Posts Tagged ‘astral projection’

Out of Body Experiences And History

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Astral projection, also known as an out-of-body experience, can occur at any time to any person. The most common out-of-body experiences occur during a major trauma. However, it is possible to have an out-of-body experience by sheer will.

It would be this will power manifestation that would be the most commonly known form of astral projection. A number of people have claimed to have had out of body experiences while others make claims about being able to directly perform such astral projection powers. While the basics of these techniques are the same, the power levels can differ from person to person. Of course, there are those that question the validity of such claims.

For centuries, there have been people who have experienced the phenomenon of out of body experiences. Some of them have experienced them during sleep and ignored it, believing that what they saw was a dream. However, most out-of-body experiences are experienced during major trauma such as surgeries.

There have also been scores of accounts of out-of-body experiences occurring during frightful near-death situations. In all of these cases of out-of-body experiences, the person experiencing them notes that he/she is able to see and hear everything occurring in the real world even though they were not conscious at the time.

Out-of-body experiences have also been known to occur due to the prolonged use of psychedelic or common dissociative drugs. Yet, there are a number of techniques known to induce the common out-of-body experience most have read about. A traditional example of this is the employment of visualization during a relaxed and meditative state of mind. Various studies have occurred recently designed to show that similar experiences to out-of-body experiences might be induced directly through stimulating the brain.

Among the most common forms of all out-of-body experiences is the process of astral projection. During astral projection, a human being develops the ability to leave the body and visit other physical places as well as the world of astral planes or even higher planes of existence.

In the world of renaissance Neoplatonist and Rosicrucian philosophy, in addition to scores of other philosophical thought processes, it is stated that an astral body in body created by light and will link the concept of the “rational soul” and the physical body in the form of an intermediate. Within these theories it is stated that an astral plane is a world and realm devised by the same light and exist in an area between heaven and earth. The composition of this realm will be derived from spheres of stars and exist amidst a home of angels, demons, and spirits.

According to ancient Egyptian beliefs, the soul has the ability to hover, or float, outside the body in, what is called the “Ka”, or subtle body, also known as the astral body. In most beliefs in astral projection, the astral body is connected with a silver cord of psychic energy to the physical body.

The Chinese Taoists developed an alchemical practice that involved creating a body of energy through breathing meditations, pulling energy into what they called a “pearl” and then circulating that pearl throughout the body to create the body of energy.

While an out-of-body experience takes place, scores of people eventually account that they have literally willed themselves to take a leave from their bodies. Then there are those that invoke the notion that they are literally pulled out of their body while some may state that they cannot even tell that the out-of-body experience has actually occurred. There are even those that have noted they wished to get out of bed and when the time came to reach for the door, the individuals realized they were unable to touch it. Upon feeling this sensation, they had looked in the direction of their sleeping area and realized they were still in a lying down still asleep.

Neurologists have long tried to explain such events as being triggered by an errant mismatch of the visual and tactile signals. The great majority of out-of-body experiences have taken place during the duration that exists between REM sleep and the point prior to waking up. Among the many points of time where out-of-body experiences occur, the subject will go into a state commonly known as sleep paralysis. During this time between being asleep and awake, sleep paralysis might potentially continue and dream-like imagery will become mingled with sensations that reach the senses.

However, there have been many scientific studies in the field of astral projection and out-of-body experiences which have shown that out of body experiences are in fact very real.There are also several research facilities in several different countries, including the Monroe Institute in Virginia, as well as the Projectarium at the International Academy of Consciousness in Portugal and the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience in Switzerland.

The Seven Techniques of Astral Projection

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

The ability to astral project is something which everyone already has naturally ? in fact, you’ve probably astral projected before without knowing it. What we’re going to talk about here is learning to consciously use astral projection and have control over where your astral body goes.

While this article is an attempt to help people learn how to astral project using different techniques, you should keep in mind that astral projection is a personal experience so ideally, you need to apply a technique that works best for yourself. Furthermore, we?re taking the liberty of assuming that you are already familiar with the meaning of astral projection.

The first technique in learning how to astral project, is one that you can do when you’ve gone to bed for the night. Let’s break it down into five steps.

*Your first goal is to initiate a state of adequate relaxation by relaxing your entire body. In order to reach this state of relaxation you need to be lying down and then, starting at the lowest point which is your toes, tense each muscle and then relax it again. Once you?ve finished doing this with your toes, you do it with you feet, then your lower legs, then your thighs and so you continue upwards until you eventually finish with the muscles in your face. If at this point you feel your body is becoming heavy, do be alarmed at all as this is exactly what should be happening.

