What defines reality? One definition is that reality is something that is seen or experienced. Is my reality the same as yours? Who is right? Which is the real reality? These are all valid questions that man has pondered since ancient times. From scientists to philosophers, to the religious and spiritual-minded; many believe that there is more than the physical world that we can see and feel – more than we could ever understand. 

If we think about what happens when we sleep, we can get a glimpse of just how vast the possibilities for reality are. Many will say that these things we experience while sleeping are only in our minds, but I argue that everything we experience is in our minds. How I experience an event is not the same as anyone else, but that doesn’t make my experience any less real. What makes our physical reality real? Is it the shared experience? People share dreams all the time, so that can’t be it. Many dreams are just as “real” feeling as waking life. Why are they not considered a reality? What if the physical reality we know is the dream? While this all sounds like crazy talk, if you experience enough, you might just entertain the concept.

“The lack of experience of many does not invalidate the experiences of a few. “

This brings up a key point for me personally; a lack of experience does not disprove existence. What does that mean? Well, I have never been to the Moon. My physical body has not been there. I have not experienced it. Does this make the idea that anyone could go to the moon impossible? Does it make the Moon not exist? No, these are ridiculous thoughts, right? Well, many who see spirit can relate to this idea. The lack of experience of many does not invalidate the experiences of a few. 

So, what is astral travel?

I find this topic difficult to define. Mostly because I have yet to find words that properly describe how I experience things that fall within this area. There are many resources out there that proclaim things as fact. Statements like; there are X number of astral planes, and this is exactly what happens when you “exit your body”, and many more areas of expertise. I find this all a bit limiting. Everything I share on this topic is my perspective. It may be helpful, or it may not be. How I experience things may not be how you do. From my dealings with others, this is the number one reason I have noticed that people fail to recognize their own “astral” experiences. These are unprovable things. I say this often, but it is important to me that the reader doesn’t take anyone’s word as gospel. Take what resonates and find your way. No one can (or should) tell you one hundred percent what your experiences will be like. 

Perception is often what prevents us from finding agreement

I feel all things “astral” are not somewhere else. Not in someplace we need to unlock or go to, I feel they are all right here. If we look at the word astral, its root word in Greek and Latin means both “of the stars” and “pertaining to supersensible substances” or things that can’t be perceived by the normal senses. So in the context in which we use it, our experiences in “astral” would be any experience that we have that isn’t perceived with our normal senses. Our other senses are at work, the clair-senses. Senses we all have but don’t all understand, accept, or embrace. Some will argue that a nightmare is a clairvoyant experience. Clairvoyance is the sense that allows one to perceive information not detectable by the physical eyes through visions or “sight”. Sounds kind of like a dream to me. Everyone has had a nightmare at some time in their life, so by this definition, everyone has had a clairvoyant experience. Of course this sense can be developed and fine-tuned to perceive information during the waking state, and it is like any skill or craft that can be “mastered”. Time, effort, and natural ability are what set apart the professional ballerina and the 5-year-old recreational dancer. The same logic applies here. 

I have found it to be less than helpful to try to determine what astral travel is, what is lucid dreaming, what is remote viewing, and what is the other thing that I experience. Trying to define or label the things that really defy explanation by our current understanding of the physical world is mentally exhausting. It also is totally not necessary. I spent years trying to find the label for each experience until I finally realized they are one and the same. At least, if we use the definition of astral travel as being an experience that was obtained through the use of our extra senses, the logic holds. That said, there are differences in these experiences. I feel the difference is where we are resonating. What part of our own consciousness is having the experience, is what dictates if it is a lucid dream, out-of-body experience, remote viewing, or other. 

Remember this is all my perspective.

When we are grounded all of our consciousness is present and in our physical body. When we are distracted, maybe our mind is not fully present. Our consciousness is in what many will call our “mental body”. If we are hyper-focused on how we are feeling emotionally, some may say we are in our “emotional body”. These are all layers of the human energy field as perceived by some. We can resonate mostly in any of these. There seem to be many thoughts on what these layers of the human energy field are called. So, I will just briefly talk about them with numbers. 

