Astral projection – you must have heard this term before. You probably have a vague idea of what this means, and you think of it some unique way of meditation that allows you to leave your body. Sounds supernatural? Well, it’s more than that! But, it’s also very real.
The amazing Bustle team watched a Udemy course on astral projection and they found out that the term is used to refer to an “out-of-body experience (OBE) during which the astral body leaves the physical body and travels to the astral plane.”
The entire concept is based on the belief that something called “an astral plane” exists, and it is one of the seven planes of beings. Us humans live on the material plane and in a material world, so there is no wonder our souls want to escape to another plane. The astral plane is not just the home for souls trying to find their way to their next life or their resting place, but it is also the home for spirits and angels that are more than human. Even though the astral plane sounds like something mythicized, it is rooted in modern, new age mythology and spirituality.
If you’re thinking that this is all too supernatural and impossible to exist, let us give you a more reasonable definition. According to Anima Mundi Herbals, “Astral projection [is] basically just conscious sleep, aka lucid dreaming. When you start to fall asleep but wake up right before it happens, you can literally feel your soul coming back into the body. That is why you sometimes feel like you’re falling.” See? You’ve already experienced an astral projection, sort of!
The goal of lucid dreaming and astral projecting is to transcend your physical being with the power of your mind. So, your soul won’t be leaving your body (at least we don’t have a proof for that); this is just the easiest way to describe astral projecting to people who are not familiar with the term.
Still sounds impossible to you? Well, we even have a scientific backup! The Frontiers of Human Neuroscience published a paper which explores this soul-leaving-the-body experience. Researchers studied the brain of a subject who claimed to be able to achieve the state of astral projection. They used an MRI on her during the phase in which she claimed to be in a state of astral projection. The results were stunning and the researchers were able to identify the parts of the brain that were activated during this journey. So, astral projections do not have to necessarily refer to your soul leaving your body; it can simply refer to something that is happening in your head.
If astral projections sound interesting to you, then keep reading. We are going to answer some frequently asked questions that might have popped in your head as well while you were reading our article.
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The first thing people want to know is how does astral projection happen? Clearly, it’s not something common that people experience all the time, so what triggers astral projection?
Astral projection and OBEs are very interesting to scientists, but the phenomenon leaves neuroscientist puzzled. Medical professionals don’t dismiss this experience anymore, however, they describe OBEs as a result of neurological or brain dysfunction. No doctor or scientist was able to pinpoint what exactly triggers astral projections.
There are stories people who had near-death events tell; they usually say how they were floating above their body in a hospital room and observing medical staff while they were trying to revive them. This would be a perfect example of an involuntary OBE and these can be caused by a range of factors including illness, trauma, and even food or water deprivation.
There are also intentional OBEs which are achieved by lucid dreaming and intentional astral projecting. How does this work? Have you ever dreamed of flying or being in the sky and you felt amazing? If so, then you’ve had a lucid dream (which you weren’t aware of) and an OBE!
If you want to intentionally have an OBE, there are some simple yet effective astral projection techniques which you can give a try. We are going to list these techniques for you, but for the sake of keeping this article to the point, we won’t be giving you meticulous information. You can find a detailed explanation of each of these techniques on Anima Mundi Herbals or by watching this video!
The Most Powerful Astral Projection Technique
- The Rope Technique – considered the most effective technique. It is based on imagining a rope and pulling yourself up to the rope, until you leave your body.
- The Monroe Technique – an interesting technique that requires you to trick your body that you’ve fallen asleep. Basically, your aim is to relax and maintain your awareness between sleep and wakefulness.
- Lucid Dreams – a state in which a dreamer is aware that he is dreaming and gets the ability to control his dreams.
- Displaced-awareness technique – involves you displacing your sense of direction until you feel yourself “popping” out of your body.
Some experienced astral projectors advise starting with lucid dreams because, once you achieve such a dream, you will already be experiencing an OBE. Then, you can try moving on to the more advanced techniques.
This idea of being able to leave your body sounds interesting. But, what is the point? What exactly can you do in astral projections? Do you just float around or can you do something significant?
Well, the first thing you want to do when you manage to reach this state is reach your arms out, stretch, get up, and start exploring your surroundings. Everyone experiences astral projections differently, but, you should be able to do everything that you can do in real life.
