Imagine being able to lay down on your bed and travel anywhere instantly. To the highest mountain or the bottom of the ocean. Even other planets like Mars, or other dimensions!
You won’t just be traveling in your mind, but in the real world. Observing people and things in real time. That’s what astral projection promises you.
There’s a lot of misinformation available on this topic. You might also find it difficult to fully understand what astral projection is, as well as which methods to achieve it will actually work for you.
Is astral projection a real phenomenon or just a dream? In this article I’ll give you both sides of the argument and let you decide for yourself. Plus I’ll guide you through multiple techniques you can safely and easily try for yourself.
But first you need to understand a bit more about what astral projection really is.
What is Astral Projection?
Astral projection is using specific techniques to temporarily and willingly leave your physical body. During astral projection, your astral body separates from your physical body and lets you move around independent from it.
The astral body is believed to survive past physical death. Depending on your beliefs, you may consider the astral body the same thing as your soul or spirit. Or you might consider it a separate aspect of yourself entirely.
Some eastern religions like Hinduism believe that humans have multiple bodies. Different belief systems will have different numbers of bodies, but for this article let’s assume there are five main ones:
- The physical body (also called the food body)
- The etheric body (this is a body made of prana, or life force energy)
- The astral body (also called the emotional body
- The mental body (this is the concrete or lower mind)
- The causal body (this is the abstract or higher mind)
Each of these bodies exists on its own plane of existence. You might think of it as the same body but vibrating at a different frequency level.
In this article I’ll be talking only about activities involving the astral body.
Different cultures have had many different names for the same phenomenon. The astral body has been called the dream body, the Tantric subtle body, the energy body, the Buddhist light body, the Taoist diamond body, the Hindu body of bliss, the Egyptian ka, and many other names.
In Christianity, astral projection can be likened to traveling to different “heavens.”
Types of Out of Body Experiences
Astral projection is a form of out of body experience (called an OBE or OOBE.) But it’s just one form of this experience.
Some out of body experiences are involuntary, such as near-death experiences. Some people report leaving their body and floating near the ceiling of their hospital rooms or during surgery and looking down upon their physical body.
Illness, trauma, food or water deprivation can all trigger spontaneous out of body experiences.
While science recognizes that these experiences happen, it believes that they are occurring in the mind and simply the result of chemicals that the brain releases near death.
What separates general out of body experiences from astral projection is that astral projection is a conscious choice. With the right training, people claim to be able to leave their bodies at will and explore the astral realm. Even flying and doing other superhuman feats.
Here are the five main ways I would categorize out of body experiences.
1. Spontaneous projections
These experiences just happen. They’re unplanned and outside of your control. You might be lucid, or it may be entirely outside your control and feel like you’re in a dream. In some cases you might have a projection and not even remember it.
Some people are just predisposed to having spontaneous projections happen. If you’re one of them, you might just be taking a nap and wake up to find yourself outside your body.
It’s not clear why some people seem naturally gifted with this talent. They might have a certain looseness in the connection between their physical and astral bodies.
2. Unconcious projections
You might have had an out of body experience and not even realized it!
If you’ve ever had the feeling where you’re going to sleep and suddenly feel like you’re falling, it might have been your astral body separating from your physical body.
It’s not uncommon. About 70% of people have had the experience of being jolted awake because they felt like they were falling.
Science refers to this phenomenon as a hypnic jerk. There’s no fully accurate explanation for why the phenomenon occurs.
Some people believe the astral body separates from the physical body by several inches every night when they sleep. Usually hovering just above it and connected with a silver cord. It’s believed that this allows all of a person’s subtle bodies to recharge while they sleep.
3. Forced projections
You can experience a forced projection from a sudden trauma or shock, like being in a car accident or having a fever.
A number of people have reported a feeling of watching themselves from outside of their physical body when traumatic events have happened. In some cases the event might even unfold before them in slow motion.
4. Partially lucid projections
After a partially lucid projection, you might remember some parts of the experience. It can be a mix between projecting and falling asleep into dreams, but never reaching full awareness and control.
You might experience brief moments where you feel in control but then black out. You may only remember parts of the experience.
5. Conscious projections
This is what I’d truly call an astral projection. In this case you’re fully lucid and conscious. You can control your astral body and thoughts.
