Hyperdimensional Old Man in the Woods

So I'm going to share the short story that made me sign up here.
I'm not sure what to think of it to this day.
It's amazing but almost stupid at the same time which, I'll get to.

There's a little information to hopefully show why this is significant to me.
If you want just the experience itself, scroll down to "The Experience".

A little background:
I grew up fairly normal. I went to a baptist church for a bit until I decided I didn't care for it.
I would see things as a child, random beings/what looked like ghosts/demons.
I use the word simply to explain anything that doesn't appear human and seems to have ill intent.
They could be ET for all I know.

Once I hit 15/16 I started practicing astral projection.
There's times I left my body but I'd usually get stupidly excited about it and be sucked back.
I wholly believe there's something to it but I'm just not good enough at it yet.

Practicing astral projection led me to hallucinogens.
I like them because to me they're very similar to deep trance states. An extremely deep trance, astral projection and hallucinogens all have a very similar vibe and seem to do the same thing to an extent. The difference for me is AP is like gently opening the door where hallucinogens are like popping open the flood gate.

I'm sorry but this information is important to the story. Anyway, over time I've "met" various "entities" while in deep trance/trying astral projection. Even if I don't get far from my body, it's still a massive shift in perception which most people that have had any success should understand. I've also seen many things while on hallucinogens (DUH!).

I started to notice something very similar. It's like there is a mass of energy where everything comes from.
As far as I've been told (altered state mind you) it's this energy folding in on itself that created the particles and space we experience.
This energy and various entities have during AP and while on hallucinogens told me time and time again that it is real. Not to fight it but to accept it.

Naturally one that isn't easily swayed would question that and think "whoa wtf?" and that's pretty much my mindset. I still to this day cannot decide if all of these experiences are simply hallucinations or real. Mind you some things I've experienced/seen were completely sober and before I've ever used a plant/fungi as an aid.

My Theory:
After many incidents I started to believe in something essentially like the hindus or old gnostics do. That essentially "god"/whatever is this massive energy and what we call "gods" or sometimes aliens are energetic beings self-created so the could create and experience. Kind of like a big game to avoid boredom. That might make some depressed because it means we're essentially pointless but hey, we are no matter what, I think.

I believe that if man is ever to truly travel great distances or time it'll be via interacting with this energy and through the other dimensions of this reality that most of us don't experience.

The Experience:
One night like many others I was out camping with my girlfriend before we had our first child.
We'd go out and drink, smoke, cook and just relax in the deep woods. This night there was no smoke however, just alcohol.
We started talking about trees and whether or not it's possible they have a conscious energy attached to them.
That turned into us talking about the experiments showing that plants communicate with chemicals via the root system and alike.
Then it proceeded to go onto slightly crazier things like, everything appears separate but is really just the same one thing emanating reality.

Suddenly I notice this old man kind of hiding behind a tree looking at me. Once I locked eyes with him he walked up very slowly.
I thought maybe we had gone too far and accidentally trespassed so I started apologizing "hey I'm sorry we were told we're allowed to camp back here" and he replies "It's okay, that's not why I'm here."

He was carrying some sort of black staff looking thing ... Not sure how to word it. If anyone here has ever used a landscaping rake then you know how it has the fat teeth. This staff was black as mentioned, about 4 feet long and almost T shaped except one half of the top of the "T" was shorter than the other. The "top of the T" had a bunch of little things coming out of it that reminded me of a landscaping rake. That's really a horrible thing to compare it to but of anything I can think of, it's the best.

I noticed something very odd while he was there. It seemed very bright. I noticed that while he was there, none of the torches were flickering. They were stuck in place/the flame wasn't moving. My girlfriend wasn't moving. The old man walked up to a stream beside me and was staring in it as he spoke. The water wasn't moving.

He went on to tell me "it's all true"... There were words said before that but it's been over 2 years. The prior words were essentially that he was talking about the mass of energy/etc. One thing he said seemed rather important but also quite confusing which is what to me made this experience stupid. It was "You have to help her". He said that right at the very end of the conversation before he disappeared. Most of the rest of the conversation was about me taking time to meditate more, experiment OOBE more, etc. The "help her" at first I thought maybe he meant my girl...? I also wondered if he meant the energy which out visible universe is emanating from... Like, things aren't right and she/it/everything needs a little help/tweaking to get back on track.

