Astral travel or projection is traveling without your physical body. Some people talk about your light body or spirit leaving your physical body, but in reality it is your consciousness that travels. The feeling of having body is so humane that we have difficulties in understanding non-physical beings. The idea of us being non-physical is very hard to grip. We have no problems in accepting that we have body, mind, spirit and soul – a body can live without mind being present. We discuss about if animals have souls, and some get furious if you say they do, and some get furious if you say they don’t. Old Christian theology explained that humans are a combination of the angelic soul and the animal body. I think that is a good explanation, because it reminds us of what is important. We have all the qualities of animals, but at the same time we have all the qualities of angels. We are a limitless soul in a limited body, theoretically everything that is possible for angels is possible for us.

The experience of consciousness traveling is very real. We truly feel we have been in the places we were during the travel and met the people and creatures we met. If we travel to a place in this reality or dimension, the physical world, sensitive people are able to see us. Stories tell that some people can’t sense any difference between our physical body and the projection.

You can use astral travel in many ways. Most witches believe that these stories about flying on a broom were stories about astral travels, not about levitation. Shamans use it to connect with the spirit world. You can use it as a cheap dream vacation or do anything else you have always dreamed of, but know is not possible. Some people even have meetings, that is plan a date, and then meet each other on the astral plane.

Astral projection isn’t easy, but it is a skill as any other. Practice makes masters.

First, you need to know how to meditate. I usually fall asleep, and even though lucid dreams are fun, they are not what we are after. Lucid dreams (dreams, in which you are aware of that you are dreaming and can control your dream or some of it) are good practice though, because the state of mind is very similar. (Actually, so much similar, that people tend to talk about them as synonyms.) The better you are at meditating, the better chance you will have at a successful astral projection.

Then, when you meditate, leave your body. Yes, it really is that simple, but simple isn’t always easy. There are different ways to do this. You can visualize a light filling your physical body and them move this light body out of your physical body and your consciousness into this light body. You can concentrate in moving your consciousness out of your body, until it gets bored and goes elsewhere to find something more fun. You can also use the Shamanic techniques and climb up the World Tree or down a hole in the ground. Or just go somewhere. Your consciousness isn’t in any way locked inside your body. It is just your belief of that it is, that keeps it there.

Some find the following exercise beneficial to remove that obstacle. Every now and then, during a normal day, ask yourself if you are sure of that you are awake. Take a little jump to test this. Seriously question “the evidence of your own senses”, believe that it is possible that you are sleeping, and jump, knowing that if you are awake, you will come down. If you are sleeping, you will get the feeling of that you are sleeping, and if you then jump, you will fly. After that everything is possible to you. You can form your own dream, go to places you have always wanted to visit, meet people you want to meet, look as you like and do anything you can imagine. It helps to practice some of these things in real life, find out as much information as you can. It is easier for your mind to free itself from the limitation it has put on itself.

Some herbs help with freeing the mind. Shamans use astral travel much but the herbs they use can be dangerous and are nothing to be recommended. Witches call these herbal concoctions “flying ointments”.

Jasmine incense is a harmless way of making the travel easier. You can also make a safe flying ointment by mixing mugwort, lavender and sage in equal portions in a base of neutral lotion or oil and anoint yourself with this. Valerian, catnip and mugwort tea helps to travel easier.

It has also been experienced that wearing blue or being in a blue room makes the experience more intense. In Finland twilight is called “The Blue Moment”, because everything seems blue, and it is easier to travel in this blue light. If you don’t like blue, the color will only disturb you.

Path-working, guided meditation and drum trips are an easy way to start with, as you will be in good hands, and your mind will let go easier. If you attain one, remember a couple of things: know what you are doing. Discuss with others about their experiences, so you have an idea of what to expect. When I did my first drum trip, I didn’t have a clue on what it was and what was supposed to happen. I was in late teens, and this happened in Sweden. The leader was American, it was interpreted in Swedish, and both were foreign languages to me, so I didn’t understand much.

Then, expect nothing. I understood the part of the World Tree, so I tried to force myself up the tree, and nothing happened, until I gave up and stopped trying. I was taken to the “right door” immediately.

My last piece of advice is, have a mission. Have a question or a request. I found myself above the clouds and all kinds of animals gathered around me, asking each other what I was doing there, and I didn’t have any answer to them.

Astral travel is different from lucid dreams because you are awake. Your body acts as if it slept, though, and this can be very frightening. A healthy body gets paralyzed during sleep, to prevent possible accident when your brain is busy with its own business. You can find this uncomfortable, because you are so used to using your body. Also it is possible that you feel your body’s weight. Since you normally aren’t aware of this, you might think that someone or something is sitting on you, and as your body is paralyzed you cannot push “it” away or tell it to go away. As this is the only way for you to “protect” yourself, you might feel vulnerable, unsafe and helpless.

Also, if you are doing a guided trip, there is no way for you to tell the guide to slow down or help you with your fears. You cannot tap the mat, say “no” nor “stop”, but the guide will move on just as you agreed before the trip. This can also scare you, you might think that the guide is moving too fast and you’ll lose him/her, or that you are not ready for what is happening. Don’t worry about that. Everything happens in exactly right pace and way, and nothing bad will happen to you.