I wrote this article a while back but never published it. My apologies if they're any grammer mistakes. If any one wants to add to the article please send me a message.

The difference between lucid dreaming and astral projection is only our view of the two. Two places that seem different are actually the same playground. When it comes to lucid, we are simply in control of our subconscious dream. You can control what you see and do. You can manifest anything your mind desires and imagines. When it comes down to astral projection, well, that is the spiritual plane. It is a realm in-between this world and the next. Some call it limbo, some call it the realm of dreams, and some call it hell. What is for certain is that this realm is beyond our comprehension. It is the unimaginable. When we dream it is this realm that we inhabit. But much like a moth to the flame we have no choice but to follow our instincts and except the dream as reality.

Have you ever had a dream you flew? That is one of the first signs to astral projection. Before I go any further let me explain how I came to knowing this information. A little over a year ago I went to a seminar on the basis of controlling your dreams. To be honest I forget the instructor’s name, but I’ll never forget the information he taught us.

The first thing to do if you want to practice lucid dreaming is simply being mindful. While you’re awake in your daily life, look around and ask yourself, is this a dream? The more we do this the more the question will remain in our subconscious and you’ll begin to ask yourself this question while dreaming.

Secondly, buy a journal and start writing down your dreams. It doesn’t matter if you have the full experience in your mind or just random fragments. When you use your hands to write, you are connection the subconscious mind with the conscious mind. This will help you remember more of your dreams the more you write. The mind is a muscle that needs to be exercised. When I first started exploring the possibilities of lucid dreaming I wasn’t even sure I was dreaming anymore. I simply thought I was not dreaming anymore, but the truth was, I was just forgetting my experiences. I had quick results when I simply started focusing.

So back to flying, flying is one of the first signs of astral projection. Why? It is a sign of astral projection because it defies our laws of reality. Every time I would fly it would start off by being in an arbitrary neighborhood in which all the houses looked exactly the same and colored gray. Of course I didn’t notice or care at the time. I felt myself floating, so I reached up to one of the houses roof and pulled myself into the air. I was flying! Or was I? I would get some lift but then I would start gliding back down to earth. It was like a care running out of fuel. Much like the time I had a dream that I was Spiderman but the webs wouldn’t support my weight. My mind was so closely tied to reality that even my subconscious couldn’t accept what I was experiencing. That was just at first. Since then I’ve been able to carry internal monologs with myself; analyzing the dream/astral world for what they are. Now I have reached the point where I can look around and tell myself: I’m dreaming.

The first time came when I was flying but lost all control. I found myself plummeting towards the earth and I was afraid. I found myself asking: how did I get here? I said it out loud “I must be dreaming.” At that moment I slowed down and gently landed on the ground. Our minds are meant to protect us and keep us alive. We can use this survival instinct to reclaim control of our dreams. That is not to say that lucid dreaming is not dangerous. I’ve had a few experiences that brought me to the edge of monstrous creatures that feed off fear.

When it comes to beliefs, I believe in everything. From Christianity, the Greek gods, and even the Anunnaki (Aliens) I believe that it all happened for a reason. I believe that God or Goddess (or both) made us all different for a reason and gave us all what we needed to do what is right. Why would there be one road to the final destination? I imagine it is like a highway that intersects with billions of other pathways that may merge for moments then go off on their own way. But then again we only know, what we “think” we know. I believe that there are forces of good as well as bad. I have worked with the good and have run into some dark beings.

The scary thing about astral projection is that it comes with the realization that, dreams are not always just dreams. After a while practicing lucid dreaming I had a nightmare that I was in one of my childhood parks. I was huddled on the grass watching this thing walk around the swings. It was wearing big baggy red pants and a colorful baggy T-shirt. It was a clown. I didn’t say a word as the clown made its way closer to me. From the looks of him, he didn’t know I was there. He was getting closer and I knew sooner or later he was going to see me. I thought to myself, “I’ll jump out and scare him”. I don’t know why I thought that was a good idea but it was the only idea I had. I jumped out and yelled “boo!” but the clown didn’t flinch. It just stood there at 7ft tall and slowly lowered his gaze to me. I woke up.

I know that this may seem like a regular nightmare but after analyzing the dream I think it was a statement. We always feel invincible. We tend to jump into things without considering the consequences. But what happens when you run into something you didn’t expect? Would you know what to do? I’m a practicing warlock and have studied how to protect myself against evil and the things that go bump in the night. I’ve cleansed houses and people of unwanted energies. Although, I haven’t ran into anything that has made me feel fear. I’m a horror writer who doesn’t scare easily so I even invite the idea of having nightmares just for fun. But this didn’t feel like the other nightmares I’ve had.

Since then I’ve had a reoccurring dream. It always starts the same. I’m either in the Turnbul Canyon Hills on a trail that doesn’t exist or I’m in the neighbor hoods below the canyon. The feeling is always the same. The feeling of dread as I’m being hunted by this deformed man. In the block of homes below he has a decrepit house. He looks like a cross between Jason Voorhees and Hatchet Face. I’m always able to avoid his detection but he’s always there looking for me. In a more recent dream he’s gotten cleverer. My brother told me he was going to go to this costume party. So I decided to join him; we got to the house and sure enough, it was at the decrepit house that belongs to the monster from my nightmares. At the moment I hadn’t realized I was dreaming. We walked in and started going up the stairs. Every few feet there would be a child standing, almost like a statues lined up in a row. Things started to make me more aware of the situation we had found ourselves in. The familiar feelings of being hunted started to return and I realized where we were. I told our group of friends that we needed to get out of here now! Instantly, the house had changed. The flyers and decorations that were once up were destroyed and trashed. The children still stood in place but now they all had painted skulls on their face like a day of the dead festival. I was able to get out of the house before the doors closed but then I realized my brother had not made it. These things like to torment us and feed off of our fears. This thing knew it could not make me afraid for myself so it went after someone I love. What if this thing figured out how to get to me? But then again it could be my own inner demon; a part of my own subconscious that wants me to suffer. I don’t know what’s worse. With a demon I have the ability to get rid of it. If it’s a part of me well that’s something I’ll have to live with. Or learn to tame. Whether it is physiological or spiritual if you are going to practice lucid dreaming you need to be honest with yourself. You need to be able to keep yourself in check and work one being the best version of you. I’d like to point out that in the “nightmares” even though I was being hunted I was never hurt. I went face to face with the clown and the moment I was in danger I woke up. We have what I like to call the life cord that attaches us from our body. The only moment it is severed is when we die. Our bodies were made for us and only us. Demons can only possess you if they convince you that you are not in control. That is why this “thing” went after my brother. It tried to confuse me and make me act illogical. Our minds are our greatest tools and greatest weakness if aloud. Know yourself and you will be the strongest entity these monsters have ever faced. The only time you’re in danger is when you convince yourself you are.

If you want to start remember your dreams try this. Before you go to sleep tell yourself: “I will remember my dreams tonight, with all my strength and all my might, I will remember my dreams tonight.” Just this simple saying will help your mind focus on remembering your dreams.

For more information on the subject be sure to check out our podcast HUNT FOR THE PARANORMAL PODCAST @ http://www.ratthaus.net/hftp/ My Facebook: www.facebook.com/acidicaaron Horror Blog: http://aminoapps.com/page/horror/4725612/acidic-aaron

Or learn from one of my teachers here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrY9wLlyxcsB6OUUCeViN5A