A Guide To Astral Projection By: Robert Michniewicz goldhawk@sunlink.net http://goldhawk.freeservers.com/ Revision History ---------------- Version .5 - Added 1st 4 sections Version .6 (current) - Added sections 5 through 9. The most current version can be obtained at: http://goldhawk.freeservers.com/ , or by emailing me at goldhawk@sunlink.net, requesting a copy. The most current version is listed above. Table Of Contents ================= I. What Exactly is Astral Projection? II. Some Basic Theory III. Dispelling The Myths IV. Beginning Attempts V. Some Advanced Theory VI. What It's Like VII. Psychic Abilities VIII. Magick IX. Astral Construction I. What Exactly is Astral Projection? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Floating out, away, and about, I drift off into the eternal light. Earthly body miles away, I have forgotten of its plight." Some of us, when we think of Astral Projection, we think of Near Death Experiences (NDE), or Out-Of-Body-Experiences (OBE). But what exactly do these terms mean? This is a first area of confusion that must be cleared up. Astral Projection is the technique of seperating your Astral Body from your Physical Body. There is also believed to be an Etheric Body, but this will be covered in the next section. The key to leaving your body is making it so relaxed that you cease to feel it. This is sleep paralysis. Your muscles will just stop tensing, and you'll be completely, utterly relaxed. Then, there is thought control, a vibration stage, and then you're out! This is really oversimplifying it, but it gives you the basic idea. Astral Projection is something that everyone can learn, because we've all done it before, we just never noticed it. How have we traveled? Dreams, my friend, dreams. All kinds, nighttime dreams, nightmares, strange dreams, wickedly twisted dreams, and even daydreams are theorized to be Astral Projection. The only difference with dreams and what we're learning is control. Dreams give you no control, while Astral Projection gives you control and complete recall. The main reason that most people want to learn this skill, is because of what can be done out of the body. "Just what can be done?" you ask? *Deep breath*....Anything! Well, mostly anything. Everything possible in the dream world. It sounds like a lot, and it is! There are a few limitations, but they are easily dismissed and overcome. My friends and I have corroborated on a list of things to do while doing Astral Projection, and the list is really enormous! I'm almost afraid to try putting the list on the internet, because it will be so big. Here are a few examples: - Do you have a favorite novel? Take the part of a character and live it out! - Water slides, my friend, water slides. Fun for all. - RPG fanatics (myself) will be happy with the ability to create spell-like effects. - Real-life quality perception of wherever you want. - Go wherever you want, in this world or beyond! These are just a few examples, and you can probably think of others. But to truly understand this Astral world, we should probably have some background knowledge and theory under our belts. II. Some Basic Theory -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "I float inside the silence of my mind, Numb to myself inside the shell of my body. Disturbances ripple across the night, Launching me far, far into the day!" Awwww....we gotta learn stuff! Quiet down, you unruly mob. This stuff's interesting. If you know a little about Magick, or how the mind works, then you'll be really interested in or may even know some of this. First some definitions: Physical Body - This is the body you function in (mostly) every day. This is the body that "holds" the rest. It's really the most manifest. In Qabalah, it's associated with Malkuth. Physical Plane - This is the term given to the "level" of existence that we normally focus on. This is the world, where if you punch a wall, you'll receive broken knuckles and a large medical bill. Astral Body - This is the body you'll use to travel out and about. It is, I think, the next one in the series of bodies. You use this body to seperate from your physical. Body is misleading, because the Astral doesn't require a physical form. You could be the wind, as it were.. Astral Plane - This is the term given to the next plane of existence above ours. We're on the Physical Plane, and the Astral Plane is "above". It really intermingles and penetrates ours. It is the world of thoughts and creativity. In Qaballah, it's usually associated with Yesode. This is where we wanna be (and continuing with the metaphor above, this is the world where if you punch a wall, you have a damn good chance of going completely through it! Astral Light - The Astral Plane is always ambiently lit with a light. This is usually called the Astral Light, but it also has more meanings. The