What is Astral Projection?
Call it what you like — dream body, astral body, energy body, Buddhist light body, Taoist diamond body, Egyptian ka, Tantric subtle body, Hindu body of bliss — and in Christianity, the experience of different “heavens,” i.e. “I know a man who was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in our out of body, I do not know,” from Corinthians 12:1-4. The subtle body is a universal human experience, and apparently part of our standard human design like toenails and kidneys. It is this subtle body that projects astrally and is active during unconscious and lucid dreaming; astral projection and dreaming often go hand-in-hand as “out-of-body” experiences, or OBEs.
The subtle body, when cultivated, can survive the physical body as a matrix for consciousness, and astral projection and lucid dreaming are part of spiritual training paths for subtle body cultivation. Neophytes confuse the subtle body with the soul or spirit, two additional aspects of multi-dimensional humans.
Out of Body Experiences and Astral Projection
The OBE can be intentional or involuntary, as with near-death events when people report finding themselves floating near the ceiling of their hospital rooms, perhaps observing medical staff attempting to revive them. Trauma, illness, or water and food deprivation, as with Native American vision quests, can trigger OBEs. Lucid dream states are opportunities for intentional OBEs. For the purposes of this article, OBEs may be spontaneous, and astral projection a conscious choice, though some would argue otherwise.
Essentially, the OBE begins with an experience of leaving the body and consciously observing it from a detached perspective. With practice and lucidity, awareness can be directed to locations or activities like flight. Yes, flight. If you’ve had flying dreams — literal flying, no 747 required — or being in the sky, you’ve had OBEs. Some say that we have regular OBEs during sleep, often hovering a few inches over our physical bodies.
Neuroscientists are puzzled — while the experience is no longer dismissed out of hand by medical professionals, science holds the view that OBEs involve neurological or brain dysfunction. After his own experience, Dr. Raymond Moody MD became interested in near death OBEs, and for decades interviewed hundreds of experiencers and collected data, defining common qualities of OBEs. Moody identified nine common elements of a near-death OBE — some experiencing all, some, only two or three.
Benefits of OBE
The tantrics mastered lucid OBE and dream states to overcome the fear of death by learning that we are not our “bodies.” They also discovered that the physical body can experience deep healing during OBEs — the mind can be tough on the body. And rather than losing time to practice meditation during sleep, yogis continued working through the night while the body rested.
Some athletes learn lucid dreaming to practice and visualize their game. By working in a dream or out-of-body, not only do they visualize, they have a “felt sense” of their practice, and can actually acquire the muscle memory for winning habits. Others benefit from the opportunity to explore past lives as well as accelerated personal development.
It is our energy, or subtle body that comes and goes from our physical form.
Astral Projection Methods
There are dozens of methods to learn conscious OBE and astral projection. There are two approaches — one is to keep the mind awake while the body falls asleep. It’s tricky — the mind wants to do what the body is doing. The goal is to take the body into deeper and deeper states of relaxation without drifting into unconsciousness. Yoga Nidra is one method. Once the body enters sleep state, practitioners simply “roll” out of their physical form.
Ancient yogis would tie two frogs together before sleep. Once tied, the frogs would continuously croak— a yogi would use the sound to anchor awareness as the body drifted into sleep, and either leave the body, or enter lucid dream states. If, during a dream, the yogi could no longer hear the frogs, he/she knew lucidity had been lost, and could “wake” again within the dream.
How to Astral Project/Travel
Monroe Institute Steps
Bob Monroe, founder of the leading research organization in the field of human consciousness called The Monroe Institute, penned a body of work titled “Journeys Out of the Body” in 1971 in which he provides a detailed outline for how to astrally project one’s self in seven steps:
- Step 1: Relax, both physically and mentally.
- Step 2: Enter a hypnagogic state, or half-sleep.
- Step 3: Deepen the state by prioritizing mental sensation over physical sensation.
- Step 4: Pay attention to the presence of vibration in your environment, which becomes apparent in a state of deep attention.
- Step 5: Incur the vibration in your physical body, and relax into its presence. The purpose of this is to gently jiggle the subtle body out of the physical body.
- Step 6: Focus your thoughts on leaving the limbs and the torso, and try to do so one at a time.
- Step 7: Known as “lifting out,” focus on effortlessly drifting out of your physical body.
The Astral Projection Rope Technique
From the work of Robert Bruce, founder of the  Astral Dynamics movement, the rope technique is regarded one of the most accessible astral projection methods.
Step 1: Relax the physical body by visualizing each muscle.
Step 2: From your space of relaxation, enter a vibrational states; this should feel like an amplified version of a cell phone’s vibration mode pulsations coursing through the body.
