A look at out of body experiences, their history, near death experiences and how astral travel projection is induced through meditation and other techniques.
Astral Travel has been the topic of much scientific debate and skepticism. Although many have claimed to be able to induce this altered state of consciousness at will, science is still dubious as to the legitimacy of these experiences.
What is Astral Travel?
- Astral travel and near death experiences (in which people have left their physical bodies) has been documented as far back as ancient Egyptian times (4000 years ago). The Egyptian priests were aware of the existence of the astral body and called it the “Ka”. References to the OOBE (out of body experience) later appeared in ancient Greece through the writings of philosophers including Plato and Herodotus. Cases of conscious projections are well documented in the bible, for example; Ezekiel 3:14; the Apocalypse of John 1:10-11 and 4:2; and in the Epistles of Paul of Tarsus e.g. 2 Corinthians 12:2.
- During the Middle Ages due to the repressive influence of the Inquisition the OOBE was studied and practiced in secret with esoteric and occult movements. Information gathered was not made available to the general population. This forced secrecy contributed to the myths and fabrications about the dangers of astral travel that exist to this day.
From this historical point of view, one could conclude that human beings are more that just their physical bodies. When one experiences a lucid (conscious) OOBE one could say that this is evidence that the flesh is just a temporary house through which one’s consciousness or awareness manifests in this physical realm.
A sign of astral travel
There is a common experience called “the jolt”. This occurs just as one is about to enter sleep. Suddenly you feel as if your body has fallen a few feet and you find yourself on your bed with your heart thumping and in a rather confused state. This is said to be an early stage of an astro-travelling experience that has been interrupted by your conscious mind tying painfully hard to cling on to this reality. This sudden feeling of falling and then coming to the conclusion that you are still in bed (the jolt) has had scientists puzzled for years. But to the practitioners of astral travel the jolt is what starts their journey out of the confines of this flesh and blood “trap”.
Techniques
Deep meditation and visualization is another method that people claim can bring on a conscious OOBE. The practitioner of astral travel does not restrict his conscious mind to the boundaries of space and time. These are but small illusions and minor barriers to him. A person who is adept in astral travel and OOBE willfully allows time and surroundings to slip away. In a relaxed state they picture themselves literally stepping out of their bodies and traveling to whatever place in whatever time they choose. They insist on absolute quiet to reach the meditative state, which allows them to leave their bodies, and they all have similar feelings if tingling and numbness once they are freed from the encasement of the physical body. Hours may pass but it is more common for the modern day astral traveler to practice for only minutes at a time. A great deal of discipline is required to navigate across astral plains and then safely back into the body. Horror stories are told of those who achieve astral projection only to find that they cannot re-enter their human flesh. This is one of the myths that perpetrate the avoidance of exercising such practices. The human being as a whole needs the astral body (which is said to consist of light) to exist as a whole. An OOBE would not be complete without the re-entry into the flesh. The NDE’s (near death experiences) can attest to this as the astral plain is visited but the body is always re-entered.