During a conscious projection you might need to lift or roll your astral body out of your physical body, as opposed to the other types of projection where you might just suddenly find yourself floating along the ceiling.
Proof of Astral Projection
Is astral projection just a dream? Or is it a proven scientific fact?
Lucid dreaming is usually categorized as something entirely different from astral projection. A lucid dream is simply a dream where you become aware that you’re dreaming. In a lucid dream you can usually control the dream, including controlling the story or making things pop in or out of existence by sheer will.
Science accepts lucid dreaming as a real phenomenon. Skeptical people would say that all out of body experiences and astral projections are simply lucid dreams or similar events that happen inside the brain during altered states of consciousness.
There’s no scientific evidence that you can separate your consciousness or soul from your body. After all, how would scientists measure such a thing? Because of this, the idea of astral projection is largely rejected by scientists.
Still, the belief in humans being able to leave their body is an ancient one. Everyone from tribal shamans to new agers believe that it’s possible for people to leave their bodies and have supernatural experiences.
Anywhere between 8% and 20% of people claim to have had an out of body experience, depending on what survey you’re looking at. In many cases this isn’t something done consciously, but just something that happens accidentally while relaxing or sleeping.
Why hasn’t astral projection been scientifically proven then? Surely if someone were able to do that, they’d win a Nobel prize. But sadly, any scientists who want to study such a thing are often ridiculed or punished by the academic community. Many scientists are too closed-minded to even look at the potential evidence or study the topic for themselves.
Still, many astral projectors claim to have experiences that make them believe that astral projection isn’t simply a dream. They may fly somewhere in the astral plane and meet with another projector. Later, both discuss the experience they’ve had and what was talked about together while they were out of body.
Others have seen objects on top of shelves or buildings, or other places not readily accessible. They’re able to describe these things with great detail that they statistically shouldn’t have been able to guess by luck alone.
If you want to test the scientific validity of astral travel, I have one method that I think would be more valid than any other. Simply have a friend or family member write something on piece of paper and place it in a box, along with a few random items. Then all you need to do is look inside the box in the astral plane and confirm what’s inside.
Suppose astral projection is ever proven to be a real phenomenon and not simply a dream. It would have a number of real-world applications. For example, we could send astral projectors into dangerous conditions like collapsed buildings or hostage situations to locate survivors.
People who have astral experiences usually insist it must be real. It seems so real and vivid for them. Often people who have experienced it no longer have a fear of death, since they’ve experienced life beyond their physical body. In this way the experience can be truly life-changing.
Still, we have to admit that all evidence of astral projection is anecdotal. But even if we can’t prove that out of body experiences are really happening, it’s still a profound and relatively harmless hobby to try out.
Dangers of Astral Projection
Is astral projection safe?
Generally I would say yes. While you can’t suffer any physical damage while astral traveling, you may see or experience things that could be emotionally and mentally damaging.
Negative entities
One such thing you might run into are called negative entities. These entities can take on any number of forms, but most often they are reported as being shadowy figures or demonic in appearance. They might try to attack you, scare you, or just be deceitful.
Negative entities can be removed by using any number of banishing rituals. Some such rituals are used before attempting to astral travel to clear the area of negative entities. Others are more akin to spiritual warfare, and are targeted directly at specific negative entities that you encounter.
Can you get stuck or lost?
With such potentially terrifying things lurking out in the astral plane, you might have fears of getting stuck and not being able to return to your body.
Most people have more of an issue with staying in the astral. Especially when you’re beginning, any excitement or fear may immediately return you back to your body. Often this experience of “snapping back” can be quite violent and jolting. It takes some serious work to develop the emotional mastery needed to remain in the astral plane.
If you ever do feel stuck, simply visualize returning to your body, or make the intention and desire to return. You can also try to wiggle a finger or toe on your physical body to reconnect with it.
You can’t really get lost during astral traveling because an unbreakable silver cord always connects your astral and physical bodies together.
Can you die?
Your physical body is still vulnerable to physical death while you’re out of your body, but only in the same way as when you’re sleeping.
In other words, someone could come into your room and choke or stab you. You’re less likely to hear someone come into your room while you’re outside your body.
But what about your astral body? While you can feel pain and be attacked while astral traveling, your astral body and the cord connecting it to your physical body are generally believed to be indestructible.
