Firstly, what is astral projection?
To put it simply, astral projection is the ability to leave your body while you sleep or while in an unconscious state.
Or perhaps it is not so simple. What exactly do we mean by ‘leave your body’? How can ‘we’ leave our own body?
This is probably best described by the Ancient Egyptians. In Ancient Egypt, they believed there were seven parts to the human body. There is the Physical Body (Khat), the Astral Body (Ka), the Soul (Ba), the Spirit (Khu), the Vital Life Force (Sekhem), the Shadow (Khaibit) and the Name (Ren). They believed that after death the Soul was free to leave, but the Spirit and Astral Body could be trapped.
From this, we can deduce that the Astral Body – the Ka – is what leaves our body while we astral project. The Soul, which is viewed as the most superior of all the body parts, cannot be tied to the earthly plane after the body is deceased. However, the more the Astral Body travels outside its physical body, the more risk it is under in becoming trapped in the astral realm (think of the film ‘Insidious’ – it may seem a little extreme, but there are some grains of truth to the concept that a person’s astral body can be ‘hijacked’ by a negative entity in the astral realm). This is why astral projection is not for the faint-hearted.
The astral body has a silver cord which is attached to the physical body; this is to keep it from getting lost or wandering off into the astral realm, unable to find its way back. It is also essential to the astral body in case a negative entity attempts to trap the astral body. The silver cord is like a teleportation button that can transport it immediately back to the physical body.
Some people are able to astral project naturally; indeed, children very often astral project because, as children, they are still in that pure and innocent state which keeps their mind open and free of scepticism. It is this scepticism we develop as adults that prevents us from astral projecting. As with most esoteric abilities, belief is crucial.
However, others are interested in learning the technique. Below are some methods you can use if you wish to try your hand at astral projecting:
- Astral projection requires a state of deep relaxation so the first thing to do is implement meditation into your daily routine. You need to reach an extremely calm and balanced state before being able to astral project. Lie down in a room you will not be disturbed in (or in bed if you are about to go to sleep). Breathe deeply and count down from ten. Keep doing this until you feel relaxed and calm, and until random and unruly thoughts have left your mind.
- Start to imagine your toes flexing; then imagine your fingers flexing; then imagine your arms flexing; then imagine your legs flexing. Imagine that your entire body is moving, even if it is completely still in reality. By this point, you are somewhere in the realm between sleep and wakefulness. The key to astral projection is to ensure your mind is still conscious while your body is asleep.
- You may begin to feel vibrations in certain areas of your body. This is totally normal so just breathe and relax if this should happen. If you feel fear and succumb to it, this could halt the process entirely.
- If successful throughout the vibration process, you ought to experience your astral body leaving your physical body. You may be able to see your physical body as you have your out of body experience and it is at that point that you can explore!
It may seem simple, but astral projection can be a long and tricky art to master. Don’t be frustrated with yourself if you fail the first time; you may need to practice a number of times until you succeed, but this is why practice makes perfect. Patience, open-mindedness and determination is all that is required.
The Dangers of Astral Projection
As mentioned previously in the article, astral projection is not for the faint-hearted. There are dangers involved and it’s important to take precautions.
Negative entities are real and they exist on the astral plane. When you astral project, you may project yourself into the universe itself which can be a breath-taking and remarkable experience. But you will know if you encounter a negative entity because it will take the form of something unpleasant to you. This is individual to everyone but you will instinctively know, because it will produce a sense of fear or anxiety inside you. You may even feel something based on an energy that surrounds you.
If you do see or sense a negative energy, then you should return to your physical body immediately. You only need to wish yourself back and you will return. It is most likely you will wake from sleep at this point.
Encountering a negative entity can result in physical symptoms to your physical body such as a feeling of being suffocated or having your head crushed. You may feel paralysed with fear and begin to panic. It is important to stay calm in the face of negative entities and not cave into any fear, as fear is what they feed off of.
On rare occasions, a negative entity may follow you back to the physical realm. If you find a negative entity clinging to your body, the best thing you can do is spin. Spin round and round like a crocodile (with your astral body) and it will fling the negative entity off you, back to the astral realm.
Conclusion …
Astral projecting can be a truly breath-taking and mind-blowing experience. Few things on earth can rival the beauty and splendour of the places you visit through imagination, whether it is on this planet or out in the universe. You may have experiences which make absolutely no sense, but they are part and parcel of the astral realm. You will know when you are astral projecting and not dreaming because the energy you experience will feel very different from a dream. In a dream, it is as though you are watching a film or even being an actor in a film; with astral projection, you will experience things just as you would in your physical body, except the experiences themselves are very different and the general energy surrounding you will be of a very different vibration. This is because you are entering another dimension different to the one you are used to.
Take precautions and practice, practice, practice. Life is not limited to one realm alone; it is so much more than that and we have the ability to experience it in all its splendour if we choose.

Sarah Brownlee is an author and esoteric enthusiast based in Devon, England. She has a keen and passionate interest in all that is arcane and unseen, such as Astrology, Tarot cards, the spirit world and astral projection. Sarah is also an animal lover who leads an international campaign against the Dog Meat Torture Trade in China and SE Asia.