Julie,

  Yes, and a great start it is!  That you decided to stop waiting was a very big step. 

  If I'm in the mindset that I'm "waiting for something to happen" that seems to lead not actually "having something happen," but being in a state of waiting for something to happen.  So, nothing actually happens.  By deciding not to wait you "magically carried" yourself to the other side.  Deciding all the details in the beginning is a way of doing what I call "placing intent" and that intent leads to interesting places, as you've discovered.

  Your description is a perfect example of why I tell folks it's okay to pretend.  Pretending is a way of "priming the pump" of imagination, of making connections, opening the way, etc.  And, as you've noticed, there comes a point when, by just playing along, your conversation/contact can take on a life of its own.  You are aware that you're no longer actively pretending your friend's side of the conversation or activity.  And if all you do at that point is just say to yourself, well, maybe I'm still making this up, I might not, I'll just keep playing along,the connection can get deeper.

Your description of "such an intense feeling of love that it's unbearable" that you've "never felt" before is very interesting.  In a way it could be a verification of something.  What I mean is, if you had decided to pretend or make up actually feeling that feeling, do you think you could have done that?  If not, where do you suppose that feeling came from?  I love questions like that.

  I understand what you mean by the experience of that feeling being so intense that you feel the need to pull back from it.  When you experience it again you might consider just throwing caution to the wind and allowing yourself to experience as high an intensity as you can. 

Love,

Bruce   

: I have ordered "Voyages into the Unknown" but I've yet to receive it (just ordered yesterday). I had to go ahead and try to get started myself. Well, I have had conversations before and had an answer I asked for verified later, but I haven't visited anywhere. I'd like to explain what happened; I don't know any proper terms or anything, so bear with me.

: Anyway, this morning I decided to just go ahead and try to explore and visit my dear friend. I have seen before a spot of light in the darkness, but even when I've focused on it, I've never been able to do anything with it. I always just kept waiting for something to happen - to get magically swept up in it and carried away to the other side. Today, I decided that I wasn't going to wait. I was just going to pretend. So, I pretended (imagined) that I was going into that little light. Then, I consciously decided on what I would see - what the landscape would be like. I am fully aware that I was making this all up, but from what I've read, that's okay. Then I imagined my friend in as much detail as possible and imagined us sitting together and talking. I thought of and said the things I wanted to say, and I thought of how he would respond and I carried on this imaginary conversation for a short time (again knowing that I was making it up). But after a bit, I didn't have to think of what I was going to say, and I didn't have to think of what he was saying first. His answers came automatically, and our conversation flowed. Let me interrupt myself and say that I was not "seeing" him physically. That part was still just "picturing" him in my head. There were times when I was kind of "in and out" where I would think about what I was doing and would be conscious of being in my bed and pretending it all, but then I would be right back in the conversation. And then, I felt this feeling I'm not sure I can describe. It was so intense - almost like what I've read about such an intense feeling of love that it's unbearable, but I've never felt it. It was so strong that I felt I had to pull away from it. When I did, though, I wanted it back and so I "went back." And the again the feeling overcame me. So intense. I pulled back again and didn't go back.

: I know that I was not dreaming. It was all a conscious effort on my part to start the pretending. But the way the conversation went (although I didn't ask for any verification - I just went with it) and that feeling...

: Anyone's viewpoint on this would be appreciated.

: Thanks,
: Julie

That sounds alot like what I've done..without realizing it!  And after the initial "imagining", it just seems to flow...no more "imagining" or.."making it up", more real?  Funny how I stumbled into this without researching it first.  I've asked many questions on experiences that happened just this way..
Shirley