One frequently asked question is can you spy on someone while astral projecting. Oh, we know this crossed your mind as well. You naughty person! The answer is both yes and no. You can see living people while you’re astral, especially those who live in the same house as you. But spying on someone, especially someone you don’t know, is very difficult. It takes a great deal of concentration to reach this state and even more to visit someone. And, in order to do so, you must have a very strong bond with that person.
So, the answer is, yes you can spy on someone while astral projecting but it is very difficult to do this. But, if you do choose to visit someone, always remember to respect people’s privacy. Just because you have this amazing power, doesn’t mean you should use it for something that is considered immoral.
Now you must be wondering, if you can see others, can others see you when you astral project? This is highly unlikely unless that person is super intuitive. Seeing someone who is astral projecting would be like seeing a ghost, and we all know how rare is that.
When you’re astral, you become different; you have different priorities and you focus on exploring the power of your mind, not doing ordinary things such as spying on people. Once you leave your body, there is more than one plane you can visit. The first plane is the material plane, the one you live in. Here, you can fly around your house, look at the ones you love, and maybe even freak out your cat. You can also leave your home and fly down the street.
However, you can also move to a higher plane and have a lovely chat with spirits and angles. Some people reported even being able to travel back in time, but only as observers. You can take a trip down the memory lane, but don’t expect that you’ll be able to change anything.
Believe it or not, you can even go astral with your friends at the same time and you can visit each other or go exploring together. This sometimes works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Many people will not even try to leave their bodies and start exploring a higher realm due to the possible astral projection dangers. When you separate from your body, the first emotion you’re going to feel is fear. You are exploring something unknown and you don’t know what can happen. And, so many people who experienced lucid dreams or astral projections have shared some scary stories.
As we mentioned, when you go astral you get the ability to visit other planes. And, sometimes, you can stumble upon a plane that isn’t compatible with your energy or frequency. When you do this, you will lose your sight, your hearing will likely be enhanced, and you’ll be really putting yourself at risk of getting attacked and drained. Wait, what, attacked?
Unfortunately, yes, you read that right. On those planes, you can hear and sometimes see creatures that would make you pee your pants in real life. These creatures can also appear in your material plane. What you should do if this happens is raise above them. Remember that it is all in your head, call for your angels or guides to help you, and focus on love and gratitude. Turn your back on these things and tell them to go back to where they belong.
Encountering creepy supernatural creatures doesn’t sound like much fun, but it is a risk many are willing to take due to the unforgettable experience. These creatures can’t hurt you physically and do any damage to your real body. And, if you’re wondering can you die from astral projection, the answer is no. Well, there wasn’t anyone who died and was able to report it anyways (haha, we’re trying to lighten up the mood with a joke).
One last question that may cross your mind is, can some of these scary entities steal your body. Luckily, we know the answer to this question and it is no. Nothing and no one can take your body while you’re out. That isn’t to say that something can’t be standing right next to it and when you want to go back to your body it tries to tell you that you don’t. But, always remember that those entities can only speak; they can’t prevent you from returning to your body.
Phew, now that the scary part is over, it’s time to focus on all the amazing benefits of astral projection. Astral projection is an amazing experience, that almost everyone can have if they try hard enough.
Lucid Dreams Society does a great job of describing all the benefits of astral projections. We’re just going to name a few!
- Greater awareness of reality
- Enhances your curiosity and spirituality
- Helps you overcome the fear of death and the otherworldly
- Expands your consciousness
- Stimulates your personal development
- Helps you sleep better at night
- Brings a sense of inner peace
- Enhances your enthusiasm for existence
- Expands awareness, memory recall, and imagination
- Allows you to access past-life influences and other memories
- A profound sense of knowing instead of believing
- Takes you on adventures and brings joy
- Promotes spiritual and emotional healing
- Promote positive psychological changes
- Improves your self-worth, self-confidence, and self-respect
So, what do you think? Are astral projections and out-of-body experiences something you’d be willing to give a shot?
We certainly hope that your answer is yes because separating from your physical body can be a very life-changing experience. And, the best part is that every experience is individual, different for everyone, and you can tailor it to your liking. You can go on a pleasant, calm, and peaceful journey or decided to go on an extreme, fast, and wild adventures! The options are truly limitless and it is up to you to explore them.
