The Mystery & Practice of Discerning Dreams from Astral Projections (Patreon)

Recently, a few gnostic brothers and sisters asked questions and expressed confusion about how to tell what is a dream and what is real. Since they are in the gnostic studies, I wrote the following according to gnostic psychology, but I hope it's also helpful for you too - you will need to read the following slowly with meditation in order to truly comprehend the messages here:

What is this enigma of dreams and astral realms when we are on the path?

Why is it so difficult to tell what is “real” and what is not?

Reflect on that second question – who are we to judge what is “real” when we have not yet reached "Reality" in our consciousness? This is a topic that no matter how much I try to explain it, many don't seem to understand the difference between "dream realm" and "astral realm", which is understandable since both are exactly the same yet completely different. The truth is, since it is such a psychological matter, everyone needs this to be explained to them differently according to their psychology and preconceptions. Here is just one other explanation I can offer that I hope helps, particularly for those getting accustomed to the gnostic path...

Let's begin simply: whenever the physical body goes to sleep, our consciousness enters "non-physical reality" (which is both this ‘dream’ or ‘astral world’). For now, it is better to let go of the labels of "dream" and "astral" if we want to understand this. Just classify both as "non-physical". Now, we have to understand that our consciousness is made up of 3% ESSENCE and 97% EGO. Many beginners who are new to spirituality and astral projection can take that 3% ESSENCE and have "pure objective astral experiences". I've talked with several scientists who practice "OBEs" (out-of-body experiences) in scientific settings where they are being studied for research. Naturally, these types of people want PURE + OBJECTIVE experiences. They will not tolerate any form of "subjective phenomena". I know one of these people, Graham Nicholls (https://www.grahamnicholls.com), he's really impressive, when I asked him how many OBEs he has confirmed "scientifically" (meaning he came out of body, saw something like a red van down the road, then went back in the physical body to confirm it was “real”) he said he's had over 1000 of these "confirming experiences", in one of them he even saw a bombing that happened a day before it happened. But what I understand is that he is just using this 3% ESSENCE in a very strict manner and not utilising his 97% EGO for spiritual work! I've had these "validating experiences" like him in the beginning of my path, and I can say they are wonderful, but also useless for awakening consciousness.

So let's recap: 3% ESSENCE gives "purely objective astral experiences". But when one works with 97% EGO while in these “astral-dream-OBEs” (whatever you want to call it) then one begins the ESOTERIC PATH and leaves behind the "modern scientific dogma of APPARENT objective reality". The EGO is deeper than we realise - since it is most of our consciousness, it is part of our SELF. When we seek to SELF-DISCOVER we explore EGO, and within EGO holds the keys and secrets of the ESOTERIC PATH OF SYMBOLIC KNOWLEDGE! Remember that ego has stolen and is using our hidden spiritual powers, but ego is also conditioned psychology. So when we begin this process of real transformation, there is an OBSCURITY IN THE ASTRAL LIGHT. This is why the path is full of mysticism, symbolism and esoteric metaphors... because while we work with the ego, there is always a part of our Self CO-CREATING reality alongside the experiences.

So it is generally a good sign when our dreams start becoming more symbolic, but it’s not something to take comfort in, because now we have submerged ourselves in the subconscious and infraconscious parts of the Self and this is, generally speaking, a dangerous place to be. It requires us to be more alert and committed. This is why the mechanism of “Initiation” exists in our consciousness and why it takes place in the astral – Initiation is sort of a “failsafe system” to test us; like divinity asking “are you really ready to take on this mystical path of discovering the SELF where you will be subjected to the darkness of your own creations? Where you will not understand the things you’re seeing because the ego is so SUBJECTIVE?”. If we say yes and pass the first initiations and trials, then its crucial that we must see this Great Work through to the end (to fall after receiving initiations is painful).

So the ESOTERIC PATH is very interesting. I call it the OBJECTIVE-SUBJECTIVE reality. It is a HIGHER REALITY that leads to the Self, to Divinity, to God. You see, those "objective world-based scientists" are NOT perceiving objective reality - they do not understand that physical reality itself is just an ILLUSION. Does that make sense? It is futile to want to have purely objective physical experiences since that is just as illusory as subjective dream experiences! The hidden key of the gnostics is to take up discovering the OBJECTIVITY of the SUBJECTIVE path within - or to EXTRACT OBJECTIVITY out from the claws of of SUBJECTIVITY... I know this is super paradoxical but I hope it makes sense.