I wanted to ask him what he meant but, he was gone just like that.
I turned to my girlfriend and asked "Where did the old guy go?"
She says: "What old guy"...
Me: "The one I was just talking to for 5 minutes!"
Her: "Babe, you just stopped in the middle of a sentence and asked where the old guy went".....

From her perspective she never saw the old man.
I was in the middle of answering a question when I first saw him.
Apparently everything that happened involving him, she did not experience.

So .. I thought maybe I'd finally lost it or somehow my beer was tainted.
I sat there in disbelief but we continued our night as normal.

When I woke up I was really bothered by the event because it seemed SO REAL.

So I took a walk from our fire pit to where I saw the man first...

Mind you, we're surrounded by a bunch of weeds except for where it's cleared for the fire and tent.
There were footprints in the weeds leading from where I first saw him by the tree up to our campfire.

A few feet back, there was a perfect circle about 3 feet wide.
It was laid down like a crop circle.
From the circle were the foot prints of the old man.

There was no other prints leading to it and no way it was just some hoax.

Time stood still and the old man was very real.

I don't share this much because it makes me feel like I sound crazy but, I would never lie about something like this.

It's boggled my mind for years now.

I had to get clean to an extent (ya bad stuff) and get my life stable but now that it is, I intend on following his directions.
At least the ones that weren't kung-fu master vague.

Maybe an alien, maybe an energy or hyperdimensional being I'm not sure but it was definitely real.
Many things I've seen have been backed up/seen by others.
I wish my gf would have been able to see or I'd taken pictures.

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

just my opinion - but when the basic laws of physics appear to be being violated - its a pretty good indication of an halucination // dream

Interesting. I have sort of a "walking stick" that sounds an awful lot like what you described. i dont have it to help me walk , but I do carry it while strolling through the woods and up the mountain at the house. It was custom made by a homeless man I met long ago from a limb that he had found along the river. He wouldnt take more than $5 for it
And , at one time , I was exactly like you describe yourself.
Interesting.
S&F for the thread.

You met Papa Ghede. He guards the crossroads.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

just my opinion - but when the basic laws of physics appear to be being violated - its a pretty good indication of an halucination // dream

Normally I would agree.
There was however the perfect circle where he appeared and prints leading right up the exact way he walked.
If it weren't for that I would probably just label it as "I'm seeing #" but aside from the fact that the experience itself was definitely real, the physical proof was there.

We can go with the physics argument and use logic to realize my imagination would not have created the pattern and footprints on the ground.

This guy was there. How it happened and all that fun stuff, I've no clue.

Trust me when I say that before this I'd say pretty much the same thing as you did so I can't knock you for it but I also wouldn't waste my time coming on if I wasn't sure.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

just my opinion - but when the basic laws of physics appear to be being violated - its a pretty good indication of an halucination // dream

Basic laws of physics, as you understand it, and mainstream science accepting it, are not finite.
There are bunch of stuff we don't know.
My opinion
In the end, what is reality?

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

I see you are new to posting here. You have to be careful about talking about drug usage here.* Recreational drugs usage is not allowed, but I think you did well expressing yourself in context to your thread.
*(Please review the Ts and Cs we all agreed to when joining ATS.)

I know that once artificial creation of altered states is experienced...that allows the mind to forever see things in a different manner: altered, divided, multiplied, separated, moving, growing or shifting. One's impression of auditory, visual and tactile sensations can continue throughout the remainder of the life of the individual. Its much like one cannot un-see nor un-feel something once experienced.

I too have been astrally projecting since 8-9 when I would "leap" or "fly"..."hop" if you will...from the top of telephone pole ones to another and did not understand at first. Since then, Ive reached full potential for last 50 years and have had amazingly successful experiences. Once "beyond the veil" is experienced, one often encounters odd and sometimes strange...events and individuals.