Then again, if it’s happened to anyone we wouldn’t know, since they would never have come back to tell us. But there certainly isn’t an epidemic in the astral projection community where a significant number of people are seemingly dying in their sleep.
While it’s possible that there are negative entities and other beings in the astral plane that are powerful enough to cut your silver cord, I’d say it’s highly unlikely. And if they do exist, the chances of running into them is incredibly small.
Sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a real, documented phenomenon that science accepts, and there’s a risk you’ll experience it while trying to astral project.
It’s a state between being awake or asleep where you’re aware, but not able to move or speak. Basically your mind will still be awake, but your body is already asleep. During this time you might also experience terrifying hallucinations or feel a presence of someone in your room.
It can be a terrifying thing to have happen.
If you do find yourself having sleep paralysis, I’d recommend closing your eyes. At least then you won’t see any scary hallucinations, although you may still hear auditory hallucinations or even feel things that aren’t there.
To get out of sleep paralysis, it’s usually just a matter of waiting for your body to wake up. But you can help speed it along by trying to wiggle your fingers or toes. Normally your extremities will begin to “wake up” first, and you can work your way toward waking up the rest of your body.
Can you get possessed or have things take control of your body?
This is a fear that religious people often have when trying astral projection. If you leave your body, that leaves it vulnerable for other stuff to come in, right?
Well, not necessarily.
You’re still connected by your body by the silver cord.
I generally believe that nothing can enter your body without your express permission. It’s like a vampire, you have to let it in. So as long as you aren’t tricked into letting in some astral entity, you should be okay.
Some entities may be able to drain your energy or life force, which might leave you feeling sluggish and tired when you return to your body. But that’s about the worst you’d experience.
Is astral projection a sin?
I’m not a Christian so this isn’t something that really concerns me, but I would generally say no anyway. There’s nothing in the Bible that specifically forbids astral projection.
You may interpret some lines from Deuteronomy forbidding witchcraft to include astral projection, but that’s up to you.
Your intentions and motivation for doing astral projection is probably the best way for you to determine if you think it’s a sin. If you’re using astral projection to connect with the dead, have astral sex, or similar activities then you might want to reconsider.
Still, most Christians I’ve spoken to seem to have no problem with the topic and many even practice it themselves. I believe that people from any religion can practice astral projection.
How to Astral Project
Here’s where we get into the practical guide of how to actually astral project. This is just an introduction of some popular techniques for beginners. There is enough information for me to write a whole other post on different astral projection techniques if there’s enough interest.
My experience
I think that trying astral projection is a great way for beginners to experience something weird and unexplainable. In fact, trying it was what I’d describe as my first spiritual experience.
On the very first attempt I felt very strong vibrations shaking my entire body. This is a really common phenomenon that people experience when their astral and physical bodies are starting to separate.
Unfortunately the sensation of the vibrations it was too intense for me. My heart and breathing began to race. In some ways I was worried I was dying. Letting emotion take over quickly brought the vibrations and whole experience to a halt. In all honesty, it took several weeks of practice before I could remain calm during the vibrations and have a shot at leaving my body.
I’ve also fallen into strange trances and other states of consciousness while trying to project.
There are many methods to choose from
There are probably dozens of different techniques you can use to have a conscious astral projection.
The main thing that they all have in common is trying to keep your mind awake while your body falls asleep. It’s hard, and at first you may just find yourself falling completely asleep on every attempt.
Don’t worry, you just haven’t developed the right level of focus yet. But with time, you’ll be able to take your mind deeper and deeper without falling asleep.
This balancing act between being awake and asleep is also what opens up astral practitioners to risk of sleep paralysis. You pretty much need to pass through the sleep paralysis stage to have a projection.
For simplicity sake, I’ll give three techniques below that you can start with today.
The most basic technique
The simplest way to try and astral project is just to lay down and relax.
Clear your mind.
Concentrate on your body and how it feels.
Now, start to tense and relax your muscles one by one. Start at your toes and work through every muscle group, all the way up to your head. Pay special attention to your face and neck, which can hold a lot of tension.
Breathe deeply and let go of tension with each breath.
Simply lay still and try not to think of anything. Within a few minutes you might start to feel some weird sensations. Try not to get too alarmed or distracted.
When you feel like you might be ready to leave your body, try to move your astral body without moving the physical.