Light is malleable, and the entire world is formed from it. It is sometimes used interchangeably with the Akashic Records, or the source of all knowledge. Focus 10 State- Also called "Mind Awake/Body Asleep". It's the sleep paralysis stage. You are fully conscious, but your body undergoes the symptoms associated with sleep. You're watching yourself goto sleep! It is NEEDED to accomplish OBE's. Silver Cord - Many people have reported seeing a silver cord attached in the area of their 3rd Eye Chakra (between the eyes, and approx. an inch up), or the Solar Plexus Chakra (umm...the solar plexus area). It is believed to be the link to the body. In the Bible, it says that this is the cord that snaps upon death. While out of your body, you may or may not see it, but if you do, it is next to impossible to snap. It's usually just there. Don't worry about it. Confusing? Not really. You'll get used to it. Once you're on the Astral Plane, and are drifting about, you'll notice a few things. For one, you may notice the Silver Cord. Most people think that this is the cord mentioned in the Bible. "An the silver cord be breached.." (I think). While surfing the Web, I found an interview on Astral Projection in which the one being interviewed said that the silver cord is merely a mental crutch. Something to help you be out, and to make you feel safe. I tend to agree with this at the moment, although no one really knows why it is there. Some people need/see it, and some people don't need/don't see it. Works for me ;-) . If we were to make a diagram of the so-called "Planes of Existence", we'd probably have 7 lines drawn on top of each other. This, while it makes it easier to visualize and understand, is incorrect. All the Planes intersect and are parallel to ours. Like a 7-layers-in-one kind of deal. First is the Physical, on the very bottom, then next comes the Astral Plane. This is why it is so easy to get there. Next would be Mental, then the rest of them are a little hazy. There is an order that they go in, but I have to dig out a few books. I'll write it in, eventually, although there is some disagreement as to what order they go in. Your Astral Body is what carries you around the Astral Plane. Body is a misleading term, because YOU DON'T NEED A BODY! You could simply be a thought, drifting around. Without eyes, however, you wouldn't see in the physical fashion that we are used to. There is something called "Astral Sensing", in which we just sense what is around us, without really seeing it. It takes a while to get used to, but can prove worthwhile. Since you don't need a body, you can also change it at will. Become a cat or something. The Astral Light is an extremely malleable "substance" that makes up the Astral Plane. This, truly, is the stuff of dreams, my friends ;-P. To create things on the Astral, you can visualize, or you can create a ball of Astral Light, and mold it into the desired object. It works both ways. Some people just do the first method, and others swear by the second. It's up to you. III. Dispelling The Myths -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Falling, falling, falling into nothing, Screaming away my existence. Light, Light, Light shines through, And I am safe again." Some people have truly absurd concepts about Astral Projection. They believe (at the goading of some religions), that this is the tool of the Devil. If you believe so, then Astral Projection probably isn't for you. To succeed in this, you should have a belief system that accepts Astral Projection (I'll call it AP...my fingers are hurting). You should either change your belief system, or simply not try AP. "Is it possible to get lost while I'm out of my body?" No. If anything frightening occurs, you drift off to sleep while out of your body, or anything is happening around your physical body, then you will instantly be pulled back. You will probably suffer from "Astral Whiplash", and have a slight headache, like a hangover. You won't get lost. "Can something take over my body while I'm away from it?" No. If something could take over your body, it could have done so a number of times. When you dream, you're out of your body (at least partially). If something could do this, then it would have happened to someone already. I don't recall seeing anything about a demonic possession in the news lately, or ever. "Can people do things to my physical body, like harming it, etc..?" I'd like to say no, but if someone comes up to your sleeping body and stabs you, or punches you, then you'd be done anyway, if you were sleeping. The risks are the same as sleep. You have amazing psychic senses built into you. And there is more than one subtle body inhabiting your physical body. These will pull you back in any danger. You can be sucked back for being hungry, thirst, or even having to go to the bathroom! You're