Projection or a Lucid Dream?

[Kelly87]

Ok! So I've been trying to project awhile now. I finally achieved something this morning.

This morning I set several timers to wake me up. Which they did! However I didn't project then. Instead. I ended up falling asleep.Amidst a new dream, I was a well dressed and very fashionable asian woman. However I was riding on an old beginning of the century plane. Propeller, and two sets of wings. You know the type. Amidst my dream I realized I was dreaming. The pilot was insulting me. The insults I don't remember but I did reply "F--- Off, I'm dreaming anyways." then he said "Well I didn't like your body anyways!" Or something to that effect. Creepy.

I jumped off. Fell painlessly to the ground where I bounced several times untl I landed unscathed. Thats when I practiced flying and constantly bounced up and down with sudden drops. That's when I finally said "Ok. Im ready to project"

In the very  next moment I found myself in my body. The position I was in while I slept. on my stomach, head tilted down into my pillow. I could partially see. I could feel my breath steadily rolling out and brushing against the pillow and my skin. I didn't freak out because I knew I was not in control. I felt my body starting to wake up and told myself "Not yet. Stay asleep." At which point I grabbed my bed at the sides and began to push up. As I pulled out it was a brief experience where I could suddenly see everything had changed. I could see the flesh of my forehead as body and mind sepearated. I rolled back onto my knees, and looked at my body. It did not look like me as I do now. it looked like me as a young girl. pre-pubescent. Same hair color, and a lot of things. My hair was braided into pig tails which is a style I always liked, but I never had.

I was also wearing an older style of night gown. not the scant t-shirt and other unmentionable that I wear to bed these days. I thought to myself "I look pretty cute. Anyways. Im out now."

"First things first." I recalled posts about moving my hands. So I did. And then I said to myself as I stood up. I could feel my body on the ground. Seeing my flooring and I said "Ok, my vision. Please clear up" It did a little bit, but things were still fuzzy. I walked to my window. and I knew things were not the same as I am used to outside. Outside of my room was a bright sun and endless green field. In the physical realm there are actually several apartment complexes. but in recollection, it looked similar to how it would of prior to development of the area. I didn't even try to go through my bedroom door. It wasn't even a thought that occured. I thought to myself "Ok take me where I am nee-" Oh right. I remembered the posts I've read here. The shock of what occurred for some people. "No. Please don't I take  that back. I'll get out on my own"
I instead tried to push hand through my wall. I failed, and could see it wasn't going to be easy. this time,  I tried again and my fingers started to slide through the wall but got stuck there. I could see wave like patterns around them. And that's the last thing I remember. I think more occurred.  But I don't remember.

I know for sure it was a lucid dream, but I dont know if it was an actual projection. Would love some opinions. Either way its an amazing development for me since at the very least its my first LD.

After that,

[Xanth]

A lucid dream is a projection.

A projection can be consciously induced... in which you have no break in awareness between "here" and "there".
OR... a projection can spontaneously happen... in which case you do have a break in awareness between "here" and "there".

That's the difference between the labels.

Even a "dream" is a projection.  It's just a projection in which you're unaware that you're experiencing a reality that isn't this physical reality.

Congratulations are in order! 

[justin35ll]

Congrats!
To me it sounds like you had a lucid dream and then when you said you wanted to project you found yourself in the sleep paralysis/vibration/blackvoid/mind awake body asleep/whatever you want to call it state and from there you had a classic RTZ projection.
Now that you have felt that state it should get easier to recreate so you can have more experiences.

[Kelly87]

Thanks everyone.  

Will I become more able to conciously remember it? Because I know at the time I certainly said to myself "Ok im completely concious and awake." but at the moment it feels more like a dream.

I thought a projection would be with the clarity I have when Im awake. But at the moment I would describe it like the morning after your 21st birthday and no part of you is really all there. lol.  Either way its quite exciting!

I also find it interesting that my astral vision of myself was much younger than I am. It's also not the first time Ive seen myself like that in a dream.

[Lionheart]

Will I become more able to conciously remember it? Because I know at the time I certainly said to myself "Ok im completely concious and awake." but at the moment it feels more like a dream.

Yes, you will with further practice and nightly programming.

Tell yourself as you fall asleep "I will remember my Dreams".

Immediately upon awakening, grab your Dream Journal and write them down.

Get in the habit of doing this everyday and you will see your efforts pay off.

Good Luck and Safe Travels! 

[Szaxx]

You're doing fine. The fear factor needs to be dropped. What others experience may seem scarey to you, given time you'll understand things are not bad at all. SP is most likely responsible for most of their fears. Dont be afraid of anything, theres no point, you're non physical so the rules don't apply.
Good move putting your hand into the wall, think it will be solid and it will. Know its like water and you can walk right through it. It's all thought controlled.
Keep doing as you have done. It's working well.

[justin35ll]

Sometimes my obe's seem dream like too when I wake up and I second guess if it was real.
It really depends on how aware you are DURING the experience rather than after when you're trying to remember it, so yes they will become easier to remember and feel more real after time.

Also the dream journal helps a lot

[Xanth]

Sometimes my obe's seem dream like too when I wake up and I second guess if it was real.

It's that sense that made me begin to question what exactly a dream really is. 

If I can feel just as aware, awake and alive in a 'dream' as I do in my waking physical life... where's the separation then?

[Lionheart]

It's that sense that made me begin to question what exactly a dream really is. 

If I can feel just as aware, awake and alive in a 'dream' as I do in my waking physical life... where's the separation then?

That once again leads to the million dollar question, "what's is a Dream"?

[Xanth]

That once again leads to the million dollar question, "what's is a Dream"?

Oh, *I* know what a dream is.  It's the rest of society that seems to enjoy remaining in the dark.    lol

[Bedeekin]

I'm with you there Xanth.

It's quite interesting that people class a 'dream' as a 10th rate 'head' experience... thinking that because it may have been just a dream meant it was pointless.

I've spent the last 20+ years experiencing thousands of conscious OOBEs yet it is actually my 'dreams' or rather 'subconscious OOBEs' that I find more useful because they are totally EGO free... or rather... my EGO is worn firmly on my sleeve. 

[Stookie_]

I think the difference for most people is that when you project from a dream it can be hard to gain the amount of clarity (at first) than projecting from a waking state. This can play a part in the state of consciousness you project into, so while they are both projections into the non-physical, the experience can be perceptibly different by the person projecting. I think that's probably why so many people question their LD experiences. You probably have to get kinda good at projecting to be able to see the differences for yourself. Otherwise dreams would be much more meaningful to most people.