Layers of the human energy field

The first

or closest to the physical body is where the energy that immediately influences our physical self and well-being can be found. This is the energy that most people will see when viewing auras. It is heavily influenced by the wellness and functionality of the physical body and our environment.

The second

is where our emotional energy is located. Often this is where we find our “emotional baggage” being stored. What we feel in the physical world resides within this layer of our field. These are both the emotions we create and the emotions that we encounter. When we take care to clear our energy field, this layer gets the brunt of the work for most people. While the first and third do gain influence from surroundings, the second is where our interactions with others weigh heavily on our energetic being.

The third

or next furthest away from the physical body pertains to the mind and conscious thought. The energy manifested from our intentional thoughts can be found here, as well as the energy that influences our conscious thought.

The fourth

is thought by many to be the connector of the “lower” and the “higher” levels. The bridge between the “physical” self and the “spiritual” self. The lower three are believed to harness the energy that pertains to physical existence and the upper three are working behind the scenes most of the time dealing with the more subconscious experiences we have. Those blessed with the ability to naturally see auras might experience this level of the energetic body. Although I believe all levels can be seen or experienced by those who really try.

The fifth layer

is thought to be where the energy of creation is stored. All things that will take physical form eventually find their origin in this “plane”. It is thought that there is a replica of the physical self here and it is what created a negative space in physical reality in order for the real physical body to exist. Many who see spirit in the shape of a physical form, might be seeing this plane of existence. Looking to manifest something into reality? Then this might be the part of the self you might want to try to connect to. 

The sixth layer

is thought to be where the emotions of the spiritual self reside. These are the thoughts and feelings that connect us to “spirit” – whatever it is you believe that to be. This is also where our “Karma” resides. The lessons we have learned and have yet to learn are an energetic blueprint of who we become in the physical world. All of our experiences are recorded here within the sixth layer of the energetic self. 

The seventh layer

is believed to be the connection to the divine. This is the source of all energy within our system. It fuels all other bodies – or at least this is what I believe. 

Some people find an experience that resonates with any single one of these “bodies”. Some may experience many, some may be very physical people and are not able to see past their physical self. All of these are more than okay. Wherever you are, is exactly where you’re supposed to be. 

It is worth mentioning that there is also belief that there is an entire “world” that resides within each of these “layers”. Our physical world is one we all can agree about on some level. However, there is thought to be multiple “worlds” or dimensions, just as there is multiple layers to our own energy. Let’s think of it like our world having its own energetic field, with its own layers to it. All of these layers are right here intermingled with one another – just the same as our field is. People living in a physical body live here on the physical plane. Where the consciousness of a being resonates, might dictate what plane or level they reside at when not in a physical body. This is my belief; you are welcome to find your own belief that feels right to you.

Do you have to have an out-of-body experience to really astral travel? 

I feel the answer to this is no. My personal opinion is that if you feel yourself “leaving” your body, it could be because your connection to your physical self is strong. Perhaps to transition your consciousness to the next layer of your energetic body, this “ritual” is required. Some people do not require this step. This does not make them more advanced; it just makes them more connected to a different portion of their own energy. Like someone is a fast runner, compared to someone who is excellent at math. Both are using their bodies, no one is better than the other, just different. So far, the biggest lesson I have learned is that belief is really all that is required in order to have these experiences. The moment you believe something is possible, that it is real, a whole new set of experiences are unfolded before you. This applies in the physical world too. When we doubt our ability to do something, we often find success eludes us. When we are confident, we will have success, we usually have an easier time achieving our goals. There is something to be said about the power of belief.

Common questions

What will it feel like?