as safe doing this as when you are sleeping. Comforting, no? ;-) "Can I meet evil things in my encounters out of my body?" Yes. But, there is help. You can just whisk yourself away from the area, by usual means of travel, or you can just go back to your body. The lower levels of the Astral Plane are inhabited by many more...malicious and tricksome entities. They aren't usually harmful, but can be annoying and spiteful. Simply leave, or banish them. You can do an Astral Scream, and they will simply be annihilated or banished. You can trace a glowing, brilliant white cross, if Christian, or a brilliant, blue Pentacle if you are a Magickian, Witch, etc. It's quite easy, really. If there are any other questions you need answered or dispelled, simply email me. I'd be happy to include some of the better ones in this guide. IV. Beginning Attempts -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Blessed silence, Blessed struggle, But what I get for all my trouble, Is the world of pain and sorrow." To even get yourself into a state where you could possibly leave your body, you MUST be relaxed. Not even a little relaxed...you must be completely numb to your body. It shouldn't exist for you. If you were to look down on your body in this state, your reaction should be "What the f@!$ is that thing down there?!?" ;-) This effect is called sleep paralysis. To get there, we need two main techniques. These are Rhythmic Breathing and Progressive Relaxation. Rhythmic Breathing is simply breathing in a pattern, rhythmically, as it were. :-p Some common patterns are: Breathe: In Hold Out Hold 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 2 8 8 8 8 16 16 16 16 4 4 8 4 8 8 16 8 The first one is the most common, and is the one that I recommend. The next one down is another method, if you don't have a lot of lung capacity. If you for some reason have a heart problem or lung problem (mainly if you only have one lung, or something), then I wouldn't suggest doing this without checking these techniques out with an authority on medical health. I'm not responsible for you killing yourself, so if you die, then don't come to me! You should practice the Breathing techniques until you can do them WITHOUT counting. It does you no good later on, if you have to count 1..2..3..4...1..2..3..4.. over and over again. You should make it a habit. Anyways, it's better for you to breathe this way. Your muscles will always have a steady supply of oxygen, so they can relax easier. This is why you MUST do Rhythmic Breathing AND Progressive Relaxation together. Relaxing does no good if you aren't really relaxed. Breathing will do this for you. Here's a helpful tip that I just realized. If lying down, try tilting your head way back. Your airway is wider now, so you have to struggle less to get air. Progressive Relaxation means relaxing each part of your body one at a time. If you can relax your whole body at once, more power to you. For the rest of us, we can do the following: 1. Get into a comfortable position, where you can breathe easy. The recommended position is the Earth Position, or lying flat on your back, with your arms at your sides, arms and legs uncrossed. 2. Sit there, doing Rhythmic Breathing for a little while. Like 5-10 minutes. Just get used to doing it. 3. Start at your feet. Imagine a golden glow encompassing them, relaxing them, soothing away the aches of the day. When they are completely relaxed... 4. Goto your calves. Relax them. 5. Goto your knees. Relax them. 6. Goto your thighs. Relax them. 7. Keep going until you get to your head. 8. Now imagine a golden glow over your entire body, relaxing it all. Once you are sufficiently relaxed, you will start to feel leaden. It should be like you are trying to sink through the floor, or matress, or whatever you are lying (or sitting) on. Just keep doing your Breathing techniques, not concentrating on your body. Sooner or later, something strange and wonderful will happen. You will start to become less and less aware of your body. It may be tingly, then go numb. This is all to the good. You'll soon be just "floating around in your mind", as we (*sigh* I..) like to call it. A problem in this stage is that people are aware of their breathing. DON'T WATCH IT. I've done this many times and what always hinders me is that I'm focusing on my breathing. I don't count, but I'm aware of the rising and falling of my chest. This means you didn't relax enough. Once you are at this stage, you are 1/2 way there. Now comes the mental control. DON'T THINK OF ANYTHING AT ALL. If you do, you will fail. Just be passive. There may be some pretty colors and lights dancing in front of your eyes. Watch 'em and enjoy the show. Don't react to the lights, like you want to laugh or something. Just watch. Observe everything. Soon, you'll feel a vibration racking your frame. You