Lucid Dreaming And Astral Travel
“All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream.” ~ Edgar Allan Poe
The key difference between lucid dreaming and astral travel is how each state is reached. A lucid dream occurs after one is already asleep when the conscious mind awakens during a dream. This means that the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming, to the point that they can control the dream itself. On the other hand, astral traveling is an out of body experience (OBE) that can be accomplished whilst in a state of wakefulness. During astral travel, a person’s soul fully separates from the physical body to merge with its astral projection (think Doctor Strange). Experienced astral travelers describe being fully aware of this separation, and know when to return to their earthly form.
Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreams are vastly different from ordinary dreams, which can seem incredibly vivid and real. In the words of Cobb (a character from the film Inception) “Well, dreams, they feel real while we’re in them right? It’s only when we wake up that we realize that something was actually strange.” However, during a lucid dream, we suddenly become Conscious that we are experiencing a dream. As a result, we may influence the dream narrative including the characters, environment, and even the outcome. The theme of controlling reality can be likened to metaphysics and how our inner realities affect our external experience of the physical world.
How to Master Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming can typically happen when you wake up from a dream and go back to sleep. The fact that you have not fully woken up allows you to go back into the same dream and manipulate the outcome of the dream. Let’s take a look at what the experts say about how to Lucid Dream. According to Cognitive Neuroplasticity, we can learn to lucid dream by using a technique known as “reality testing.” It is recommended to practice reality testing throughout the day so that the mind develops the habit of checking whether or not we are dreaming. Here are a few tips on how to Reality Test that we can ultimately use when dreaming.
- Check the mirror to see if you can notice anything strange about your reflection.
- Look at the clock to check if the time is moving normally.
- Test solid objects to see if your hand can push through them.
Keep practicing Reality Testing during your day-to-day life, and then when the sun sets and you are ready to sleep, set your alarm for the middle of the night. This technique is known as “Wake Back To Bed” (WBTB). Simply fall asleep as usual, and when the alarm rings wake up and read for thirty minutes or so. This technique is designed to help you maintain Consciousness when you fall back to sleep, which primes the mind for lucid dreaming.
Astral Travel
Astral Projection is not the same as a typical OBE, which is frequently described by people who have found themselves hovering over their bodies (for one reason or another). Many people who have a near-death experience speak of this phenomenon. However, the main difference between this low-key extra-sensory experience and astral travel, is that advanced astral travelers can venture beyond the ceiling and into other worlds. One has to be cautious during astral travel, lest the soul becomes stranded on the astral plane, unable to return to the physical body.
When a soul enters the astral or spiritual realm, it also becomes Aware of its Divinity and has access to otherworldly information. Throughout history (in both the East and the West) astral travel has long been described in numerous Sacred Texts. The concept of connecting to, and embodying, Higher Consciousness is used by energy healers such as Reiki Masters and the like. Furthermore, astral projection allows us to travel anywhere in the Multiverse from the comfort of our homes! There is no limit as to the benefits of astral travel, and it is said to heighten psychic awareness and intuition as well. All we need to do to learn how to astral project is to practice and master the skill!
Beginners Tips for Astral Travel
Several techniques can be used for astral travel, and the rope technique is one of the most popular methods. Read on to find out how you can use the Rope Technique to enter the astral realms and explore the Multiverse!
- Prepare yourself to Astral Travel
Make sure you are comfortable in a place you will not be disturbed and try to leave enough time so that you don’t have to think about time at all.
2. Feel Yourself Relax
It is best to be in a relaxed state of mind for astral travel, so you may like to meditate for ten minutes so that your Consciousness is open and receptive.
3. Allow Yourself to Almost Fall Asleep
It is best to practice astral travel when you are not too tired, otherwise, you may fall asleep! The goal is to feel as physically relaxed as possible while maintaining a wakeful mind.
4. Notice Your Senses Heightening
At this stage, you may notice mysterious visuals or sounds as well as sensations such as floating or falling. You may also feel slightly numb, which is exactly where you want to be.
5. Visualize a Silver Rope
Now imagine a silver rope dangling from the ceiling, just within your reach. Spend some time visualizing this rope in detail, to the point where you can imagine what it will feel like.
6. Attempt to Grab the Rope with Your Astral Hand
Instead of diving right in and trying to astral project your whole body immediately, simply begin with one limb. Focus on reaching out to the rope and grabbing it with your astral hand.
7. Allow the Rest of Your Body to Follow
After you have successfully gripped the rope with your astral hand, feel the rest of your astral body rise from your physical form, and begin to climb the rope.
It can take a lot of practice to master astral projection, but with perseverance and dedication you will be able to travel anywhere you can imagine. If you don’t succeed the first time, simply try again and you will soon be flying through the astral realm.
