Robert Monroe's Out-of-Body Instruction Manual - Step by Step

Summary

Jordan Crowder walks through Robert Monroe’s reported step-by-step approach to out-of-body experiences (OBEs), based on material from Monroe’s book Journeys Out of the Body. The method centers on reaching a deeply relaxed, sleep-like state while maintaining awareness, then learning to manage the sensations Monroe called “vibrations” and to separate from and return to the physical body.

These are Monroe’s personal accounts and interpretations; the video does not establish that OBEs or the proposed mechanisms are scientifically verified.

Key Strategies and Techniques

• Work with fear gradually. Monroe identified fear of death, fear of not returning, and fear of the unknown as major obstacles. He recommended building familiarity through repeated, gradual practice rather than panicking or forcing progress.
• Set aside an uninterrupted period. Choose a quiet place where calls or other interruptions are unlikely. Relaxation is harder if you feel rushed or preoccupied.
• Practice the wake-sleep threshold.
  • Lie down and focus on an image or thought as you become drowsy, aiming to remain aware without falling asleep.
  • Later, practice letting the image go and resting quietly in the darkness behind closed eyes.
  • With practice, learn to deepen relaxation while retaining awareness. The video suggests trying when rested, including after waking from a nap or during the night.
  • If you become restless, stop and try again another time rather than forcing it.
• Use a relaxation approach that suits you. Monroe mentions self-hypnosis and the borderline state between waking and sleep, while emphasizing that people may respond differently. The presenter advises practicing sober; Monroe reportedly found that alcohol and sedatives interfered with reliable results.
• Prepare your body and surroundings. Monroe’s instructions include loosening restrictive clothing, staying comfortably warm, removing jewelry or metal touching the skin, and relaxing in a position that does not restrict circulation. He also recommends a distraction-free room and offers specific orientation and lighting suggestions.
• Use an affirmation to support recall. Monroe’s suggested wording asks to consciously perceive and remember the experience, and to retain only what would be beneficial to one’s physical and mental state. The presenter suggests adapting it into a personal mantra.
• Approach “vibrations” calmly. Monroe described a wave-like or electric-shock-like sensation as part of the process. His advice was to observe it without panic, become accustomed to it, and avoid abruptly trying to break out of the state.
• Practice directing the sensations. Monroe describes mentally moving the vibrations from head to feet and back, then gradually increasing their rate until they feel smoother. He presents this as a learned skill, not something guaranteed to work on every attempt.
• Keep thoughts focused. Monroe cautions that thoughts may influence movement or experience in the OBE state. He recommends staying as close as possible to a state of quiet or single-pointed attention.
• Start with small, familiar exercises.
  • Before attempting full separation, try extending a hand in the imagined “second body” toward an object beyond the physical hand’s reach, noting what it seems to feel like.
  • For early separation practice, Monroe suggests either imagining a gentle upward float or slowly rolling over without using physical limbs.
  • Stay close to the physical body at first and practice separating and returning rather than attempting distant travel.
• Return deliberately—and know the emergency cue. For a normal return, Monroe recommends calmly thinking of the physical body and moving back toward it. As an emergency measure, he says to focus on the body and try to move a finger or toe, swallow, move the jaw, or take a conscious breath. He advises waiting a few minutes after returning before sitting up.
• Acknowledge unexpected thoughts or impulses. Monroe advises not condemning or suppressing surprising desires that may arise, but recognizing them and keeping deliberate, rational control of one’s actions.
• Postpone distant exploration. Monroe recommends gaining confidence through repeated near-body practice before attempting to travel elsewhere. For later experiments, he describes focusing on a familiar person rather than a place, but presents this as his own experience rather than a universal rule.

The video concludes that Monroe’s method requires patience and repeated practice, and that its results may be inconsistent. Crowder invites viewers to share their experiences and techniques.

Presenters and Sources

• Jordan Crowder — presenter and commentator on Conscious Observers.
• Robert Monroe — source of the instructions and personal accounts discussed, from Journeys Out of the Body (also referred to in the video as Out of Body Journeys).
• The Monroe Institute — mentioned by Crowder in relation to instruction on the vibrational state and other exit techniques.
• The Tibetan Book of the Dead and yogic sleep/dream practices — referenced by Crowder as a comparison to Monroe’s discussion of remaining conscious near sleep.