aren't aware of your physical body, but your Astral Body is now vibrating. The electrical resistance in your body is now low enough for seperation. The vibrations will more than likely scare you to death the first time around, but this must be overcome. As someone I know likes to say..."Just go with the flow." After a while, just think of yourself floating out. Don't be too surprised if you're floating above your bed in a few seconds! If so, then CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'RE OUT! V. Some Advanced Theory -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "In the silence of my mind lies the key, To every thought, every dream, every reality, How can I shut the world away, When the universe is in my mind?" Alright, I'll have to admit it to you. I lied a little bit every time I said you go "out of your body". This is the point at which things become tricky, and a little more complex. If you don't like dealing with complex things, and you are quite capable of leaving your body, and are satisfied, then you don't have to read this section. Of course, many of us who are drawn to AP are also very, very curious, and will probably end up reading this section anyway. :-) So what's the big lie? Well, when you are going through the Projection routine, and you get "out of your body", you aren't going out at all, you are really going IN! Confused, yet? Let me go further. If you've ever taken a basic Psychology class, then you'll have studied Sensation & Perception. For those who haven't, the gist of it is this: Sensation is when your body actually takes in all those light waves, and sound waves, and all the other forms of energy constantly bombarding your body. Perception is when it takes that energy, and converts it into information that your brain can use. Your brain creates a picture of the world around you from all this information. But, we humans can obviously not see Ultraviolet light waves, or see radio waves, or hear dog whistles, so we are limited. Because of this, the picture that our brain creates for us isn't completely correct. We aren't getting the whole, or "true" picture of whatever it is around us. For all we know, everything that we see, the chair I'm sitting on, the computer I'm looking at, MAY NOT EXIST! But since we cannot sense everything, we are at a loss as to proving or disproving this. This is really more of a philosophical question than a scientific one, but it fits in nicely with what I am about to explain. So now, so far, we humans are all walking around with replicas of everything that we have seen in our heads. But what about the things we haven't seen? Can you consciously state what the back side of the Moon looks like? There is believed to be a common set of knowledge, a "group mind" that we all tap into. Maybe this isn't the best, or true explanation, but it works for now. When you are doing Astral Projection, and you go to a place you've never seen before, and you return there in the physical, it will have changed very little from what you've seen (except for the things that weren't permanent, which change constantly, like pieces of paper, etc.). The point is, that we all have the ability to know what everything looks like, and where everything is. Alright, here's the kicker. Since you now know that we humans can access the replica of everything in the universe, there's no reason to "send" anything out. In reality, all you are doing is sending your conscious mind (the part that thinks, and the part that's reading this right now) into that replica. For this reason, many of us call Astral Projection something else. We call it "Inner Plane Projection" (I'm still saying Astral Projection /AP, though ;-} ). This is because we are just sending our minds "into ourselves", and we aren't leaving our bodies at all! But still, whether you understand this, accept this, deny this, or whatever, Astral Projection, or Inner Plane Projection, it all still works. That's why I told those of you who don't wanna be bothered by complex things to skip this chapter, it isn't necessary, but it's nice to know these things. VI. What It's Like -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "A pocket full of gold, With my head all in the clouds, Get a head start quick, Come and beat the crowds." I've told you all about HOW to do everything, but I haven't told you what happens when you ACTUALLY SUCCEED! What is the Astral Plane like? If you've never read anything about it, I doubt you can form a description that's very close. The Astral Plane is very like the Physical Plane in some aspects. When you're using your eyes, everything appears real. Sometimes, it seems so real that you're unsure of whether or not you're dreaming when you wake up (for an example of this effect, go to the video store and rent the Disney movie eXistenZ. It's really sweet, even