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An ancient idea -

Astral projection is a modern term for a concept that has appeared in many religions and ideologies throughout history, from ancient Egyptian culture to Taoism.

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Astral travel -

It involves an intentional out-of-body experience where you slip into a conscious but dreamlike state, and travel to other realms with the power of your mind.

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Meditation and hypnosis -

This state of consciousness is achieved through a kind of deep meditation and self-hypnosis. The experience can be compared to that of lucid dreaming.

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The astral body -

Astral projection relies on the idea that human beings have a soul, or astral body. This is what separates from your physical form and travels freely through space and time during an astral projection.

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The astral realm -

In order for your astral body to go anywhere, there must also exist an astral realm to travel through. The idea of an astral realm appears in many different cultures and religions, like Hinduism and the esoteric practices of Kabbalah and Sufism.

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Fact vs. fiction -

There are plenty of people who say they have gone on astral voyages. There are workshops you can attend and online guides to try it at home. But is there any scientific basis to support the possibility of astral projection?

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Is it supported by science? - There is currently no way to prove that an astral realm or astral body exist. These are concepts that exist in the spiritual world more than the scientific one.

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Out-of-body experience -

However, the out-of-body experience is considered valid by the scientific community. It is also indisputable that human beings are capable of experiencing altered states of consciousness, in many forms.

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What constitutes reality? -

The out-of-body experience and altered state of consciousness are two major aspects of astral projection. Beyond that, it becomes a more philosophical debate on the nature of consciousness and existence. If you visit an “astral realm," but only in your mind, does that make it real or not?

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Ontology -

The field of ontology in philosophy is dedicated to exploring the concepts of existence, being, becoming, and reality. It questions how we decide what is real and what isn’t. It allows us to wonder what constitutes a “real” astral realm, as opposed to one that exists in someone’s mind.

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The brain's response - What we do know is that the brain responds to astral projection in an interesting way. A neuroscientific study performed on a person who claimed to be astral projecting showed activation in areas of the brain associated with imagery projection and movement, even though the person was lying still.

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A definite experience -

This suggests that our brains recognize astral projection as a journey and as an experience. Scientists have already recognized lucid dreaming and vivid meditation experiences, which can also be shown through brain scans, and are very similar to astral projection.

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Cold War experiments -

In an interesting side note, the CIA hired psychics to aid them during the Cold War. They called it Project Star Gate and the purpose was for the psychics to use “remote viewing,” which was essentially astral projection, for espionage purposes. It ran from 1972 to 1995.

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What is it like? - While we may not be able to prove the existence of an astral realm, the research certainly shows that our brains can perceive the experience of astral projection to be real. For many, it is an incredibly visceral experience.

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Traveling with the senses - Whether or not you believe in it, a person experiencing astral projection will feel like it’s very real. They are stimulated through all of their usual senses, experiencing physical sensations, smells, and sounds, as well as imagery.

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On the outside looking in -

If you’ve ever had an out-of-body experience, you’ll know the feeling that your center of being is outside of your body. We normally experience consciousness from within our bodies, but with astral projection or an out-of-body experience, it’s like your vantage point has moved outside of your body, and you can even look back at yourself.

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The spiritual plane -

Some believe that the astral realm is another dimension where we can see the souls of those passing to the next life, as well as angels and spirits.

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Traveling through space and time - Ascension guide and quantum shaman Laura Brown claims that she has been able to travel to other realms, but also to different periods in history. Brown says she has visited ancient civilizations on her astral travels.

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A waking dream -

She describes it as the ability to travel beyond the material world using our minds. The experience is said to be like entering a dreamlike world that transcends space and time. It’s like having a dream, but you’re fully aware of what’s going on.

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How do you do it? - Brown says that astral projection is an intuitive ability, and like all intuitive abilities, we are all born capable of doing it. It takes practice, but it’s believed to be a skill that can be learned by anyone willing to try. Here are some of the beginners techniques and tips for exploring astral projection.

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1. Tap into your natural abilities - Believers say that the ability to astral project is like an atrophied muscle that needs to be strengthened. To begin tapping into your innate abilities and training them, you can practice visualizations.

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1. Tap into your natural abilities -

Think of times when you were in one place physically, but your mind was fully absorbed elsewhere. This is essentially the feeling you’ll need to get used to for astral projection.

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2. Practice meditation and self-hypnosis -

Practicing mediation is a great way to start training your mind. It can help you to get used to tapping into other parts of your consciousness. You can use meditation apps or videos to get you started. Once you’re comfortable with it, you can move onto self-hypnosis. This will allow you to move deeper into a trance-like state.

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3. Try lucid dreaming - Many believe that lucid dreaming is another form of astral projection. Although astral projection is usually done while awake, through lucid dreaming you become aware and conscious within a dream world, so the techniques can be helpful to build your skills.

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4. Work with crystals -

There are many different uses for crystals in the metaphysical world. If you’re into crystals, you can try meditating with them first and then using them in your astral practices. Blue kyanite is said to aid your transition into the other realm, while selenite offers you protection.

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5. Do it in the dark -

Astral projection works best in the dark, as it avoids any visual distractions when you’re trying to disconnect from the physical realm and turn your focus inwards. Turn the lights off and use a sleep mask or lay a t-shirt over your eyes.

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6. Use the “wake back to bed” method - This is a method that’s often used in lucid dreaming, and is said to help you access an alternative state of consciousness more easily. You wake yourself up during the night, say at 5 am, stay awake for 10-15 minutes, and then go back to sleep.

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7. Let go of expectations -

It’s important to let go of your expectations before astral projecting, and avoid trying to visualize what you want to experience. Most travelers recommend completely clearing your mind. Holding on to expectations can actually close you off.

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7. Let go of expectations -

It’s recommended to bring yourself to a state of peace and relaxation, similar to a deep meditation. Allow the information to come through as it pleases, and prepare to be surprised.

Sources: (Bustle 1, 2, and 3) (Healthline) (History) 

See also: The power of healing crystals

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