Astral Projection: The Journey That Woke My Soul

Astral projection is a real, soul-deep experience that hits without warning and leaves you questioning everything… your body, your purpose, your entire perception of reality.

I didn’t “try” to astral project. I wasn’t lying in bed chanting mantras or doing any special technique. It just happened.

One night, I slipped into what I thought was a dream… but it wasn’t normal. I wasn’t in control like a lucid dream, but everything felt hyperreal, clearer than life, like my soul had snapped into full awareness. I was standing in a place that looked like Earth, but the sky was violet, and the stars weren’t just sparkling, they were pulsing like they were breathing.

Then this figure approached me.

Not human, not male or female. Just a glowing humanoid shape made of pure light, no face, no features, but somehow I knew it was intelligent. Loving. Ancient. It came close and said, in a voice that felt like it was echoing inside my chest:

“You’re not dreaming. You’re remembering. You’ve been here before.”

And with those words, something inside me clicked. I can’t even explain it properly, but I felt this wave of recognition wash over me, like I suddenly remembered who I was before this life. Why I chose to come here. What I had forgotten. It was too much for my body to handle. I woke up shaking, my heart racing, as if I had seen something my physical form wasn’t meant to carry.

Ever since that night, my dreams have been different. They’ve become more vivid, more symbolic, like my subconscious is trying to speak in metaphors and ancient memories.

I’ve also been able to “travel” across great distances. Sometimes I see what loved ones are doing in real-time. It’s wild. And a bit scary.

This being (or perhaps others like it), warned me. “It” said that astral travel takes an enormous amount of energy, and without protection, my body could become vulnerable. That freaked me out deeply. But curiosity pulled harder than fear. So I keep going. I keep listening. I keep writing everything down because I know this isn’t just imagination. It’s something ancient.
Something my soul remembers. So here is what I researched and my own experience…

How It Feels to Leave Your Body

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about leaving the body, like remembering, for the first time in forever, that you’re not just flesh and bones. But let’s be clear: astral projection isn’t always soft light and celestial choirs. Sometimes it’s raw, overwhelming, and hard to explain.

For me, it started subtly. Before any full projection, there was this deep internal buzzing, a vibration low in my chest, almost like my soul was humming. My ears would ring, my arms would feel detached from my body, and my heartbeat would pound in my ears like a drum I couldn’t quiet.

When separation finally happened, it didn’t feel like flying. It felt like floating through a veil made of silk and static. There’s no gravity in that space. No pain. No breath. Just presence — this heightened awareness where you’re seeing without eyes and feeling without touch.

The environment is different as well. Colors have a pulse. Everything seems alive, as if it breathes with you. Time doesn’t behave the same way; minutes stretch into hours or vanish in the blink of an eye.

Emotionally, it’s a mix of awe, fear, and something sacred. Imagine being kissed by the divine while simultaneously realizing just how vast (and tiny) you are. That kind of contrast stays with you.

And the return? It can be jarring. Coming back into the body feels like sliding into something too small. It’s tight, dense, and sometimes suffocating. I’ve woken up gasping for breath, covered in sweat, or crying without knowing why, just this strange grief, like being torn away from a place I longed for.

Still, no matter how intense it gets, there’s this pull. Once you’ve touched that freedom, once you’ve felt what your soul remembers, you can’t forget. You can’t pretend it was just a dream.

The Science vs. The Soul

Can Both Be Right About What Happens When We Leave Our Bodies?

Astral projection sits in that strange space where science and spirituality stare at each other from opposite corners of the room, both trying to explain something that refuses to be boxed in.

