whats best - project from awake or sleeping?

[Klaxen_2008]

What is generally a better more reliable way to AP from? is it from a lucid dream or just normal awake state? what is the generally the most powerful and reliable method? what do you think is best and why?

[Szaxx]

The best is always the most difficult. Concious exit before sleep.
The easiest is a morning attempt if you can catch yourself waking up before moving a muscle.
Then personal preferences take over. It's more to do with what is easiest and comfy for you. Sitting naked on a snowy precipice shouting at the gods isn't going to help anyone in reality.
Waking up without moving and floating upwards will help many.
There's lots of posts on site already addressing this question. Do a search, you'll see what I mean.

[Boom]

I think its different for each individual. 
As is said many times, do not try AP before going to bed as part of your normal routine. I know this is the most convenient time. But it rarely works.  Your mind is tired after the day, and you're conditioned to just go to sleep then.

If youre at a point about completely obsessing about AP, and its at the front of your mind and in your subconcious then you may be able to train yourself to launch into one upon waking. But as others have said, you have to catch yourself waking up.  You could set yourself an alarm to remind you so as youre waking up, your alarm is shouting "Astral Project! Astral Project" for about 20 seconds, then it goes quiet so you can be reminded to do it.  I might try this myself actually!

The best time is to sleep in an irregular way.  Have a lay in, and try after you've already had a good nights sleep. Or go for an afternoon siesta.  I find that having something to keep me a little alert as I'm falling asleep does wonders.  Like the other day, it was really windy and I could hear my back door banging open and closed. It wasn't loud enough to keep me awake, but it was there and I thinking "i'm going to have to get up and shut that door properly, the neighbours are gonna start moaning at me!"   This seemed to provide (for me at least) a good grounding to jump into AP. My body was relaxed but my mind was keeping alert, but not too alert to the point where I'm restless.

Another time I recall getting a spontaneous OBE was when I was very worked up about something that I had to deal with the next day. I was in a hotel, and had to be at the British Embassy the next morning to apply for my wifes visa. It was very stressful time, and I'm laying there thinking about all that.  (she didn't legally even need a visa but they were insisting and it was tinkling me off!) and next minute i feel myself floating out of my body.

So yeah different methods work best for different people.  But each method has an underlying similarity: Body asleep, mind awake.

[Xanth]

What is generally a better more reliable way to AP from? is it from a lucid dream or just normal awake state? what is the generally the most powerful and reliable method? what do you think is best and why?

A conscious exit directly from being awake *usually* (as in this is individual and unique for each person) provides you with the greatest amount of awareness.  Keeping your current waking awareness while shifting to the non-physical is great.
When becoming aware while already in a dream, you can expect to have a varying level of awareness.  Anywhere from a lucid awareness to a full astral awareness... the problem is that if you gain a lucid awareness, then you have to waste time increasing your awareness and you still might not ever gain a full waking awareness.

With that said...
Just focus on having conscious non-physical experiences... it doesn't really matter how aware you are, as long as you know you're non-physical and are able to initiate your plans.