Astral Projection and Astral Travel

Has anyone of you experienced astral travel? I have heard a lot of stories about them and they truely are fascinating. I wonder how only few people get to do this astral travel. But after analysing and reading a lot of articles related to this I came to a conclusion that everyone does astral travel but only few are able to relate them and understand them.

HOW TO ASTRAL TRAVEL

Astral projection is a form of out of body experience that sometimes occurs during lucid dreaming during deep meditation or at times of crisis. The soul moves into an astral body (or "etheric double"), which moves free of the physical body in a parallel world known as the astral plane. Astral Travel is spoken about in may mystical texts and has more recently been studied by scientists investigating reports of people who have has a near death experience.

ASTRAL TRAVEL CLAIMS

During an astral voyage, communication with other astral projectors is claimed to be possible. Of interest is the work of Robert Monroe who founded the Monroe Institute and published several accounts of his experiences of astral projection including "Far Journeys". Robert Monroe developed a method he calls Hemisync to induce mental states that are favourable for projection.

ASTRAL TRAVEL ATTACKS

Sometimes the astral traveller reports being attached to his/her physical body by a silver umbilical cord. Pets have been said to react in a frightened manner, and some claim seeing an astrally projecting person's spirit as a coloured beam or shot or light darting around the room.

ASTRAL TRAVEL & ASTRAL PROJECTION DREAMS

From Craig Hamilton-Parker's Book Psychic Dreaming: Out-of-body dreams, in which you "float" up and look down upon yourself or upon another location, are a form of psychic dream. Some psychics claim they visit other actual locations, often ones that they've never seen. Travelling out of the body is sometimes called Astral Projection.

Frederik van Eeden presented one of the first studies of out of body dreams to the Society of Psychical Research in 1913. Van Eeden had already presented evidence for lucid dreams in which the dreamer becomes conscious while the dream is taking place. He told the society that his own lucid dreams were often preceded for several nights by dreams of flying. Sometimes these lucid dreams included apparent clairvoyantly received information that could be verified later. In other instances he believed he left his body.

In one instance while 'flying' he dreamed that he would be robbed of a large sum of money, a predicted event that was to take place soon afterwards. Of great interest to Van Eeden was when he noted that sometimes he would dream of lying on his stomach when in reality he was lying in bed and on his back. If he allowed himself to wake slowly he would experience the sensation of slipping from his 'dream body' that was lying face down into his actual sleeping body.

Depending upon the person, the appearance of the 'dream body' ranges from a gossamer-like form to an exact replica of the physical body. Having the ability to project consciousness can open up many interesting opportunities to the dreamer. Some claim to be able to travel to remote locations. They claim to be able to walk the beaches of Hawaii, explore the ancient pyramids of Egypt or even have a free ticket to the moon.

Craig's Astral Projection Experience
I have had many of these experiences myself but have found in most instances that it is hard to maintain consciousness for long periods of time. My own experience is one of projecting my awareness rather than a dream body. Nonetheless on occasions I have looked down at my sleeping body from the ceiling and have sometimes awoken with clear memories of having visited a remote location. Many people report having these experiences during puberty.
At first the experience of being without a body is frightening if you have never heard about astral projection. It is natural to assume that you are dead and panic sets in. The result is usually a quick return to the body. A quick return is sometimes accompanied by sensations of a jolt to the physical body accompanied by a loud band and a flash of brilliant light. Once the initial fears are overcome astral travel become natural and is not accompanied by any negative sensations.

I will be posting more on astral travel.Keep watching!

Difference between Nightmares and Night terrors

Only very recently I came to know the difference between a Nightmare and a Night terror. Though both have a common word 'Night', but they are very much different from one another. They form a very important study material when dealing with dream analysis and I thought it would be really useful and interesting to share it with you. There are many sources to find more about this topic but I am quoting here one from 'Sleep Disorders Blog'.

There is much difference between nightmares and night terrors and there is a difference in the way of handling by the parents or caretakers.

A nightmare is an unpleasant or scary dream. Many of them are unaware of nightmares and children experience more frequently than adults. Children experience them from time to time. One out of four children experience nightmares more than once in a week.

A child wakes up after a nightmare and is often distressed and you cannot comfort a child after nightmare.

Night terror is not a dream but is a partial awakening from sleep with unusual behaviors such as screaming, mumbling or kicking. The child may be sweating or breathing fast during a night terror. Night terrors occur within two hours of sleep after a child goes to sleep.

Night terrors are harmless and each event will end in deep sleep. A child will not wake up with night terror even though he or she may have their eyes open. They are not completely awake and cannot recognize or communicate with you.

Children may oppose going back to sleep after a nightmare because they are afraid. Nightmares always occur almost in the night during the light stages of REM sleep. children usually remember a nightmare.

Children will settle down quickly after a night terror. You have to stay with them until they go back to sleep. Night terrors are usually completely forgotten. The main cause of night terrors is overtiredness of your child.

The cause of nightmares may be due to the worries your child is having. Separation anxiety may be another cause of nightmares.

Helping your child during a night terror:

1.Help your child to go back to sleep and don’t try to awaken your child. Whenever your child experiences a night terror turn on the lights and soothe him so that he will not be confused.
2.Hold your child to feel better and don’t shout as your child may become more upset.
3.Protect your child from injuries as he may fall down a staircase, or break a window and gently take your child back to the bed.
4.Overtiredness is the main cause, so prevent tiredness and make sure that he goes to bed early.

Visit the doctor:

1.When the night terrors happen continuously for seven nights.
2.If the child is drooling, stiffening or jerking.
3.If the terrors are happening during second half of the night.
4.If the night terrors are happening for half an hour or more.

Helping your child during nightmare:

1.You have to reassure and comfort your child.
2.Protect your child from watching horror movies and shows in television.
3.Talk to your child at daytime about the bad dreams he had at night.
4.After the nightmare, let your child go back to sleep.
5.During bedtime, talk to your child about happiest things and funny things.
6.Leave your child’s bedroom door open to overcome the fear.

Visit the doctor:

1.When nightmares are happening more often or becoming worse.
2.If the fear interferes with day time activities.
3.If nightmares are disturbing your child’s sleep and ability to function