Hi Pablomx,

Thanks so much for posting those articles. Yes, they were very, very
interesting, and I learned something: those experiences I relayed to you
in the above posts about flying in my lucid dreams are actually classified
as legitimate OBEs by the authors!!! I never realized that!

I appreciate the fact that the researchers acknowledge that the vast
majority of OBEs begin when the subject is in bed, resting, sleeping, or
ill, and a very small proportion begin when the subject is medicated or
drugged. So, it seems that the research evidence shows a strong
correlation between OBEs and lucid dream flying/floating, and that we're
actually describing the same thing using different words, just as I
suspected. It's definitely true that not all of my lucid dreams involve
OBEs, because in some lucid dreams, I choose to stay in my body. Lucid
flying/floating is definitely an option, and now I know that these
occurrences can properly be called OBEs. Perhaps when others draw a line
between lucid dreaming and OBEs, they're describing a lucid dream where
they do not feel as though they are rising out of their body, but are
merely lucid while dreaming. I regularly have both experiences.

Regarding the bolder statement about the possibility of having a "real"
OBE in this physical realm, well, again, I will let you be the judge of
your own experiences and those told by others. Personally, I tend to be
wary of such stories, because I'm dedicated to intellectual honesty, and
it's easier for me to believe humans like to deceive themselves than for
me to believe that some physical law has actually been breached. I'm not
excluding the possibility of the latter, but I require rigorous,
undeniable evidence before I can believe it. I have yet to find such
evidence. All I can say at this point is that I regularly experience OBEs
(as defined by the researchers), and I can concur why it FEELS so real,
and yet, admit to myself in all honesty that it is only a perception.
How you wish to interpret your experiences is wholly up to you.

For example, in the story which you relayed about your girl-friend, I
could suggest that your sub-conscious mind is aware of certain things
about her (which even your conscious mind is not fully aware of), and that
during your dream, it was playing out a likely scenario involving her and
how she would respond. Then, when you relayed the dream to her in
reality, it only seemed to agree because it was already true to begin
with. The fact that the match occurred seemed very surprising to your
conscious self, and now you have a story to tell. There was also the
chance that your dream did not correlate with reality, but if that were
the case, you would not be as eager to note the experience, and rather,
you would be inclined to forget it more easily. This is called "selective
memory" ... the human tendency to emphasize certain events which supports
one's notions, and to discount ones which do not. We are all susceptible
to selective memory, and it takes great courage, integrity, and honesty to
interpret something as objectively as possible.

Nevertheless, I don't wish to lessen the significance of your experiences
with all this intellectualizing. As long as your experiences enrich your
life and enhance its meaning, they should be treasured for what they are.
I tend to rationalize, only because it is in my nature to do so.

Thanks again for sharing the articles, and please continue to let us know
how you progress in your lucidity.

Best,

HF