Dreams, my other life: "The Preparation"
Astral projection is seen as a form of expanding consciousness, a gateway to transcending physical reality.
While the experiences are unique and unrepeatable, there is more than one perspective on this enigmatic phenomenon. Throughout history, it has been interpreted in many ways, depending on the cultural, spiritual, and philosophical context in which it is examined. For humanity, astral projection has meant, among other things, the ability to transcend the limitations of the body, to explore beyond known space and time, and to interact with realities invisible to the ordinary senses. In the religious and spiritual realm, astral projection is viewed very differently. Many esoteric and spiritual traditions believe that the soul or spirit can separate from the physical body and travel to other planes of existence.
What happens in this state of expansion?
At the beginning of the experience, you feel your body unusually light, as if it no longer has any weight, as if it no longer responds to the physical laws of the environment.
You feel the clear, vivid sensation of your consciousness separating from your physical body and being able to move freely.
You can see your surroundings with unique clarity, a form of perception never before experienced. Everything stands out, everything vibrates. Colors pop before you. New spectra of light and frequency appear.
In your daily life, you lose your sense of time and space. You enter a state of absolute timelessness. You see reality as it truly is.
When you are experiencing an out-of-body experience, you have the ability to connect with your physical consciousness. You can think, remember, and analyze the experience.
At some point, in one of the out-of-body sessions, you have the ability to perceive your being in two states at the same time, as if you existed in two realities at once.
The earliest references to astral projection are found in religious and philosophical texts from ancient civilizations. In Egypt, it was believed that the Ka, one of the parts of the soul, could leave the body and travel through the underworld during sleep or meditation. In India, the doctrine of sukshma sharira, or “subtle body,” holds that a part of human consciousness can leave the physical body and move through different planes of existence. Ancient shamans and indigenous sages also claimed that, during rituals and altered states of consciousness, their spirit or essence could visit spiritual worlds to gain knowledge or guidance.
The splitting of the ego in esoteric and mystical traditions.
In Western esoteric traditions, such as Theosophy and Rosicrucianism, astral projection is seen as an inherent human ability that can be developed through meditation and mind control practices. These traditions describe the existence of an "astral body" that separates from the physical body during sleep or deep meditation, allowing consciousness to explore other dimensions, contact spiritual beings, or even receive knowledge about the purpose of life and the universe.
The out-of-body experience as a spiritual and philosophical experience.
Beyond scientific or esoteric explanations, astral projection is also understood as a form of expanded consciousness. Those who experience it describe it as an opportunity to transcend physical reality, to explore unknown aspects of their own existence, and to connect with something greater, such as a universal energy or a collective consciousness.
The splitting in the new era.
In popular culture and the New Age movement, astral projection has become a recurring theme. Books, films, and television series address this experience as a form of spiritual adventure, in which the individual can explore parallel worlds, contact beings of light, or discover universal secrets. In this context, astral projection is presented as a skill that can be developed through techniques such as meditation, conscious breathing, and visualization.
In general, for ancient cultures, these events had a deeper and more transcendental meaning than is attributed to them today.
I have documented my astral experiences in my book, "Dreams, My Other Life, The Preparation," where I share the experiences that transformed my way of understanding the world and our place in it.
Read the book on your favorite platform.