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If life in this material world seems plain and redundant, and you are ready for a more intense experience that might just validate the impulses that you have been feeling in regards to the ever changing nature of reality, then astral projection might be the next step in your spiritual, physical and energetic evolution.

Astral projection, also called out of body experiences, are para-normal, super-natural experiences for most of the individuals that experience them, though they need not be categorized as unnatural or foreign. In fact, leaving one’s body is a perfectly normal and even necessary situation, and it happens involuntarily while we are sleeping. Our dreams reflect these experiences, though we often write them off as fantasy or as some deeply held subconscious beliefs that we are working through while we are at rest.

The fact is, we exist in the astral realm as much as we live in the physical realm of time and space, but our limited view of reality prohibits us from embracing our energetic nature because our egos are too big to acknowledge that we are not as individualized as we would like to believe. Getting past this egoic narcissism is one of our greatest challenges. Honestly, most people never get there because they have so much emotional baggage to hold onto that they drown themselves in the process.

If we want to walk the path of enlightenment, we must first accept that no matter how appropriately we fit in to society and no matter how much we struggle to achieve, our efforts are in vain until we acknowledge that we are each an integral part of this spectrum of existence called ‘humanity’ and that our self importance is as harmful as it is beneficial.

Astral projection is one of the best tools that we humans possess. It gets us out of our bodies; out of our minds; out of the patterns of thought that would keep us prisoner in this temporal, physical realm. To achieve this state of transcendence of the body, we need to open to the idea that is at first possible, and then ultimately accept the notion that it is not only possible, but natural for us to do so.

Visualization is the key, we possess powers far beyond our known capabilities but they can only come to fruition if we BELIEVE that they are possible. Our imagination is our greatest gift and our most productive asset. Think of all of the things that have existed within the scope of humanity. It all started with a vision of what is possible. Visualization IS imagination, and there is nothing childish or petty about wanting something so badly that not having it is not an option. In fact, visualizing one’s path to enlightenment creates the opportunities for such a transformation to occur.

Visualization of our highest self is perhaps the best gift that we can give to ourselves. It says that no matter what our insecurities tell us; no matter our instability right here, right now, we are capable, radiant beings of light that can transform our experiences at will. Once we experience this attitude in our hearts, nothing can take it away from us. Visualisation of our greatest strength and our utmost possibility actually creates an outlet for that truth to be expressed. It is a blessed gift that we have at our disposal to use if we choose. It’s there if we want it, and if we encounter people who are not ready for such a positive shift in awareness, we know, fundamentally, that exposure to such an outcome will benefit them later on in their existence.

One of the most critical aspects to any serious astral projection practice is breathing. Breathing is the fulcrum on the scale that harmonizes body and mind in a delicate balance, for each has to surrender in order for astral projection to be achieved. Your breath facilitates the physical cues that your body needs to automate its responses and continue it’s restoration and healing while you are out of your body, which happens each night when you are sleeping. Your breath also softens the mental mind and provides a focal point to allow the release of chatter and random thoughts, promoting deeper relaxation on all levels.

We focus on our breathing first. We focus on our breathing continuously in the beginning of an astral projection attempt, letting it carry us into total peacefulness on our way to the subtle realms. We can use our breathing to focus on a dream experience or on astral projection experiences. As in meditation, the breath finds us when our thoughts wander, it refocuses our attention on the lungs, the heart, the rise and fall of the chest in relation to each breath. All of these subtle movements take our attention off of our mental thoughts and programmed responses.

When the mental facilities are engaged in awareness of the breath, we reach relaxation faster and easier and astral projection becomes an experience that one is conscious of having. Make no mistake that astral experiences are real and they do exist on some level of reality. We have been taught in our culture that our temporal, physical reality is the one true existence. Astral travel teaches us in a very matter of fact way  that this simply is not the case. There are endless planes of existence and innumerable realities to be explored just on the other side of the veil of reality that we are familiar with, waiting for us in the subtle realms of energy. Though we have access to all of them at some vibratory level, our physical bodies just can’t get us there to experience them, but our energetic bodies can come a lot closer to providing us with a more well rounded understanding of the many levels of existence that we can perceive.

The practice of breathing through the nostrils when trying to astrally project promotes a clear passage of air into and out of the lungs and purifies the air that we are taking in through the small hairs located in our nostrils, called cilia. We at first fill up our lungs completely and exhale fully to engage with our bodies and start the process of relaxation. As we relax fully into our bodies, our breathing slows to near imperceptible levels as our minds no longer need to think about the breath. We turn our consciousness instead to the physical sensations marking the beginning of an out of body experience. Tingling of the skin and the movement of air across our bodies might be felt, or a tugging sensation at the edges of your skin as your etheric and physical bodies begin to separate.

At this point we have let the breath take care of itself and we can continue the process of astral projection without worrying about our breathing. The energetic body has all of the breath it needs in the never ending stream of energy flowing into it from the cosmic consciousness and the physical body remains constant in its breathing, functioning automatically for us.

Breathing is the focal point of astral projection in the beginning, but by the time you are actually out of your body, the breath is easily transferred to auto pilot, so to speak, so that you can more fully engage with your astral experiences without worrying about your physical body. Proper breathing when attempting astral projection gives you a better chance of reaching the astral planes to find endless worlds of fascinating experience and knowledge to be had.

