10 Tips to Facilitate Astral Travel

Many people are keen to learn more about astral travel.  A new series of online classes related to astral, lucid & OBE travel is offered in September.  In the meantime, consider 10 tips to prepare for astral travel:

1. Believe in yourself

Every human being can astral project, or to have an out-of-body experience (OBE). One does not have to master energy, be righteous, live into a cave or a mountain, or follow a specific diet.  You simply require genuine interest, and discipline. Believing in yourself frees your energetic space of interference.  Being optimistic and confident comes through in the power of intention.

2. Accept the non-physical

We are not alone. There are very well-intentioned beings who support our growth and progress. Some call them spirit guides, spirit helpers, angels, masters, energetic mentors.   They offer guidance and wisdom. We can ask for help even when to leave the body. Rest assured, they resonate wisdom, perspective and high integrity.  Accepting they exist is a step toward allowing ourselves to grow spiritually, motivates us to go further.

3. Relax the mind

To astral project, the monkey mind must be subdued.  Our thoughts must be cleared out enough to focus.  A busy mind interferes with the process of feeling lighter, keeps us very grounded to this dimension. If there is doubt, fear, hesitation, this will prevent us from relaxing.  Deep breathing, and different breathwork are strategies which can help reduce distracting thoughts.

4. Control emotions

We are complex emotional beings. Still, how we respond to the external affects our ability to focus and project. To have an OBE, emotions must be balanced. While projected, if we get startled, or too emotional, this will interrupt our experience. We simply return to the body. The thought we hold is our path and destination.  Notice how you typically manage emotions.  Are you easily angered? Often depressed or fearful?  Ecstatic for small things? Feel mostly emotionally- balanced or on edge? Our emotional state directly effects our energy.

5. Be aware of your energy

All living beings have an energetic component and it plays a key role in our ability to astral project.  This system must also have a certain balance before we can go beyond our physical body. Our emotions affect our energetic condition. If we constantly know highs and lows, our energies reflect this. Our daily mental state and psyche affect this system, as well as interactions with people, places, ideas, thoughts and intentions. By being mindful of our energetic interactions, mental and emotional states, we can find balance.

6. Be More Fearless

This may be easier said than done. People are taught to fear the unknown. There is a fear of not coming back or someone else taking over our body while projected.   Research shows that leaving the physical body is as safe as going to sleep every night. In fact, our astral body (the one used when projecting) naturally disengages from the physical body whenever we fall asleep. In essence, we can say that we project every night, though for many, this is not a conscious experience! We leave it each night and come back to it naturally. This invites you to set fear aside. No fear means we can relax further and reach the desired energetic states to project.

7. Have Ethics

This is a subtle point. Yet, our thoughts/intentions can be like fine threads which weave a powerful net strong enough to evoke and ultimately attract the vibes of our thoughts. If someone is trying to induce an astral projection but they are overtaken with fear and hesitation, they will ultimately end up evoking that same type of energy.  The same will happen if the person wants to project and has ill-will or not the best intentions in mind.  On the other hand, if the person is confident and has a healthy, ethical intention or mere curiosity, thoughts are neutral, the results will be positive.

8.     Welcome the unknown

Many hesitate attempting an OBE fearing they may encounter ill-intentioned beings while projected.  The best way to address this concern is to think of the type of beings currently in this dimension. Are we all good? All bad? All well intentioned?  In truth, varied beings exist.  The same goes for the non-physical beings in other dimensions. Beings in non-physical dimensions are diverse.  As we project, our internal core will naturally gravitate toward spaces and beings that resonate. So, the nature of our internal ethical intentions, will organically determine where we can travel and what we encounter.  Nothing is left to chance, however, once we gain more awareness, we will have more control as to where we go and who we interact with.

9.     Establish a goal

Whenever attempting to leave the body it is highly recommended to have a goal. What do you want to do while in an astral projection? Who do you want to see?  Where do you want to go? What do you want to experience?  A clear vision sets energetic wheels in motion. If you have many ideas, stick to one at a time. The goals set should also be genuine. Be sure to create a short phrase in mindl. Write it down, keep it visible or close to you when trying out a technique. Feel the way into it.

10.  Be aware of your energy environment

Wherever you aim to project, the room’s energetic environment exerts influence on the process. Our psyche, thoughts, emotional states, and material objects, generate an energetic imprint in these spaces.  Be vigilant of your state of mind.  Aim to be neutral/balanced. Evaluate objects in your midst. Sometimes certain items evoke unwanted presences or energies. Decluttering can have an uplifting effect. Clutter stagnates natural energy flow. Natural light enhances the space. We want our space to be clean both physically and energetically, so we feel relaxed and confident to go beyond the body.

