What type of body is the dream body?

[ChielV]

I am currently reading Astral Dynamics, but so far I did not find an answer on the question: What type of body is the dream body? I have experimented with it in lucid dreams and I can stretch my finger until it breaks of. Is this the same astral body as what you have during OBE or death? Or do we have a special 'dream body' which is made of finer material than the astral body?

Thanks,
Chiel Varkevisser
The Netherlands

[CFTraveler]

Robert 'sort of' answers this question in his Treatise on Astral Projection' in the second part: http://www.astraldynamics.com/tutorials ... etinID=268 (http://www.astraldynamics.com/tutorials/?BoardID=65&BulletinID=268)
Let's see:
After the physical body has fallen asleep, the astral body always projects into the physical world. Once the energy body has expanded, the astral body floats free and hovers just above the physical body, but within the expanded energy body's field of influence. Within this field, known as cord activity range, the astral body is held close to the physical world as it is within a field of etheric matter.

During a conscious astral projection it may appear as if you are projecting straight into an astral plane. But there is always an intermediary phase at the beginning, when you are existing as an astral form close to the physical dimension. This, real time part of any projection, may be missed if you black out at the moment of projection. The area around the body, within cord activity range, is flooded with etheric matter and within this field the astral body is held in real time close to the physical dimension.
and:
Etheric matter is the actual life force substance generated by all living things by simply being alive. It is a substance in-between physical matter and astral matter, part physical and part astral. This etheric matter has actual weight. It is a very refined substance in between matter and energy and is similar to its coarser cousin, ectoplasm.
In part one, the dream section, he says:
During sleep, the energy body, also known as the etheric body or vitality sheath, is put on charge. It expands and opens in order to accumulate and store energy. The energy body can, normally, only do this in its expanded state during sleep. Once expanded, the chakras trickle power, in the form of etheric matter, into the energy body. During this recharging process the astral body separates and tunes into the astral dimension where it can create and experience dreams.
If this separation is done consciously, or if you become aware after it, you can take some control over it. It then becomes an OOBE, astral projection or lucid dream.
So my interpretation of the above is that the astral body is the experiencer of dreams.

[ChielV]

Ok, so during dreams we project with our astral body into the astral planes. I understand that the dream scenes are special places within the astral plane. If this true, it seems easy to leave the dream scene and enter the other areas. How can this be done? And is this a OOBE (because I am out of my body, just like in a dream) or an AP? It seems both are valid statements..?

[CFTraveler]

It depends on who you ask. It's really a matter of perception. If you are aware of being separate from your body, and are aware during separation, (that is, go through the process consciously) you are having and OBE. If you are in trance, aware, go into the hypnagogic state, stay lucid enough to 'keep' a landscape and be able to 'go/fall/merge' into it, you're having a phasing episode (which is usually straight into the astral.) Both OBE and phasing are types of Astral Projection.
A dream is an creation of the subconscious, which interprets your astral information. If lucidity comes in it's considered a lucid dream.
You may have noticed that these classifications are arbitrary- they are because under the (now) prevailing theory that a dream is an astral projection, then any dream would be considered AP and there would be no point in exploring these "other" experiences. (Well, that's not strictly true, but it simplifies things.) :) .
Ultimately it's a subjective experience, and how it feels to you is how you should classify it.

[ChielV]

Thanks CF, for your clear answers!

[CFTraveler]

And to answer your question: If I'm having a lucid dream, and want to 'go Astral', I become conscious of my sleeping body, ask to go back in it. Once I feel in-body, then attempt an exit technique (or ask for vibrations, whichever works) and then have an old-fashioned RTZ OBE exit, and fly up and attempt a phase-shift.
That's how I do it, there are other things that work for others.

[ChielV]

There is a tricky part in this: although I am lucid, I do not have the same memories as in daytime when I am awake. This seems contradictory to the statement of Robert where he says that the mind split takes care of an exact copy of the mind, memories etc. So why is it so difficult then to remember the usual daily things during a LD?

[CFTraveler]

Well, here is my answer: (note: my, as in my opinion, lol ) When we dream (lucid or othewise) we're connecting with our higher self, which has information of all of our other possible selves, and we connect with this information which is out of the realm of our waking selves' consciousness/reality. (or, taking a dip in the collective unconscious, taking a gander at the Akasha). Only in within the confines of your possible selves. If this is true, the memories that you are bringing in your trip are combining with all these other memories, making some others take precedent, and your level of energy will determine which ones you should bring back.
So that's my theory. I hope it was clear enough.

[ChielV]

During the process of falling asleep, I read that a perfect copy of the original mind is created for the astral body. So I assume that the astral body was already there. Can you tell me, where is the astral body during daytime when you're awake? Does it perform actions on its own or is it just hanging around or so?

[CFTraveler]

It's in your body, in it's 'local' state, but being astral, in the astral, as 'nonlocal' (which could mean everywhere or nowhere). What changes is the state of your consciousness, which 'tunes into' the astral state or the local state. Think of it not as different bodies in different places, but as you in different states coexisting in different states/places. Your mind (consciousness) determines what you're focused in-your brain in it's waking state, or your 'other sources of input'.
Of course, these explanations are based on observation, so everyone's will differ slightly.

[RyanParis]

Your astral body is the body you have during falling dreams.

You can call it whatever you want... astral body, dream body, or spirit.

Your subconscious mind is tuned into the astral dimension when dreaming. You just aren't aware of it because you're dreaming.

When awake, your astral body is connected to the physical body by the silver cord.