Astral plains and Astral projection

[xenifus]

I have found myself having arguments with my two friends, who in most instances are actually quite intelligent in what they study, but when it comes to the subject of astral plains and astral projection we get into heated debate. The thing that bothers me most is the fact that they think they KNOW you go to this "plain" after you die, that part gets ugly and isn't the point, and you can go there and retrieve evidence of things in real life through this sixth sense. I've tried to point out the obvious flaws of how it wouldn't hold up in any case study that didn't have conformation bias because it's so subjective and vague as to what you are interpreting as events in someones life or things that have happened. They constantly talk about how they can interpreted how things look in the astral plain and how it can explain society. So finally I asked one of them how she knew it existed, what was her best evidence. She told me after she had come back from a big party having met this guy who i guess had done so many drugs he's not even there anymore, and I guess having taken so many drugs had been bestowed with magical abilities to travel this astral plain, she had a strange dream with him in it. He introduced himself and was trying to take her out on the astral plain. She wasn't sure if this guy was real either and asked for proof. So I guess he told her a specific number in the dream and took her off to la la land. When she woke up the next day he had texted her the exact number.

I asked, are you sure he didn't text you the number while you were half asleep, you looked at your phone and just went back to sleep and subconsciously thought he sent you that number, because ya know.. he's like crazy. She gets pissed when I say that but she is sure he sent it after this magical journey, and of course the text is gone by now so there is no real conformation beyond her word.

I've done the basic research, but if there is anything more solid then the Wikipedia page and the idiots who post their cult stuff online or rant about atheism I would appreciate it. I'm looking for good sources on the affirmative or negative of this. I'm not on the fence about this by the way. I don't believe a word of it, but my friends seems so sure it's there.

 

[Inferno]

Well it would be helpful if there were any specific claims other than what you mentioned. "Knowing numbers" after a "field trip to the astral plain" is not something anyone can base an internet search on...

 

[Dragan Glas]

Greetings,

Welcome to LoR, xenifus!

Firstly, it's "Astral plane(s)", not "plain(s)", as in "plane of existence".

Secondly, Jerry Coyne has commented that:

Note that there have already been several tests of "out of body" experiences, for example physicians pinning notes to the ceiling that could only have been read by a real out-of-body patient (naturally, none ever are).

There doesn't appear to be any reliable studies into OOBEs and/or NDEs related to consciously visiting the "astral plane". It's all anecdotal.

Generally those who believe in these sort of psychic phenomena say that "lucid dreaming" is evidence of "astral projection" and/or "visiting the astral plane".

The phenomenon of "lucid dreaming" - where your dream appears so real that, when you wake up, you're momentarily confused ("It seemed so real!"). This, and "conscious dreaming" - where you can "wake up" within a dream and consciously control the direction of a dream (to solve a personal problem, for example) - are real phenomena. Just that the "psychic" explanation is wrong.

Also, where you experience that "falling/jerking awake" feeling when you're lying in bed - normally when you're just falling asleep - is claimed to be the "astral body attempting to detach from the physical body - and failing, which is what wakes you up".

Kindest regards,

James

 

[xenifus]

Thanks for the info and the welcome