Identifying the Astral Plane

I think I might be travelling to the Astral Plane more than I'm even lucid dreaming, but I'm not sure if this is the Astral plane and not just another lucid dream. I've had the same sort of experience many times, some not even at my own house (in fact, I first experienced it in someone else's home)

I "wake up" and look around, but can feel my eyes are closed, and, unlike in a dream, I instantly know something is wrong, This doesn't feel quite right...
I've tested to see if I could physically open my eyes, and the proper, waking world vision has returned. This place I'm going to, the one I see through my closed eyes, it's much darker than an unlit room at night--but it's as if the curtains have shed moonlight onto everything without actually being open, there is no distinct source of the light, but it's there, reflected on objects. My computer screen is by far the most brightly lit object in the room (You could assume it's the computer light illuminating the room, but the computer was only on once, and still the rooms I've seen have looked the same). Here in this place I feel incredibly heavy. I always have difficulty walking, and commonly fall to the ground like a ton of bricks once I reach the end of my bed. I've used this gravity to my advantage by sinking through the floor once before, to discover absolute nothing but blackness on the other side, which feels less like sinking and more like falling the further down I go. The further I try to walk and run away from my physical body, the more it feels like I'm being pulled back towards it. The light switches also don't work - a common dreamsign.

Amazingly this happened to me four times in a row in one night while I was playing music softly in the background each time. This experience has actually been my first WILD ever. I've heard that Astral projection is the alternative place you go to when you've not quite entered the dream, but are still lucid. So, does anybody find this familiar or distinct? Is this a common recurring dream or am I actually Astral projecting?

TWA, becomes AWA?

Actually, it is quite common. When practicing lucid dreaming, one learns the ability to stay aware from the waking state to the lucid dreamstate. This negates all the bullshit about REM. One can actually master the ability to never loose awareness during the whole of the sleep cycle. But that does not mean that one is spriting their way through non-sensical planes of existence. One is, however, more aware of sensory data concerning the body during this transition.

Hi Remorseless

First off - peoples view of what and where the astral plane differs greatly, some people think that it is another plane off existence, other people believe that it is a deeper version of the lucid state, but something still apart from your mind (some people also believe that an OBE is also a variation of this). While others believe that it is just a better awareness of the sleep cycle (as Philosopher8659 suggested)

However, you asked about the astral plane - and I think it is fair to say that this is indeed what you are experiencing. I've been through some very similar experiences, first came the sleep paralysis, and then as these experiences continued over the weeks and months I became more aware of my surroundings and finally I was able to 'lift myself' up and out of my spot, but it was always very difficult - I had to drag myself crawling along the floor to get anywhere. But the situation got better, it became easier to separate and no each time it happens I jump and then fly out of my window.

What you need to do is read up as much as you can about this, there are many books about astral projection which have allot of handy techniques for you to use - and allot of tutorials up on this site too.

Here are a few quick tips:

Imagine there is a rope hanging from your ceiling right above where you sleep, the next time you find yourself in that state reach out for the rope and pull on it as hard as you can (don't look at it - just know it is there) and pull yourself up and out of your laying position.

When you are walking about rub your hands together and touch things around you to help to make everything become clearer (the first time I rubbed my hands together they kind of 'glowed' brightly in the dark!)

Thanks for the comments, I've much more recently considered looking into Astral Projection, although it wasn't my intention, as lucid dreaming appears to be far more entertaining, but this repeating experience is just begging to be explored, I can't ignore a dream I've had the most, it will help me a great deal to look further into it. I was just unsure if it WAS the astral realm. I'll see what more posters have to say about it, already in the first two replies is a polar difference in opinion.

no problem :)

I'd just like to clarify that despite me and Philosopher8659 having very different views, what is important is what YOU believe. When you are able to, explore your surroundings, travel to different places and talk to different people - then based on what you discover you can interpret what you have experienced.

When I was researching a bit on AP a few years ago I found several accounts where people got out in a heavy, hard to move body. It seems that within the physical and astral realms (set aside for now the mental, causal, soul, or spiritual realms) that there are more than just two layers, planes, or bodies. Rather, the Physical and Astral are just broad categories. And all these layers aren't in different places, they all co-exist within each other. A lot to mull over!

In the astral projection world, I think what you experienced would be considered an etheric projection. I can't say anything out of my own personal experience, don't know of any APs if I ever had any.

But according to astral dynamics - the astral realm is its own distinct world. It has places, cities, and people who live there. Our dreams are like private estates in this astral realm.

The etheric realm is a part of our material realm. When you're in the etheric realm you still have a direct connection to your body. This realm is like a buffer zone from our waking world to the astral-dreaming world. The etheric realm isn't a world of its own. It doesn't have its own cities or dreamscapes. Its more like, the shadow of our world.

Some people have fun with etheric projections. Other people however report that their bedroom is always dark and frightening. Classic OBEs are considered etheric projections.

Hmm, that's an interesting summary, Juroara. I myself have never considered my room in this state to be frightening, but all the material there to make it scary is there. Wow, looks like I had an elephant in the room all along ;D

An Etheric projection does seem a bit more fitting. I've heard the Astral realm is a divine and highly spiritual place, whereas--so far--I've seen nothing graceful about this place in particular. It DOES seem rather ghosty and ethereal, now that you think about it. But then again, I've not yet seen further than inside my own bedroom and what lies "beneath" it. I really want to see outside in this realm, see the sky; I'll bet it looks beautiful.

I think next time I'll take the ethereal approach more seriously and try to dissolve my body into a gas, then I won't even have to open any doors on my way out.

Thank you for this summary. We share the same beliefs, so it's very encouraging to hear it so eloquently put in a manner that directly reflects what I believe. :) Cheers.

Remoresless, if you're doing an etheric projection, astral projections sound very likely also. If you are feeling confident in this zone, try asking assistance from your spirit guide and see where that gets you. 8)

I forgot about the etheric, that is part of what I was trying to refer to in a previous post in this thread. I also read somewhere that you shed a body there when you die, and that other entities can animate it to haunt someone with it.

Umm Im thinking about trying astral projection and I keep hearing about demons and spirit guides how do I know who is my spirit guide
Thanks for any advice