Step 3: Imagine a rope hanging above you.
Step 4: Using the astral, or subtle, body, attempt to hold on to the rope with both hands. The physical body remains completely relaxed.
Step 5: Begin to climb the rope, hand over hand, all the while visualizing reaching the ceiling above you.
Step 6: Once you are aware of your full exit of the physical body, you are able to explore the astral plane.
Lucid Dreaming Techniques
Again, there are numerous lucid dreaming techniques. Some are designed to train the sleeper to wake within the dream, others offer methods of staying lucid while letting the body fall asleep.
A Nootropic Approach
Yes, it’s sounds weird. Nicotine has specific actions on brain chemistry — but no, it’s not about smoking. Considered a cognitive enhancer, nicotine is gaining fans among biochemical brain hackers.
Many, using nicotine patches to quit smoking, have inadvertently discovered what happens when they forget to remove a patch before sleep. Nicotine can induce hyper-realistic, but bizarre dreams that are so outrageous that many simply say to themselves, “Omg. This MUST be a dream. It’s too nuts to be anything else.” And voila — lucidity is attained. This is not an endorsement of the method, as many report nightmares when using nicotine.
Lucid Dreaming With Habit and Repetition
We attain lucidity the instant we recognize we’re in a dream state. Some people train by asking themselves, several times a day for days or weeks, “is this a dream?” The question eventually gets stuck in the place songs and jingles get stuck and are hard to unstick — things like “Afternoon Delight” by the Starlight Vocal Band. You know what we’re talking about.
The premise is that the question begins to habitually repeat by itself, and that eventually the mind will ask during a dream. When the dreamer answers, “why yes, this IS a dream!” they achieve lucidity.
The best opportunities for becoming lucid within a dream are during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This stage happens in the first two hours after we fall asleep and before we wake up. By waking and going back to sleep during the night we increase REM sleep time. Some use the sleep/wake method by setting interval alarms during the night, getting up for a few minutes, and going back to sleep with an intention of keeping the mind awake. If awakened during a dream, immediately go back to sleep — if possible, re-enter the dream with lucidity.
About the Author
Clairvoyance: What It Is and How to Develop This Ability
Clairvoyance is a psychic ability that allows the perception of events, people, or places beyond the reach of normal physical senses. This perception can manifest through visions, mental images, or even lucid dreams. In this article, we explore what clairvoyance is, its different types, and how you can develop this ability to enrich your spiritual connection.
Table of Contents
- What Is Clairvoyance
- Clairvoyance and Channeling
- Types of Clairvoyance
- How to Develop Clairvoyance
- Can Everyone Develop Clairvoyance?
- Benefits of Clairvoyance in Spiritual Growth
- Differences Between Clairvoyance and Other Psychic Abilities
What Is Clairvoyance?
Clairvoyance is a form of extrasensory perception that involves the ability to see beyond physical reality. People with this ability can receive mental images or visions that provide information about past, present, or future events. This information can come in the form of detailed scenes, symbols, or fleeting images that require interpretation.
Unlike clairaudience, which is based on auditory perception, clairvoyance focuses on the visual. This ability can arise spontaneously or be developed through practices such as meditation and guided visualization. Clairvoyants often describe their experiences as “seeing” with the mind’s eye, gaining information that is not available through physical senses.
Clairvoyance and Channeling
Clairvoyance and channeling are closely related, as both abilities allow access to information from non-physical sources. Channeling is the process by which a person allows a spiritual entity to communicate through them, using abilities like clairvoyance to receive and transmit visual messages.
In Gaia’s series Channeling: A Bridge to the Beyond, the complexities of being a channel and how clairvoyance is used in this process are deeply explored. Experts explain how the visions perceived through clairvoyance can provide guidance and wisdom, helping practitioners connect more deeply with the spiritual world.
Types of Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance manifests in various forms, each providing different types of information and visual experiences. Understanding the different types of clairvoyance can help identify and develop the specific ability each individual possesses.
- Spiritual Clairvoyance: Spiritual clairvoyance is the ability to see spiritual entities such as guides, angels, and deceased loved ones. This type of clairvoyance allows for a direct connection with the spiritual world, facilitating communication and the understanding of spiritual messages.
- Aura Clairvoyance: Aura clairvoyance is the ability to see the energy field that surrounds people, known as the aura. This type of clairvoyance provides information about a person’s emotional, mental, and physical state by observing the colors and patterns in their aura.
- Precognitive Clairvoyance: Precognitive clairvoyance is the ability to see events or situations that have not yet occurred. This form of clairvoyance allows a person to receive information about the future through spontaneous visions or during meditative states.
