Astral projection (or astral travel) is an interpretation of out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of an "astral body" separate from the physical body and capable of traveling outside it.[1] Astral projection or travel denotes the astral body leaving the physical body to travel in the astral plane.
The idea of astral travel is rooted in common worldwide religious accounts of the afterlife[2] in which the consciousness' or soul's journey or "ascent" is described in such terms as "an... out-of body experience, wherein the spiritual traveller leaves the physical body and travels in his/her subtle body (or dreambody or astral body) into higher realms."[3] It is therefore associated with near death experiences and is also frequently reported as spontaneously experienced in association with sleep and dreams, illness,[4] surgical operations, drug experiences, sleep paralysis and forms of meditation.[5]
It is sometimes attempted out of curiosity,[6] or may be believed to be necessary to, or the result of, some forms of spiritual practice.[7] It may involve "travel to higher realms" called astral planes but is commonly used to describe any sensation of being "out of the body"[8] in the everyday world, even seeing one's body from outside or above. It may be reported in the form of an apparitional experience, a supposed encounter with a doppelgnger, some living person also seen somewhere else at the same time.[9]
Through the 1960s and 1970s, surveys reported percentages ranging from 8 percent to as many as 50 percent (in certain groups) of respondents who state they had such an experience.[10] The subjective nature of the experience permits explanations that do not rely on the existence of an "astral" body and plane.




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Prepare the Body and Mind for Astral Projection

1Start in the morning. Rather than practicing astral projection at night, right before you go to sleep, start in the early morning hours when you're still drowsy. Some say that it's easier to reach the necessary state of relaxation and heightened awareness around dawn.
2Create the right atmosphere. Astral projection requires a state of deep relaxation, so it should be performed in a part of your home where you're completely comfortable. Lie on your bed or sofa and relax your body.
It's easier to perform astral projection alone than it is with someone else in the room. If you usually sleep with a partner, choose a room other than the bedroom to practice astral projection.
Draw the shades or curtains and rid the room of distracting noises. Any type of interruption could disrupt the state of relaxation you need to achieve.
3Lie down and relax. Position yourself on your back in your chosen room. Close your eyes and try to clear your mind of distracting thoughts. Concentrate on your body and how it feels. The goal is to achieve a state of complete mind and body relaxation.
Flex your muscles and then loosen them. Start with your toes and work your way up your body, gradually making your way to your head. Make sure every muscle is completely relaxed when you are through.
Breathe deeply and exhale completely. Don't hold tension in your chest and shoulders.
Focus your mind on your breathing. Don't get carried away with thoughts of outside worries, and don't get preoccupied yet with the idea of your soul projecting from your body. Just let yourself sink into relaxation.
Move the Soul from the Body

[spoil]1Reach a hypnotic state. Let your body and mind approach sleep, but don't completely lose consciousness. Being at the edge of wakefulness and sleep, a hypnotic state, is necessary for astral projection to occur. Hypnotize yourself using the following method:
Keeping your eyes closed, let your mind wander to a part of your body, such as your hand, foot or a single toe.
Focus on the body part until you can visualize it perfectly, even with your eyes closed. Continue focusing until all other thoughts fall away.
Use your mind to flex your body part, but do not physically move it. Visualize your toes curling and uncurling, or your fingers clenching and unclenching, until it seems as though they are physically moving.
Broaden your focus to the rest of your body. Move your legs, your arms, and your head using only your mind. Keep your focus steady until you're able to move your whole body in your mind alone.
2Enter a state of vibration. Many report feeling vibrations, which come in waves at different frequencies, as the soul prepares to leave the body. Don't be afraid of the vibrations, since the presence of fear might cause you to leave your meditative state; instead, succumb to the vibrations as your soul prepares to leave your body.
3Use your mind to move your soul from your body. Imagine in your mind the room in which you are lying. Move your body in your mind to stand up. Look around yourself. Get up off the bed and walk across the room, then turn around and look at your body on the bed.
Your OBO is successful if you feel as though you are gazing upon your body from across the room, and that your conscious self is now separate from your body.
It takes a lot of practice to get to this point. If you have trouble completely lifting your soul from your body, try lifting just a hand or a leg at first. Keep practicing until you're able to move across the room.
4Return to your body. Your soul always remains connected to your body with an invisible force, sometimes referred to as a "silver cord." Let the force guide your soul back to your body. Reenter your body. Move your fingers and toes - physically, not just in your mind - and let yourself regain full consciousness.
Explore the Astral Plane

1Confirm that you are projecting your soul from your body. Once you have mastered the act of projecting your soul from your body in the same room, you will want to confirm that you were indeed in two separate planes.
Next time you practice astral projection, don't turn around to look at your body. Instead, leave the room and walk into another room in the house.
Examine an object in the other room, something that you had never noticed before in the physical sense. Make a mental note of its color, shape and size, paying attention to as many details as possible.
Return to your body. Physically go into the room you previously projected yourself into. Walk to the article you examined during the astral travel. Can you confirm the details you noted when you explored the object with your mind?
2Explore further. During subsequent astral projection sessions, go to locations that are less and less familiar to you. Each time, note details that you had never noticed before. After each session, physically verify the details. After a few trips, you will be experienced enough to travel to locations that are completely unfamiliar with the confidence that you have actually performed astral projection.
3Always return to your body. Some say that astral projection is dangerous, especially when one gets enough practice to explore unfamiliar places. The thrill of having an OBE keeps some people out of their bodies for long periods of time, which is said to weaken the silver cord. Be sure to stay aware of your body back at home while your soul is projected elsewhere.
The silver cord can never be broken, but it is said that your soul can be delayed from reentering your body if you spend too much energy outside of it.
Some say that demons can inhabit the body while the soul is being projected. If you fear this may happen, protect your body by blessing the room with a prayer before you perform projection.