Astral Projection Vs Lucid Dreaming Vs Reality Shifting
Astral projection, lucid dreaming, and reality shifting are three phenomena that have captivated spiritual seekers, curious minds, and skeptics alike. They might seem similar and it can even be easy to confuse them, yet they are completely different.
So what are they? Astral projection involves separating your consciousness, spirit, or astral body from your physical body. Lucid dreaming is when you are conscious and aware while dreaming. Reality shifting involves transferring your awareness from the current reality to an alternate, often fantastical one.
One thing they all have in common is the belief that you can experience life beyond the physical. We’re going to dive deeper into these three phenomena, covering how they’re related, what makes them different, and more.
Definitions and Basics
First, let’s take a look at each of these concepts individually.
Astral Projection
Many cultures have long believed that people have a soul and that this soul can exist outside the body. Astral projection is the act of inducing an out-of-body experience. The astral body or the spirit leaves the physical body and moves through the astral world.
The astral world, according to this belief, is the realm where all consciousness exists. Other people say that it’s where souls live before they are born and where they go after death.
Different ancient civilizations held different views concerning astral traveling. Some believed that their spiritual leaders could go on a soul journey to consult gods or perform miracles.
Today, people practice astral traveling for fun, self-discovery, or to improve their spiritual lives.
However, the idea of astral bodies and astral projection is yet to be scientifically proven. Other than self-reported experiences, there’s little evidence that it’s possible.
Lucid Dreaming
While in the dream state (that is, the REM sleep stage) the dreamer is normally unaware that what they are experiencing is a dream. However, it is possible to gain lucidity while in the dream state and become aware of the nature of the dream. This is what lucid dreaming is all about: becoming conscious while dreaming.
Getting a spontaneous lucid dream is quite rare. It only ever happens to about 50% of the population.
Like astral projection, lucid dreaming is not a new concept and has existed since ancient times. Scientific studies have demonstrated that lucid dreaming is real.
Although it’s not easy to have an intentional lucid dream, it’s a skill that can be learned. There are several lucid dream techniques that people use to induce lucid dreams. Some drugs and substances can also alter the brain and increase your chances of having a lucid dream.
Reality Shifting
Reality shifting is shifting your awareness from the current reality to your desired reality. You can shift to popular fictional worlds like Harry Potter, a reality of your imagination, or an alternate reality in another universe.
The multiverse theory suggests that there could be other universes, just like ours. If those universes exist, life there would be happening exactly as it’s happening here. This would mean there are other ‘yous’ in the different universes living the exact same life you’re living here.
So for some people, reality shifting is transferring your consciousness to another ‘you’ in a different universe.
The phenomenon of shifting realities is a very popular trend on TikTok. Shifters share their reality shifting experiences while others raise questions and try to answer these questions.
Astral Projection Vs Lucid Dreaming Vs Reality Shifting: Key Differences
While these phenomena aren’t quite the same, it’s common to see people referring to one as a version of the other. For instance, some people think that astral projection is just lucid dreaming. But that’s not the case.
Here’s how they differ.
Nature of Experience
With astral projection, you separate your soul or astral body from your physical body and project it into the astral plane. While projecting, you can astral travel to a different room in your house, your neighborhood, or even the moon if you like.
But you’ll remain in the current reality. For most people, astral projection happens when they’re in a dreamy state between sleep and wakefulness (called the "hypnagogic" state).
Lucid dreaming happens fully in the dream state, specifically during the REM sleep stage. You either go from being awake to being asleep while maintaining awareness or gain awareness while already in the dream state depending on the technique you use. You can then observe your dream and even interact with it. The key point is that you’re aware that you are in a dream.
When shifting your reality, you are leaving this current reality and going into the desired reality. You can shift your awareness to your favorite fictional world, an imagined reality, or to your consciousness in another universe.
With most reality shifting methods, you do it while fully awake, unlike lucid dreaming.
Purpose and Intent
Anyone can perform any of the three mental activities for a myriad of reasons.
The main purpose of astral journeys for most people is spiritual growth and exploration. It requires self-discipline and opens up the opportunity to improve your spiritual life. Through regular astral travel, you’re also able to explore and experience the astral world.
There have also been claims that astral projection or out-of-body experiences (OBEs) in general can spark creativity. It is even said that Thomas Edison used it to solve his invention problems.
Lucid dreaming is a fun activity. If you ask many dreamers why they do it they’ll say it’s because they enjoy it. But another common intention when getting started with lucid dreaming is self-discovery and spiritual progress. We recommend learning to lucid dream simply because it makes regular life richer and less subject to the constraints of a reactive mind.
Dreamers usually keep a dream journal where they record their dreams. Going over these dreams and taking notes of themes that keep appearing can give you some insight into your personal life.
Reality shifters often shift their consciousness to other realities to immerse themselves in fictional experiences. Before shifting, a shifter will write a script detailing the fictional world they want to shift to and what they want to happen. One person gave an example of wanting to shift to Hogwarts and flirting with Draco.
Other people shift realities as a way to express and manifest their desires, things they don’t have in the current reality.
Scientific Perspectives
There is no scientific proof to show that astral projection is real. Any tests to try and prove the concept have failed because a phenomenon like this is so thoroughly subjective. Many psychologists and scientists explain astral projection by calling it an illusion, hallucination, or delusion.
Lucid dreaming is well-proven and backed by science. In 1968, Celia Elizabeth Green, a writer and parapsychologist, concluded that lucid dreams were different from regular dreams. Researchers have been able to use methods like electroencephalography (EEG) to determine that lucid dreams happen in the REM stage of sleep. It has also been proven that lucid dreaming is something you can learn. Some drugs such as galantamine can also induce lucid dreams.
There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to reality shifting. So far, there’s no evidence to show whether it is possible or not. The only information you can find is based solely on personal experiences, and there is no way to verify those. At this point, experts maintain that reality shifting is an intensely immersive form of daydreaming.
Similarities: Astral Projection vs Lucid Dreaming vs Reality Shifting
These three fascinating mental activities may be different but they have a few similarities.
The main one is that they all occur beyond the physical reality. When astral traveling, your physical body is left lying down while your astral body–which can’t be physically seen–wanders off.
When lucid dreaming everything happens in the dream world while asleep.
The same goes for reality shifting. You don’t visit the alternate realities with your physical body. You only transfer your awareness.
The methods used to achieve these three can also be similar. The Mind Awake, Body Asleep method of inducing an OBE isn’t so different from WILD. The only difference is that with the former you wake up just before you doze off completely.
Lastly, the three concepts are similar in that you have the freedom to control the experience. While astral projecting you can choose where to go and there’s no limit. Having lucidity while dreaming also allows you to alter the dream, add characters, and shape it into what you want. Shifters usually script their desired reality too before they begin shifting. They can include as many details as they like–there’s no limit.
Conclusion
Lucid dreaming, astral projection, and reality shifting are all very intriguing phenomena. They have also all had their fair share of attention online.
Out of all the three, lucid dreaming is the only one with scientific evidence backing it. The others are dominantly supported by personal experiences. People may decide to lucid dream, astral project, or reality shift for different reasons. It may be for fun, to improve creativity, or for spiritual growth.
One thing they all share is that they happen beyond the physical reality–in a dream, the astral plane, or an alternate reality.