From a scientific lens, what many call “astral projection” is often labeled as a type of lucid dreaming, hypnagogic hallucination, or sleep paralysis event. Some neurologists believe it’s the brain’s way of disassociating during REM sleep, a defense mechanism, or a glitch in how our consciousness interacts with our body. They point to things like:

• Theta brainwave states (the dreamy, liminal waves between wakefulness and deep sleep)
• Sleep paralysis episodes, where people feel “awake” but can’t move, are often accompanied by vivid hallucinations
• Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) during trauma, surgery, or near-death states, often explained as the brain coping with extreme stress or sensory shutdown

And honestly? Some of that makes sense. There is a connection between astral travel and altered states of consciousness. I’ve felt the buzzing, the detachment, the surreal transitions. I don’t think science is wrong, just incomplete.

Because here’s the thing: if you’ve experienced it, truly experienced it, you know there’s more to it than chemicals and dreams. It’s not just the brain misfiring. It feels intelligent. Guided. Deeply personal. There’s wisdom in those spaces, messages, memories, and entire “places” that feel more real than this one.

And then there’s the soul perspective.

Mystical traditions across the world, from ancient Egypt to modern-day witches, have spoken of the astral body. A subtle, energetic double of ourselves capable of traveling beyond the physical plane. The idea that we’re not creating these realms in our heads, but returning to something that already exists. That our spirit knows how to navigate these paths. We just forgot.

For me, this experience shattered the idea that these two viewpoints, science and soul, have to cancel each other out. Maybe it’s both. Maybe the brain is the doorway, and the soul is the traveler. Maybe altered brainwaves don’t disprove the journey; they enable it.

I don’t claim to have all the answers. I’m just walking between the worlds, documenting what I’ve seen, felt, and remembered. All I know is: I’ve been there. And I keep going back.

When and Why People Astral Travel

Curiosity, pain, purpose… or something we don’t have words for yet

Not everyone chooses to astral travel. Sometimes it chooses you.

Some people are drawn to it by sheer curiosity, a hunger to understand what lies beyond the veil. Others stumble into it after a traumatic event, as if the soul instinctively escapes when the body feels unsafe. And then there are those like me, who didn’t even know they were looking for something… until they found themselves somewhere else.

Astral travel can be intentional or accidental. It can happen while meditating, during sleep, through breathwork, or even under extreme emotional or physical stress. For some, it begins as a lucid dream and then unfolds into something much more vivid, more felt than seen.

People astral project for many reasons:

• Spiritual exploration – to connect with higher guidance, spirit guides, or divine realms
• Past life journeys – to retrieve buried memories and soul contracts
• Healing – to witness karmic patterns or visit the root of emotional wounds
• Remote viewing – to see people, places, or events happening in real time
• Freedom – because the body feels like a cage, and the soul wants to stretch its wings

For me, it started without warning, but now, it’s something I feel called toward. Like my soul remembers it’s capable of more than just living day to day in this skin. Sometimes I travel to realms that feel like memories of other lives. Sometimes I simply observe, like a silent watcher in the shadows of reality. And sometimes, I feel guided, taken by the hand to a place I didn’t know I needed to see.

There’s no single “why.” It’s not something you can measure or explain away in a clean little box. The reasons are layered — spiritual, emotional, and ancestral. Some part of us remembers that we are more than our bodies. And when we’re ready, or when we’re cracked open enough… the traveling begins.

Signs You’re About to Project

Your body stays… but your soul starts packing its bags

Astral projection doesn’t always announce itself gently. Sometimes the signs are subtle, sometimes they’re loud, electric, and impossible to ignore.

Here are some of the most common signals that your consciousness is about to step out of the physical and into the astral:

1. Vibrations or Buzzing in the Body

This is one of the most well-known signs. It’s like a low, internal hum running through your chest, arms, or entire body, almost like you’re plugged into a power source. For me, it often starts in the chest and spreads outward like ripples.

2. Ringing or High-Pitched Tones in the Ears

Not painful, just… otherworldly. Like you’re tuning into a frequency that doesn’t belong to this realm. Sometimes it’s constant; sometimes it fades in and out like a signal trying to lock in.

