Waking up "out of body"

[zenmaster]

It's related to the necessary encounter with the unconscious which occurs as part of psychological development. More of time/space is accessible and the first part of that tends to be the personal unconscious. This is where we get the notion of 'everyone is right', and the subjective nature of reality not being so dismissible. It's the beginning of Ken Wilber's 'left-hand quadrant' and also the start of Spiral Dynamics' green valuing meme. Initially, the personal unconscious is not accepted and recognized. With a certain amount of polarization ('green-ray', probably teens and early twenties for a wanderer), its contents do start leaking out into consciousness and where it may seem foreign and terrifying. But it's just 'you'. Same thing if you try astral projection the first time without accepting and becoming familiar with the personal unconscious (shadow) - the first thing you encounter tends to be some rather scary aspect of the self. This is the first part of initiation. At some point, there tends to be death of ego experience(s) (dark night periods) resulting in a more transpersonal viewpoint, further penetration of veil, and less attachment, followed by 'psychic' ability.

That's all understandable..especially how more of time/space would be accessible. By initiation though, are you referring to the beginnings of a more integrated world-view, or initiation in the greater sense that the material talks about, where much work has has already been done and higher levels of consciousness are to be revealed?

As far as I can tell, they are the same thing. That is, the integrated or more holistic worldview means duality is able to be recognized as such from the standpoint of 'having been there', having more conscious connection to time/space. This evolutionary process (integration) does tend to follow polarization, because mind, through its acceptance of 'what is' (microcosm and/or macrocosm) is making more 'space' for spirit. Another term for 'what is' is 'logos'.