Kundalini is an energy, which is tied to the consciousness.  Coiled within the body, it remains dormant in the sleeping body.  This psycho-spiritual force is awakened through various spiritual practices, often tied to yoga and astral projection.  Kundalini is tied to the chakras, residing in the root chakra.  Often related to a serpent, it will rise up from the base of the spine when awakened.  As the Kundalini rises, it will pass through each chakra or energy center, creating a high-energy force throughout the entire body.  Kundalini Yoga is the most common practice in which to awaken the power.

The History of Kundalini

Although much of the history of Kundalini associated practices is unknown, there is some evidence that mention has been made of the energy force in many ancient texts.  Found in writings from the Tibetans, Chinese, Egyptians, and Native Americans, there is also reference to this type of power in the Bible and the Koran.  Even though most cultures didn’t openly practice Kundalini Yoga or awakening sessions, it became more widely known through the work of Carl Jung in the 1930s.

In the 1970s, people worldwide became fascinated with the practice of Kundalini Yoga and began seeking knowledge about the practice.  The 70s were a time of great spiritual awakening all over the world, which is why so many people began to practice yoga and other spiritually intense experiences.  Even though there are many forms of yoga, not all of which are devoted to awaking the Kundalini, it was one of the many popular practice in this era.

What Happens When You Awaken the Kundalini?

The rising up of this force can vary between individuals and sessions.  Because the force is said to reside at the base of the spine it will rise up from this part of the body. As it awakens, the yogi will begin to feel a heat around this area as the energy becomes uncoiled.  As it rises, it will move upward along the spine, through the 6 other chakras.  When the Kundalini passes through each energy center, that chakra will become active and connected to the force.  It will continue to rise, taking the energy of the chakras with it and leaving the body cold.

The more the Kundalini rises, the more physical reactions the yogi will have. There are often involuntary muscle movements or tremors, there can be a feeling of electricity or vibration, and there may also be sounds or voices.  Although each Kundalini awakening may not be equally intense, they are often described as explosive, leading to Out of Body Experiences, hallucinations, detachment, and many other intense sensations.  Like all spiritual and metaphysical practices, Kundalini Yoga takes time to master and successful awakening of this powerful energy may take time.

The Safety of Kundalini Awakening

Like all things unknown or widely misunderstood, there has been some debate on the danger of Kundalini awakening.  The only dangers associated with the practice are the occasional headaches that may come from such an intense experience.  There is also the possibility of a change in body temperatures, which can be intense if the session is explosive.  You may also have anxiety or other nervous system reactions following the session, as your chakras begin to relax.  Because Kundalini awakening can help to balance the mind and body, as well as the chakras, there can be an intensity or exhaustion following the session.

Any experiences that involve achieving a higher level of spiritual enlightenment can cause some physical symptoms—the key is, these symptoms are not dangerous.  They are simply the body’s way of recharging after such a major energy surge.  Like all intense experiences, you will be back to normal after a bit of rest.  Because the goal of Kundalini Yoga is to help you achieve spiritual goals, it can take some time to get used to the sensations associated with it.  Work like this is a major commitment—one that is often lifelong.  The intensity with which it is done can sometimes lead to major shifts in body temperature, strange muscle movements, headaches, exhaustion, and other symptoms.  Once you’ve grown accustomed to the practice and your chakras achieve better alignment, it is likely that the symptoms will begin to subside, leaving you in better overall harmony.

The possibility of going to sleep and maintaining complete and total control of your dreams is certainly appealing. Many wish they had the potential to literally captain their dreams into the direction they wish. However, dreams are purely random and without any particular means of being controlled, right? No, you can control your dreams while in the state of lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreaming is a state where you are completely aware of your dreaming. Once in this state, you will have the potential to alter, guide, and direct the dreams in any manner you wish. All you need to do is develop the basic skills for controlling lucid dreams.

The first step would be recalling the dream and the second step would be documenting the dream. Unless you maintain a ledger of your dreams, you will not be able to take the appropriate steps towards controlling your dreams. This means you will need to immediately wake up after you have a dream and record the dream in a ledger. Does this take effort? It takes a lot of effort and if you want to gain control of your dreams the effort is worth it.

Once you have recorded your dreams, you will need to perform a little research into their interpretation. Unless you understand why the subconscious is creating certain dream images, you will never be able to control lucid dreaming. Properly interpreting the dreams you have now robs them of their randomness and their subsequent power over you. The key to controlling lucid dreaming is not just to be aware of the dreams but to also be in control of them. This starts with understanding their meaning.

Once you have gained an understanding of your dreams, you will be surprised to learn that you can take incremental steps to control subsequent dreams. For example, when you start to dream once again, take small steps such as changing the color of objects in the dream environment. Once you gain such minor controls, look towards expanding them. One such way would entail being more deliberate in how you act in your dreams. Do not allow your subconscious to script the dream. Guide the dream on your own. Concentrate on making deliberate and controlled responses in your actions as opposed to compulsive ones. In essence, the dream state becomes almost no different from real life as far as perception is concerned. When this becomes the case, you can easily say you are now in control of your lucid dreams.

Such skills may take a little time to develop and that is fine. The ultimate goal here is to gain control of lucid dreaming. How long the process takes is irrelevant as long as you attain your goal.