Astral Projection
People have reported out-of-body experiences through the ages, but we are no closer to understanding them, even with modern science.
Out-of-body experiences are a true medical mystery, and neither doctors nor spiritualists have a definitive answer to them.
The topic is made more complex by the different types of out-of-body experiences. They can be involuntary, where you end up outside your physical body (the most common scenario is on the operating table), or voluntary, where you leave your body of your own free will.
This voluntary out-of-body experience is known as astral projection. But is astral projection accurate, and if so, what on earth is it?
What is astral projection?
Astral projection is a voluntary state of consciousness beyond your physical body, where your consciousness leaps over its physical barriers.
Modern science and biology (or what we know of it) conclude that our consciousness can’t exist outside of our physical bodies. However, this assumes that there isn’t another dimension where our consciousness can exist.
Our opinion is that if it is real, and our consciousness can voluntarily leave our body, it does so to another dimension. In this hypothetical dimension, the laws of physics as we know them would not apply.
This explains why astral projectionists can move through solid objects and seemingly bend space and time to navigate huge distances instantly.
In our hypothetical dimension, there are no barriers, the physics we know does not apply, and we can exist beyond our four dimensions.
If that theory sounds wild, consider that many modern physics theories predict multiple dimensions — string theory, for instance, indicates ten dimensions. It should be said that these theories are incomplete (so take them with a pinch of salt).
However, science doesn’t like this idea of astral projection, and you might get some funny looks when explaining it.
Sceptics say that an out-of-body experience is your brain’s altered perception of your physical form. Nothing “leaves” your body but your brain’s chemistry changes, making your mind feel detached from your body.
Who is right, and who is wrong? We need to study it more.
Is astral projection real?
Unfortunately, people who profess to astral project can’t take a GoPro with them, so proving astral projection is very difficult.
Nether-the-less, a few studies have tried.
In this 2014 study, a person claiming to be able to astral project at will was strapped up to brain monitoring equipment.
What the study found was very interesting indeed. Imaging showed that the brain was activated in areas associated with movement. “The results suggest that the ECE (extra-corporeal experience) reported here represents an unusual type of kinaesthetic imagery,” the study concludes. In other words, something happened!
In this 2010 study, they reached a medical conclusion in the patient. The patient reported floating outside his body. Doctors diagnosed dissociative identity disorder, and with hypnosis, relaxation training and abreaction, the patient improved. However, this only tells us that this out-of-body experience had a medical reason.
On paper, it should be able to disprove astral projection in individual patients by writing a word on their forehead and telling them to astral project to discover it. When they wake, they should say the word to us.
However, this would only disprove one person, and actually, it would only disprove one astral projection session. It would not indicate that everyone lies about astral projection or disprove that it is accurate.
Do you have out-of-body experiences?
If you have out-of-body experiences, there is no need to panic or worry, but you should speak to your GP about it. Spiritual talk aside, out-of-body experiences are signs of neurological disorders, and you might benefit from medical advice.
Out-of-body experiences are most common just before falling asleep and just before waking, but everyone is different. Out-of-body experiences are generally harmless, but they can evoke anxiety and stress if you feel trapped or scared.