- Retrocognitive Clairvoyance: Retrocognitive clairvoyance is the ability to see events from the past. Through this ability, clairvoyants can receive information about situations or experiences that have already happened, offering a unique perspective on the past and helping to solve mysteries or better understand personal or collective history.
- Remote Clairvoyance: Remote clairvoyance, also known as remote viewing, is the ability to see people, places, or events that are at a great distance from the clairvoyant. This ability allows one to see or experience situations that are beyond normal physical or visual reach.
How to Develop Clairvoyance
Developing clairvoyance requires patience and regular practice. Techniques such as meditation, guided visualization, and conscious breathing are essential to open your third eye and strengthen your psychic visual abilities.
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Meditation to Open Clairvoyance
Meditation is fundamental to developing clairvoyance. Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to relax. Focus your attention on the third eye area, located on your forehead between your eyebrows.
Visualize a bright light in this area, expanding with each inhalation. Keep this image in your mind as you continue breathing deeply. This practice helps activate and open the third eye, facilitating the reception of visions and clairvoyant perceptions.
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Guided Visualization Practice
Guided visualization is a powerful technique to strengthen clairvoyance. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Imagine a calm and safe place, such as a garden or a mountain. Visualize every detail of this place: the colors, textures, sounds, and smells.
Allow yourself to explore this space with all your senses, noticing any image or symbol that appears. Practicing guided visualization regularly enhances your ability to see with the mind’s eye and improves your capacity to receive clairvoyant images.
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Conscious Breathing Techniques
Conscious breathing is another useful technique to develop clairvoyance. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Focus on your breath, feeling the air enter and leave your body.
As you relax, visualize your breath carrying energy to your third eye, activating it and clearing any blockage. Practicing conscious breathing regularly helps calm the mind and facilitates the opening of your clairvoyant abilities.
Can Everyone Develop Clairvoyance?
Developing clairvoyance is possible for the majority of people, as long as they are willing to dedicate time and effort to its practice. Although some individuals may have a natural predisposition toward psychic abilities, many can cultivate this ability through consistent practice and an open mind.
It is important to remember that progress may vary from person to person. Some may notice progress quickly, while others may need more time and patience. The key lies in persistence and trusting the process, allowing the abilities to develop naturally.
Benefits of Clairvoyance in Spiritual Growth
Clairvoyance offers numerous benefits for spiritual growth, allowing individuals to connect more deeply with their intuition and the universe. This ability can transform the way spiritual experiences are perceived and understood, providing guidance, clarity, and comfort on the spiritual path.
- Spiritual Guidance: Clairvoyance allows one to receive visions and messages from spiritual guides, helping to make informed decisions aligned with one’s life purpose.
- Connection with the Higher Self: It facilitates the connection with the higher self, offering a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s life purpose.
- Emotional Healing: Clairvoyant images can offer solutions and comfort, helping to heal traumas and emotional wounds from the past.
- Clarity and Focus: It helps focus energy on spiritual goals and objectives, providing a clear vision of the path ahead.
- Energetic Protection: It allows one to anticipate and avoid negative situations, offering an extra layer of energetic protection.
- Development of Intuition: It strengthens overall intuition, enhancing the ability to perceive and understand subtle signs in everyday life.
Differences Between Clairvoyance and Other Psychic Abilities
Clairvoyance is distinguished from other psychic abilities by its focus on the visual perception of spiritual information. While other abilities may involve different senses or forms of perception, clairvoyance centers on seeing images, symbols, and scenes that provide valuable information.
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Clairaudience: It is the psychic ability to perceive sounds, voices, or messages that are not audible to the physical ear. Unlike clairvoyance, which manifests through images or visions, clairaudience is mainly experienced as information received through inner auditory perception.
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Clairsentience: It consists of perceiving information through physical or emotional sensations that arise intuitively. While clairvoyance manifests through mental images, clairsentience is experienced as energetic or emotional sensations in the body.
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Precognition: It is the ability to perceive or know events before they occur. Unlike clairvoyance, which usually appears as visions or symbolic images, precognition may manifest as intuitions, impressions, or dreams related to future events.
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Remote viewing: It is the ability to obtain information about places, people, or objects that are located far from the observer. Although it may appear as mental images similar to clairvoyance, it specifically focuses on perceiving locations or situations that are beyond normal physical reach.
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Telepathy: It is the ability to transmit or receive thoughts and emotions directly between minds without using the traditional physical senses. Unlike clairvoyance, which involves inner visual perceptions, telepathy manifests as thoughts or ideas that seem to come from another consciousness.
