Complaints about a zebra striped bathroom.

[ChopstickFox]

Had my first nap in forever today and it felt GREAT. Well, nap among other things. Sorry for another long one, but I don't see the point of splitting it up.

I exited a little differently this time. Rose right out of my body and only noticed when I realized that I could suddenly see my hands in front of me and I was in another place completely. Usually I end up in my apartment, but during the day I've been trying to suggest appearing somewhere new. Maybe it worked? See, I have a hard time consciously wanting it and having it happen. I have to trick my subconscious into doing it automatically. If that makes any sense.

I found myself in a different apartment and I ended up spending quite a bit of time there. A man and a woman lived there and they had a dog who had just had puppies. I don't remember what kind of breed of dog, but it was a dark color and was medium sized. At first I didn't notice the puppies. They were all asleep on a bed and it was dark so I couldn't see well. I had picked up one of the little things laying next to the dog and only then realized that it was a little puppy nursing. It started crying and I freaked out, putting it back. I don't remember if that was what woke up the man and woman, but they were mildly confused by me suddenly appearing in the middle of the night in their apartment, disturbing their dog. They were pretty friendly, actually, and the man later on explained that they had just moved there from a newer area. This apartment was older and he was complaining about the style. Specifically the bathroom. Apparently the old owners thought zebra striped walls were cool. I remember they had a different accent, but I forget exactly.

They took me out in a car the next morning. I wish I took the time to look at it because I was actually in a car this time. I was busy looking out the windows. The town looked pretty typical, though I think we were driving on the other side of the road come to think of it. That seems more likely than us driving backwards. There were crosswalks with pedestrians, it was a little overcast, not as sunny as Florida, but big oak trees or whatever. I'm not an expert on trees, but it was definitely not like Florida. Much farther north. Older style buildings, but I wouldn't be able to tell you how old. For one thing, there was so much detail throughout this whole experience, it really stuck out. I've had a few of these experiences recently. Really strange.

This was where it started getting weirder and in essence, more dream like, I guess. I started noticing that the pedestrians were all looking the same direction. I asked them to let me out of the car and I investigated. It led me to a big building maybe like an old theater, though it was not a theater. It was more like... Well, it had a huge reception room. I walked in and from there I would say that it most likely slipped into a dream. I will continue anyways, regardless of the technicalities of distinguishing what it was.

I was debriefed by someone and I forget exactly what they said, but something along the lines of there was something fishy going on with the people there and we needed to spy on them to figure it out. Also that a lot of people had been suddenly getting sick recently. So here we have two "teams". The people who were at their base and the spies. I really wouldn't say a typical theme of mine, but I rolled with it. I think I lost my lucidity by this point. We worked together to sneak in and get into the areas under surveillance. I'm not going to go through the details, but at one point I ended up needing to hide and they were searching for us. I was under something, covered by a curtain. I thought I would be fine, but one of the bad guy's kids was trying to "help". He was probably only 4 or so and he lifted where I was hiding. At first he didn't see me, then he spotted me. At about that point the disease that was making everyone sick was suddenly released. My team yelled out that we needed to save ourselves and take down as many of the enemy as possible. Of course, I grabbed the little kid, then ran. I guess the disease started turning people into zombies and I was pushing through people, yelling to save the kid. The only exit, of course, was a catwalk like escape out a window onto a balcony. I remember getting slashed at and pushing through the pain trying to keep the kid out of harms way. When I was about to lose consciousness, someone was able to grab the kid from me then dragged me outside.

Time fast forwarded where everything was cleaned up and because of my effort saving the kid, there was peace between the two "teams". They were actually families and the celebration was symbolic for them adopting one another in a way. I looked at a sign and it had one of the families. Their symbol was a snake which I thought was so cliche and Harry Potter like, bringing back my lucidity. I didn't see the other. Someone came up to my table and thanked me, I stood up and gave them a hug. I usually don't remember faces or details about a person, but this person sticks out in my memory. He was a tall black man in a light blue suit, bald, and was slightly broad, but still thin. He was there with his daughter who was probably about 6. She was in a dress, and I want to say it was pink but I don't quite remember. I gave them hugs and from the reaction from him and the other people at my table, it wasn't appropriate. I have no idea who exactly he was and felt a little embarrassed afterwards.

I sat back down and watched a show that they presented. It was really really cool. Everyone participating was in a costume and had a glove with an owl sitting on it. All different breeds and all different people. I can't really explain it, but there was so much detail, through the performance I just watched, my eyes moving from one performer and their owl to the next. Music was playing and they would throw their owl into the air where they would fly coordinately with each other. It sounds silly, but it was amazingly beautiful. It was like a dance. Awesome.

At that point, my husband woke me up. Maybe if he hadn't I might have forgotten the detail that I saw. So individual. Every person and every owl. Completely individual and independent from each other. Perfect physics as far as I could tell, and really just so much detail it was as if I was right there watching them. Which I guess I was, but it's moments like this that I am truly amazed by our minds. Awesome.

[Bedeekin]

This sounds like a test. I think you passed.

You acted out of compassion and put yourself in harms way to protect the child. This seemed to be your intent.

[ChopstickFox]

I've heard of people bringing up tests before. Is this some sort of common thing? Szaxx has shared some really awesome sounding experiences referring them to tests, but I haven't really seen where the concept of tests have been explained. Silly question, but from what you have read, does this experience in it's all sound like I was Astral Projecting? We talked before about differentiating them from dreams as how people you encounter usually react differently, it is not so much scripted, and the people seems a lot more independent. This had the same feel as the other I shared.

So curious! But it's something I have been hoping for. Exciting!

[Bedeekin]

When you are an aware consciousness when nonphysical... you are interacting directly with the 'source' so to speak. There are rules that keep you on a certain track. If you want to play... you will be in a playground and will have fun... there is no growth in the playground.

