Scattered Dreams

"I've been having these weird dreams lately... 

like is any of this for real or not?" —

Sora, Kingdom Hearts 

|Credit: [x]|

 I have read on occasion that sometimes that moment just before we wake up or fall asleep is different than normal dreaming. I have had four weeks of very strange dreams, ranging from places I've never been to the homes of people I haven't seen in a while -- to even the Other Side, the meditation place -- what others call the Astral.

Those are the dreams we remember. The way a room looks, the sound of someone pouring coffee -- voices talking amongst themselves. Keyboards clicking. Notes being passed. A certain energy. Reoccurring dreams.

They say that about 15 minutes after we wake up, we lose 90% of the remembered dream. Some people keep journals which detail what they can remember asap. Sometimes we remember more than that. This morning, the dream I had is still stuck right behind my eyes -- I can close my eyes and remember all the sensory details -- textures, sounds, smells -- the last image I saw. Sometimes the dreams are so strange and so real that I wake up confused. Did I project? Or was it a dream? 

I don't know much about astral travel -- I will be honest. I heard from a good friend that part of my problem is that my brain still thinks in terms of distance even in meditation. Another problem is that sometimes, you need to be able to focus a lot more than just the normal meditation in order to move that much energy -- your astral self. 

I have this meditative place that I can sink into fairly easily after about four years of practice. There is a path between the trees -- but only one path. The rest is a meadow, blocked in by dense, thin trees. There's a small pond, and a load of wildflowers. I notice that it is incredibly difficult for me to get onto that path, but it's not hard for spirits to visit me. Sometimes I can see them far off in the distance, and I can prepare the space before they get too close. Sometimes they stop at the edge, just as I do, unable to take a step further. Those are usually the more uncomfortable things...My guides are there, too. The Macaw is like a security system -- and just paying attention to his reactions helps me determine what to do before my own space/head is invaded. 

In a workshop for O.S.P.A., a guest speaker came in and told us about the different realms in shamanic journeying -- upper, middle and lower realm. Those places where I am around people going through their daily routines, or where they are too asleep -- maybe that's middle realm? Maybe that's a part of astral travel/projection?

I go to that meditative place in some of my strange dreams, and I was wondering -- what does it mean? I think part of why it is so difficult for me to leave on that path is that I don't know much about astral travel -- I don't know what to prepare or bring with me. I can't keep an area safe just for me if I don't know how to -- and if it is more expansive an area than what I normally see and move around in. So the list of research topics goes on -- and I need to get started somehow.