Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

by Agarwal

Astral Projection is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. It is a process by which the human consciousness temporarily leaves the physical body and functions independently, while the physical body remains still and passive throughout.

There are hundreds of techniques available that induce Projection. But since there is no universal method that would work for everyone to attain conscious projection, we will discuss some different kinds of techniques. You should know them all to decide which one suits you best.

In this section we will discuss some most popular and widely used techniques of experiencing an OOBE.

1. Rope Technique : This technique has been formulated by Robert Bruce and is one of the most effective techniques around. A key ingredient to this projection technique is an invisible, imaginary rope hanging from your ceiling. This rope will be used to exert dynamic pressure at a single point on your astral body to force its separation from the physical.

Reach out with your imaginary hands and pull yourself, hand over hand, up the strong, invisible, imaginary rope hanging above you. You will feel a slight dizzy sensation inside you as you do this. This feeling of vertigo will intensify the more you pull on the rope.

Keep climbing, hand over hand, ever upwards, and you will feel the vibrations start. Your whole body will seem to be vibrating and you will feel paralyzed. Concentrate single minded, on climbing your rope. Don’t stop.

Next you will feel yourself coming free of your body. You will exit your body in the direction of your imaginary rope and will be hovering above your body. You’re free at last!

2. Watch Yourself Going To Sleep : Lie down comfortably on your back, facing the ceiling. Relax your body and clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Relax even more.

Tell yourself that you are going to watch yourself in the act of going to sleep. You must be very clear about your intent. You’re going to let your body sleep while your mind will remain alert throughout the entire process. Tell yourself you will retain consciousness even while your body is going to be in complete “trance”.

As you relax completely, you must learn to recognize the rather strange, distinctive sensations you feel as your body moves into the sleep state. You MUST stay aware as this unfolds. At a certain point, you will feel that your body is feeling heavy and numb.

You are on the right track! Pay close attention to all your bodily sensations. You may feel yourself swaying or floating. You might even find certain parts of your body tingling. There might be vibrations running from your head to toe. You might even hear a strong buzzing sensation in your ears. Whatever the sensations, do not panic as these are very good signals that you are on the verge of experiencing an OOBE.

You have to then visualize that you are rising up from your bed and floating towards the ceiling. How would it feel if you could actually float? Try to make the experience as real as possible. Hold this image for as long as you can. If everything goes on well, you might suddenly find yourself outside the body, floating near the ceiling!

3. Monroe Technique : Robert Monroe, one of the foremost authorities on Astral Projection devised this method.

You have to first relax your body. This is a very important step.

Then try to go to sleep, but don’t fall asleep. Maintain your awareness between sleep and wakefulness. This is known as the hypnagogic state. Then deepen this hypnagogic state and start to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the blackness in front of you.

Then you must enter an even deeper state of relaxation. The next step is to induce vibrations throughout your body and intensify them. These vibrations have to be controlled and intensified further. This is the moment when the Astral body will separate from the Physical body. You then simply have to “roll-over” and you will find yourself out of your body.

4. OOBE from Lucid Dreams : Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming. In a Lucid Dream a person is already “out” of his body.

In order to achieve Astral Projection from Lucid Dreams, you have to first become obsessed with OBEs and you must really DESIRE it. You must read everything you can about it. You must think about it every free moment that you have.

Once your mind is besotted with the thought of OOBEs we will need triggers and affirmations so that you have a Lucid Dream. During the day keep thinking: ‘Tonight I’m going to have a Lucid Dream’. Remind yourself of this all day long. And – and this is the important part – keep asking yourself during the day “Am I dreaming now?”

With a few days of practice, you’ll have programmed your sub-conscious to induce a Lucid Dream.

Once you are in a Lucid Dream, and know that you are dreaming, you would also know that you are not in your body. You can then will yourself to see your bedroom. In most cases, when you do this, your dreamland will suddenly disappear and you will find yourself in your bedroom, floating above your body.

5. Displaced-awareness Projection : Close your eyes and get into your usual trance-state Try to sense the entire room, at once. Feel yourself just above your shoulders and seeing all around. Be very passive about what is going on.

Then imagine that your Astral Body is slowly rotating by 180 degrees. Once you finish your mental rotation, your Astral head should be where your physical feet are, and your Astral feet would be where your physical head is! With this firmly in your mind, try visualizing the room from this new direction.