I've found many such events in my own life in the past 1/2 century. I try to learn from them. I often "travel" for answers to specific questions, or to visit certain people who've passed on, and am always successful.I think your experiences in this thread direction here is to be expected...for you..and can be for the remainder of your life.

The wise projector directs himself in a positive light and in a positive direction. Ive met some odd entities in my time as well...but have grown to understand that.

Peace, MS

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

PS-Additionally...Astral Projection, remote viewing, o.b.e.'s, lucid dreaming and transcendental meditation are very very close to each other.

All different by definition, and often confused with each other.

MS

originally posted by: zilebeliveunknown

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

just my opinion - but when the basic laws of physics appear to be being violated - its a pretty good indication of an halucination // dream

Basic laws of physics, as you understand it, and mainstream science accepting it, are not finite.
There are bunch of stuff we don't know.
My opinion

In the end, what is reality?

The more that is learned about this universe , the stranger it becomes.

Cold hearted orb that rules the night, Removes the colours from our sight, Red is gray and yellow white, But we decide which is right. And which is an illusion?

Moody Blues

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

Welcome to the club, without getting into too many details..your experience is not wholy unique.

First of all, these experiences are happening because you are allowing them to occur by giving them the attention they desire.

There is another side and a "source" from which all this originates from..and likewise, it felt similar to me, as to what you had described.

I have since let those things take a back seat for a while so I haven't had any experiences in some time but I had to comment because your experience sounds very similar to mine when I first started practicing with the occult.

The last thing I really remember being told by them was something along the lines of being the bringer of light, some type of figure like Apollo was in the Greek mythology.

Or at least that was my interpretation of what was said/shown..I was also around your age when this all started to become more intense.

As for what the old man told you, think deeply on who or what "her" means..there are many things that can be representative of that just from what you have said.

Sorry for my phrasing this morning but my mind is kind of scattered and I really wanted to comment on here because your experience is very interesting and similar to mine.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

PS-Additionally...Astral Projection, remote viewing, o.b.e.'s, lucid dreaming and transcendental meditation are very very close to each other.

All different by definition, and often confused with each other.

MS

Regarding your other reply and the T&C. I do know which part you mean. I am hoping they'll allow it if it's talked about responsibly and not glorified. I am definitely not condoning anything.

There's a reason I mentioned it. Let me talk about it from the AP angle.

Like you said these things are very very close.
I get vibes a lot from people. Call it "gut", "instinct", "intuition", whatever but it I go with it.
Those sorts of feelings are amplified in each scenario.
Then you have the vibration. It is again very similar even if you get there different ways.
To me my "helpers" are like a short-cut when I'm strapped for time.

Lately though I've been just trying to do it all natural.
Every night I go to bed an hour earlier than usual. Sometimes just to zone out, some times to try to AP/OOBE.
My dreams are always very vivid. Surprisingly though I've had no true lucid dream.
AP my focus has just been on getting to the vibrational state faster rather than trying all each session.
It's more like "relaxing there" and I can usually get there.

Sleep Paralysis or whatever you call it isn't unusual for me but when I'm "woken up" into it, it's always negative. Many times I have seen this thing that looks like a gray alien mostly.
The differences are that it has long pointy fingers and even though it's gray it's also somewhat translucent with a red tinge. This unlike the old man has not left any physical signs so I'm not sure if it's real or just a hallucination but the thing is unpleasant to say the least.

You say: "I know that once artificial creation of altered states is experienced...that allows the mind to forever see things in a different manner: altered, divided, multiplied, separated, moving, growing or shifting. One's impression of auditory, visual and tactile sensations can continue throughout the remainder of the life of the individual. Its much like one cannot un-see nor un-feel something once experienced."

That is a very good way to put it.
What strikes me most is the similarities in experiences obtained via different ways.

originally posted by: threeeyesopen
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

Welcome to the club, without getting into too many details..your experience is not wholy unique.

The beginning

I am hoping it's not unique.
That's why I posted it.

