Psychic Phenomenon Astral Projection Part 1

About the psychic phenomenon known as astral projection a form of out-of-body experience in parapsychology.

Astral Projection

Occult lore says that man has an astral (nonmaterial) body as well as a physical body. Though the 2 usually coexist in the same space, under certain conditions they may separate, with consciousness accompanying the astral body. In addition, the consciousness alone can leave the physical body. Either of these happenings is called astral projection (AP) or an out-of-the-body experience (OBE).

Many cases of AP have been reported, and the subject cannot be dismissed offhand as a psychological aberration, for in general the reports support each other strongly, having many things in common. With or without the astral body, the consciousness presumably can penetrate solid objects; physical ills disappear; and to reach another place, one has only to think of being there. A "silver cord" is frequently said to link the astral and physical, and if this is broken death will result. However, this cord is supposed to be infinitely stretchable so it does not confine one distance-wise.

The literature of parapsychology is packed with intriguing AP tales, from collections of anecdotes by Sidgwick, Crookall, Smith, and Green to firsthand accounts by such legendary astral projectors as Sylvan Muldoon, Oliver Fox, "Yram," and, more recently, businessman Robert Monroe.

For the most part these many experiences can be divided into 4 types. In the 1st 2 the projector remains earthbound. Often he will attempt to get corroboration of his experience by visiting friends. Typically he will call to them, tap them on the shoulder, or even try to move physical objects to draw attention to himself, but he will fail because the astral body is invisible to most people. Sometimes, however, the friends will later confirm his account of what was happening to them at the time of his "visit."

The 2nd or reciprocal type of earthbound astral trip is rarer. In it the astral body is seen by others, and these cases immeasurably strengthen the case for AP. Two of the best-known OBE anecdotes which fit into this category are the following:

One evening in 1881, S. H. Beard, an Englishman, was reading about astral projection and decided to try an astral visit to his fiancee, Miss L. S. Verity. To the surprise of all concerned, not only did he succeed, but she, maidenly modest in her bedroom, saw and recognized him, and told her younger sister of the experience.

In 1863, businessman S. R. Wilmot of Connecticut was sailing from Liverpool to New York. He shared a stateroom with another gentleman. One night he "saw" his wife (who was in America) beside his bunk and (oh, scandal!) the other gentleman saw her too. In fact the next morning he was quite outspoken about such unseemly goings-on! To Wilmot's amazement, when his wife met him she told him how she had seemed to visit him one night, and asked in surprise if the stateroom was really arranged in a certain way--which was not how she had pictured it before his trip. She gave a perfect description of Wilmot's actual room.

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