So brothers and sisters, what is the point of all this if both seemingly objective reality and subjective reality are both illusions? The answer is to work to dissolve the 97% of EGO subjectivity and then we will reach THE KINGDOM of the Great Reality – only then will we hold Reality in our consciousness. TRUE objective reality of the Superior Dimensions exists beyond both subjectivity and even objectivity! I say that because our conception of “objectivity” is a subjective ego-based interpretation. You see, we talk about objectivity as if we know what it is, but we do not! In the physical world, the three-dimensional world of Euclid (3D), there only exists a TINY proportion of objective reality! Here in "3D" it is mostly ego-reality. So to work on the ego is the real path to DIVINE REALITY. It means to LIBERATE the 97% of ESSENCE trapped in EGO and INCARNATE it, or "ground it" into physical waking life here and now.

One of the reasons that the Astral Plane and authentic SELF-DISCOVERY is a very symbolic esoteric path is because the ego does not want to die. The ego is highly intelligent and we shouldn’t underestimate it. We also should not underestimate our dreams, never saying “it was just a dream” – dreams are real in their own subjective-objective reality! Visualize an elephant… do you think it’s real? Most would answer “no, of course it’s not real”, but it is! It exists there in the hyperspace of your inner supersensible world does it not?

So, “do not underestimate your enemy”, ego is very real. Remember that it holds our latent powers, it is essentially what we can call a “black magician”. We need to steal back those powers, and when we do, we become more intelligent ourselves. When we work to descend into our own darkness, we are walking into a world that the ego-self has created. This “inner-ego-world” governs our perception of apparent objective reality, and it also governs the perception that the rest of humanity has about the world. Do you think that the ego wants us to awaken? If you’ve been in these gnostic studies long enough you know very well that it does not want us to awaken. So how does it keep us asleep? Well, there are two forces happening; one is that we fight against the ego, and the other is that the ego fights back with the occult powers it holds (that we perceive as symbols!). When we strive towards divinity and strive to kill ego, every time we “strike” at the ego, many “puzzles” or “riddles” are revealed. It’s like a good Jedi fighting an evil Jedi, and every time the good Jedi wins a battle, he forces some hidden information out of the Evil One. The good Jedi has to keep fighting in order to comprehend this information in hopes that one day he will reach the final battle to win the war for his Soul.

It’s like every time we fight with ego, we aren’t fighting with the real ego yet (Satan), but instead Satan sends his minions, or “black magicians” to fight us. Remember ego has power, magic. When it fights us, it sends “illusory images” to try and hypnotise us. But when we defeat an “image” with the power of vibrant conscious awareness then the illusion easily shatters and what’s left? Another illusion behind that one (like layers of an onion). There are thousands of ego-layers to shatter, and in each one holds symbolism and clues in order to advance and progress. It does not tell us directly what these mean, why would it? Instead, what we perceive is the “enigma of ego” (symbolic dreams)... Never forget that we are totally lost, hypnotized, fallen beings and our lack of consciousness is our own fault that we have to break free from – this is our karma, we are “reaping what we have sown” and so in order to be an efficient "dreamer" we have to be a "SELF-responsible dreamer" who is honest in what he perceives, both in waking life and in sleep.

If we want to ascend back to divinity, these symbols exist for us to figure out what they mean. Every time we REALIZE (or SELF-realize) the true meaning of a dream, we are SELF-discovering the EGO. The more we SELF-DISCOVER, the more REFINED our consciousness becomes... the more that the ego loses its grip of hypnotization over us... the more that our perception stops being conditioned by SUBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE influences of the ego world in order to make space for the DIVINE CONSCIOUSNESS. This is the ONLY way to reach ACTUAL objective consciousness, which is to Know Thyself.

So while it feels nice to want “objective astral experiences” we can’t make the grave mistake, like those scientists, of overlooking our current state of ego and refusing to work with it... If we really want to be granted the magical power/ability of “objective astral travel” like the Masters have, then we have to commit to the psychological death of our own ego-world. It is a great work that should never be underestimated – it leads us to eternal life (eternal presence in the higher dimensions), and that my friends is worth more than all the gold in the world!

Understanding all this helps us to realise how dream/ego/astral work all related to the work in the Ninth Sphere and the teaching that “In order to ascend, we have to first descend”. Here's a little experience I had explaining this: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy86ub1XvSLlgrTe8wQw_lw/community?lb=UgkxH7NzeQyJul8UAYQSBmIEi4WcXKE6fWrM 

Hope this makes sense, if it’s too heavy, complex or advanced then this video will provide a more simple and basic understanding of all of this: https://youtu.be/J7KweY07emc