Starwalking

The astral plane is a very mysterious place. However, some have managed to unlock some of its many secrets.
In Alnuja, some mages train to become starwalkers, those who enter the astral plane.
There is no simple formula to get to the dream world. The process can be different depending on the person. It takes a great amount of time and experimentation for one to be able to reach it. The first starwalker got to the astral plane by accident.
Through a combination of precisely oriented glyphs that matches the mind of the mage, one can enter the astral plane. From what starwalkers have discovered, the longer one spends in the astral plane, the easier it is to travel in and out of it.
Most starwalkers choose a constellation glyph to act as a map, and follow the path laid out by the constellation as they journey through the unfamiliar world. The constellation they choose depends on the person and what they are hoping to gain from the experience. 
Starwalkers are very rare, as the activity is very difficult and only the most talented mages can successfully master it. Most starwalkers are from Alnuja, although there are some in other parts of the desert empire. The Astral Academy encourages its most skilled students to pursue starwalking, and if one wishes to become a starwalker, it is highly encouraged for them to study at the Astral Academy.
Starwalking does not have many useful day-to-day applications, but it is invaluable in gaining information, particularly about history. Being able to see the memories of people whose civilizations are long gone is a very useful skill, although due to the unpredictability of the astral plane, it is sometimes difficult to gain any real knowledge from a memory if the starwalker does not know the context.
Those who successfully master travel through the astral plane are regarded with respect, as any powerful mage is. Starwalkers usually write books describing their findings after exploring the astral plane.