could have been a lucid dream, but...

[Aculaud]

I've very little idea what to make of this, but everything iv read on the subject of AP leads me to believe i just stumbled onto the real thing. Tell me what you think...

I was staying at my girlfriend's place, and we were just waking up, for the first of many times, that morning. We were up till about 3:30, the night prior, and her family keeps chickens and roosters that roam free in their yard, so we awoke promptly, with their crowing, at the crack of dawn. I was feeling very 'half asleep' that morning, as i had a lot of energy the day before, and i didnt fall asleep that easily that night. Anyway, after the poultry woke us, we lay there for a while, both of us trying to get back to sleep, and thats about when it happened.

I lost "Concsiousness", or so it felt like, just about how it feels when you first enter a dream state when you fall asleep, except that i dinstinctly remember instantly knowing that i still had control of myself. The first thing i experienced was pitch blackness, though i could actually still feel my hands the whole time, as i had a constant "pins and needles", sort of electric sensation, in both of them. In fact, that was all i could really feel. I had a sense of vision, and i could feel some electic sensation in my hands, and thats about it. I dont remember feeling any other part of my body. And then, just about as soon as i realized that the pitch blackness had occured, it dissipated, and i was in a house, of some sort. The first thing i noticed was that i was in a hallway, with a large bit of the wall to my right that looked like a shopping cart full of bricks was sent right into it; just sort of had a large smashed spot in it. The hallway was painted white, or so i remember it as being so, and every last bit of the time, i could still feel my hands, with that sort of static electricity, hands-falling-asleep sensation in them the whole time. In fact, i am more compelled to describe the feeling in my hands as a more electric sensation, because i did not experience any of the numbness that you get when you do have pins and needles in a part of your body.

As i say, i dinstinctly remember being instantly aware that i had control of myself in this state. Not just moving and feeling, but i remember thinking to myself, as soon as the blackness went away and i was in this house, "Am i out?" After that, i tried moving. I felt like i was reaching out with my hands, palms flat and fingers stretched out, as if i were giving someone a "high ten", and i gave an abstract thought "Forward". It was more as if i felt the word, than heard myself say it, just like when i asked myself if i was out, but i still recognized it as being in the english language. Anyway, upon feeling the word "Forward", i began moving down the hall, until i felt myself stop. That, however, is about when i snapped back to my body.

Now, i have uncertainties about this experience. One, of course the possiblity existsts that this was simply a lucid dream, because to be honest, i have very little idea whose house, or what building i was in, and have no memory of such a building with that smashed spot on the wall of a hall. However, if that be the case, how would the state of pitch blackness just before it be explained? Entering a dream state has always felt very instantanious to me. Also, the static electric sensation in my hands, and the free floating movement sensation, i have never experienced in a dream before.

Im not sure if this qualifies as AP, but it was still an amazing experience. Any thoughts would be most apreciated.

[Joehadenuf-MOH-]

Hey Aculaud,

I wouldn't rule out either or, but there are some striking similarities with that, and some of my own experiences.

"I gave an abstract thought "Forward". It was more as if i felt the word" This is almost exactly how I move around when I'm attempting an exit. The difference being my perception of the command as being more like a remote control. However, yes, it is like you feel it, and yes, It is perceived in your language because the word "forward" Is your physical brain's translation of the willingness to do so. I believe the verbalization comes after the fact. Sure, you think to move forward, and your will to move manifests as action  with your astral double. This is why you have a whole range of both mental and physical sensation, keeping in mind, you might have been sharing two separate levels of consciousness. one set of sensations parallel your physical body back home in your bed, and the other is perceived in the house or environment you experienced. Just saying it doesn't have the same effect, and this points to it being a possible projection, given... you really don't have to think about moving in a regular dream. if you are unfamiliar with the Astral, you may have to learn how to move around.

"every last bit of the time, I could still feel my hands" This is common in most of my attempts as well as the few projections I recall. There always seems to be at least one part of my body that remains in my body consciousness. this could be because I have not practiced a full range of energy work, but there always seems to be something that reconnects me to my body back on the bed. In your case, it was your hands, I have similar instances with my legs especially, sometimes my hands, and occasionally my lungs and back. I personally believe this is an instance of dual awareness. You may not perceive your body at all in the astral, you might just whiteness and experience the astral. At the same time however you are still in bed and you may still be recognising a particular bodypart that hasn't set into paralysis, or has a peculiar sensation such as vibrations, or in your case, the "pins and needles" keep in mind, you don't have to be in a state of paralysis so have an experience such as yours

"I have very little idea whose house, or what building I was in, and have no memory of such a building"
I have experienced both times where I was among foreign places that seemed to be strikingly familiar, kind of a deja vu, and other times where I would explore unknown and unfamiliar places. I have yet to experience the real time zone in an astral state, but I don't think would be wise to base your decision solely on your surroundings. you seem to have a somewhat descriptive idea of your surroundings, that can play as a factor in all APs, OBEs, and LDs.

"I distinctly remember being instantly aware that i had control of myself in this state"
There doesn't seem to be a lot of exit sensation, although you do speak of the fact you were partly asleep just before you tried to go back to sleep. That is a prime time for any number of things to happen. as I can't give you a definite answer as to what exactly happened to you, I can, to the extend of knowledge I have on the matter, say there is a good possibility your experience had strong astral ties. As I am not sure what relationship lies between dreams and the Astral plain, but I do recognize their differences. As far as instantly being aware of your ability to control yourself, weather by means of physical sensation or acquired knowledge, similar instances occur in unexpected projections, such as yours.
my first projection was sickness induced and I too had a similar realization, but one that only came when knew I was no longer in my bed. If I am trying to willfully project, most of my sensations are tactile and go though a stage process.

I hope some of that helps, I know I'm not an expert, but I can relate to what I have experienced. If you like, I can share with you an interesting account I had a few nights ago.

[Aculaud]

Yes, please do...

[Joehadenuf-MOH-]

http://forums.astraldynamics.com/viewtopic.php?t=743