The following article on The Vibrational State is provided by William Buhlman, author of Out of Body Adventures and The Secret of the Soul.

Internal vibrations and sounds are often the early indications of an approaching out-of-body experience. I refer to the inner sounds and vibrations as the vibrational state. These vibrations are commonly reported to begin at the head, neck and stomach area and spread throughout the entire body. They are often accompanied by numbness, paralysis and noises such as a buzzing, humming or roaring sound.

According to an extensive national out-of-body survey conducted by Dr. Steward Twemlow in 1979, fifty-five percent of the three hundred and thirty-nine participants reported "a sense of energy" during their out-of-body experience. In addition, fifty percent stated they felt the vibrations in their body and thirty-eight percent heard noises in the early stages of their experience. According to the survey, the most commonly reported noises were buzzing (29%), roaring (19%) and music or singing (16%).

In the beginning it's helpful to notice any internal inner signals you may experience during sleep, dreams, and as you are waking. Pay close attention to any unusual vibratory feelings or sounds even if they are subtle. Many people routinely experience vibration sensations and sounds, but disregard them as dream-related or as unexplained physical phenomena.

Your recognition and response to these sensations and sounds will, many times, determine how successful your separation process becomes. Some people are so startled by the sensations and sounds they think of their physical body - this causes an instant return to the physical.

Your positive reaction to your personal vibrational signals will assist you to take advantage of every opportunity to separate from your physical body and experience the ultimate adventure. The more knowledgeable and prepared you are about the initial sensations and sounds associated with out-of-body exploration, the more success you are likely to achieve. Recognition and response to the Vibrational State is an important step in preparation. The following is presented to help you recognize the internal sensations and sounds associated with the initial phases of an out-of-body experience.
Common Vibrational Signals

• Buzzing, humming or roaring sounds

• Unusual tingling or energy sensations

• Voices, laughter, or your name being called out

• Heaviness or sinking

• Numbness or paralysis in any part of your body

• Weightlessness or spreading lightness

• Any internal vibrations out of norm

• Electrical-like sense of energy

• Footsteps or other sounds of a person's presence

• Internal rocking, spinning, or movement of any kind

• Arms or legs lifting while asleep

• Surge of energy flowing through your body

• Any noise out of the norm, wind

When you are meditating and you've entered a deep theta state it's common to see extremely vivid flashes of imagery. These images may appear more real and vivid than your daily life --like High Definition TV. Sometimes the imagery is so striking and bright it can startle you out of your reverie.

Theta rests on the border of sleep and in the deepest state of theta you are literally in a waking dream. With practice you can maintain this timeless state for longer periods without falling into the unconsciousness of sleep.

 

In deep altered states it's common to experience sensations, such as the sense of spinning, floating or even rushes of vibrational energy. Theta is often called the twighlight state because we normally only experience it between waking and sleep. As you become more familiar with theta meditation these sensations feel pleasant and let you know that you've entered a deep meditative state. At first, they might cause some concern or even fear, but that is only because they are new to you.

If you are uncomfortable with these sensations, you can stop them at anytime by opening your eyes and focusing on the outer world.

 

Sleep paralysis occurs sometimes when a person is waking from or falling into REM sleep, the state in which most  vivid dreams occur. During REM sleep, the muscles of the body, excluding the eye muscles and those responsible for circulation and respiration, are immobilized by orders from a nerve center in the lower brain. This prevents us from acting out our dreams. Occasionally, this paralysis turns on or remains active while the person's mind is fully awake and aware of the world.

Sleep Paralysis is a common occurance, we don't normally know about it, because we are usually asleep and dreaming when it occurs. Awareness of this altered state can be surprising at first, but there is nothing to fear.

Some of the experiences people have reported during sleep paralysis are: "I can't move my body,"  "I feel completely removed from myself," "feeling of being separated from my body," "eerie, rushing vibrations," and hearing "hissing in the ears," and "roaring in the head." These events are well documented in OBE experiences and are also called The Vibrational State. If you are wanting to have a conscious OBE experience, sleep paralysis signals the onset of being able to "separate consciousness" from the body.