No two experiences will be identical, and I say again, your experience relies on your belief in your own self. Do you chalk up a dream to be just a dream, or do you try to control it? Do you go with it or influence it? Do you create and interact, or just wait to wake up? Do you even know you are asleep when sleeping? These are the places to begin looking for your own experiences. Every single experience is unique. No one can tell you what it will feel like. You might find people who share a similar experience and feeling, but if I tell you it will feel a certain way, you will likely dismiss what you actually feel and experience because it doesn’t match my description. I will not be telling you what you will be feeling for this reason. If you are looking to see what other people experience or compare notes, there are groups on social media that people share this information. I have not yet found them overly comforting, but they do exist. The key thing I find useful in these types of interactions is the reinforcement that you are not just crazy or imagining things. This is the toughest thing to overcome when dealing with anything that is perceived with our “extra senses”. In all honesty, when you finally discover that you have been doing it forever, it will just feel natural. It will feel like you have done it a thousand times before, because you have!

Will you get stuck or lost?

No, that is ridiculous and let me tell you why. You haven’t gone anywhere! You are still right in your body, even if you feel as though you have left. Part of you is always there. Just the same as part of you is always in the higher levels of your energy field. Many will disagree with me and that is okay. Again, I speak only from my own experience. When you connect to the highest levels of your own energy field, you also connect to the “All”. The energy of spirit and source, which is connected to everyone else. So, by logic, when you connect to someone else who isn’t physically near you it is because you are connecting to the energy of source. All experiences take place right here. Part of your consciousness may go on a journey, and it feels very much like you have left, but part of you is still right in your physical self. To get “back” you need only to think of your physical body. Most of the time this happens by accident. It only takes a second to bring your awareness back to the present “reality”. A noise in the room, an itch, a sneeze, an emotion, a thought, anything within the lower three energy layers will snap you right back to your physical self. Becoming fully centered and grounded is another story. That might take some intention and effort.

To answer the question though, no, you can’t get stuck floating off in some dimension somewhere. That said, you can become severely ungrounded. This is where the real danger is. When we do not re-center, and re-ground we lose touch with the physical reality we are all participating in. This is a problem. All experiences are real, all are valid, but we are here in the physical, and that one takes precedence over the rest. Spirit can wait until we return, we only have a short time here, so it is best to always ensure we fully return after whatever experience we have had. 

What about energetic beings?

One more thing people worry about is the “entities” they might encounter. This is difficult to talk about because no one agrees on this topic. My experience proves to me there are very real energetic beings around. Some are kind, some are malicious, and some are indifferent. Who we encounter is determined partly by where we resonate. If we keep our energy field clear and vibrating at a higher frequency then we will not likely encounter the less than pleasant energies. It is also important to remember that just because something seems good, doesn’t mean that it is. This is why I always am talking about personal discernment. If you have trust in yourself, it doesn’t matter who you encounter. Stay true to who you are, have faith in your own self, and know that for every evil, there is a good to match it.

If you have a scary or less-than delightful experience, the best advice I can offer is to leave that experience behind. No need to analyze it. Treat it the same as you would an encounter with a physical person. If you come across someone who was nasty to you and dwell on it, it will influence you going forward; but if you can let it go then the influence ends with the experience. I can tell you that I have had had some of the scariest experiences one could imagine, and they stayed right where they were when I became present in my physical self again almost all of the time. They had things to do where they were. I went to them; they didn’t always come to me. Once I was present back in my physical reality, it was nothing more than a memory. So, when scary things happen, just re-center and ground, then most importantly, let it go. Managing your own energy is your best defense always. Controlling your thoughts and emotions is a huge part of that.   

I feel that if you aren’t prepared to encounter the bad, you shouldn’t try to encounter the good. You will always find both and I promise it isn’t always easy to tell the difference. Treat it the same as you would any encounter with “real” live people. You are in control of who you interact with.

Are there things you can do to have a recognizable experience?

There are practices you can implement that will increase your chances of having a memorable experience. The simplest place to begin is with our dreams. This is because we are less likely to try and “make something happen”. We are already doing it; we just are not aware.

Step one is to start keeping a dream journal. 