*Okay, hopefully you will have achieved a state of deep relaxation, so now you need to control your breathing with slow deep breaths by following a method which has proven to be very popular in meditation. Breathe in deep but slowly and allow yourself to actually feel the air moving into you as it makes its way into your lungs. Now breath out slowly, once again paying attention to the air leaving your body. This is the bit many people find hard due to the extreme relaxation which results. Instead, they simply fall asleep which is of course, the last thing you want to be doing. Focusing on the centre of your forehead will in most cases, help you to remain conscious.

*Third ? Focus on the relaxed, heavy way your physical body feels. It probably feels like a heavy lump of clay or a slab of stone. Now turn your focus to the way that your astral body feels weightless and able to float free of your physical body. Imagine your astral body drifting upwards from the bed.

*A large percentage of people attempting to astral project claim that in this stage, they see the whole room they?re lying in, in spite of the fact that their eyes are closed. Additionally, in most cases it seems, people claim that there appears to be purple light, or at least, a purple glow filling the room. If you?ve reached this point then the next thing you need to focus on the light fitting in the centre of the ceiling.

*Fifth ? Try to visualize pulling this light to your astral body. You’ll feel like you’re floating; this is your astral body floating above your physical body. Just look down and you’ll be able to see your bed with your physical body at rest below.

At this point you are now astral projecting and your astral body is free to begin traveling the astral plane. If you aren’t able to successfully astral project using this technique, you can try the following method.

You can do this one, known as the Gazing Method, when you’re hitting the hay for night as well. You’ll need an object to focus on: the moon through your window or skylight, a lava lamp, even just a nightlight; whatever can hold your attention.

Simply begin focusing all your attention on the object you?ve chosen for the occasion while you are lying down on your bed. Inevitably your eyes will soon start to feel increasingly heavy and irrespective of how hard you try, your eyes will eventually close. This is a perfectly normal part of the process so don?t feel disheartened but instead, you must make sure that you continue staring at the object through your closed eyes. Providing you do this, you will soon start to sense an irresistible urge to sit up or to stand up. Don?t fight this urge as the feeling is coming from your astral body rather than your physical body. You?ll soon realize this though as because when you turn around, you?ll be able to see your physical body lying on the bed.

If you?re really serious about learning to astral project, you need to understand that these methods aren?t always successful on your first attempt. In all likelihood you may not even be successful with your second or third attempt either but if after that they still don?t work, don?t give up because there are still other techniques so simply try again using a new method.

It’s not really all that important how you start to astral project. Whatever works for you is great; the important thing is to let your subconscious mind know that it’s OK for your astral body to depart to travel the astral plane and that there’s nothing to fear. One way you can get this message across to your subconscious mind is by using affirmations.

Many people still find that conditioning their mind to an extent where astral projection becomes easy can take considerable time but the truth is, there are some incredibly efficient short cuts which can make it possible even after one attempt.

One of the shortcuts is hypnosis. A good hypnotist can tell you what you are experiencing as you enter into the right state of mind, so you don’t have to worry about what you “should” be experiencing.

The recently developed sonic technology of “binaural beats” can also program your subconscious mind to be deeply relaxed and let down the guard against astral projection.

Learning how to astral project isn’t actually that difficult. It’s really just about practicing. This is an ability which every man and woman already possesses; it just takes a little work and a little patience to learn to do it at will. Just like being able to read, it’s something you’re born with the capacity to do ? but you do need to practice to become expert in it.

Understanding What Is Meant By ‘Out Of Body’

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Various cultures have recorded out of body travel, including the ancient Egyptians. Kha is the word they used to describe the soul or astral body, while they also included images of the astral body as if hovering just above or even beyond the physical body. The astral body was depicted as a haloed, airy translucent being.

Fascinated by the astral body the ancient Egyptians experimented with various techniques in order to control the ability to travel in the astral body to other planes of space and time, while their physical body stayed put where it lay. This is also known as astral projection. Perhaps, during such experiences they learned the skills required for building the pyramids, using the materials they had on hand. The building of the pyramids is something that has long been a puzzle to scientists.

It’s recorded that meditation, nearly to the point of sleep, was the first component of out of body travel for the ancient Egyptians, followed by then concentrating on nothing but the visions one sees while his or her eyes were closed. Often, flashes of lights and patterns appeared, which the ancient Egyptians attributed to the beginnings of the astral body’s journey to other planes of time and space.

