Posted by Cloud's on May 18, 2012
We’ve talked a lot about lucid dreaming and out of body experiences on this blog because it’s a fascinating subject and a significant amount of new and intriguing research is being done by the OOBE Research Center in Los Angeles. Many of you may understand the basics of OOBE but I’d like to really understand the concept more deeply through traditional and historical experiences.
OOBE experiences are a type of Astral Projections in which the “astral body” separates from the physical body and is capable of traveling outside of it. In these cases, the astral body leaves the physical plane and travels through the astral plane. The astral plane, in common mythology, is that place that exists between the heaven and earth. It is the place where spirits, angels, and demons exist. This idea of an “in-between space” exists across cultures, spiritualities, and religions across the world including in Christianity, in Taoism, in Hindu scriptures, in ancient Egyptian beliefs, in Islam, and several other cultures.
For many, this concept of astral projection may sound similar to various religious accounts of the Afterlife in which the consciousness’ or soul’s journey to “heaven” or the afterlife is described as an ascent to “higher realms.” Many people, even today, continue to experience astral projects commonly associated with near-death experiences, during lucid dreams, during illness, surgical operations, with the use of drugs and with forms of meditation.
Frequently, Astral Projections are attempted as a necessary part of religious and spiritual practice. Many people believe that by leaving their physical body and reaching these “higher realms” they are in essence communicating with a “higher being” such as God. Additionally, some believe, in modern times, that astral projection is actually an encounter with a “doppelganger” or a living person seen somewhere else at the same time in a parallel universe or something similar. Even today, there are many notable practitioners of astral projection including Michael Crichton, Robert Bruce, William Buhlman, Albert Taylor, Waldo Vieira and others.
Have you had an experience with astral projections? Either as a spontaneous act during a lucid dream? Or through meditation and spiritual practice? We’d love to hear about your experiences!
