Dream, Reality, Astral?, Which is reality? Options

So Before anyone blasts me, let me just say I am still quite new to the whole esoteric community.

Here is my question.
Are dreams the reality? What I mean is this; suppose our astral self is the one that goes to sleep in the day time or when ever we are awake and what we call reality is actually the dream. If not then what connection does dream and the astral have to reality? Read my story below to get why I am asking such a thing before you reply.

For years I have been having these dreams of friends, family, strangers that come true after I have them or sometimes of things that have happened to others that I have no idea why and how I would know information about these people.

Now up to just a little while ago I was a strict christian. But my dreams and other factors prompt me to ask a lot of questions about life and the bible. When I confronted those in high positions within my community and no satisfactory answer could be given, i seeked out the truth (journey) that would make sense of everything. It has been almost a year now since I've started on this, but with more than 20 years of christianity behind me it makes it hard to accept other things, but I do realize that the whole christian society is being "brain washed" if that is the right term to use to some extent where its hard to accept certain other truths even if it was looking you directly into your face.

My journey has taken me into the occult / ancient religions / kabalah (never knew the jewish world existed such a faith) / hermetics (readings such as franz barden) / astral projection/travel / the elements / magick / shamanish / alchemy and the list goes on. Looking into it all they all have something in common esoteric and the occult; if i have this correct "a small group/community that are involved with or the studies of the unknown". Before just hearing the word occult made me think "evil" (naive thinking instilled from christianity.). This brings back the phrase that "people are fearful of what they do not understand". Now the meaning of the word sits a little better with me.

Anyhow i continued on; but even more confused than before. I search and have visited many forums/boards/websites, read many online articles, purchased books but still nothing until just recently I became more interested in astral projection (Again Vagrant Dreams guide was phonominal). Since I have no actual contact with anyone of the occult in my community, I thought to myself why not give youtube another try(visual/audio rather than just realing). I sifted through a few until I popped onto "astral projection for beginners " which after i experienced my first oob(got frustrated for a bit, but finally after months poof) from there i searched more and popped to another forum/website which was also helpful. But ofcourse this was my first forum.

Loved the other site and interviews they had with many esoteric individuals and the respect that they have taken it to another level than the typical esoteric sites I have been to. But this forum has also given me great insight and pointed me int he right direction many times with answers to many of the unknown.

My other question to you is this, Are there others like myself more experienced that I can talk/chat/email/relate with on the whole occult/esoteric subject?

Thanks for reading. Hope to hear from all of you.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ac42.gif) Darkmage

Yes.What is the difference between dream and reality? They are 2 of the 3 differnt levels of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep,. In certain forms of Eastern spirituality Reality is Consciousness, not what is "happening" in consciousness (awake or asleep). To get insight into the philosophically illusory nature of ordinary reality, practices related to lucid dreaming and astral projection are cultivated. In examining the quality of consciousness in dreams, you can gain insight into the quality of consciousness in waking life and sometimes realize that even when you are awake, you are just as automatic, reactive, and unconscious as you usual are when dreaming--or else you can recognize when you are really fullly conscious both in dream and while waking and try to cultivate that.

You feel that you have premonitory dreams. Well, ask yourself where consciousness is. Is it something in your head or body or is it nonlocal? If it is nolocal and "bigger" than just the size of your body, then you could have a broader range of awareness, couldn't you.

As far as the Christian background, really really don't have to apologize for or bash that tradition. It is not the tradition; its what people make of it. There are magical and esoteric forms of Christianity that are actual very important to forms of ceremonial magic. Jesus was a mage, after all. You might want to read up on Dion Fortune or Gareth Knight if you are interested in a magical Christian perspective--or look in Gnosticism. But as you shift your orientation from one tradition to another, you will for a time get uneasy warning thoughts from the psychic censor but they will eventually pass as you become more absorbed in a new paradigm.