By Darryl E Berry Jr

Written: 6/14/20 | Last updated 5/13/24

In practicing and teaching what I’ve come to call Ecsomatics, or the out-of-body experience or astral travel, I’ve established various ways of categorizing experiences. I’ll introduce a few of the gradation scales here, which are very relevant to the ecsomatics courses I teach[1]. Such categorization:

1) makes it easier to process data from experiences,

2) helps with motivation and focus on practices,

3) allows one to ascertain immediately, and categorize easily, the type of ecsomatic experience one has had.

Dream Levels

This Dream Levels metric is utilized to categorize the level of dreaming one experiences. It’s based upon a metric organized by Kurt Leland, but which I have since updated and expanded. A version of my update of this metric has already been published in my first book Travel Far (Berry, 165-166). I’ve adjusted them slightly since then, so I present here the most up-to-date version:

Level Zero – no recall of dreams or even that you’ve had dreams
Level One – recall that one has dreamt but without remembering any details of what was dreamt
Level Two – recall of disjointed fragments of dreams, or isolated images and feelings from the dream
Level Three – the experience of watching oneself in the dream rather than participating in it
Level Four – full participation in the action of the dream
Level Five – very vivid colors and sounds, detail begins emerging in first-person dream recall
Level Six – the presence of sensations, textures, smells, and/or tastes in the dream
Level Seven – long and involved dream plots; dream continuity from previous dreams; recall of waking dream elements within the dream
Level Eight – the ability to think rationally within the dream framework, and actively use mental processes such as performing a task; remembering or incorporating previous physical or nonphysical occurrences into the dream
Level Nine – active dreaming – at-will rational application of supernormal powers in the dream, such as flying or environment alteration
Level Nine and a Half – semi-lucid dreaming – near-lucidity in the dream – questioning an aspect of the dream for example; close to lucidity; near waking level of cognizance.
Level Ten – lucid dreaming – one is fully conscious in the dream state, and fully aware that one is dreaming

The student recalls and/or journals dreams and then assigns an appropriate dream gradation in journals and/or in training charts (Berry, Chapter 9). Over the course of training students gradually progress up the gradation scale in their experiences, until eventually they are having lucid dreams regularly.

Berry’s Gradations

A metric that I’ve formulated, and also introduced into my courses within the last several years, are Berry’s Gradations. These gradations are related to altered states, the ecsomatic or out-of-body state, and the distance one is from the physical body. Just like with the Dream Levels, these gradations add progress and pedagogical benefits to one’s practices. I’ll present the gradation and then expound upon each very briefly. You can learn more about the first ten gradations – with some illustrations included – in chapter 7 of Travel Far.[2]

Altered States

Beta 0 – refers to the waking physical state, such as the state you’re likely in while reading this article.

Light Alpha 1 –refers to a very light altered state.
Alpha 2 – may entail various vague monotone light patterns.
Deep Alpha 3 – may entail alterations in mind chatter and some light tingling or vibrations.

Light Theta 4 – may include vague multi-colored imagery flashes.
Theta 5 – more sustained and full screen visual imagery, and more pronounced tactile sensations.
Deep Theta 6 – immersive visual imagery; psychic perceptions and experiences.

Light Delta 7 – more pronounced and visceral sensations including any of the senses, usually audial, visual, and/or tactile.
Delta 8 – numbness, heaviness, and more pronounced energetic sensations.
Deep Delta 9 – total paralysis, sinking or falling, chest heaviness, perceived difficulty breathing.

LD & OBE

Semi-Lucid Dream 9.25 – semi-lucid dream state; near-lucidity in the dream – questioning an aspect of the dream for example; close to lucidity; near waking level of cognizance; equivalent to 9.5 on the Dream Gradation scale.
Lucid Dream or OBE Phenomenon in Dream 9.5 – a full lucid dream state, equivalent to 10 on the Dream Gradation scale; OBE phenomenon experienced during dreams as background sensations, such as floating or difficulty moving.
OBE Partial or Semi-Conscious 10 – a partial or near OBE (within 10 feet of the body) or semi-conscious out-of-body experience.
OBE Full and Fully Conscious 11 – an out-of-body experience that is at least 10 feet distant from the physical body and fully conscious.

Local

Neighborhood or Lower Nonphysical 12 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical neighborhood, and/or the lower nonphysical dimensions.
District / City 13 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical city or district.
State / Country 14 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical state or country.

Distant

Continent / Interstate or Mid Nonphysical 15 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical continent, and/or the mid-level nonphysical dimensions.
Planet / Intercontinental 16 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical planet.
Solar System / Interplanetary 17 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical solar system.

Far Distant

Galaxy / Interstellar or Higher Nonphysical 18 – fully conscious travel within the area of one’s physical galaxy or galaxy cluster, and/or the higher nonphysical dimensions.
Universe / Intergalactic 19 – fully conscious travel to other galaxies or galaxy clusters.
Multiverse / Inter-universal or Transcendent Realms 20 – fully conscious travel to other universes, including alternate timelines and/or travel to transcendent realms of existence.

Journaling

I often start the title of my journal entry with the relevant gradation number, and then a title representing the primary aspects of the experience, and then details such as the times of practice and such, and then the detailed journal entry.

Closing

I hope this helps! You can register to this site and reply with any questions and/or comments to this post. If you’re not already a DEBJ-NDC student, if you’d like to join high-level courses/classes on ecsomatics and other higher vibrational phenomenon, visit www.nextdensity.org and go to Courses page.

Works Cited

Berry Jr., Darryl E. Travel Far: A Beginner’s Guide to the Out-of-Body Experience, Including First-Hand Accounts and Comprehensive Theory and Methods, 1^st ed., (V4 2020), Darryl E Berry Jr / Next Density, 2015, 165-166, Chapter 7, Chapter 9).

[1] I accept students at a modest fee for ongoing instruction. You can register at www.nextdensity.org.

[2] Travel Far is available in various print and digital formats, including being published freely on the Darryl E Berry Jr’s Next Density Center (DEBJ-NDC) website.

This article may be re-posted provided: 1) prior notification of and confirmation from Darryl E Berry Jr, 2) re-posted in full, and 3) full attribution, including active link to this webpage (if on a website).

Contact me at debj@darryleberryjr.com.

Darryl E Berry Jr

Personal Website

Category: Foundational

Dream Levels & Berry’s Gradations