The idea is to forget about where you really are, and displace your sense of direction. When you do this correctly, you will find yourself getting dizzy. This is normal.

When you are comfortable with this, the next step is to imagine floating towards the roof. Try to make it as real as possible. You may suddenly find yourself “popped” out of your physical body!

6. The Jump Technique: The Jump Technique, when done well, can wake up anyone in their dreams and make them Lucid. However, it does need to be done well.

This is how the technique works: We repeatedly need to ask ourselves during the day whether we are in a dream or not. It is important that we do this not just for the sake of asking ourselves the question, but because we really want to know where we are. We should really doubt that we are in the Physical. So in order to prove where we are, we jump as if we were going to fly. If we are in the Physical, we will land back on the ground. But during a dream, when we jump, we will defy gravity and float.

When this is done for a few days, you will soon find yourself in a dream in which you are jumping to check whether you are in a dream or not. As soon as you jump, you will find yourself floating, thus triggering a Lucid Dream and an OOBE.

7. Muldoon’s Thirst Technique: This is not one of the most pleasant or effective methods designed by Sylvan Muldoon.

In order to use this technique, you must refrain from drinking for some hours before going to bed. Throughout the day increase your thirst by every means you can. Keep a glass of water in front of you and stare into it, imagining drinking, but not allowing yourself to do so!

Then before you sleep, eat a pinch or two of salt. Place the glass of water at some convenient place away from your bed and rehearse in your mind all the actions necessary to getting it: getting up, crossing the room, reaching out for the glass, and so on. You must then go to bed, still thinking about your thirst and the means of quenching it. At night, you might awaken in your dream and you will find yourself walking towards the glass of water. With any luck the suggestions you have made to yourself will bring about the desired OBE.

8. The Stretch-out Technique: Lie down, shut your eyes and relax your body. Imagine your feet stretching out and becoming longer by just an inch or so. Once you have this picture in your mind, let your feet go back to normal. Do the same with his head, stretching it out an inch beyond its normal position. Then, get it back to normal. Then alternate all between head and feet, gradually increasing the distance until you can

stretch out both your feet and head to about two feet or more. At this stage imagine stretching out both at once. This exercise will make you feel dizzy and often start the vibrations.

After some practice, you will experience floating sensations and you can then tell yourself to rise up towards the ceiling. You are out!

9. The Hammock Technique: Visualize yourself lying in a bright white hammock, stationed between two palm trees on a secluded beach. Imagine the feeling of swaying in the wind, and recreate that feeling now as you visualize yourself swaying from side to side in the hammock. Repeat this visualization for as long as it takes to bring forth the vibrations, and when you feel the vibrations, just “roll-out” of your body.

Whichever technique you choose, you are unlikely to get a result on the very first night, or even on the first few nights – so take your time with them and try not to get frustrated when nothing happens at first. But I promise you will soon start to see some results.

The Astral Plane And Its Divisions

The Astral Plane And Its Divisions

by Abhishek Agarwal

The Astral Plane is very real, seeming much more solid and vibrant than the Physical world. It’s a world without any need for money, work or any of the other trappings of a physical existence.

Those who have visited the Astral planes find themselves in an environment where all senses seem greatly magnified. These senses are not our normal physical senses, but inner astral senses.

Thoughts can actually be seen to take shape instantly and anything desired can be instantly manifested by means of the powers of the imagination in the very process of creation. This is also why the Astral worlds are known as the “desire worlds” and the Astral body known as the “desire body”. This fact that Man creates with his thoughts and feelings in the Astral world shows the truth in the occult statement that Man is a “god in the making”. It shows that we can be supremely creative.

Once you are out in the Astral plane, you will find that it vibrates at a much higher frequency than the Physical plane. There is no gravity on the Astral plane. Time and space are distorted as compared to the Physical. As a result, time can pass differently than in the physical.

Here, thought plays an integral part, and simply imagining something in the Astral can cause it to form. Since this is where all of our hopes, desires, and dreams can essentially become reality, the Astral plane is also known as the emotional plane.

In the Astral plane there is no need for food, clothing, shelter and sleep. We have true freedom. It is our will that sustains and heals us,and our will that creates the realm in our image. The Astral planes are made of focused mental energy. In the spirit world thoughts create reality, and we frequently create what we are familiar with.

Divisions Of The Astral Plane

The Astral Plane is divided into Lower, Middle, and Higher. Each division contains multiple divisions of varying vibratory rates.

