Hi everyone.

For years I have read on astral traveling and methods for achieving an obe. I have tried yoga, meditation, doing kundalini exercises, listening to binaural tones (mixed and unmixed with exotic music) and even researched "hallucinogens" to help overcome my constant failure. Sadly, most "natural enhancers" are illegal making these very hard to come by. For a while Salvia Divinorum felt like a viable legal option, but after the experience I had last night, I'll have to improve A LOT before plunging myself into the outer limits of consciousness. On the positive side, I have read and learned much from Timothy Leary and Terence McKenna. Anyhow, this is what happened last night:

I have, since I remember, preferred to sleep on my stomach. Reason is, when I sleep on my back I tend to have very vivid dreams, that is, after struggling to fall asleep. Last night I decided to change things up a bit and decided to lay on my back. I am a martial arts instructor and having had a very tough grappling session that evening made sleep relatively easy to achieve. I laid down with my girlfriend on one side and my pet dachshund on the other. All lights out and my arms plus dog under the covers.

I don't know how long I was asleep but the dream hit me suddenly. Very vivid dream about my dad and I talking about politics. I was telling him about how the bankers, politicians and their divide and conquer methods all belong to the same club and strategy. Now, this is very strange for me. My dreams are not usually logical and my train of thought is usually cartoony and slow in dreamland. Here I was very lucid as if conversing in our current "awake" reality. My dad was infuriated at this and said, "These scum are some sort of -" He was thinking about the word. Normally, in laying-on-my-stomach dreaming, I'd said something ridiculous like "onion ring" or such stupidity. Not this time. I actually finished his sentence with the word "sect". That's when it happened. I realized I was actually dreaming.

For what appeared a fraction of a second, I saw a huge lime-green spinning circle made up of changing fractals on a lighter shade of green lit background. Suddenly, I opened my eyes, but I knew my eyes were closed. I could see my room just as I saw it before going to sleep. It was not really the same, though. The room was brighter as if the moon was shining through the windows (we have black curtains so that is not possible). Also, the room looked as if I was gazing through a sheet of clear plastic wrap or a bubble yet it was all so clear at the same time. I knew this was it and made my move.

First, I tried to sit up forward. I felt heavy, like I weighed a ton. I can do sit-ups like nothing and this was such an effort! I was excited but at the same time I felt it...panic. I tried to control it knowing that this could spell disaster if panic sinks in. I raised my arms and they felt like no weight was on them. They felt as if they were made of air and I could see them yet knew they were on the bed at the same time. This weirded me out and I failed miserably! I panicked and flailed my arms trying to push myself into a sitting position not caring if I woke up my girlfriend or hit my dear puppy. My arms moved up and down in an effortless, speedy blur resembling a hummingbird's wing flutter. What is amazing is that I felt the impact of each palm hit the bed repeatedly!

Immediately after, the room was gone and the green lit background with the huge spinning, fractal-filled circle took possession of my field of vision. "Fractals", I thought to myself. This lasted what seemed ten seconds or less, then darkness. I woke up totally fresh and not yawning or groggy as usual. Noticing that my arms were still under the covers, puppy still peacefully curled and girlfriend asleep, reassured me that the flailing had not been physical at all. I reflected on the experience and found it the strangest feeling I have had in my entire life. I wondered why in the world I didn't try to step out of the bed instead of going forward. I mean, the natural way I get out of bed when waking up is sideways not forward. Somehow that was not reasonable in the state I was in during the experience.

Now, I do have some questions for you more experienced out there. What are these fractals? Why do they appear as an introduction and conclusion to the experience? Why did I see my room through this plastic or bubbly veil yet all seemed so detailed? I am a very calm person during moments of great stress and have been a martial artist for many, many years and believed to have achieved a higher level of physical, mental and spiritual control, but apparently not in that realm. I panicked like an infant. When it comes to astral traveling or obes, I am definitely in diapers, but at least finally broke the ice, right? In any case, if anyone has pointers on what to do when this happens again or anything to add, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks for reading and pardon the bad English grammar (second language excuse here).

I hope some more experienced members come in thread to share their knowledge with us on this topic. I have had similar experiences.

In one dream, I woke up from the dream, and began to wander about my apartment, everything was the same, or so I thought, but brighter, maybe, and ethereal. I was alone and even went into my kitchen. In this dream within a dream, I knew my kids were at school, thats why I was alone. Next thing I realize I am laying in bed again, and I am really awake, and it is then that I realized there were subltle differences, like the dresser was in a different spot, and my chair was different (in the dream). In others, I simply wake and stay in bed. It never goes any further and I would love to experience this dream more often, they are fun.

Your experience sounds similar to mine, a form of lucid dreaming. I never realized I was dreaming in my dreams, until I woke up.

Dreams are an amazingly interesting aspect of life to me. I am a new member here but from what I've experienced dreams can help you in many ways. Not only to escape from the stresses of life (and help to process them), but to let you understand things which normally you wouldn't. However I believe all dreams are symbolic and only relevant to the person having them and the state they are in. I recommend using google to look up some of the most outstanding symbols/images from your dream. Research these and see what stands out to you. No one can interpret these things for yourself but you.

Ask and ye shall receive.

What was really strange to me was that I knew the dream had ended at the first fractal stage. When I saw my room I was convinced it was real and the dream was over. I felt very awake, but yes, the vision was ethereal and real at the same time. I knew I was lucid dreaming when I could control the conversation with my dad, but then the dream ended with this sudden realization of my consciousness and physical body being two different thing entirely. I didn't discard the notion of death being simply a matter of shutting off the lights when your brain stopped functioning until last night. It is this realization of being disconnected from my physical self and not being able to operate the same way in a totally alien ( at the time even if it was my own bedroom) setting that caused me to panic. This overwhelming feeling of "this isn't right" poured on me, but I know that, humbling and hard to admit, it was simply raw fear of the unknown. Thank you for your comment

I just wanted to add this real quick before I head to bed, but I'll post more later tomorrow.

When I astral project, the room looks as if you were underwater, but still clear. Also, when you move, it also feels as if you are in an environment with less gravity then we are used it (if any at all). It seems like you were very close to separating your physical body from your astral body, and actually did succeed with separation in your arms and hands.

Keep practicing and eventually you will be able to go the whole way, and experience something that is the most amazing feeling in the world.

Originally posted by deadline527
I just wanted to add this real quick before I head to bed, but I'll post more later tomorrow.

When I astral project, the room looks as if you were underwater, but still clear. Also, when you move, it also feels as if you are in an environment with less gravity then we are used it (if any at all). It seems like you were very close to separating your physical body from your astral body, and actually did succeed with separation in your arms and hands.

Keep practicing and eventually you will be able to go the whole way, and experience something that is the most amazing feeling in the world.

How neat, I feel like I am almost floating in these type of dreams, whether I get out of bed or not. But not floating at the same time, in the dream it is normal.

I love this subject, but I guess I dont understand how it happened. The only thing I know is mine seem to occur when I am napping midday.