How 'real' does an OBE seem?

[SquanderPants]

I imagine this might be hard to define, but i suppose what I mean is how much like the physical world is it in it's appearance and clarity? When I project and look back at myself, will it visually appear as real as if I was looking at a high quality video of myself? For example, when i have a lucid dream, things never appear as 'solid' or as 'real' as things in the physical plane.

I'd just like to hear people's experiences of this to know what to expect.

Thanks

[ViperThunder]

I have read that while projecting, some people have completely spherical+360º vision. When I projected one time, everything was dim and blurry, and I could only see the white door and the red numbers of the alarm clock.

[Venus_Goddess_of_Love]

Hi there, it's a very good question.  How real an OBE is, depends on the projector's lucidity.  For example, my lucidity has been different in each of my OBEs.  Once, I was thinking more clearly than in my physical waking state, that I decided that my real life is actually in the astral not the physical plane.  I was also more comfortable with my environment and had a certain 'knowing' of my direction/purpose than I have ever been in the physical world.  It was absolute proof for me that the real me is not the one on Earth and that I am only half conscious here on Earth.

As regards to looking at physical objects, I always tend to project away from my immediate familiar surroundings.  However, from what I have read and my own hypnagogic experiences, physical objects don't look or feel solid at all.  A lot has been written about this, and I'm sure other, more experienced projectors on this forum can tell you more.

best wishes
Venus

[Psan]

Good question.
The perceived "reality" of OBE varies from a dull drunk nonsense to more real than reality itself. Just like Venus had said, it depends on your lucidity (or energy, as some call it). The best OBEs are those where you can't make out whether you are awake or sleeping or in some other state, and everything seems as if very real, but you are equally sure that you are laying on bed somewhere in physical world, and you are fully conscious and alert.

Things never remain the same, usually and it turns into a normal dream or you wake up as if instantly "teleported" back to the bed. It is this kind of OBE thats most fascinating and makes you wonder. Either the brain is a very complex organ, beyond our understanding or the spiritual stuff people talk about is actually true.

Best of luck for your journeys and may you find the truth soon.

[SquanderPants]

Thank you all for your responses!

I decided to take a break last night from attempting projection and decided to just excersise relaxation techniques, but inadvertantly found myself able to see my room through my closed eyes  - something i haven't experienced for a while. I really wasn't sure whether I'd opened my eyes by accident, or they were half open and I could make out some shapes, but no - they were closed shut! I

I suppose in this instant, my view of this imagery was perceived as real (as I questioned whether my eyes were shut or not), yet when I opened my physical eyes to check, I could see that the view I had now was actually more 'real' than the one I could see through closed eyes, but at that time I didn't know the difference.

[Venus_Goddess_of_Love]

Hey Squander, you opened your third eye, or brow chakra.  I had a similar experience some time ago.  Feels very strange.  Looks like you're well on your way!

[Tongo]

So when one has opened their third eye Chakra is that normal to sometimes be able to see straight forward even though your eyes are closed? that seems pretty far out. Sry dont mean to veer off the topic but had to ask.

[Steel Hawk]

To me it's always been as real as waking consciousness. 

[Venus_Goddess_of_Love]

Hi Tongo, why do you think it's far out?  When you activate your chakras you energise them and are able to do things you can't normally do in everyday life.  Whenever I exercise my third eye, my clairvoyance level increases and I'm able to see 360 degrees.  See my post on this forum where I talked about seeing a pick pocket's hands behind my back. http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/consciousness_exercises_helped_me_catch_a_thief-t28027.0.html;msg230970#msg230970

Also just as the op, I once woke up and opened my eyes and saw my dark bedroom which looked foggy.  Then I realised that they were my astral eyes and not my physical, so I asked for help and shortly after I went to explore an amazing astral place.  Here's what I posted at the time: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_obe_discussions/my_obe_this_morning_flying_through_an_ornate_tunnel-t28088.0.html;msg231278#msg231278

If I were you I would open my mind to any possiblity because what we can do in the astral plane is beyond our comprehension here on Earth.  That is why projecting is so fascinating - it's a whole new experience where the rules of nature are totally different.

Venus

[Kodemaster]

The best way to explain it, for me at least, is like this:

When you are OOB, you say to yourself "cool, I'm out of body"; with a lucid dream, you say to yourself "Yay, I can control this dream."

In other words, you instinctively know you're out of body while you're out. Sometimes, you'll question it afterward. However, if you had that instinctive feeling while you were out, that you were out, you had an OBE.

HTH,

Jen

[ka0s]

my waking state and the state out of body are often identical (with clarity being the same on some experiences). Most of my OBE's are a little less vivid but are matched in how "real" they feel. As one above poster mentioned, I can consciously feel my body separate and say "Ok Im out of body, what do i want to do today?"

[Prophazuh]

I imagine this might be hard to define, but i suppose what I mean is how much like the physical world is it in it's appearance and clarity?

Basically, like some people have already said, it depends on how conscious/lucid you are in that particular experience. There will be times when your surroundings will be blurry/distorted, times when your surroundings will be just like the physical and other times when your surroundings will be far more clear, detailed and vivid.

When I project and look back at myself, will it visually appear as real as if I was looking at a high quality video of myself?

Actually, sometimes you may not even see your body at all. When I've seen my body, it looked and felt just like my physical body.

[ka0s]

i can agree..sometimes I have seen my body and other times my bed appeared empty ;X