't know. Like all of the others, she is exposed to attractive freedoms you of all humans are very aware of. But you can't leave here. Not at this time; you have too many things to complete. Re- member your mother and her cello? She taught you something without even knowing that she did. And don't forget: at the very least, you know that your Silver Queen will be with you at final departure when we wink out in the thirty-fifth century. What more do you want!

There is a biographical book called, "The Journey of Robert Monroe."

I never got around to reading my copy, but there is a chapter called "End game." It states that Robert had health issues during his later years, couldn't take part in the activities he loved to do (sailing, flying, composing music), was lonely, and found it too heartbreaking to approach his deceased wife in focus 27.

On page 272 the book says, "He could not face the emotional trauma of drifting in Nancy's direction even in the deepest sleep."

As far as OBEs are concerned, it seems to me that he accomplished what he needed to accomplish.

Recoverer 2 wrote on Nov 21^st, 2022 at 3:06pm:

There is a biographical book called, "The Journey of Robert Monroe." I never got around to reading my copy, but there is a chapter called "End game." It states that Robert had health issues during his later years, couldn't take part in the activities he loved to do (sailing, flying, composing music), was lonely, and found it too heartbreaking to approach his deceased wife in focus 27. On page 272 the book says, "He could not face the emotional trauma of drifting in Nancy's direction even in the deepest sleep." As far as OBEs are concerned, it seems to me that he accomplished what he needed to accomplish.

This depends on our overall view on the nature of reality, on what we are, why we are here (alive on Earth), what we should do while here, and such.

With all due respect to Bob and his work, if that biography is accurate about his last years' feelings regarding OBEs, I believe that Bob didn't accomplish what he could've accomplished, that he got sidetracked by the distortions caused by his beliefs.

We all do that to some degree, but some of us have no idea of doing it.

OBEs (in all their flavors), meditation, chemicals, hypnosis are means to explore altered states of consciousness. The goal is in what that exploration brings us, and less in the means themselves.

Everything we experience, both when awake and when dreaming, is multi-layered symbolism, which we can decode / interpret only in-as-much our level of individual evolvement allows us, and in-as-much we are aware of it.
;)

When a Soul focuses a portion of its attention on a body-based life, that focus of attention is likely to experience some limitations.

How can an incarnated portion of a Soul be a focus of attention and fully present in the spirit World at the same time? As long as a portion of a Soul feels some degree of separation from its Source, it will to some extent feel incomplete.

Sometimes people believe they are free of belief systems when to some extent they have replaced one belief system with another.

Even when we find out what truth actually is, we are going to believe something. The question is, to what degree does our belief match reality?




inavalan wrote on Nov 21^st, 2022 at 4:30pm:

Recoverer 2 wrote on Nov 21st, 2022 at 3:06pm: There is a biographical book called, "The Journey of Robert Monroe." I never got around to reading my copy, but there is a chapter called "End game." It states that Robert had health issues during his later years, couldn't take part in the activities he loved to do (sailing, flying, composing music), was lonely, and found it too heartbreaking to approach his deceased wife in focus 27. On page 272 the book says, "He could not face the emotional trauma of drifting in Nancy's direction even in the deepest sleep." As far as OBEs are concerned, it seems to me that he accomplished what he needed to accomplish. This depends on our overall view on the nature of reality, on what we are, why we are here (alive on Earth), what we should do while here, and such. With all due respect to Bob and his work, if that biography is accurate about his last years' feelings regarding OBEs, I believe that Bob didn't accomplish what he could've accomplished, that he got sidetracked by the distortions caused by his beliefs. We all do that to some degree, but some of us have no idea of doing it. OBEs (in all their flavors), meditation, chemicals, hypnosis are means to explore altered states of consciousness. The goal is in what that exploration brings us, and less in the means themselves. Everything we experience, both when awake and when dreaming, is multi-layered symbolism, which we can decode / interpret only in-as-much our level of individual evolvement allows us, and in-as-much we are aware of it. ;)

Recoverer 2 wrote on Nov 21^st, 2022 at 5:25pm:

When a Soul focuses a portion of its attention on a body-based life, that focus of attention is likely to experience some limitations. How can an incarnated portion of a Soul be a focus of attention and fully present in the spirit World at the same time? As long as a portion of a Soul feels some degree of separation from its Source, it will to some extent feel incomplete. Sometimes people believe they are free of belief systems when to some extent they have replaced one belief system with another. Even when we find out what truth actually is, we are going to believe something. The question is, to what degree does our belief match reality?

The way I understand it, reality is infinite, so your understanding of it can never match it, but you can see clearer and more detailed.

I don't subscribe to some of the views you expressed, as inferred from your formulations. That's okay.  :)

I don't know whether existence is infinite or limited. If I had to guess I would say quite large, but not infinite.

When our consciousness is no longer limited by a time-based mind, we might be able to understand quite a bit.



inavalan wrote on Nov 21^st, 2022 at 5:34pm:

Recoverer 2 wrote on Nov 21st, 2022 at 5:25pm: When a Soul focuses a portion of its attention on a body-based life, that focus of attention is likely to experience some limitations. How can an incarnated portion of a Soul be a focus of attention and fully present in the spirit World at the same time? As long as a portion of a Soul feels some degree of separation from its Source, it will to some extent feel incomplete. Sometimes people believe they are free of belief systems when to some extent they have replaced one belief system with another. Even when we find out what truth actually is, we are going to believe something. The question is, to what degree does our belief match reality? The way I understand it, reality is infinite, so your understanding of it can never match it, but you can see clearer and more detailed. I don't subscribe to some of the views you expressed, as inferred from your formulations. That's okay.  :)