Everything about Astral Projection totally explained
Astral projection (or
astral travel) is a
paranormal interpretation of an
out-of-body experience achieved either awake or via
lucid dreaming or deep
meditation. The concept of astral projection assumes the existence of another body, separate from the
physical body and capable of
traveling to non-physical planes of existence. Commonly such planes are called
astral, etheric, or
spiritual. Astral projection is often experienced as the
spirit or
astral body leaving the
physical body to travel in the
spirit world or
astral plane. Astral projection is
controversial. Skeptics say that there's only
anecdotal evidence that anything actually leaves the body.
Schools of thought
There are three general schools of thought on the nature of astral projection. These can broadly be defined as the separation model, the phasing model, and the skeptical model.
Separation model
The separation model includes a large variety of
belief systems, which say that astral projection takes place outside of the physical body. In this model, an
astral or
etheric body carries the consciousness outside of the physical body. Some, such as those who believe in Theosophy, say that the higher astral planes are reached through the progressive projection of subtler energy bodies from previous projected bodies, much like a
Russian doll, while others believe in less complicated systems. The subtle body is attached to the physical body by means of an energetic connection which usually takes the appearance of a silver cord 'plugging' into the
chakra system..
Phasing model
According to the phasing model, defined mainly by
Robert Monroe, no "movement" actually occurs during astral projection. The astral planes and the physical world are points on the spectrum of
consciousness. When a person projects, they actually "phase" into another area of consciousness and the locales it contains. This can be likened to tuning a radio to another station. The phasing model doesn't say that the mind is dependent on the brain, but only that our concepts of space don't necessarily apply to astral travel.
Skeptical model
This model argues that astral projection is an experience which takes place in the mind/brain of the experiencer. Thus, it isn't truly a model of astral projection, but an explanation of astral projection as hallucinatory or imaginational experiences. The exact mechanisms are unknown, but experiences somewhat similar to an
Out-of-body experience -though without any experience of astral planes- can be induced with drugs or brain stimulation.
Projection types or locations
The astral planes are usually said to be either realms that overlap the physical in different layers, or as states of consciousness that need to be traversed in order. Usually, the progression is from the physical to the etheric, then the astral, then various other realms or
spirit worlds beyond the astral.
Astral projection
In astral projection the traveller finds him- or herself in an apparently real domain, which has no parallel to any physical setting. This is termed by
New Agers and
occultists among others as the
astral plane or "the astral". Environments here may range from populated to unpopulated, artificial to natural to completely abstract environments and from beautific to horrific. Here, normal physical laws often don't apply. The quality of detail ranges from crude to vivid and fascinating. Projectors may gain access to visions of the past or future of Earth, and to the
Akashic records. It has been said that space and time don't exist on the astral plane in the same way they do on earth, or that they can be transcended. Many travelers have theorized that people having
dreams travel to the astral realms. Travelers have reported seeing dreamers enact dream scenarios on the astral plane, unaware of the more extensive and varied non-physical environment surrounding them. Some also claim common movements in dreams, such as falling or feeling like you're walking through quicksand, is the astral body in action.
The astral environment is often divided into
levels or
planes. There are many different views concerning the overall structure of the astral planes, and many different numbering schemes applied to them. These planes may include heavens and hells, places where people go immediately after death, transcendent environments for those who are "more enlightened," and other less-easily characterized states.
Etheric projection
Though closely related to astral projection, in
etheric projection a projector encounters mainly that which exists physically, moving about in a (usually invisible)
etheric body. The term was used as far back as the
1940s, by
Dion Fortune in her book
Psychic Self Defence. In contrast to astral projection, during this type of experience, there are no fantastical worlds, or self-absorbed encounters; the majority of the experience can -hypothetically- be validated.
The world encountered during etheric projection may seem to be at variance with physical reality if strict mind control isn't maintained.
Robert Monroe describes this type of projection as a projection to "Locale I" or the "Here-Now", and describes it as containing people and places that actually exist in the material world.
Robert Bruce refers to a similar area as the "Real Time Zone" (RTZ) and describes it as the nonphysical dimension level closest to the physical.
In Western
theosophy, each
subtle body is functionally distinct. Since the etheric body and astral body are not the same, they can't represent the same kind of
psychic activity.
According to
Max Heindel, the
etheric "double" serves as a medium between the astral and physical realms. Ether, also called
prana, is the "vital force" that empowers the Physical forms in order for change to take place. This means that when one views the physical during an OBE, they're not technically "in" the astral realm at all.
Research
Dr. Robert Crookall published case studies of astral projection in 1960. He divided these into naturally-occurring out-of-the-body experiences (people who nearly died, people who were very ill, people who were exhausted, etc, and people who were quite well) and enforced OBEs, from anaesthesia, suffocation, accidents and hypnosis.
Dr.
Charles Tart tentatively concluded that etheric projection may have objective validity. For example, in a 1967 study, a subject was unable to discover a five digit number written down and placed face up in an adjoining room, but did provide some details of the activities of the technician monitoring the experiment. Tart summarizes, "Thus, there's some indication that ESP may have been involved with respect to the technician's activities, but it isn't at all conclusive."
Robert Monroe, founder of the
Monroe Institute, published several accounts of his experiences of astral projection, including
Far Journeys. Monroe developed a method called "
Hemi-Sync" to induce mental states that are favorable for projection. Hemisync is a method of altering
brain waves using sounds, together with
meditative instruction, listened to on headphones. The process is based on a concept called
binaural beats.
Bruce Moen began as a student of
Robert Monroe, but has developed the process of mentally exploring through 'projection' in such a manner as to frequently override the need for sound wave support such as Hemi-Sync.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Astral Projection'.
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