Esowiki - Spiritual Terms Simply Explained

Astral Projection

🌌 What is Astral Projection?

Astral projection (also called out-of-body experience, or OBE) is the experience where:

Your conscious awareness detaches from your physical body
You feel yourself in a subtle body (the astral body)
You travel through space, spiritual realms, symbolic dimensions, or even real-world locations
You return to your body and retain memory of the experience

🧠 Is It the Same as a Dream?

Not quite. Here's a quick comparison:

Experience	Description
Dreaming	Unconscious and symbolic, often chaotic or surreal
Lucid Dreaming	You're aware you're dreaming and can control the dream
Astral Projection	You're aware you're outside your body, exploring consciously

People often say lucid dreams can become astral projections when the dreamer realizes they’re dreaming and then "steps out" of the dream into a freer, more conscious state.

🌙 Common Features of Astral Projection

Floating above your body and looking down at yourself
A sense of vibration, buzzing, or paralysis right before separation
Seeing your room, but with strange distortions or energy shifts
Encountering spiritual beings, guides, or deceased loved ones
Traveling through walls, space, time, or otherworldly landscapes
Feeling a "silver cord" connecting you to your physical body (mentioned in many traditions)

🧘‍♀️ How Do You Astral Project?

Here’s a basic technique (there are many, but this is a good starting point):

🌌 Preparation:

Lie down comfortably on your back, arms at your sides.
Relax completely. Take deep, slow breaths. Let your body feel heavy.
Clear your mind. Focus on calm, neutral awareness.
When deeply relaxed, start to mentally repeat:
- “I will leave my body.”
- “I am light.”
- Or just focus on the idea of floating.

⚡ The "Vibrational State":

As your body falls asleep, you may feel tingling, buzzing, or vibrating—this is the sign that you're on the edge.
Stay calm. Don’t panic or try to move physically.

🚪 Separation:

Imagine yourself rolling out of your body or floating upward.
Some use visualizations, like:
- Climbing a rope
- Swinging out of your body
- Stepping through a mirror
If successful, you'll feel a pop or shift—and you’ll be “outside”, still fully aware.

🧿 What’s the Point?

People explore astral projection for many reasons:

Spiritual growth and self-discovery
Contacting spirit guides or ancestors
Exploring the afterlife or other dimensions
Gaining wisdom, clarity, or healing
Just for the sheer mind-blowing experience

🛡️ Is Astral Projection Safe?

In most spiritual traditions:

Yes, if practiced with respect, calmness, and protection.

But:

You may encounter disturbing symbols or shadowy figures, especially if you're carrying fear or emotional baggage.
Maintaining a calm mindset and setting intentions for safety (like calling on protection or love) is advised.

Also, you’re still attached to your body via the silver cord—so you can always return.

🌌 Famous Astral Projectors or Books

Robert Monroe – Pioneer in OBE research, wrote Journeys Out of the Body
William Buhlman – Author of Adventures Beyond the Body
Theosophists like Leadbeater & Annie Besant deeply explored the astral plane