Manage the internal

Notice when discomfort arises inside and creates restlessness, let it go. Everything comes up to be acknowledged and validated. As disturbances arise, relax inside. Leave it alone. Release it when u see it. Let the moment pass by. Train yourself to create space inside. Allow stuff to come up and transmute. Growth is when you let go of the root cause, inner disturbances not the reaction itself. This is inner work. Things happen around us that tend to pull us into a disturbance. Its wise to stay an observer.

Consciousness or focus is drawn to the point of maximum disturbance. Recall your will is stronger than the unconscious flow of attention. Want liberation? Are you willing to relax and let go, come what may? This is not a question of physical strength. Retrain the mind. Relaxation is always the answer-regardless of jealousy, insecurity, fear, anger arising, bring consciousness to it. This is not about suppressing, fixing or blocking discomfort. Simply sit with it, relax and release the blockage that caused the reaction. Transmute energy that blockage had over you. The power comes back to you. Reclaim that inner power. We either give our will (power) away to what is pulling on it or not. We are building the centre of Being to let go of the pull. We cannot deal effectively with the external til we manage the internal.

Do inner work, reap the benefits

Doing inner work on ourselves guides us to insights about the idea of God, the divine or sacred. The word is less important than the process of going iinward, feeling into what this is for yourself. What does it mean to grow personally? It implies you grow in maturity and awareness of issues you have inside of yourself: fears, desires, insecurities, needs, wants, self-consciousness, shame, embarassment, guilt, anger, resentment, the list goes on. These words refer to sample currents of energy unfolding within.

Consider the analogy of rocks creating disturbance or current in the flowing river. Simply removing individual obstacles to spirituality reveals the natural state of things. So why are we taught to make complicated what is simple? Obstacles we face are the roadmap to spiritual states of expanded consciousness. They are the pointers to a more peaceful existence, a completley new perception and vibrational sense of reality.

At the perfect moment, it dawns no recipe or technique exists to meet or get us to God or magically make us divine. Disturbances within invite us to see them as they are. This requires sheer honesty about what we are looking at and projecting into the external world. We have to be willing to see clearly. The path to liberation begins with our willingness to see the the nature of rocks which represent our own shadows.

We can evolve to look at ourselves objectively. This requires we rise above judement, complaint, self criticism. Changing our attitude about ourselves and what we see inwardly is a huge step to transforming our lives in ways that benefit Soul growth. To see the obstacles (garbage) within ourselves as they are is to reduce suffering around us. The bigger the obstacle we face, the more we reduce suffering.

Normally, those who are not awake are unaware of the nature of their thoughts and feelings and get lost in their emotions. They are unwilling to face truth, or take full responsibility for what they create. Rather than see what causes the disturbances in their lives, they may get stuck in survival mode, simply taking action the best they can to keep their head above water. IN order to get beyond this state, we must be willing to get out of the water, be the witness and see deeper into what is unfolding.

Notice to be aware is an ongoing process. Awareness is not an end goal. Time is illusion so beginning, middle, end are illusions. As we develop mindfulness, purify thoughts and feelings within, we grow aware of the present personality and the core along with all the influences, distractions, distortions. As deeper energy discernment arises, sources of influence within and beyond our own energy field, are felt. Many stages exist in awakening. It is not a single "event."

At some stage, it dawns spiritual growth and personal growth are the same. This is a purification and process of rediscovery of who we truly are.  We are constantly interfacing with other versions of Self in parallel timelines and worlds. Expansion of consciousness allows for non-verbal, energetic and telepathic exchanges unaffected by space-time. Accelerating changes in the physical world echo ongoing internal structural transformation and transmutation. Coming to adapt and accept conditions beyond our control is a learned skill, part of the journey to self-mastery.

Live the Hero's Journey

(Visionary art- "Soul's Journey by Rassouli)

Notice ongoing upheavals mean we each encounter challenges and are confronted with some very tough decisions. Some view this as opportunity for soul growth. Old mindsets or thinking may be threatened. Intuition or spirit within compels us to take steps to move ahead. These situations are meant to test us, strengthen us, and hone our complete trust or surrender to the unknown.

Although yoga echoes we each embody all we need, much like genetic material in a seed only unleashed in proper conditions, core knowing arises in stages based on evolving consciousness.