though it's a Disney movie). Of course, there are some things that just boggle the mind. For example, if you don't keep a tight rein on what you are thinking, you might end up somewhere you don't wanna be. The thought "I hope I don't end up inside a volcano" is just about enough to send you there. Of course, YOU WON'T FEEL ANY PAIN! There's the sensation of "ghost pain", where you feel that you should be feeling pain, but it doesn't hurt. The no-pain effect is a very good protective measure, as now we can do things we probably wouldn't have done, like jumping off of cliffs, or flying. What's that you say? Flying?!? Oh yes, my noble reader, flying is very much an option. Most people are innately afraid of heights...even if only when there isn't a plane around them. Flying is usually one of the later things you'll try, unless you're really daring, but one of my friends, a very bold fellow, didn't try flying for quite a while. But, all in all, your senses work much the same way. There are a few anomalies, such as 1024 degrees of vision, instead of the usual 140 degrees or so (I forget what the number is). How can you have more than 360 degrees of vision? It's best not to ask, it really is. It's something you can only grasp on the Astral Plane, belive me. VII. Psychic Abilities -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Waves of thought lie all around, Only I can harnass their sound, Wouldn't it be nice to be unafraid, Listening to their gentle waves?" Do you believe you're psychic? If you said anything but "Yes", you're dead wrong. Of course, the term "psychic" has come to mean all sorts of crap today. The #1 misconception is that only certain people are psychic. In actuality, everyone is psychic! And the Astral Plane gives you a chance to hone your abilities. If you are completely new, then you can summon up a training center, where you will encounter guides, teachers, practice rooms, and everything you could possibly need or want. You can practice clairvoyance, precognition, telekinesis, and much more. Scrying is probably one of the easiest things to do there. I'm not going to get into each ability specifically, that's beyond the scope of this guide, but you should know that it is possible. VIII. Magick -=-=-=-=-=-=- "The space between This and That, The edge of sleep and wake, Oh, harshed world gone stale and flat, Free of which I want to break." Most people who train themselves in Astral Projection have some sort of occult background, whether it was reading books on psychic phenomena, Witchcraft, or being a Ceremonial Magickian. Most Magickal organizations and paths of accomplishment will give some sort of training in Astral Projection. If you have no idea what Magick is, or are scratching your head and asking "Why is Magick spelled with a k on the end?", then you might wanna skip this section. You will get no help here if you don't know about Magick to begin with. I wouldn't want to get you too confused. :-) For those of you who do have a Magickal background, then you should know that the Astral Plane is key in performing rituals. Everything that is visualized, every ritual performed, every spell cast, they all form on the Astral Plane. So...why not just skip the intermediate steps and get to the AP straightaway? I wouldn't suggest performing so-called "Grey Magick", or Magick to help others on the Astral Plane, as that can tend to get tricky, and since a lot of it is normally the creation of talismans and amulets, there's little point. But all other kinds of Magick are even more effective on the Astral Plane! Try doing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentragram. You get to see the circle come alive with electric blue fire, and the Red-Blue Hexagram stays there forever! It's really quite a thrill. Try it out, and you'll see what I mean. IX. Astral Construction -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Mind builds, Body bleeds, In all my dreams must I succeed, Mind bleeds, Body builds, No thought shall lie unfilled." Once you can get out of your body regularly, you should give some thought to constructing your own "Astral Home". This can be as simple as a cottage in the woods, or a huge castle in the middle of an island on a lake. The possibilities are endless! If you need help constructing your home, you can send out a telepathic call to someone who can help you. You might want to invite some of the greatest architects of all time to help you out. Once you build your home, you can return to it at anytime by simply...going there. You'll know what I mean. Once it's built, you'll always remember how it is, so you won't need to constantly rebuild it. If you are a Magickian, then you can create a working area, with storerooms for robes, herbs, and all your ritual tools. The possibilites are again endless (are they ever not endless?). X.