3. Sleep Paralysis

That terrifying moment where you’re awake but can’t move. It’s common just before an astral exit. While it can feel like you’re trapped, many projectors believe it’s the launchpad, the body shuts down so the soul can leave. Scary, yes. But often the doorway.

4. Sinking or Floating Sensations

You might feel like you’re being pulled downward into the bed… or rising above it. It can be subtle at first, then suddenly intense. This is often the moment the astral body is loosening from the physical one.

5. Sudden Clarity or Mental Sharpness

Your body might feel heavy and numb, but your mind? Crystal clear. Alert. Like your consciousness is wide awake even if your body isn’t. That contrast is a big red flag that you’re slipping out.

6. Random Twitching or Eye Movements

It’s like your body is recalibrating. Fingers may twitch, eyes flutter, or your chest may feel like it skips a beat. These aren’t random; they’re part of the energetic adjustment as you prepare to separate.

7. A Strong Feeling of Being Watched or Accompanied

Many people report the sensation that someone is in the room. Not always in a negative way, sometimes it feels like a guide or guardian. Other times, it’s simply the awareness of stepping into a space where unseen eyes exist.

My Sleep Paralysis Experiences

Sometimes, the veil doesn’t lift gently; it rips.

Before I even understood what astral projection was, I had a few experiences that were more terrifying than enlightening. They felt like warnings, like the door to the astral opened before I was ready to walk through it.

The first time, I was alone at home with my dog. It was early morning, cold, and I had the blanket pulled all the way over my face like I often do when I sleep. I was half-awake, aware of my body, but completely paralyzed. I couldn’t move, not a finger. Then I heard something.

A soft, childlike voice, began singing beside me. The words were in a language I couldn’t understand, broken up with little giggles. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel it near my face. I froze inside. But I know it was real, because my dog, normally calm, began growling low and deep like he sensed something too. It only lasted a minute, but it felt like forever. And it shook me.

The second time was different, still terrifying, but clearer. I was taking a nap outside in a hammock. It was hot, and in classic Brazilian fashion, I thought, “I’m just going to rest a little under the sun.” But I woke up in that same frozen state again, eyes wide, body unmovable. This time, I heard two distinct voices — not human. They were speaking in whispers, debating something.

“No… we can’t hurt her. She’s protected.”

I don’t know what those beings were, but their energy was dark, oppressive. They felt wrong. Not like spirits… like something worse. I’ve never forgotten it.

Even now, there are nights when I feel like I’m being watched as I try to sleep. It’s not paranoia. It’s a presence. Something that doesn’t feel kind. I’ve never seen anything clearly, but I’ve read the stories, the hat man, the red or yellow glowing eyes, the grinning faces, the dark, tall shapes people see during sleep paralysis or spiritual encounters. In Japanese folklore, they call some of them Yokai. Others say it’s demonic or shadow beings. Whatever it is… It’s not just a nightmare.

I know what I felt. And I’m not the only one.

How to Practice Astral Projection

Rituals, techniques, and quiet magic to help your soul remember how to fly

Astral projection isn’t something you can force, but you can invite it, prepare for it, and make space for it to happen naturally. Create the right conditions – physical, mental, and spiritual – to invite the experience in. It’s like preparing sacred ground: you’re not commanding the sky to storm, you’re just making yourself ready for the rain.

Here’s what I do, and what I’ve learned works for others on this path.

Best Time to Practice

• Early morning (4–6 AM) is often ideal. You’re already in a liminal, sleepy state where consciousness is more flexible.
• Afternoon naps can also trigger spontaneous projections, especially if your body is tired but your mind is alert (that’s what happened to me in the hammock).

Prepare the Body & Mind

• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, or sugar before bed; they disrupt energy flow.
• Meditate or do deep breathing to calm the nervous system and slow your thoughts.
• Stretch or take a warm shower to release tension in your body.
• Set clear intentions before you lie down: “I am safe. I am open to remembering. I welcome the experience.”

