What Is Astral Projection?

Last Updated on March 30, 2020 by Sloane Marie

As you learn about astrology, meditation and yoga, you may encounter ancient texts about astral projection. In Kundalini yoga, there are thought to be ten bodies. These include the physical body, three mental bodies and six energy bodies. Many religions and ancient practices believe that some type of soul, life force or external life force exists. While the names may change, the process is generally the same. As you read, you may start to hear the term astral projection thrown around. What is astral projection?

You may have questions about various subjects, and we invite you to learn more about any astrological, spiritual, or relationship questions that you are considering at this time.

What Is an Out-of-Body Experience?

An out-of-body experience (OBE) is often talked about by people who have near-death experiences. You hear stories of someone who nearly dies in surgery, and then they watch the doctors surround their body and everything that goes on. If you have not deliberately tried to have an out-of-body experience, then you are most likely to have one during an illness or trauma. Some people can have an out-of-body experience during lucid dreaming. You can train your mind to do this, but it takes time.

When you have an out-of-body experience, it is like the name suggests. Your soul or life force is suddenly outside of your body. You may just be in the same room looking down on your body. If you have trained this talent, then you may be able to travel to other areas of your home or other parts of the world. An out-of-body experience is often more common in people who already possess some talent for clairvoyance.

What Is Astral Projection?

Astral projection is a more intense version of an out-of-body experience. Your soul is essentially separating from your physical body before it travels to the astral plane. While an out-of-body experience may be unintentional, astral project typically occurs when you have deliberately tried to induce an out-of-body experience.

Your astral body can hover above your body or explore your home. As you develop this ability, you may be able to travel to other parts of the world or to different time spans. When you practice astral projection, you become talented at removing your consciousness from your physical body. You also learn how to bring back your soul to your physical body.

A History of Astral Projection

Astral projection has most likely existed since human beings first began. While this is often considered a New Age movement today, there are records of astral projection or astral projection-like experiences that date back hundreds and thousands of years. While this experience has become more popular in modern culture, there are actually records dating back 5,000 years ago. Long ago, priests in ancient Egypt believed that the ka, or your consciousness, could leave the body. There are actually depictions of this happening in art from ancient Egypt. In the artistic depictions, the astral body leaves the physical body as a stream of light.

Other than ancient Egypt, other spiritual systems across the world have believed in astral projection. Many cultures that have shamans believe that the souls of Shamanic healers can leave the body and ask a higher being for help in finding a healing treatment for their patient. They may have also left their body to find clarity or ask for the solution to the problem. There are also records of astral projection-like events in the Bible and in the Middle Ages. Many of the visions of saints involve the saint's soul leaving their body. While Christianity does not call these visions astral projection, they are quite similar to the astral projection process.

Astral Projection in the Modern Era

With the rise of the internet and modern communication, it has become even easier for stories of out-of-body experiences and astral projection to spread. Unfortunately, popular culture tends to dismiss these experiences as unscientific or fraudulent. While there are surely frauds out there, some of the cases of astral projection are true.

Some of the people who do believe in astral projection think that it is dangerous. They believe that it could hurt the person physically. Some people also think that it could cause death if the soul remains permanently separated from the body or the individual becomes lost on the astral plane.

In 1957, the Parapyschological Association was started. It later became affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1969. Now, the Parapyschological Association (PA) works to research paranormal activities like astral projection. Researchers have looked for out-of-body experiences in the present and the past to understand how the astral plane is accessed.

How to Astral Project

You probably do not want to know just the answer to, “What is astral projection?” If you are like most people, you also want to know how to astral project. In 1971, Bob Monroe and the Monroe Institute wrote the Journeys Out of the Body. In this work,. They detailed seven steps for astral projection.

1. Relax

The first step in the process is to relax completely. Often, people lie down in a dark room with incense or candles burning to set a tranquil mood. Other people prefer to sit in a chair with their feet flat on the ground. Whatever you do, make sure that you are completely relaxed physically and mentally.

2. Go Hynagogic

Next, you need to enter a hynagogic state. This is basically the state where you are half asleep. You are not entirely awake, but you are also not entirely asleep either. Some people find that self-hypnosis helps them to reach this state easily.

3. Go Deeper

You can now bring yourself deeper in this state by focusing on your mental sensations. Clear your mind of thoughts and try not to move your body because this movement could wake you up.

4. Listen to Vibrations

When you are in this deeper state of mind, follow the vibrations of your physical body. These vibrations will become more obvious as you relax into a deeper state of mind.

5. Relax Within the Vibrations

Now that you can feel the vibrations of your physical body, relax within it. This step is designed to gently bump your consciousness out of your physical body.

6. Focus Your Mind

In this step, focus your mind on leaving your torso and limbs. Focus on leaving one body part at a time.

7. Lifting Away

This step is known as lifting out. It is the step where you focus on effortlessly lifting out of your physical body.

What If It Does Not Work?

Astral projection probably will not work the first few times that you try. Like anything else, it takes practice to become good at it. Keep trying to go through this process every day, and you will gradually get better. You must be patient and consistent to achieve astral projection. You also may want to try meditation or lucid dreaming to make your mind and soul prepared for astral projection. If the previous technique does not work for you, you can also try doing the rope technique.

The Rope Technique for Astral Projection

There is another option for astral projection. Created by Robert Bruce, it is known as the Rope Technique. Bruce was the founder of the Astral Dynamics movement, and he is a leader in the field of astral projection.

In this technique, you relax your body by visualizing each muscle. If you have used hypnosis before, you can use a similar technique to completely relax your physical body. Next, enter a vibrational state. It will feel like a heightened version of a cell phone's vibration is radiating through your body.

Now that you are completely relaxed, imagine a rope hanging above you. Use your astral body to try to climb the rope using your hands. Your physical body must remain relaxed. Use your astral hands to climb the rope hand over hand as you imagine reaching the ceiling. When your astral body has completely exited your physical body, you can begin exploring the astral plane.

Learning the answer to “What is astral projection?” and the steps for astral projection is not enough. If you want to experience the astral plane, you must continue to practice these steps and become good at them. You probably will not astral project for a while, but you will gradually develop the ability to do so if you are patient and consistent.