The Lower Astral Planes

Are described as darker more primal realms. Some have described them as the place of Dante’s inferno while others think of them as purgatory.They are where the souls of the lost reside. Residing here are many beings including people who are out-of-body, both consciously and subconsciously people who are dreaming, the deceased, and even beings that never existed on the Physical Plane at all. Communication with all of the above is possible while Projected.

The Middle Astral Planes

Are the realms of divine inspiration free of earthly desires and conflict. The beings in these dimensions cause many of the artistic and technical breakthroughs on Earth by sending silent messages to its inhabitants. This is the place where many of us journey for guidance and healing. These realms are frequently a reflection of the world we live in now. They contain the same vegetation, animals, and even our own created structures.

The Middle Astral is a plane full of rainbows of vivid colors and exquisite beauty. It would be an impossible task to try and rationalize this place. This plane is full of thoughts, dreams, and ideas, which are manifested as real objects. Everything including inanimate objects has auras of energy emanating from them in vivid and bright colors. Time here is very distorted and it is possible to see future or past events.

People who have successfully consciously projected to Middle Astral Planes have described unseen colors and sounds, breathtaking landscapes and scenery, and even some things beyond our comprehension. This place is purer in its formation. The needs and the strife associated with the Physical world have been left behind. It is a place of peace and utter bliss – one might go as far as to compare it to the Garden of Eden.

The Higher Astral Planes

Are the realms called Heaven by Christians, the Summerland by spiritualists. This place is beyond the comprehension of most people, as they are said to be the home of the Christian God, the Buddha, and other great beings.

The higher astral planes are where we begin to reach toward self-godhood, becoming fully aware and acknowledging that all life is symbiotic and connected for the “good” of all. We realize that each individual is an essential link in the chain of life and existence in the physical world affects all of the other realities we do not perceive.

This awareness often leads people into pantheism, the belief that all life is sacred and should be protected from the lowliest worm to the greatest killer. In other instances the traveler will not turn toward pantheism but in either case will become truly aware of this fact on a constant conscious level.

The Middle and the Higher Planes are where the true path to spiritual and physical healing lies. This is where our perceptions of life grow and expand by leaps and bounds freeing us from many of the stigmas of society and its imposed morality.

When we begin traveling through the Astral realms, we generally first enter the Lower planes where the Physical world is still visible, though distorted by our emerging perception. But as we move into the Middle planes we will notice that the Physical world becomes less and less noticeable until finally we move completely away from it into the Higher planes.

Finding a Familiar on the Astral Plane

Finding a Familiar on the Astral Plane

Begin your meditation the usual way. Cross the bridge and drop the stones into the stream. This time, when you travel into the astral plane, be sure to remember why you are there. Keep your eyes open for creatures. The animal you encounter will most likely be a worldly animal. One will approach you. You will not have to seek it out. You may be discouraged when you find that the animal that approaches you may not be your favorite. It could be any creature: a cat, fox, rabbit, bird, owl, horse, turtle or even an insect. Do not turn the animal down, even if you feel disappointed. A specific animal will have a specific lesson to teach you. When you have learned all you can from the animal, it will leave you. These spirit guides may remain with you for years or longer. Remember always to listen to what they have to say and explore thoroughly what they have to show you. Some of the more common animals seen are:

Wolf – knowledge and companionship

Owl – wisdom, silence, solitude

Turtle – patience, humility

Hawk – watchfulness

Horse – nobility and fidelity

Cat – cleanliness

Bear – strength and play

Fox – cunning, thinking through actions

Dolphin/Whale – love, compassion

Rabbit – nature and wariness

MONROE TECHNIQUES FOR ASTRAL PROJECTION

Note: After having studied many methods of Astral
Projection, I have found that this is the easiest to do.
Monroe teaches these techniques in a week, but they can be
easily done in a day, with proper devotion. I feel that this
technique is superior to others because it doe not require
intense visualization, which many people cannot do.
enjoy!

(Taken from Leaving The Body: A Complete Guide to Astral
Projection, D. Scott Rogo, prentice Hall Press)

One of the chief barriers people learning to project face is
fear. Many are afraid that they may die, or be harmed in some
way as a result of their projection. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. The Canterbury Institute, renowned for its
occult studies, executed an experiment in projection involving
over 2,000 people. None of them were hurt in any way by this,
and now, three years later, none have complained of any newly
arising problems.

Once you are aware that you cannot be harmed by projecting,
you should begin monroe’s techniques, step by step.