Protection & Grounding

Because some doors should never be opened barefoot.

Exploring the astral realm is powerful, but it’s not always safe if you go in unprotected or recklessly. But with intention, grounding, and boundaries, you’ll be just fine.

Just like you wouldn’t go hiking barefoot through a wild forest at night without a flashlight or map, you shouldn’t step into the astral without spiritual armor and a solid way back.

There are things out there. Energies that don’t mean well. And sometimes, the biggest danger is not getting lost out there, but bringing something back with you. Protecting your energy is important.

Before You Travel: Seal Your Space

Burn protective herbs like mugwort, sage, rosemary, palo santo, or bay leaf. Let the smoke touch every corner.

• Create a circle of salt around your bed or place a line across the threshold of your room.
• Anoint your third eye and soles of your feet with a drop of mugwort oil or lavender.
• Use protective crystals like black tourmaline, obsidian, labradorite, or amethyst.
• Draw or trace sigils (there is one below you can use) of protection near your bed, on paper, or in the air.
• Visualize a sphere of white or golden light around your body, sealing you like a cocoon.
  Say it aloud:
  “I protect my body and my space. Only light may enter. I am guided. I am guarded. I am divinely protected.”

You can also call on your spirit guides, ancestors, or deities you trust. Speak to them. Ask for their presence and protection. This part matters.

Techniques to Try

Different techniques work for different people. You don’t need all of them, Experiment and see what resonates.

The Rope Method

Imagine a rope hanging above you. Visualize yourself grabbing it, hand over hand, and pulling upward. Feel your body getting lighter with every pull.

The Roll-Out Method

Once you’re deeply relaxed, visualize your astral body slowly rolling out of your physical body, like slipping off a coat.

The Counting Down

Count backward from 100, slowly. Between each number, affirm your intention. For example:
“100… I am light. 99… I am safe. 98… I will remember…”

Vibrational Expansion

Focus on any buzzing or energetic sensations you feel in your body. Instead of resisting them, breathe into them. Let them grow, let them guide you outward.

Herbal Allies

Nature supports the soul, always has. Here are some gentle herbal tools that can help open the astral door:

• Mugwort: Queen of dream herbs. It can be burned, used as tea, or placed under your pillow.
• Blue lotus: A sacred flower that calms the mind and opens the third eye.
• Chamomile & lavender: Help relax your body enough to ease you into that liminal state.

A Sigil for Protection in the Astral Realm

For those who feel called to travel between worlds, I created a sigil, a visual charm of intention and protection, for you to use during your astral work.

This sigil is designed to anchor and protect your energetic body while you journey. Its intention is simple but powerful:
“I am protected in all realms. Only truth, light, and love may reach me.”

You can use it in any way that feels right:

• Place it under your pillow or mattress before sleep
• Trace it in the air above your bed with your finger
• Print it and keep it in your grimoire or journal
• Meditate on it before your projection ritual
• Anoint it with lavender or mugwort oil to activate it

The sigil is encased in a circle to seal energy, flanked by protective stars and a crescent moon, symbols of inner wisdom and intuitive clarity. It’s not bound to a tradition. It’s meant to serve your magic, your journey, your boundaries.

Use it with intention. And travel with protection.

Keep a Dream/Astral Journal

Write down everything, even fragments. The more you remember, the more you will remember. Astral recall is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Astral projection isn’t escape; it’s expansion. The body may feel like a cage sometimes, but the soul’s journey is a return to something bigger, not a rejection of this life, and the more intentional you are, the safer, deeper, and more beautiful the experience becomes.

What You Might See or Experience

Other worlds, other versions of you… and sometimes, what shouldn’t be seen at all.

Astral projection isn’t just a bodyless float through space. It’s a journey through layers of existence most people never touch, not because they can’t, but because they don’t dare. What you see depends on many things: your emotional state, your intentions, your protections, and, honestly… what your soul is ready for.

