Difference between Lucid Dreaming and Astral Projection

Dreams have been a source of mystery for people throughout the ages because of the realistic and often symbolic visions people see. According to psychologists, dreams are windows into a person’s subconscious and can give valuable information about an individual.

Lucid dreaming is widely believed to be an idea coined by Frederik (Willem) van Eeden, and refers to the state where a sleeping person knows that he/she is dreaming. Astral Projection on the other hand, refers to OBE (out-of-body experiences) where a person’s consciousness leaves the physical body behind and enters the astral plane. Since both states are dream-like, they are easily confused, but are different from each other in reality.

Firstly, lucid dreaming is associated with stage 1 REM sleep, but out-of-body experiences, or astral projection is not restricted or categorised by any specific state. Secondly, a person having lucid dreams focuses on creativity, which results in very vivid and clear dreams, which can be controlled by the person, depending on his/her expertise. Astral projection on the other hand, is more about exploring the astral plane and visiting places.

Both lucid dreaming and astral projection can be said to take the mind and spirit into another plane, where time and the environment are totally different from what we normally experience. If a person can learn to control his/her lucid dreams and then practices dreaming of out-of-body experiences, actual astral projection can become much easier.

Instructions

  • 1

    Lucid Dreaming

    Lucid dreams are where a person is completely conscious as to the fact that whatever he/she is seeing is only a dream, and is able to control the environment and characters within the dream.

    Image Courtesy: dailyhoroscope.com

  • 2

    Astral Projection

    Astral projection is characterized by the feeling of a person's spiritual form leaving the physical body and exploring the astral plane. Such instances are popularly known as OBE (out-of-body experiences).

    Image Courtesy: open.spotify.com

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