Step one:
Relax the body. According to Monroe, “the ability to relax
is the first prerequisite, perhaps even the first step itself”
to having an OBE. (out of body experience) This includes both
physical and mental relaxation. Monroe does not suggest a
method of attaining this relaxation, although Progressive
Muscle relaxation, coupled with deep breathing exercises
(inhale 1, exhale 2, inhale 3…. until 50 or 100) are known
to work well.

Step two:
Enter the state bordering sleep. This is known as the
hypnagogic state. Once again, Monroe doesn’t recommend any
method of doing this. One way is to hold your forearm
up, while keeping your upper arm on the bed, or ground. As you
start to fall asleep, your arm will fall, and you will awaken
again. With practice, you can learn to control the Hypnagogic
state without using your arm. Another method is to
concentrate on an object. When other images start to enter
your thoughts, you have entered the Hypnagogic state.
Passively watch these images. This will also help you
maintain this state of near-sleep. Monroe calls this Condition
A.

Step three:
Deepen this state. Begin to clear your mind. observe your
field of vision through your closed eyes. Do nothing more
for a while. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the
blackness in front of you. After a while, you may notice
light patterns. These are simply neural discharges. They
have no specific effect. Ignore them. When they cease, one

has entered what Monroe calls Condition B. From here, one
must enter an even deeper state of relaxation which Monroe
calls Condition C– a state of such relaxation that you lose
all awareness of the body and sensory stimulation. You are
almost in a void in which your only source of stimulation will
be your own thoughts.
The ideal state for leaving your body is Condition D.
This is Condition C when it is voluntarily induced from a
rested and refreshed condition and is not the effect of normal
fatigue. To achieve Condition D, Monroe suggests that you
practice entering it in the morning or after a short nap.

Step Four:
Enter a state of Vibration. This is the most important
part of the technique, and also the most vague.
Many projectors have noted these vibrations at the onset
of projection. They can be experienced as a mild tingling, or
as is electricity is being shot through the body. /their
cause is a mystery. It may actually be the astral body trying
to leave the physical one.
For entering into the vibrational state, he offers the
following directions:

1. Remove all jewelry or other items that might be touching
your skin.
2. Darken the room so that no light can be seen through your
eyelids, but do not shut out all light.
3. Lie down with your body along a north-south axis, with your
head pointed toward magnetic north.
4. Loosen all clothing, but keep covered so that you are
slightly warmer than might normally be comfortable.
5. Be sure you are in a location where, and at a time when,
there will be absolutely no noise to disturb you.
6. Enter a state of relaxation
7. Give yourself the mental suggestion that you will remember
all that occurs during the upcoming session that will be
beneficial to your well-being. Repeat this five times.
8. Proceed to breath through your half-open mouth.
9. As you breath, concentrate on the void in front of you.
10. Select a point a foot away from your forehead, then change
your point of mental reference to six feet.
11. Turn the point 90 degrees upward by drawing an imaginary
line parallel to your body axis up and above your head. Focus
there and reach out for the vibrations at that point and
bring them back into your body.

Even if you don’t know what these vibrations are, you
will know when you have achieved contact with them.

Step five:
Learn to control the vibrational state. Practice
controlling them by mentally pushing them into your head, down
to your toes, making them surge throughout your entire body,
and producing vibrational waves from head to foot. To produce
this wave effect, concentrate of the vibrations and mentally
push a wave out of your head and guide it down your body.
Practice this until you can induce these waves on command.
Once you have control of the vibrational state, you are ready to leave the body.

Step six:
Begin with a partial separation. The key here is thought
control. Keep your mind firmly focused on the idea of leaving
the body. Do not let it wander. Stray thought might cause you
to lose control of the state.
Now, having entered the vibrational state, begin exploring
the OBE by releasing a hand or a foot of the “second body”.
Monroe suggests that you extend a limb until it comes in
contact with a familiar object, such as a wall near your bed.
Then push it through the object. Return the limb by placing it
back into coincidence with the physical one, decrease the
vibrational rate, and then terminate the experiment. Lie
quietly until you have fully returned to normal. This exercise
will prepare you for full separation.

