Dream Studies

Ryan D. Hurd sits down with medical anthropologist and author Samantha Lee Treasure to explore the fascinating and often misunderstood world of out-of-body experiences (OBEs). Samantha shares how growing up on a reportedly haunted farm in Ontario set her on a lifelong path of researching consciousness beyond the body. In this episode:How a veridical cherry cheesecake sparked Samantha's career in anthropologyThe surprising variation in OBE content Haunting narratives and astral projectionHow OBEs differ from lucid dreams and why the line can be blurryThe "astral marketplace" and the wellness world's complicated relationship with OBEsGen Z's reality shifting phenomenon, a new culturally shaped altered state for the streaming generationSamantha's ongoing "Future Tokyo" OBE experiences: a consistent, semi-dystopian world she's been visiting since age threeSamantha's new book: Out-of-Body Experiences: Explorations and Encounters with the Astral PlaneFind Samantha online:Blog: zombiesinpjs.comInstagram: @astral_anthropologyYouTube: @SamanthaLeeTreasure

In the inaugural episode of the Dream Studies Podcast, host Ryan D. Hurd sits down with dream research expert Nicoline Douwes Isema for a wide-ranging conversation about where the field of dream studies stands today.. and where it's headed.Topics covered:The "democratization of dreaming" — why your dreams belong to you, not an authority figureHow 100+ years of psychiatry and psychology inadvertently took dream ownership away from everyday peopleThe role of AI in dream interpretation: pattern recognition vs. meaning-making, and how to use it wiselyWearables, sleep trackers, and cognitive freedom — empowering people through data about their own sleepHow dream sharing strengthens emotional connection (and yes, sexual intimacy) in relationshipsTeam dreaming and collective dream work — dreaming together as a creative problem-solving toolSynchronicities: why keeping a dream journal puts rare experiences in perspectiveA "tiny revolution" in how we talk about and relate to our dreamsGuest: Nicoline Isema | thinkinginyoursleep.com | Instagram | LinkedIn Resources mentioned:International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) Gail Delaney's dream interview methodThe Dream Portal membership community About the host: Ryan D. Hurd is a dream researcher, author, and holistic educator. The Dream Studies Podcast explores dreams, consciousness, and the imagination, bridging 21st century science with intuitive ways of knowing.Original music and art by Eldest Child (c) 2026Subscribe to get notified when the next episode drops. This a slow publishing project by design, with new episodes every two weeks or so.