Here’s what I’ve seen. What others have too. Some of it is beautiful. Some of it is not.

Parallel Lives & Dimensional Mirrors

In some projections, I’ve found myself observing alternate versions of my own life, choices I didn’t make, paths I didn’t take. I’ve seen another “me” in places I’ve never physically been, living out timelines that felt both familiar and foreign. I didn’t interact; I only observed… and it was deeply emotional. Like touching a truth just out of reach.

Others report the same: seeing themselves as different genders, in different eras, or even on other planets. Sometimes it’s symbolic. Other times, it feels like a fact.

Astral Landscapes

Not everything looks like Earth. Some realms feel soft and glowing, like dreams made of mist and light. Others are dark forests, endless oceans, or shifting crystalline cities suspended in air. The sky might be violet. The stars might move. Colors pulse. Geometry breathes.

These places often respond to emotion, changing shape as your energy shifts. If you feel fear, the world around you might darken. If you stay calm, the space can become stunning.

Spirit Beings & Light Guides

That glowing humanoid I encountered? It wasn’t a dream. It was something (or someone) who knew me. A guide. Maybe a higher version of myself. Maybe a guardian. All I know is it radiated peace and ancient knowing.

Others have encountered:

• Beings made of pure light or shifting shadows
• Animal spirits – wolves, owls, snakes
• Entities with no face but deep presence
• Elders, teachers, or beings who speak telepathically

Some speak. Some only feel. But when they appear, you know. You feel it in your bones, or what remains of them in that state.

Not All Encounters Are Benevolent

Let’s not sugarcoat this. The astral is vast, and not everything in it has your best interest at heart.

I’ve felt the presence of darker beings, as I mentioned above, heavy, cold, wrong. I’ve heard whispers that weren’t kind. I’ve been warned that some of these entities look for openings for unprotected travelers.

Some people see the Hat Man. Others see smiling demons, red eyes, faceless watchers, or beings that mimic loved ones. These experiences are widely shared across cultures, from Japanese Yokai to Western shadow people. They feed on fear, attention, and chaos.

That’s why protection isn’t optional. It’s essential.

The Feeling of Truth

But even when it’s intense (even when it’s terrifying), there’s one thing that keeps pulling people back: the deep, soul-level truth you feel there. You see yourself differently. You remember things you didn’t know you forgot. You come back changed. Expanded. Humbled. A little more whole.

During the Journey: Stay Aware

• If something feels off or heavy, leave immediately.
• Avoid interacting with beings that don’t feel right. If they mimic someone you know, test them. Ask them something only the real one would know.
• Don’t give away your name, your power, or your energy.
• If you feel threatened:
  • Visualize your protective light expanding like a shield
  • Call yourself back into your body, say your full name, over and over, and imagine snapping back

After You Return: Ground Yourself

Coming back to the body can feel strange, dizzy, foggy, emotional, or electric. You need to anchor yourself.

Here’s how:

• Eat something grounding, like bread, oats, chocolate, or root vegetables.
• Touch the Earth, walk barefoot on grass, hold a stone, sit under a tree.
• Take a salt bath or shower to clear lingering energy.
• Journal what you experienced, even if it’s messy or hard to describe. Don’t let it float away.
• Close the door:
  • Blow out candles or incense
  • Thank your guides
  • Say:
    “The journey is complete. The gate is closed. I am whole. I am here.”

Common Myths & Fears

Let’s clear the fog, not everything you’ve heard is true, but not everything is safe either.

Astral projection sits at the crossroads of curiosity and fear. People either think it’s fake, think it’s dangerous, or romanticize it like you’re just floating through glittery dreamworlds with fairy wings. Spoiler alert: it’s not that simple.

Let’s break down some of the most common myths and whether there’s actually something to worry about.

❌ “You might get stuck outside your body.”

False… mostly.

