Some people can develop a skill called astral projection, which is something like dreaming, in that the subconscious mind takes over – but in astral projection, your spirit actually leaves this earthly plane and enters in a different reality. Basically, astral projection is a way of releasing your spirit from your body and letting it fly free. Just watch out for birds and low-flying planes!

Astral projection can be used to visit loved  ones on the other side, to relive moments you wish you could get back, or to gain knowledge from spirit guides. It may sound very supernatural and mysterious to you, but bear with me. This is another type of creative visualization, so even if you aren’t completely sure that you want to leave this world and enter other dimensions, think of it as a way to open your mind and explore its limits.

To give astral project a whirl, begin by following the same steps you would for meditation. Find a quiet spot, light candles, play music, burn incense, and breathe deeply. Then follow the steps below:

1. Imagine a beam of white light shooting from your feet right up through the top of your head. White light is always used for protection from sinister spirits or entities, and it will be important for this little journey you’re about to take.
2. Say a prayer for protection.
3. Imagine yourself tethered to your bed or to the ground with a cord made of “white” or “pur” energy. Wiccans and psychics use what some might call white or pure energy to keep their souls attached to their bodies while in the dream state.
4. Feel your spirit (or your soul or “second body,” as some people call it) and rise out of your physical body. Nothing can impede it–you can rise right through the ceiling, through the apartment above you, through the roof, and then go anywhere you want.
5. If you encounter your spirit guides when you’ve out of your body, go ahead and talk to them. Ask them anything you want–that’s why you’re in this state.
6. If you feel scared, just remember that cord that’s keeping you bound to the physical plane. You can always simply say, “I want to go back now” and return to your body.

Some people experience a jolt or a sense of falling when they are just about to project. This may be because, as one theory puts it, the spirit doesn’t gently float upward when it is leaping your body, but actually moves down into your back, out to the side, and then up. Have you ever been drifting off to sleep and then awakened with a start? This is when you know that you are on the brink of leaving your body.

Remember with astral projection, there is nothing you can’t do, nowhere you can’t go and nothing you can’t ask! And since some spirit guides are thousands of years old, you may return home with information and advice you would never hear from anyone else.