Astral Projection Research Paper
Throughout history,
people have been experiencing astral projection. Commonly
called out-of-body experiences (OBEs), these are events in
which one’s consciousness actually seems to be separate from
the physical body. These are often described by people who
have near-death experiences (NDEs). Until recently, they were
kept secret by the people who experienced them for fear of
being deemed insane by society. However, there were those few
who pursued this experience with an open, yet sometimes
fearful, mind. These people expanded their minds to become
more open and peaceful. More people than ever are engaging in
astral projection, and finding that it can change the
overview of life and expand the mind.
The concept of astral
projection is far from a new one. The idea that the soul may
be able to detach itself from the physical body at the time
of death is the backbone of most religions. For people who
accept that concept, it should not be too great a leap to
speculate that the human spirit might also be able to leave
the body temporarily to make short trips on its own while the
body is alive. Still, to people who have never had this
experience, the idea of astral projection is a strange one
(Duncan 14).
Most OBEs have common
features. For instance, the subjects often see their own
physical body during the experience, like any other object in
the room. They usually report having “ghostly”
bodies that can pass through solid objects during the
experience. Sometimes others even see their ghostly bodies!
They also report floating or flying, and often report seeing
places or events that were out of eyesight. Simply put, an
OBE is an experience in which the mind may be consciously
apart from your body (Peterson).
Dream dialogues are a fun way to learn about what the characters in your dream are trying to “teach” or tell you. Every character represents and aspect of yourself- in body, spirit, or mind. Dialogues allow you to take what the dreams lets you know about your character and reflect on that person by creating a dialogue based on your questions, and what the dream person would say in reply. (Note that the character doesn’t really have to be a person, it can be an animal or object that you consider to be very much “alive”.)
The value of lucid dreaming is immeasurable. When individuals begin to have the experience of lucid dreaming, the truth of who they really are and their personal reality expands. Have you ever been asleep and then suddenly become aware that you were dreaming? In lucid dreaming, the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming during the dream.