Astral Projection: Understanding Out-of-Body Experiences (2024)

What Is Astral Projection?

Definition

Astral projection, also called astral travel, is when someone has an out-of-body experience (OBE).The consciousness, spirit or soul, ‘leaves’ or exits the physical body and appears to float above it. This projection typically occurs during altered states of consciousness, such as during deep meditation, relaxation, or sleep.

There are two typical types of astral projection or astral travel. One is where the individual intentionally chooses to have this experience and retains some control. This is known as voluntary projection. The second type of astral projection is known as involuntary projection, where a person feels forcibly propelled out of their body, floating above it. This type of experience usually happens by accident as a result of trauma or anxiety.

OBEs are not new and people have been reporting this phenomena for centuries.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, believed astral projection was primarily for the purposes of visiting other worlds, heavens, hells and other dimensions. However, increasingly, the term has also been applied to non-physical travel around the physical world.

Astral Body

The astral body is believed to be a subtle, energy-based form that is distinct from the physical body. It is sometimes described as a duplicate or replica of the physical body but composed of a finer, more ethereal substance.

According to shamanism the astral body resembles the physical body but is made up of a subtle field of shining and flexible light that encases the body, visible only by a psychically sensitive person.

The astral body exits the physical body and comes to ‘life’ when it enters what is known as the ‘astral plane’. This plane is thought to be a realm of consciousness where individuals can have out-of-body experiences, lucid dreams, and other transcendent experiences. This can occur during periods of sleep when someone may experience ‘flying dreams’ and feel the sensation of actually flying. Astral travel can also occur when a person is under the influence of anesthetics or drugs, when someone is unconscious, or immediately after death.

When someone asks, what is it called when you leave your body when you sleep?
The answer is astral projection.

9 Signs of Astral Projection

How do you know if you are astral projecting? Signs of an OBE can vary from person to person, but here are the top 9 signs:

1. Vibrations or energy sensations: Feeling intense vibrations or energy throughout your body before or during an OBE.
2. Feeling of floating or flying: Sensation of being detached from the physical body and floating or flying.
3. Seeing the physical body: Observing your physical body from an external perspective, such as looking down on yourself from a height.
4. Tunnel sensation: Feeling of moving through a tunnel or a dark space.
5. Meeting other beings: Encountering other entities, spirits, or beings during the experience.
6. Traveling to different locations: Experiencing a shift to different locations or realms, often beyond the constraints of physical space.
7. Recollection of details: Clear recall of specific details from the experience, distinct from regular dreams.
8. Lucid awareness: Maintaining a heightened state of awareness and control during the experience.
9. Silver cord: Seeing a silver cord connecting your astral body to your physical body. This cord ensures a safe return to the physical body after astral travel.

It’s important to note that experiences can be subjective, and not everyone may encounter all these signs during an out-of-body experience.

Additionally, some of these signs may also be associated with other phenomena, like lucid dreaming, near death experiences (NDEs) and sleep paralysis. Astral travel is also linked to bilocation (the supernatural ability to be in two places at once).

Note: astral projection is sometimes confused with etheric projection, in which the person leaves his body, but is clearly seen by whoever he visits.

How Common Are Out of Body Experiences?

OBEs are not uncommon; one study suggests that more than 5% of people have experienced an OBE. (Source: Out-of-body experience study, 2017).

Do You Actually Leave Your Body While Astral Projecting?

There’s some debate over whether the sensations and perceptions associated with OBEs happen physically or as a sort of hallucinatory experience. One recent astral projection study reviewed a variety of studies on people who survived cardiac arrest. It found that some of the people who reported a separation from their bodies were in fact able to report seeing events that they could not have actually seen if this ‘separation’ had not, in fact, taken place.

However, right now there is little scientific evidence to prove that our consciousness can travel outside of the body so, much of what we know, is as a result of personal experiences. Astral projection often happens spontaneously, but most documented instances of astral travel arise from people who have trained themselves to astral project voluntarily.

What Happens During Astral Projection?

Unless you have trained at inducing OBEs, the experience can happen without warning and does not usually last long.

During voluntary astral projection, the physical body enters a state of relaxation, allowing the ethereal body to detach itself while maintaining a connection through an infinitely long elastic silver cord. This silver cord serves as the tether that leads one back to the physical body in the event of an emergency.

The concept of the astral double is deeply rooted in antiquity, with ancient Indian writings describing the eight siddhis, or supernatural powers, attainable through the yoga practice of Pranayama. The sixth siddhi is identified as an astral projection, often depicted as “flying in the sky.” In Hebrew tradition, the astral body is known as the ruach, while the ancient Egyptians referred to it as the ka, and the Greeks as the eidolon. At the moment of death, it is the etheric double or astral body that separates from the physical body, ultimately severing the silver cord.

The Chakras

There is debate on the emergence point of the astral body from the physical. Some argue it leaves through the chakras, specifically the solar plexus, while others assert it leaves through the third eye or the crown chakra.

How To Astral Travel

What is the best way to induce a voluntary OBE?

Like any skill, astral travel takes time and practice but those experienced in it tell fascinating stories of their experiences. Some travel to secret realms where they meet spirit guides and spend hours researching ancient texts in the Akashic Records. When they wake up, their clocks show that only a few minutes have passed.