Upon passing through this meditative state, the astral body would reach a phase of emergence, which would create a tingling and humming within the physical body. Then they would experience the feeling of heaviness. The ancients believed that the feelings of tingling, humming and then heaviness was a sign of the astral body pulling away from their physical body. This would then initiate the journey of the astral body to unknown planes of existence.

They accomplished this in different ways yet the most common was that of walking out of the physical body by using the astral body. Beginning with the minds eye, followed by the shoulders, chest, hips, legs, knees and then the feet. This continued until there were two separate entities, that of the physical body and that of the astral body.

This separating of bodies, then allowed the astral body to pass freely through solid objects, it could also hover and fly about without being effected by the lack of oxygen or changes in the atmosphere.

The ancient Greeks also recorded instances of out of body travel, and expanded on the strictly meditatively-induced state of the ancient Egyptians to include out of body travel by way of physical or mental trauma. The ancient historian Plutarch of Queroneia, for example, cited the case of Arisdeu who, after suffering blunt trauma to his head after a fall slipped into a coma for three days.

At this time, Arisdeu tells of the ability to see his physical body laying on the ground yet he was free to move around without it. In astral form he tells of his ability of out of body travel to go to places that were not conceivable. He was met by his spirit guide while in astral form. His spirit guide assisted and advised him concerning astral travel in other existing astral planes.

While in this altered state he was able to explore and learn, although he was forcibly pulled back into his physical body. There he spent the rest of his life applying what he had learned during his out of body experience.

Other ancient cultures recorded their findings of out of body travel similar to that of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. For instance, the history of the Native Americans includes various full accounts of such happenings to their people as well. Their accounts include the meeting of their spirit guides and totem spirit animals. These entities also advised them concerning the astral plane and the astral body. For centuries, the Native Americans have used specific plants for burning and inhaling in order to relax the mind to the point of being more receptive to out of body travel on the astral planes.

Since the beginning of recorded time, human beings have been able to channel their consciousness into a spiritual body, which is then capable of exploring the limitless horizons of space and time. But in today’s technological age with it fast-paced culture, many of us have lost touch with this ability to alter our consciousness to the point that we can release it from the confines of our physical limitations, and with practice, join our spiritual guides and counterparts on a higher plane of existence.

The door is there, and it is within us. We simply need to reconnect with our spiritual selves in order to once again journey out of body and into the infinite. The process is inherent to who we are as human beings, and there are no limitations once we rediscover our potential for higher understanding.

A Brief Look At Astral Projection Methods

Friday, January 8th, 2010

The specific methods of astral projection vary, but one thing always stays the same. No matter what astral projection methods you use, the first step is always getting focused and relaxed. You have to have a quiet mind and a mind set that will let you reach beyond your physical boundaries. Once you do this you are ready to explore the endless universe.

A relaxed state that is also focused is not something easy to get into. Relaxing every muscle while keeping the mind alert and focused in a must for astral projection. Many people fail at astral projection because the end up asleep due to the fact that they cannot get into a deep relaxed state without also relaxing their mind.

To start getting into the necessary relaxed state you need to start the astral projection methods, you should prepare by dressing in loose clothing. Sit is a place where you won’t be distracted or disturbed. You should avoid laying down as a beginner since it is too easy to become too relaxed in that position and fall asleep.

Once seated comfortably, imagine that tension is a fabric bandage that has been wrapped over every inch of the body — much like a mummy - that tightly constricts even the smallest of toes. Next, imagine those small toes being unwrapped. Warm blood flow returns, as does the feeling of cool air to the skin’s surface. Imagine the same process for each individual toe until all ten toes have been “freed.”

Imagine next the balls of the feet, the arches, the heels and the ankles also being unwrapped in this way. Continue the process until the chin, the sinus cavities of the face, and the tip of the scalp are all free.

Once this phase is completed, an individual is ready to execute one of the various methods of astral projection explained below.

One of the main astral projection methods is called the rope method. This requires a little preparation before you start the relaxation phase. Tack a rope above you so it is within reach. It will help with the mental visualization as you can reach up and touch it as needed.

Once this is accomplished, an individual will have an easier time “finding” the rope with his or her astral fingertips, which will float through the physical skin in pursuit of the rope once an individual is sufficiently relaxed. This process of finding the rope may be difficult at first, but with time and patience it will happen. Stay focused.

After finding the rope, concentrate on pulling the astral self up and out of the physical body as if climbing up the length of rope. Imagine the process without regard for weight, as the astral body is weightless and can climb effortlessly. A sense of dizziness may occur at this point, but it’s important to ignore this feeling, otherwise one may jeopardize the projection attempt.