You won’t get stuck. Your soul is tethered to your body by what many call the “silver cord”, an energetic thread that keeps you connected. Unless you die (and no, astral projection doesn’t kill you), you will come back.

That said, if you return too fast or without grounding, you can feel off, dizzy, anxious, or dissociated.

❌ “Something else could enter your body while you’re out.”

Half-true.

This one sounds dramatic, but there’s a sliver of truth. When you leave your body unprotected, especially if you’re emotionally open, scared, or ungrounded, you can attract things. Not necessarily possession, but energetic attachments, mood shifts, and spiritual cling-ons (Energetic Leeches) are real.

Think of it like leaving your house with the front door wide open. Most nights? Nothing happens. But sometimes? Something slips in. That’s why you protect.

❌ “Astral projection is just a dream.”

Not quite.

Lucid dreams and astral projection can overlap, but they’re not the same. Astral projection often comes with a clarity, a presence, a sense of realness that dreams don’t have. The places feel structured. The experiences imprint on your soul.

Also, the emotional intensity is different. Astral memories linger like something that happened, not something you imagined.

❌ “It’s demonic or evil.”

Only if you go in recklessly and invite darkness in.

Let’s be real: anything unknown gets labeled as scary. But astral projection is ancient. Indigenous cultures, mystics, monks, and witches have been traveling outside the body long before it was called “woo.”

Dark things exist, yes. But so do light, guidance, healing, and ancestral wisdom. What you meet depends largely on you: your vibration, your intent, your boundaries. Respect the space and protect yourself, and you’ll be just fine.

❌ “It’s not real – just imagination.”

Then explain why thousands of people describe the same places, beings, and experiences across cultures, time, and language.

Some things live in a realm deeper than proof. And once you’ve felt it (really felt it), you don’t need to convince anyone. You just know.

Fear is a natural part of stepping into the unknown. But fear doesn’t mean stop. It means to prepare. It means learn. It means go in with intention.

And when you do? You’ll understand why the soul keeps returning to those hidden doors.

Tips for Beginners

Because the soul doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

Starting out with astral projection can feel intimidating, like staring at a locked door with no key. But trust me, the door is already cracked open. You just need to step through it gently, patiently, and with intention.

Here are some tips I wish someone had whispered in my ear when I first began:

1. Don’t force it.

The harder you try, the more your body tenses, and tension is the enemy of projection. Relaxation is your portal. Let the experience invite you in.

2. Create a consistent nighttime routine.

Your body loves ritual. Going to bed at the same time, dimming lights, turning off screens, sipping calming tea. It all tells your nervous system, “We’re going somewhere.”

3. Start a dream and astral journal.

Keep it by your bed. Even if you remember just a color, a shape, or a sound, write it. Astral recall builds slowly. The more attention you give it, the louder it speaks.

4. Strengthen your imagination.

Visualization is your biggest tool. The clearer you can imagine pulling yourself up that rope, the easier it becomes for your mind to follow the path.

5. Protect yourself – every time.

No exceptions. Light your candle. Set your circle. Say the words. Your energy is sacred. Treat it that way.

6. Let go of fear, but trust your instincts.

If something feels off? Pull back. If you sense a presence that makes your skin crawl? End the session. You are never powerless. You always have the right to return.

7. Celebrate the small wins.

That buzzing in your chest? That half-dream where you felt yourself floating? Those count. Every step is part of the journey. Honor it.

Final Thoughts: The Memory of the Soul

Astral projection isn’t escaping this life; it’s deepening your connection to it.
It’s remembering that you are more than this skin, this name, this story.

We carry ancient memories in our bones. Some of us were travelers long before this lifetime, and something in us still remembers the way. The dreams. The doorways. The vibrations. The voices.

This path is sacred. And it’s personal. No one’s journey will look exactly like yours, and that’s the beauty of it. You are both the map and the explorer.

So prepare with care. Travel with reverence. And always, always come back home to yourself.