Step seven:
Dissociate yourself from the body. Monroe suggests two
methods for this. One method is to lift out of the body. To
do this, think about getting lighter and lighter after
entering this vibrational state. Think about how nice it
would be to float upward. Keep this thought in mind at all
costs and let no extraneous thoughts interrupt it. An OBE will
occur naturally at this point.
Another method is the “Rotation method” or “roll-out”
technique. When you have achieved the vibrational state, try
to roll over as if you were turning over in bed. /do not
attempt to roll over physically. Try to twist your body from
the top and virtually roll over into your second body right
out of your physical self. At this point, you will be out of
the body but next to it. Think of floating upward, and you
should find yourself floating above the body.
Monroe suggests you begin with the lift-out method, but
argues that both are equally efficacious.

How to Astral Project

By Ezmeralda Lee

Astral projection is the ability to essentially, have the soul leave the body while still retaining life. It is a basic temporary way to leave the body and still experience things. There are several ways to do this, one way is through lucid dreaming, another is through meditation and relaxing, and there are other ways to get there through altered states of consciousness. Not everyone can or should astral project. It is really not known, however, who is capable of doing it before they try it.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

A quiet, peaceful room

Extreme concentration skills

A method to follow

Lots of practice

A meditative phrase

Patience

Guidance from someone skilled in projection

1. One of the most common forms of astral projection is through lucid dreaming. You may have done this before and not even been aware of it. This state is basically the state of mind that you get while dreaming, but you are fully aware of what is going on around you.

2. For projection to work properly, the body must be fully relaxed. One of the best ways to do this is through meditation. This requires eliminating all outside influences, and complete focus on your chosen phrase that you repeat over and over. This prepares you for projection because essentially your spirit gets bored and wants to move around and do something else.

3. Once you have practice with meditation, you are ready to move on to the next state. This state of mind is basically the body being asleep, while the mind is still awake. This occurs through the repeated meditative phrase, continually repeated over and over, and by physically relaxing each part of the body one at a time. Eventually you will reach the altered conscious state.

4. Once you have reached the altered conscious state you are ready to project. This can happen differently for each person, so it can be hard to describe. Some people “look for the light” while others keep focus on their meditative phrase. Whatever the way it happens for you, the important thing is to not think about it too much. This will cause a break in the projecting, sending you back to your body.

5. Going back to your body can be a painful experience if it happens too suddenly, so it is important to focus on going back slowly. Again, this is something that is different for everyone, so over time you will find the way that is best for you.

Tips & Warnings

• It is best to arrange for some kind of walkthrough from someone who is familiar with projection before attempting. There are a lot of places a guide can be found, from different groups around the world to the Internet.

• The only way to be able to achieve projection is to practice, practice, and practice!

• Astral projection has the potential to be very dangerous. Do not attempt without proper research and the guidance of someone who has already done it before.

• Coming out of the projected state can be painful, so be sure to try and recover slowly, otherwise your heart and other organs might not be able to take it.

Astral projection

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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. 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 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.” It is therefore associated with near death experiences and is also frequently reported as spontaneously experienced in association with sleep and dreams, illness, surgical operations, drug experiences, sleep paralysis and forms of meditation.

It is sometimes attempted out of curiosity, or may be believed to be necessary to, or the result of, some forms of spiritual practice. It may involve “travel to higher realms” called astral planes but is commonly used to describe any sensation of being “out of the body^“ 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 doppelgänger, some living person also seen somewhere else at the same time.

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. The subjective nature of the experience permits explanations that do not rely on the existence of an “astral” body and plane. There is little beyond anecdotal evidence to support the idea that people can actually “leave the body”.

“Astral” and “etheric”

The expression “astral projection” came to be used in two different ways. For the Golden Dawn and some Theosophists it retained the classical and medieval philosophers’ meaning of journeying to other worlds, heavens, hells, the astrological spheres and other imaginable landscapes, but outside these circles the term was increasingly applied to non-physical travel around the physical world.

Though this usage continues to be widespread, the term, “etheric travel”, used by some later Theosophists, offers a useful distinction. Some experiments say they visit different times and/or places: “etheric”, then, is used to represent the sense of being “out of the body” in the physical world, whereas “astral” may connote some alteration in time-perception. Robert Monroe describes the former type of projection as “Locale I” or the “Here-Now”, involving people and places that actually exist: Robert Bruce calls it the “Real Time Zone” (RTZ) and describes it as the non-physical dimension-level closest to the physical. This etheric body is usually, though not always, invisible but is often perceived by the experiment as connected to the physical body during separation by a “silver cord”. Some link “falling” dreams with projection.