I'd really like to see if anyone else has had this kind of experience.
There's too many ways to search for it, too many things people could call it.
I've tried searching and I haven't found this exact type of experience - yet.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: OfTheVoid46

just my opinion - but when the basic laws of physics appear to be being violated - its a pretty good indication of an halucination // dream

If the circle and footprints existed however, there is physical evidence it indeed happened. Is it possible a subconscious could spot the circle and footprints and quickly concoct a hallucination? Sure, about as likely as someone experience time stop and a conversation with a god being.

What if our reality is just one of many shared simulations? I think our human perception of reality limits how we think about the soul. Perhaps, our souls experiences multiple realities simultaneously (since time really do not exist for them), much like a radio tuner that can tune to multiple radio stations all at once. Our reality is but only one frequency our souls tune into. We can usually only perceive this frequency or this reality and timeline. Our souls however, can experience all versions of us in different realities and time. Perhaps the old man is just a projection of your soul trying to communicate with you.

When I was young, maybe 12ish, I was with a group of friends in the woods and we experienced the old man in the woods phenomena. 4 of us saw him and spoke with him.

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

I see you get my point. Moving on...I too am a "sensitive". Breaking that down, I can walk into a crowd and "sense" positive vibes, negative ones, good, bad and plain evil..from objects, people, places and things. Its been that way my whole life. My wife after 27 years understands.

Ive been known to get up and switch seats, tables in a restaurant, move away from someone in a crowd etc...when I immediately pick up the vibes. I can do this across a room and do so to this day.

Antiques stores and resale shops are particularly hard on me, and we go all the time. Certain corners, objects and items throw me off. Sometimes from a good distance.

For me? Its a positive tool I use everyday. As an Emergency 1st Responder, I have had to learn to turn it "off" to be able to treat people in life-or-death situations. But there HAS been times...not many...when Ive asked a partner to take over for me. Thats usually not a problem with them or me.

The reasons I have for not wanting to treat a negative (mind you, I WILL...I wont let anyone die on me...that causes ME to become a negative)is generally understood in the emergency response field. There are a myriad of reasons one may not want to treat someone, yielding to their partner instead.

In many ways, I see we share some striking similiarlies. Best to you, MS

originally posted by: threeeyesopen
a reply to: OfTheVoid46
First of all, these experiences are happening because you are allowing them to occur by giving them the attention they desire.

There is another side and a "source" from which all this originates from..and likewise, it felt similar to me, as to what you had described.

[...]

As for what the old man told you, think deeply on who or what "her" means..there are many things that can be representative of that just from what you have said.

Thank you for sharing.

For the longest time even seeing proof myself I questioned it being real. It wasn't until some odd months ago I decided to take it seriously.

I've thought about what he said. It took me a while but I've gotten back into almost daily meditation and trying to reach an altered state via meditation.

The "her" thing I have my thoughts on that...
I'm still not sure what exactly my thoughts are on that but the ones I do have are probably better for another thread.
If I keep practicing each night I know I'll eventually wind up with some interesting experiences.
I'll wind up sharing more as it happens.

Ha ! great job....you met your angel, we all have one!!

nuthin' to it.....this from a seasoned outdoorsman whom doth have it all given to him....cool

you must help her is just out of the Scripture....this is why a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife, as they become one flesh......did you know we will not be left alone.....our angel has our back when we don't do enough. I guess he heard how great your communication skills went and was saying marry her, huh?.....hehe

ya can't see God's face....and come back don't cha know he....he

I see large black cats with the face of a pitt bull out in Texasflats , and that's pretty unique .....you my friend, saw your friggin Guardian Angel....so jealous....

a reply to: ignorant_ape

No, it's a pretty good indication that the laws are inept.

a reply to: OfTheVoid46

In my opinion, the folding slightly overlaps (hard to explain) you know the breathing effect? that is some type of string theory in action..

The little ones who leap forth, have so much to teach us, but in this world, in this age, that ship my friend, has sailed.
Too little too late.

The power of taboo, shall hide the truth forever.

By the way, have you ever heard about finding the face, or a picture of god, (god is a vague term) withing your own mind?