Was This a Lucid Dream or OBE?
What happens when you dream that you have an out of body experience? Did you actually have it?
Rebecca says: According to people who frequently experience out of body phenomena, there are telltale signs to distinguish an OBE from a dream:
- Were you lucid dreaming when it began?
- Did you feel your awareness transition out of your body?
- Did your vision change when you were out of body?
- Did your surroundings look real or dream-like?
Once in a dream, I was lying down on my living room couch and suddenly floated out of body. I thought at the time it was an out of body experience. But then I reasoned that my friend was standing in the room - and he was definitely not there in reality. So it occurred to me that I was dreaming, and I became lucid and realized it was nothing paranormal after all...
Some people believe that all dreams are actually OBEs in the astral realm, a theoretical dimension that overlays the physical realm. Erin Pavlina gave a particularly good explanation of this theory in our Lucid Dreaming Interview.
A more scientific perspective contests that OBEs and astral projection experiences are actually different types of lucid dreams, so bear this in mind too when you're exploring out of body. See if you can find ways to verify your experience if it really is happening in the physical world.
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About the author
Rebecca Turner is a science writer, illustrator, explorer of consciousness - and founder of World of Lucid Dreaming. She is currently studying for a biology degree in Auckland and blogging at her site Science Me.
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