Climb on up the rope until your astral body is free. You should not focus on any of the feelings you may have. You may feel dizzy or tingling or warm. All these things are just a art of the process and completely normal when it comes to astral projection.

There are different approaches to the rope method. These include the lift method which involves lifting out of the body and hovering over it. There is the roll out method where the person visualizes rolling out of there body to one side, which works best when lying down. There are also the fixed and moving anchor methods.

In the former, one visualizes a stationary object toward which one then tries to pull oneself, while with the latter, one visualizes feeling the magnetic pull of the object, and thus exits the physical body. Once separated in this way, an individual’s astral body is free to explore all of time and space.

It is important to know that astral projection methods are not immediate. You must learn and practice the process. You may fail in your first attempts, but always keep your attitude positive. Make sure that you understand why you fail if you do. You can often be too tired, not focused enough or distracted.

If you are really dedicated then your astral projection methods should come easier sooner. You should find it easy to figure out any issues you have and master the techniques. Eventually, you will find it easy to step out of your physical body and explore the universe.

Astral Projection Understood

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

More often than not, the majority have heard the term as astral projection. Perhaps they heard it from a movie, book or an enlightened associate. However, few individuals understand that astral projection is a very real event. It is something that anyone can do. More than likely you have astral projected and never even realized it.

You need to understand what astral projection really is. Astral projection is the ability of an individual to leave his or her body. Everyone has the ability to do this; everyone does this when he or she lay down to sleep at night. While sleeping the physical mind is resting and the subconscious mind takes control. A person astral projects while this is happening. However, the majority may never remember astral projecting.

You go wherever you want to go when you project. If you can recall your childhood you may be able to remember having the ability to do this after going to sleep, eventually you forgot, as you got older. There is no such thing as time and distance when it concerns astral projection, you can go anywhere. While you are sleeping, your physical body is asleep. Your astral body travels.

You may wonder what the astral body is. It is the ethereal body; it is the duplicate of the body in an invisible form. All of our desires and feeling originate from there. Can the astral body leave and not come back? A silver cord unites the astral and physical bodies.

The silver cord first connects as the astral body enters the physical body. This is not exhausted until after death when the astral body leaves the physical body for the last time. This silver cord prevents the astral body from not returning.

Something else you may consider is where do you go when you astral project? Your astral body goes to the astral plane. It is the invisible double body of the Earth. Its vibration is much faster than that of the physical Earth while it does penetrate into the core of the Earth. Many define it as another dimension of reality. In addition, most agree that there are various levels of the astral plane.

Naturally, you may question as to the dangers of astral projection. Yes and no is the answer. Astral projection is something we are all capable of doing. We also know that the astral body can exit the physical body and will return. However, as with all things you should be sensible. What this means is that you do need good solid thinking skills and know what you want in order to go where you want to go.

The danger then comes when you astral project when you mind is not sound. So if a person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs they could end up in bad places. The bad places would be the lower levels of the astral plane.

It is essential that you know what it is you do and where it is you want to go. Your goal is to consciously astral project. You need to have complete control of what your astral body is doing. Your thoughts control your astral projection.

When you prepare yourself properly, beforehand you can train yourself to astral project very quickly. Some individuals prefer doing astral projection alone in their homes. Meanwhile, others learn various methods that help them gain control and enjoy their experiences while being lead by numerous professionals in the astral projection field.

You can find various other resources such as books online. For instance, you can create the right state of mind by listening to quality astral projection hypnosis recordings. It will help you relax and walk you through the various stages. This is beneficial since you can continue playing the recording repeatedly until your subconscious mind picks up the message that it is all right for you to leave your body.

Binaural beats is the most recent of astonishing sound technology advances. It plays slightly different tones of sound frequencies in the ears simultaneously. This works well for inducing relaxation and the deep state of meditation rather quickly. This is fundamental for the success of astral projection.

If you are unsuccessful, your first few times when you begin astral projecting do not become discouraged. Practice will make perfect since this is not something that you cannot already do. We can all do it. However, it does take fine-tuning to trigger the natural ability since you have forgotten how to.

Still need to be convinced? When did you last dream you were flying and then felt as though you were falling? As the astral body, moves through the astral plane it, feels like flying. The sensation of falling comes when the astral body comes back into the physical body. Astral projection is very real. Anyone can do it and find benefit in it. However, you do have to invest time in fine-tuning your natural ability in order to reach the kind of success you desire with astral projection. It will become easier to do once you begin your journey while projecting.