According to Max Heindel, the etheric “double” serves as a medium between the astral and physical realms. In his system the ether, also called prana, is the “vital force” that empowers the physical forms to change. From his descriptions it can be inferred that, to him, when one views the physical during an out-of-body experience, one is not technically “in” the astral realm at all.

Other experients may describe a domain that has no parallel to any known physical setting. Environments may be populated or unpopulated, artificial, natural or abstract, and the experience may be beatific, horrific or neutral. A common Theosophical belief is that one may access a compendium of mystical knowledge called the Akashic records. In many accounts the experiencer correlates the astral world with the world of dreams. Some even report seeing other dreamers enacting dream scenarios unaware of their wider environment.

The astral environment may also be divided into levels or sub-planes by theorists, but there are many different views in various traditions concerning the overall structure of the astral planes: they may include heavens and hells and other after-death spheres, transcendent environments or other less-easily characterized states.

Spell For Rid Mud Nasty Astral

Keep a stone or an object that you see and feel is appropriate and build all the unpleasant feeling of viscous ink and he chose the person inside. Really concentrate on leave all your emotions about this as well and let them sink into the rock. When you have done what he said: “I post this astral mud and darkness that is not mine, I lower everything that may have affected my brilliant aura of negativity is released and I feel happy” now shooting in stone water, preferably in the sun disappears over the horizon and be aware of their dim light you take away your bad feelings for that person. You can do this spell on the first night of the waning moon, after a full moon for seven nights, if you’re contaminated. Instead of vinegar try a bouquet of fresh rosemary and 1 tablespoon of salt in your bath. Light a white candle and one blue. Imagine yourself surrounded by light blue, gives you positive energy. View all negative energies and astral mud, leaving your body through every pore.

STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The electrical activity of the brain has been

observed and classified with EEG (electroencephalograph)

equipment; signals picked up from the scalp by electrodes,

then filtered and amplified, drive a graph recorder. Brain

activity has been found to produce specific ranges for

certain basic states of consciousness, as indicated in ‘hz’

(hertz, or cycles/vibrations per second):

delta — 0.2 to 3.5 hz (deep sleep, trance state),

theta — 3.5 to 7.5 hz (day dreaming, memory),

alpha — 7.5 to 13 hz (tranquility, heightened

awareness, meditation),

beta — 13 to 28 hz (tension, ‘normal’

consciousness).

As you can see, some form of physical relaxation is implied

in the alpha, theta, and delta consciousness. These states

are in fact reached through deep breathing, hypnosis, and

other relaxation techniques. OOBE occurs during these

states, and delta is probably the most important for it.

The problem is really, as we have said, one of maintaining

mental awareness and alertness while experienceing these

altered states. Experimental subjects hooked to an EEG do

not show a discrete change from drowsy to sleep; it is very

gradual.

At the threshold between sleep and waking

consciousness is a drowsy condition known as the hypnogogic

state. OOBE seems to occur during this state, or a

variant of it. By careful control of the hypnogogic state

(not going beyond it) it is possible to enter OOBE directly.

BASIC TECHNIQUES OF ASTRAL TRAVEL

BASIC TECHNIQUES

Most methods of astral projection are methods of

conditioning. Some form of trance or altered consciousness

is always involved. No one ever projects consciously while

fully awake (some may think that they do). Although there

are many techniques used to produce an astral projection,

they boil down to nine of them. They all sort of overlap.

1) Diet — Certain dietary practices may aid in OOBE,

especially at first. These include fasting, vegitarianism,

and in general the eating of ‘light’ foods as discussed in a

a previous lesson. Carrots and raw eggs are thought to be

especially beneficial, but all nuts are to be avoided.

Over-eating should be avoided. And no food should be eaten

just before an OOBE attempt. If you intend to practice

during sleep, for example, allow 2 to 4 hours of no food or

drink (except water) before bedtime. In general, we see here

the same kind of dietary restrictions advocated for

kundalini yoga.

2) Progressive muscular relaxation — This is one

of the basic methods used in hypnosis and self-hypnosis.

requisite trance state. These techniques involve beginning

at the toes and tensing, then relaxing the muscles,

progressively up the entire body.

3) Yoga and breath — Yoga, mantra, and breathing

exercises similarly aim at physical relaxation. The practice

of kundalini yoga is particularly relevant, since it is

concerned with altered consciousness. In fact the arousal

of kundalini requires a similar state of consciousness to

OOBE.

