Lucid Dreaming is a science, simply because it is easily definable and suggests no metaphysical content whatsoever. It is completely grounded inside the mind of the human (intrasomatic), and is therefore 'safe' for study by scientists.

Astral Projection, or the Out of Body Experience (OBE), or whatever you may wish to call the like, is a phenomena that suggests something much more – the separation of an 'astral body' from the physical body (constituting an exosomatic experience). Since the 'astral body' is not currently recognized by mainstream science, whether it exists or not, science is impotent to study the 'projection' of it. Therefore, the study and practice of astral projection as an exosomatic experience is left up to those few who not only believe in an 'astral body' but also have the skills necessary to separate it from the physical body.

When first learning about astral projection, the problem that arises for most people is whether to view it as an exosomatic phenomenon (occurring outside the physical body) or as being intrasomatic (occurring inside the physical body). Since there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of an 'astral body' most people take the intrasomatic view.

From my own experiences, I have to say that I take an intrasomatic view of astral projection. I have seen nothing in my experiences that would lead me to believe otherwise, other than the fact that to begin the experience, I have the feeling that I am lifting out of my body. As far as I'm concerned, this feeling, as real as it may seem, is but a convincing illusion created by my vivid imagination. I took the exosomatic view of astral projection when beginning to practice, so through conditioning my mind now expects to have a feeling of separation. I haven't removed this 'separation process' from my practice, simply because it is enjoyable and serves as a sort of 'home base' for traveling in the dreamworld.

As far as the experience itself goes, an OBE is much more euphoric than the classical lucid dream. You have awareness throughout the entire experience, from beginning to end. You don't simply find yourself in an odd situation, feeling obligated to continue the scenario, which is typical for lucid dreams. Instead you actually initiate the experience from a position that is somewhat 'grounded' in reality – your body, in your bed. Starting from this position, the experience becomes more of a journey than a dream. You may even have a planned destination. Imagine a dream that you initiate and maintain full control over, one that begins in your bed and can lead you anywhere you wish, to accomplish anything that you can will to happen. Since you initiate the experience, it's much easier to remember that there aren't any consequences. Stephen LaBerge has divided lucid dreaming into two types – Dream Initiated Lucid Dreaming (DILDs) and Wake Initiated Lucid Dreaming (WILDs). The differences between the two are striking. DILDs occur during regular periods of REM sleep, while WILDs begin during the hypnogogic/hypnopompic states. For a DILD to occur, the dreamer must catch him/herself within the dream and gain awareness. A WILD on the other hand, can be consciously initiated from the waking state, leading into whatever dream scenario that the subject wishes to experience.

Anyone who has ever induced what they would call an out-of-body experience from the hypnogogic state would agree that LaBerge's description of a Wake Initiated Lucid Dream mimics in many ways that of an astral voyage. There is a document at the Lucidity Institute that deals with WILD's vs. OBE's. Whatever you wish to call it, the experiences that I enjoy most are those 'lucid dreams' that I initiate by pretending to leave my physical body in the form of an 'astral' or 'dream body'. While deep down I feel that it is all taking place inside my head, at the time it seems very real, and therefore is extremely pleasurable.

The 'GO' State: Mind-Body in Flux

The physiological state that serves as a window of opportunity for what we are calling 'out-of-body travel' is quite peculiar. Those on the New Age side of the issue refer to it as the 'vibrational state,' or the state when vibrations are felt. On the scientific side, people generally believe that the state is synonymous with the hypnagogic state. I disagree. There are big differences between what I call the 'GO' state and the hypnagogic state, and hopefully someone out there will agree with me that the two are similar but quite different.

Instead of spending time discussing the opposing views, I believe it would be beneficial to give my own description of this state and leave the bickering over semantics to someone else. What follows is my own interpretation of the pre-OBE state.

On the way to sleep your body passes through many states. Eventually, you reach a point where your physical body becomes inoperative (sleep paralysis), while your mind is still active. Science refers to this state as the 'hypnagogic state.' Note: There is a similar state that occurs when your mind first awakens that is called the 'hypnopompic state.'

This, the hypnagogic state, is not difficult to realize. You need only to keep your mind alert while your body drifts toward sleep. By practicing meditation, one can learn to reach this state quite easily. Somewhere between the hypnagogic state and the point at which your mind and body fall completely asleep, there is a state of flux, a state where you can actually feel your mind drifting toward sleep -- toward the dreamworld. This is the state that I am referring to as the 'GO' state, simply because once in it, you can 'go' anywhere.

This state comes on very suddenly, and without warning. It is not something that you work your way into, though perhaps some advanced practitioners of meditation could do it. One minute you're lying there, your mind drifting, with no solid thoughts at all, and suddenly . . . It's as if you've been thrust under water. This isn't to say that you feel suffocated, only that the contrast is comparable. You experience a total shift in consciousness. The ambient sounds of your environment (the birds outside, a TV in the next room, perhaps a fan or air rushing through a vent) have completely dissolved and given way to a ringing/buzzing hum that may very well be blood rushing through the capillaries inside of your ears. Some claim to hear loud crashes preceding and during this state.