If you are growing and learning and wanting learn, you are directed along a different path when conscious in the nonphysical where you are beset tasks and tests and journeys. You are being tested so that you can move to the next level.

When you are on missions or tests... you do become somewhat wrapped up in the narrative of the experience. This is needed otherwise you would just take everything with a pinch of nonphysical salt... "I'm lying in my bed and this isn't real". You would be distant and any test would just be like trying to complete a computer game level... its just a game. The tests seem to wrap you up in its narrative so that you are making true decisions based upon emotional response rather than what might seem like the best response.

It's the difference between...

* Being aware you are in an OOBE attitude towards a test would be - "I am being tested... I know to pass this I need to be a good person and care for the kid... its not real so what have I got to lose"

* Having had intention of having an OOBE and having one but being wrapped up in the reality of the situation not knowing you were being tested leads to - "I just need to save this kid... I don't care for my own well being... this kid is more important"

You were shown the results of your true intent and decision making. You passed the test. You showed 'love' towards the kid and the betterment of the factions.

[ChopstickFox]

Wow! So it actually made perfect sense that I lost lucidity during this "test". It certainly was exciting. Scary, but exciting. I hope to experience more.

I dunno... even if it's a dream and not a test, if there's a good storyline, I don't care if it's scary, it's an absolute blast! The book I wrote is actually based off a dream, though the character I was, was completely independent from the actual story. I was telling a friend about it today and I felt a little silly... Working on confidence... yes! Confidence!

[Bedeekin]

Yes... this is one of the qualities of the test based 'journeys'... they need to become subjective and have a narrative you believe you are in.

Being aware that it's just an OOBE defeats the purpose because you would have known the disease wasn't going to harm you.

Not all tests and journeys have a subjective narrative... its that some actually require it to be so, to be valid and have growth potential.

I love subjective dreams also... epic subjective immersive dreams are important... as important as consciously aware dreams.

[ChopstickFox]

Going to add my dream from last night here rather than making a new topic.

I was walking with my dad down the main road in my hometown. I wasn't aware that I was dreaming. A car suddenly slammed on its breaks and my dad and I turned to see what was going on. We saw my uncle (who had passed away many years ago, though I was oblivious to this within my dream). He was drunk and not exactly... acting very smart. Laughing, he had dodged a car like a bull in a rodeo. My dad and I ran over to pull him out of the road and right next to us, a garbage truck collided with another car. The metal ripped and it was really loud, but I don't think anyone go hurt.

What is strange about seeing my uncle is that I was very young when he passed away. I only saw him maybe once or twice before. When I recognized him he was almost like a blend of that uncle and my uncle on my mother's side who has just recently fractured his heel after falling off a roof. Maybe to fill in the gaps in my memory, but whatever. My late uncle was an alcoholic and had cirrhosis of the liver. This man shared the alcoholism, but was of a completely different personality altogether.

My dad started bringing him to a building and I went with them. Up a few floors there was a meeting place that my uncle was supposed to go to. One of those support groups.

It was at about this point that my dream shifted. The man was still there, but he was no longer my uncle, if that makes sense. It started shifting when the man had overthrown the support group, deciding that he didn't want to put up with it, and brought out a bunch of drinks for everyone. He started getting pretty unstable and he started scaring me. He was rallying the people there, too. Suddenly, I was in my usual dream form where I have wings (haven't been like that in like a week! Nearly a new record, haha!). The building warped and it was suddenly a lot like portal, but I didn't have a portal gun. I could fly, though, so it wasn't bad.

I could hear the man. Mostly like taunts and stuff and it was more like an obstacle course than puzzles. Though I didn't have a portal gun, I do remember going through a few portals. When I escaped, I saw a bunch of buildings on stilts with grass thatched roofs. I flew up and landed on one. Someone saw me through their window and I held my finger to my lips to shush them.

I wanted to keep sleeping to find out what happened next, but I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep.

As a side note, I had a bit to drink before going to bed AND played Portal 2. I never wake up with a headache, but I sure did today. :/ Forgot to drink water before falling asleep. But what's funny is that whenever I've drank before going to bed I nearly never remember my dreams or even remember having dreams.

[Szaxx]

You passed!
You've said the situation is not your usual thing, not something you would expect normally, this is typical of the many tests I've been through. You have to do something to fix a problem by basically being yourself. It's almost as real as being your physical self but the issue at hand takes all your thoughts of being non physical away.  The decisions you make are what determines the outcome.  Though much of it keeps you guessing whats around the next corner, your instincts play a part. The depth of involvement and calculating the next move keep your thoughts very active. There's no time to play or fly at lesiure and even when you get that far into whats occuring these thoughts get pushed aside when they do appear on occasion.
Later on after lots of these experiences you gain full awareness and still dont simply blast your way through by levitating all to a safe location. You understand the rules set and instinctively keep to them
It starts small like you've experienced and things get much bigger. After several years you're not helping one person but helping many thousands. It seems limitless. They come unexpected and put you on the spot. They are nothing like normal dreams, where you go with the flow. These are unique in clarity and wait for your response.
Once successful, the scene ends and you wake with perfect memory feeling really good. Then it fades as you do the morning routine, sometime later it all comes back and you recall everything in detail. Some parts take longer like names, unsure why but that may be a personal twist. You'll meet up with some wierd entities and they require careful decisions.
Not all involve a physical lookalike scene. Some are lines in a sea of colour while others are mind work sorting an erroneous emotional issue which is almost impossible to put into words.
I love this stuff.

[ChopstickFox]

Awesome... I can't wait to see more!

[Szaxx]

The feel to them is so different to a typical dream. You seem to know what you have to do and there's the clarity of it all.
Did you notice these things?