No sure if this was An OBE or a dream

[j33ster]

Last night I was listening to some calming music before bed, I like to do this to help me relax when I'm laying down.

So I started to drift off, and felt a huge pulling sensation on my body, kind of like I was attached to a truck by a rope and going full speed out of bed, but the feeling was very brief. I'm actually surprised I remember it at all that's how slight it was.

Anyway; In my "dream" I woke up in an abandoned house, and there was a man there telling me to get dressed. I dawned some sort of armor, it was grey and dull, after I had gotten dressed, he said "We have to go collect the others". After that we were travailing across a barren landscape, looking for specific people. I don't remember who but I do remember why. We had to travel into these underground caverns, and assist some group of...well...I can't recall, but nonetheless it was a group of people who were fighting off some type of demons. So we gathered the people on the scroll (All the names and locations of the people were on a scroll) and then brought them into this gigantic cave. The scenery was spectacular and scary at the same time. It was nothing like earth's scenery, but had some of the same characteristics. After walking into this cave for a while, we ended up in this room, like a room made for a mine entrance, old wood, dirt, not too much else. So apparently we had to recruit these people into our "order" that's what the man told me, I can't remember his name for the life of me, Ive been trying all day. So we started the recruiting process, which involved each of the people pledging their allegiance to the fight of evil (Very odd) Then we had to test their physical ability, Which basically involved me fighting each of them with the weapon of their choice, and I had a staff. After everyone went through these, monstrous things started to flood the room, the man who woke me up had his head severed, and I was left to be in charge, the last thing I remember was holing his necklace, it was a silver chain, with ruby's on it. One big ruby, and six other rubies in a circle above it.

then My alarm went off.

[Xanth]

There's a very easy question I ask myself to determine whether an experience was an unconscious dream or a conscious projection:

Was I fully awake and aware while this experience was happening?

[Contenteo]

If you had a floaty feeling and could talk to yourself in your head ('mind chatter') then you were projecting.

Dreams can come very close to projections. Especially when you get on the edge of lucid dreams, but projections have an unmistakable ambiance to them. You'll see.

Regardless, if you can vouch for it's incredible detail, it sounds like this dream landed you above F21. That is, you weren't just making it all up in your head. Remember, dreams are just uncontrolled projections. You are projecting, just not in control of it, and if you are in the lower realms, your intents manifest to a greater extent, so its kinda like your subconscious is running the show.

Cheers,
Contenteo

[twilighter]

Although I am still very new to AP, I have been having lucid dreams for most of my life, and I am starting to believe that while they are both different, that they are also very closely connected. Not too long ago while having a lucid dream, I woke up in my bed, and felt myself started to raise my astral head, right along with the loud auditory sound that often follows it. It was so loud it shocked me, and I never fully exited. Since you said you felt a fast tug on your body, I think you more than likely projected. I had the same sensation just the other night, when I did. It felt as though I became a puff of smoke that rose to ceiling very quickly. Just speculation on my part of course, but you very likely could have had an OOBE.

[Contenteo]

I am starting to believe that while they are both different, that they are also very closely connected.

Good observation twilighter; you are spot on.

They are the same exact thing, except your level of awareness if different. For instance, if a lucid dream is akin to you waking up groggy and moseying around the house in the morning, then a projection would be your state of mind during a soccer game or some other strenuous physical activity. You are hyper aware in the later state. The same 'physical' experience, except your state of mind exhibits them in to very different ways.

Cheers,
Contenteo

[twilighter]

Good observation twilighter; you are spot on.

They are the same exact thing, except your level of awareness if different. For instance, if a lucid dream is akin to you waking up groggy and moseying around the house in the morning, then a projection would be your state of mind during a soccer game or some other strenuous physical activity. You are hyper aware in the later state. The same 'physical' experience, except your state of mind exhibits them in to very different ways.

Cheers,
Contenteo

Exactly! The key difference seems to be awareness level. After thinking long and hard about some of the dreams I have had, I am now convinced that I was experiencing Astral projection, even before I even knew of the concept... and let's just say I am a lat bloomer there, since I only learned about it recently Still I can vividly recall what I thought was a dream, where I dove out the window and flew over canyons and streams, where the air sparkled, and I could feel it against my skin. It was a spontainous journey, not at all calculated. After thinking about it long and hard, I have become convinced I was experiencing astral travel, even before I heard of it, or had made a willful conscious effort to do so. I can't help but wonder if this is true of most people, and that what we write off as mere dreams, or even lucid dreams, are actually OOBE's?

[Contenteo]

When I first learned how to project, I started talking about it with my friends. One in particular was very confused because when I was describing an F10 state he responded, "Doesn't everybody do that to get to sleep?" Apparently, the way he gets to sleep every night is to lay there until he can't feel his body and then Bam! Asleep. He didn't even realize that he was doing one of the most fundamental steps in astral projection.

This is a shining example of how whatever someone experiences - thinks its normal. Thinks that everyone does the same, when this just isn't true. Astral Projection is so subjective and taboo that a whole myriad of experiences go untalked about and accepted as fact. I don't feel like sifting through the archives, but there I can tell you there has been many of this exact case to pop up on these forums.

Cheers,
Contenteo

[twilighter]

When I first learned how to project, I started talking about it with my friends. One in particular was very confused because when I was describing an F10 state he responded, "Doesn't everybody do that to get to sleep?" Apparently, the way he gets to sleep every night is to lay there until he can't feel his body and then Bam! Asleep. He didn't even realize that he was doing one of the most fundamental steps in astral projection.

This is a shining example of how whatever someone experiences - thinks its normal. Thinks that everyone does the same, when this just isn't true. Astral Projection is so subjective and taboo that a whole myriad of experiences go untalked about and accepted as fact. I don't feel like sifting through the archives, but there I can tell you there has been many of this exact case to pop up on these forums.

Cheers,
Contenteo

Perhaps, but as you said, it isn't talked about. It's really too bad the subject so taboo. It seems anything that can't be proven scientifically is too quickly dismissed. I know the Monroe Institute, did some amazing studies. Though unfortunately the subject is still a little too out there for some people. About the only time people talk about OOBE's, is when it involves near death experiences. Until quite rcently, the same was true for me.

[yondaime109]

A past life maybe?