This is hard to explain if you’ve never done it. Basically use the same thought and intention to move your arm as you’d normally use. Try to lift your arm very lightly.
If your astral body has separated, it should lift pretty easily. If there is resistance or you feel stuck, you probably need some more time for your body to fall asleep.
If you can lift your astral hands or feet, try to lift or roll your whole astral body out of the bed. Make sure not to physically fall out of bed by accident though!
Returning back to your physical body is as simple as thinking about it or trying to move it.
This technique is quite similar to the one used by The Monroe Institute. If you haven’t read any books on the subject before, I highly recommend Journeys Out of The Body by Robert A Monroe as a good starting point.
The rope technique
I believe this method originates from Robert Bruce, founder of Astral Dynamics.
Start with the same relaxation method I described above, visualizing each individual muscle group and relaxing it.
Again you will start to feel your whole body vibrating. The two techniques are pretty much the same up to this point.
The next step is where it differs. You want to imagine a rope hanging above your body. Use your astral body to try and grab the rope with both hands. Your physical body needs to stay totally relaxed during all of this.
Start to pull yourself up the rope, placing one hand over the other, until you’re completely out of the body. Visualize the rope extending all the way to the ceiling to get all the way up.
Once you’re completely out of the physical body, just let go of the rope and start exploring!
Binaural beats
Some people can achieve astral projections by just listening to an audio recording.
A binaural beat is a sound file where two different sound frequencies are played, one in each ear. For this reason, headphones are usually necessary. The listener experiences the illusion of a third tone.
There are specific sound files people have created which can apparently cause spontaneous astral projection to occur.
I don’t know much about the science behind how it works.
Personally I don’t really like binaural beats. The sound they use kind of creeps me out, I’m a bit too paranoid there is some subliminal message included in the recording. They have never worked for me, plus they leave me feeling a bit nauseous when I’m done.
I also don’t like the idea of being reliant on a specific piece of technology to achieve a result.
Still, I’d recommend beginners try them out at least once. It might work great for you and give you a quick out of body experience.
Bonus: If you like the idea of an audio method, you might want to try a guided meditation as well.
Tips
Start trying to project in the morning or afternoon, not at night. If you’re trying to do it at bedtime, you’re way more likely to fall asleep. Morning is the best time while you’re still a bit drowsy. It’s the right balance between relaxation and awareness.
Create the right atmosphere. It will help you reach the deep state of relaxation necessary. Lay down on a comfortable couch or bed. Close any curtains and remove any distracting noises. It’s easier to attempt alone than with someone else in the room as well.
Why Try Astral Projection?
I feel like there are a number of benefits to trying out astral projection. Perhaps the most important I think is the ability to overcome the fear of death. By having an out of body experience, you can feel for yourself that we are more than just our physical bodies.
Realizing that you’re immortal can be a life-changing event. It also generally makes people more spiritual and accelerates personal development.
Some practitioners also believe the body undergoes healing while having an out of body experience. Astral projection can sometimes be tough on the mind, but it’s pretty relaxing for your body. You’ll usually feel the same amount of rest from astral projection as getting a good night’s sleep.
Astral projection can give you personal answers. You can speak with entities to learn universal truths and other information if desired. There is also something called the Akashic records that you can access in the astral plane.
This is like a library of every human thought, emotion, event which has ever occurred in the present, past, or future. You can use this to immediately gain powerful insights, almost like Neo tapping into the Matrix.
You get access to other dimensions of reality as well. Many people believe you can speak with people who have passed away, view past and future lives, and more.
These are just a few of the potential benefits of astral projection. But if nothing else, it’s just a really awesome thing to try.
Conclusion
Astral projection is consciously choosing to have an out of body experience at will.
Generally it’s safe. You don’t need to worry about dying or getting stuck outside of your body. But it’s possible that you may run into frightening entities or imagery.
It takes work to achieve. It might take you weeks or months of dedicated practice before you have your first out of body experience.
There’s some debate as to whether it’s a real phenomenon. Skeptics would argue that the entire thing happens in your head, similar to a lucid dream. But many people who have experienced it are convinced that what they’ve experienced is real.
Whether it’s real or not, it’s a cool experience that’s worth exploring if you’re curious. I think it’s a great introductory way for beginners to experience altered states of consciousness.