As you begin to astral project, you might feel a gentle vibration or shaking in your body as your astral self separates from your physical body. You might even catch a glimpse of your sleeping form. With the power of your thoughts, your ethereal double can swiftly travel to any destination you choose. Whether you wish to be on the other side of the world or back home in an instant, skilled practitioners can cover vast distances effortlessly and in the blink of an eye.

While there is not a universally agreed-upon method, here are some general techniques that people explore to induce astral travel:

1. Deep Relaxation:
   • Find a quiet and comfortable space.
   • Lie down or sit in a relaxed position.
   • Focus on deep breathing to calm your mind and body.
   • Gradually release tension in each part of your body.
2. Meditation:
   • Practice regular meditation to enhance your focus and mindfulness.
3. Astral doorways:
   • These are symbols and pictures which help trigger astral travel. Tarot cards can be used as astral doorways but the definitive doorways, used by psychics for hundreds of years, are Tattwas. The five primary tattwa symbols are simple coloured shapes — a yellow square (earth), blue circle (air), red triangle (fire), silver crescent (moon) and black oblong (ether) – and each one can be used as a focal point to trigger astral projection and give access to a specific part of the astral plane.
4. Mindfulness and Awareness:
   • Develop heightened awareness of your surroundings and sensations.
   • Pay attention to the subtle energy within and around you.
5. Sleep Paralysis Transition:
   • Some practitioners enter astral projection from a state of sleep paralysis.
   • Allow yourself to enter sleep paralysis and consciously initiate the astral travel experience.
6. Affirmations:
   • Repeat positive affirmations related to astral projection.
   • Affirm your intention to have a controlled and positive experience.
7. Binaural Beats or Isochronic Tones:
   • Listen to audio tracks that use binaural beats or isochronic tones designed to induce altered states of consciousness.
8. Dream Journaling:
   • To enhance the ability to recall and eventually direct astral journeys, the initial steps involve remembering regular dreams. It’s advisable to document these experiences in as much detail as possible in a dream journal. Following this, the next phase involves deciding, before bedtime, the specific dream you desire to experience—precisely where you want your etheric double to journey on the astral plane. Clearly articulate to yourself the destination and the individuals or scenes you wish to encounter. Subsequently, in the morning, meticulously document the dream details and examine if there’s any correlation with your predetermined desires. Through a brief training period, you’ll likely discover the ability to navigate the astral plane as you wish.

It’s important to note that experiences with astral travel are highly subjective and may not be the same for everyone.

What Can Trigger an Out-of-Body Experience?

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) can be intentionally or unintentionally triggered by:

1. Sleep-related Factors:
   • Sleep paralysis: A state where the body is temporarily paralyzed during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. OBEs may occur during or after sleep paralysis.
   • Hypnagogic or hypnopompic states: Transition periods when falling asleep or waking up, where altered consciousness may lead to OBE-like experiences.
2. Meditation and Relaxation:
   • Deep meditation or relaxation practices can alter the state of consciousness and contribute to OBEs. Some meditation techniques specifically focus on detaching from the physical body.
3. Near-Death Experiences (NDEs):
   • Individuals who have had near-death experiences may report OBEs as part of their overall NDE. The stress or trauma associated with a life-threatening event may trigger these experiences.
4. Medical Conditions:
   • inner ear problems (Floating sensation, Scientific America)
   • migraine
   • heart attack
   • anxiety
   • epilepsy
   • brain injuries
   • sleep paralysis
5. Drug Use:
   • Some psychoactive substances, such as certain cannabis, ketamine and LSD, can induce altered states of consciousness, including OBEs.
6. Trauma or Life-Threatening Events:
   • Frightening experiences, where there is severe physical or emotional pain, or being in life-threatening situations, such as accidents or surgery can sometimes lead to OBEs. OBEs during childbirth are not uncommon. (Women’s Out-of-Body Experiences During Childbirth, 2017.) Typically, three forms of OBEs are described in this instance: floating above the scene, remaining close to the scene, or full separation of a body part from the main body.
7. Spiritual or Transcendental Practices:
   • Practices associated with various spiritual or esoteric traditions, such as astral projection, aura reading, lucid dreaming, or shamanic journeying, may involve intentional induction of OBEs.
8. Electromagnetic Stimulation:
   • Some researchers have explored the use of electromagnetic stimulation, such as through devices like the God Helmet, to induce altered states of consciousness, including OBE-like experiences.
9. Individual Variability:
   • People vary in their susceptibility to OBEs. Factors like personal beliefs, psychological makeup, and openness to the experience may influence the likelihood of having an OBE.

It’s essential to approach the topic of OBEs with a balanced perspective. While many individuals report such experiences, scientific understanding is limited, and interpretations often depend on personal beliefs and cultural contexts.

What Is The Difference Between Astral Travel and Remote Viewing?

Remote viewing is a type ofclairvoyance. It is thepsychicability to see objects or locations at a distant, beyond the range of the physical eye. A remote viewer does not travel beyond the physical world or leave the physical body. As soon as they do, it becomes an astral projection.

Typically, remote viewing is performed in a light meditative state, where the sitter is conscious enough to take notes and report on what they see. Someone who astral travels will be in a deeper trance or sleep state.

See also: Telepathy

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Psychic Development

Karina, author of Tarot in 5 Minutes.