So, according to Joseph Campbell, we are on a Hero's journey. That is, we are each the hero of our own epic tale. At pivotal moments, we get calls to action, such as direct threats to our safety, family, ethics, way of life or to peace of our community. Our comfort zone is disrupted to prompt us to go on a quest. This compels automatic writing to join dots of our unique journey.

If we refuse the call to take steps the heart knows are necessary to be in harmony with our core essence, we are repeatedly prompted with situations that evoke our discomfort. Still, if we doubt our abilities to move forward, or make excuses, refuse to take full and complete responsibility, resist change, buy into fear, we suffer, until we get the message to let go of the familliar, trust ourselves more.

At key stages, we invite mentors into our lives to guide us back on track, to see and accept our own light. They could give us an object, insight into issues we face, wise advice, practical training, even inspire self-confidence. Whatever the mentors provide, this serves to dispel our doubts and fears, give us strength, courage, humour to propel ahead through stages of our soul journey. As a teaching resonates, this moves us forward, gives us confidence to rise to the next level, take the next step of our path or destiny.

As we integrate new energy, our focus of attention and priorities shift. Ready to act on a call to adventure, we recognize the physical, spiritual or emotional, or multidimensional nature of our journey. Each of us may go willingly or may be pushed. Either way, we must cross the threshold between the familiar and unfamilliar worlds. It may be leaving home, a relationship or job or just doing something else we fear. However, as new thresholds present, taking action to face fear signifies our commitment to the unknown journey and whatever it may have in store for us.

Once out of our comfort zone, we are confronted with an ever more difficult series of challenges that repeatedly test us. Obstacles are thrown across our path; whether they be physical hurdles or people presenting to thwart our progress. We must overcome each challenge that arises on the journey towards the ultimate goal or transmutation of energy.

Its tricky at times, but we must learn who can be trusted and who can't. We may earn allies and meet enemies who will, each in their own way, help prepare use for the greater ordeals. This is the stage where our skills and/or powers are tested and every obstacle that we face helps us gain deeper insight into our patterns, character and ultimately deeper soul insight.

At some stage, we encounter unforeseen danger or magnify an inner conflict which up until now, we have not had to face. Through the course of experience, we prepare before taking that final leap into the great unknown. We may once again face some of the doubts and fears that first surfaced during our original call to adventure. We may take time to reflect on the sensitive nature of our journey and the treacherous road ahead to find courage to continue. This magnifies tension in view of the ultimate test.

The Supreme Ordeal may be a dangerous physical test or a deep inner crisis that we must face to survive or for the world in which we live to continue. Whether it be facing his greatest fear or most deadly foe, we must draw upon all of our skills and experiences gathered upon the path to overcome this difficult challenge.

Only through some form of "death" can we be reborn, know the symbolic resurrection that somehow grants us greater power or insight necessary in order to fulfill our destiny. This is the high-point of our story and where everything we value is put on the line. If we fail, we will either die or life as we know it will never be the same.

After defeating the inner enemy, reframing death and overcoming our greatest personal challenge, we are ultimately transformed into a new state, emerging from battle as a stronger person and often with a symbolic transformation.

What we gain may present as an object of great value or power, a secret, greater knowledge or insight, or even reconciliation with a loved one or self and existence. Whatever form or state the treasure is, it facilitates our return to and focus on a new World.

At this point in the Hero's journey, its like a reverse echo of the Call to Adventure. We come full circle, create a new sense of "home" with an earned reward. Anticipation of danger is replaced with that of acclaim, vindication, absolution or even exoneration of self or someone close to us, the external. The moment arises when we must choose between personal gain and Higher Cause.

This is the climax in which the Hero must have his final and most dangerous encounter with symbolic death. The final battle also represents something far greater than our physical existence with its outcome having far-reaching consequences to our Ordinary World and the lives of those we left behind on our quest.

If we fail, others will suffer and this places more weight upon our shoulders. Ultimately we will succeed, move through obstacles and emerge from battle purified and reborn. We emerge as a mature, enlightened being. Through the course of our journey, we learn and unlearn, face dangers, even death but start a new life. Our return may inspire hope to those once forgotten, offer a direct solution to their problems or perhaps a new perspective.

The final reward may be literal or metaphoric. It could be a cause for celebration, self-realization or an end to strife. Whatever it is, it represents three things: change, success, proof of our journey. The return "home", to true nature, signals things will never be the same