4) Visualization — This involves a type of extended

clairvoyance or picturing of remote surroundings. If you can

experience the feeling of being there, so much the better.

Although this technique is essentially mental projection, it

is possible to deepen mental projection into astral

projection through (you guessed it!) visualization. Crowley

taught a similar technique: a) visualize a closed door on a

blank wall, b) imagine a meditation symbol on

the door, c) visualize the door opening and yourself

entering through it. And J.H. Brennan describes similar

techniques wherein the door is shaped and colored like a

tattva, or alternately, a chosen tarrot card is visualized

and the student visualizes entering into it.

5) Guided imagery — In many respects similar to

visualization. Except in this case, there is a guide (or

perhaps a voice on tape) directing you by means of

descriptions. As with visualization, mental rather than

astral projection is most likely.

6) Body of Light — The old Golden Dawn technique.

Imagine a duplicate (mirror image) of yourself in front of

you. Then transfer your consciousness and sensation to the

duplicate (‘body of light’).

7) Strong willing — Sort of like creative

visualization experienced in the present. That is you

express your strong desire to project through your willpower

while you visualize yourself doing it.

8) The Monroe techniques — These are a series of

steps developed by Robert Monroe: a) relax the body,

b) enter the hypnogogic state, c) deepen the state,

d) develope the senstation of ‘vibration’, e) separate from

the body. The Monroe Institute has developed some cassete

tapes which are claimed to help in this.

9) Dream control — This is one of the most

important techniques. It involves becoming aware that you

are dreaming. There are several ways to do this. Oliver Fox

says to look for descrepancies in the dream to realize you

are dreaming. One occult student I know of visualized a

white horse which he could ride wherever he wished to go.

After a time, when the horse appeared in his dreams it was

his cue that he was actually dreaming/projecting. Don Juan

tells Castaneda to look at his hands while he is dreaming.

And even the tarot and Cabala may also be used as dream

signals. Another method is to tell yourself each night as

you go to sleep, “I can fly”; then when you do, you will

know you are dreaming. Once you know you are dreaming you

can control your dream/OOBE and go anywhere you want.

Repetitive activities will also likely influence your

dreams. For example, if you are on an automobile trip and

spend most of the day driving, you will probably dream about

driving. You can condition yourself to be aware you are

dreaming by doing a repetitive activity many times (walking

across the room or a particular magick ritual, for

example). Then when you dream about it, you will know you

are dreaming.

Although all these techniques may appear

straightforward, they all require effort. Astral projection

is generally learned.

The astral world is the “ghostland” into which one

passes after death. It is sometimes possible to visit with

the dead, or you might be called upon to reassure and assist

those who have just passed over (died) or those who are

consciously projecting for the first time. Many spirits,

elementals and ghosts exist in the astral world. The

magician should feel comfortable there. Tibetan belief is

that through proficiency in OOBE, you no longer need

reincarnate after death. The astral world is extremely

changeable and subject to your thoughts. Your will can

control your movements in the astral world, and if you seem

to be going somewhere non-volitionally (‘astral current’) it

is probably your true will causing it anyway. You might also

experience heightened magical ability while in the astral realm.

FORMS OF ASTRAL PROJECTION

Astral projection may be subdivided into three basic

types: mental projection, astral projection (proper) and

etheric projection. And your OOBE may shift between them.

Mental projection is really simple clairvoyance (‘remote

viewing’), and ‘traveling in your mind’. Imagination plays

a key role. The experience of mental projection is not

particularly vivid, and you will more likely be an observer

than a participant. Nevertheless, mental projection is an

important ‘way in’ to astral projection proper.

restricted to the realm of the earth (you could even go to

the moon and planets).

During mental projection and astral projection you

are able to travel through solid objects, but are not able

to act directly upon them or to move them (if they are in

the physical world). This is not true during etheric

projection. Whether it is simply subconscious expectation,

or whether it is a true etheric projection which in theory

means that part of your physical body has been relocated

with your projection (the etheric or vital part) may be

difficult to determine. Etheric projections generally travel

at or very near the physical world. There are even cases

reported (very, very rare ones) in which the entire physical

body is transferred to another location (teleportation), or

cases in which the physical body exists and acts in two

separate places at once (bilocation)!

But our primary interest is astral projection

proper, and mental projection to a lesser extent. Astral and

mental projection are not confined to the physical world.

Travel in the mental and astral realms is feasible, and

often preferred. Nor are astral and mental projection

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