Why does this keep happening to me? Overwhelming wave of fear when trying to astral project.

Last night I was trying to project and I was extremely relaxed for about 20 minutes, and then my body twitched and an overwhelming wave of fear washed over me. It was a feeling of pure terror and my heart started beating really fast. My chest also got heavier and I found it really hard to breathe. It felt like a million pounds of pressure was on my chest. It was the worst feeling in the world... This happens every time I try to astral project. I don't know why it happens...it terrifies me and I don't know how to get it to stop. I don't think it was sleep paralysis because I was still awake. I could still hear the fan in my room and my mom walking around the house.

I'm not the biggest expert on astral projection, so take what I say with a pinch of salt, but many describe the sensations at the beginning of an astral projection, as being similar to those experienced during REM atonia. Based on this, I'd say what you're experiencing is normal, albeit frightening, and can only advise you try to ignore the sensations. Again, I'm not an expert.

Though I'm the only person here that will tell you this, I think one reason that a lot of people are uncomfortable with astral projection is because doing a lot of it isn't a very good idea for most people. If its right for you, then you'll sense that, and you won't be afraid of it. I don't think that suppressing or ignoring fear is a good idea - the majority of things that people are afraid of are actually a good idea to avoid.

Maybe another reason for fear would be if there's a part of your own mind that you try to hide from, and you're more aware of it when you're in the state close to astral projection. If that's the case being introspective and open with yourself should solve the problem. When I have felt strong fear in lucid dreams, it seems that I'm experiencing the opposite side of my own hatred. When I've looked at it that way and tried to understand it, I didn't experience it as fear any more.

I also felt fear the first time I astral projected, but it wasn't terror like what you describe. I was just uncomfortable with all the weird, ghostly stuff I could see and hear, and was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back into my body. What you're describing sounds different.

I astral projected a few times then stopped doing it because it didn't feel like the right direction for me now.