Here are some personal experiences that have helped me understand me how to properly use the reality checks technique for lucid dreaming, as explained in Belsebuub’s course on astral travel and dreams.
The Power of Habit
I had learned that the reality checks technique is based around a habit of testing whether I am currently awake or dreaming.
At the time I had very little astral experience. I did not understand how to practice awareness and had virtually no success with exercises for astral projection. Yet reality checks were so basic that I knew I could just do them.
I made a daily effort to practise them. I preferred the jump technique in most circumstances.
Within a few weeks I began to jump habitually in my dreams. As I jumped (almost always thinking that I am in daily life and awake) I floated. This helped me realize that I am dreaming. And flying experiences happened very often afterwards.
This was the time when I first saw the vivid colors of the astral plane. I saw lush forests with huge trees, the sea, as well as many buildings that had a spiritual feel to them.
On some occasions I became lucid in my own bedroom after a having a dream set in a completely different place. Such times helped me understand the difference between ‘dreaming’ and seeing the actual astral plane. I found it amusing that I can have fantastical dreams, but really just be walking in my bedroom in reality.
Being Genuine with Reality Checks
I had also learned about being genuine when doing the checks. I was once talking to a person also taking Belsebuub’s courses. As part of the conversation I asked him if we were in the astral and encouraged him to check.
I pulled my finger in a genuinely testing way, and to my surprise it stretched (at the time I was sure that I was talking to this person in the physical). My companion needed convincing to try and even when he pulled his finger it did not stretch.
I then encouraged us to take a jump. As I jumped I floated easily because I already knew that I am in the astral plane and that I can float. My companion was still half-hearted about it and did not float even as he took a jump.
I think that really helped me see how genuinely questioning is essential for reality checks to work.
Working to Reach Inspiring Goals
Recently I did an investigation of my local area. My goal was to find the sacred in it, and my approach included reality checks as a tool to reach my goal.
A few days into my exploration I noticed that I was taking a little longer to land in a jump from a reality check. I jumped a few more times, paying attention to whether there was anything strange in the way it happened.
Sure enough I noticed that I stayed in the air a little longer than usual. This observation cleared away any doubt that I was in a lucid dream and I flew out the door of the house with the intention to explore my local area.
Great article, and great experience!
Alex it’s nice to read that you were able to get good results for your hard efforts. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve also unsuccessfully tried to get people to realise that we were in the astral plane. I’ve even called out “look we’re in the astral, I’m flying”, still without success. Although, I remember doing an astral practice with my wife where she managed to come out of her body and she could see that I was struggling to get out. Thankfully, She decided to pull me out of my body, and we both ended up outside our window.
Belsebuub’s works have been such a blessing to verify the Astral plane and I find going back to basic techniques always very useful.
Nice experiences Alex.
It was a good remembrance how to approach properly and genuinely this important subject of reality checks.
I enjoyed reading your article Alex, very relaxing somehow.
Your article also made me want to do reality checks today. And although not a hugely huge amount the ones I did do have a certain standard to them which should make them succeed if I’d do them in the astral. Fingers crossed as they say 🙂
I’ve also experienced that moment where I don’t land, or where it takes a bit longer to land.
Bit cliche but:
Where are you now, is this a dream?
really?
what would you do if you were?
Those are helpful observations and experiences, Aleks.
One of the remarks you made stood out to me: how we can have such elaborate dreams but be in a very mundane place. Although I’ve noticed this before, it really struck me this time, just reflecting on how incredibly unconscious we can be in dreams!
I can very much relate to that jumping up and coming down slower. It’s a very curious thing… almost like our doubts bring us down?
Thank you for sharing Aleks! I really liked what you said about the importance of having inspiring goals in order to get results from mystical practices (such as astral projection).
Also great to hear again about the power of the simple, yet mighty reality-check techniques!
Thanks for posting, Alex!
Recently, I’ve decided to intensify my reality checks and reading your experience gave me more inspiration.
That’s good you were able to gain some positive results using the simple technique of reality checking Alex. I’ve also found it to be useful when waking up in dreams, in order to check whether I’m in the physical or astral world.