What? You don’t dream? Well, everyone dreams, you just don’t remember. This can be improved with dedication and patience. Keep a journal next to your bed. I know, who wants to really do that? But I swear it makes all the difference in the world. When you have a dream that you become aware of, write down any details you can remember. When you wake in the morning, do not get out of bed. Sit and try to reminisce about any dreams you may have had. Ask yourself how you are feeling. If you can’t recall anything from the night, think of how you felt at the moment you became aware you were awake. We all have different levels of awareness while at rest. There are people who are present the entire time and aware, some can recall experiences but were not aware they were dreaming, others recall nothing. Wherever you are, is where you start. If all you can remember is how you felt when you woke, write down the date and as many descriptive words as possible. If you can recall the night’s events like a movie, do so as though it is happening right now. No past tense, write as though it is happening to you right now. This triggers our mental recall, and you will eventually remember more details and become more aware while dreaming.

I will also say that I recommend doing this in stages if you do recall your experiences well. I remember everything and this becomes exhausting! It can be as though you are never really asleep and never really awake. This takes a toll on your ability to function in the physical and spiritual worlds. I have found it helpful to only record dreams two nights in a row; then, I work to forget and not be so aware. Many people are like this. The hyper-aware need to take a different approach than the people who sleep soundly and are not aware during their rest time. Use your discretion and if anything causes you distress, then it is not the thing for you. You can always take a break. The world of spirit will always be there, but the physical world won’t. If anything interferes with your ability to function in the physical world, it is something that should be avoided.

Step two is becoming aware.

Now, again if you are already aware then you don’t really need to do this. I find it helpful to have a “trigger” something to help me determine if I am awake and if I am asleep. To many this will make you squint and think “What is she talking about? Of course I know if I am awake”. Well then my friend, you might not be aware when you are sleeping. The experiences while asleep are just as vivid and real as our physical lives sometimes. If you want to be able to control your “dream state” you must know you are dreaming while in the dream. Most of the time we know we are awake, but we don’t usually recognize we are in a dream. The dream feels real when it is happening. There are also those dreams that seem real like the “false awakening” type dreams. These are the reason I said it is important to use your discretion. I would “return to my body” and wake, only I wasn’t awake. I would repeat this over and over in the morning and then when I finally did wake, I had no clue I was really awake. That is how real the experience can be. This can become an issue because the consequences in real life are much different than those in the “dream state”. Again, I am aware of how this sounds but for those who experience it, know the control is always in your hands! 

Step three is a trigger.

Having something that alerts you to if you are awake or asleep is very helpful for many reasons. Pick a thing. Something very physical. Not a sound, or a thought, but a physical thing. Like pinching yourself, snapping a rubber band on your wrist, or even squeezing your own hand. You want an intimate understanding of how this thing feels. It should feel the same every single time. If you do this every fifteen minutes throughout your waking day, you will eventually do it subconsciously while you are at rest. As you snap your rubber band or whatever it is you do, as yourself “Am I awake?” When you are awake this will feel ridiculous. I promise it helps when asleep. When it happens while you are in a dream state, it will feel different because you do not have a physical body there or your actual physical body will replicate the action and wake you up. Both have been experienced so don’t be too surprised if you wake yourself up. Either way, you just made yourself aware you were in a dream state. 

In time, you will do your trigger and become aware while at rest. Once aware, the choice is yours what you do. You can go between the layers of your energy field and have experiences to help discover information your own “soul” wants you to have, or you can have more external experiences. The limit resides only within your belief. 

Awareness is really the key

Once you are able to be aware and make some modifications to your dream state, another really helpful starting place is to use those beginning waking hours to “practice. If you wake before you need to be up, allow yourself to remain not fully awake. Lay in bed and you can try one of the following or another technique for “exiting the body”.

Climb the rope

This one was a technique I learned in a class a while back and I found the concept to be helpful. As you lie in bed still, partially asleep, bring all of your focus to your mind. Focus on the place in the center of your forehead. Look just above your forehead and notice there is a rope. Your eyes are not open for this. All of your energy self is in that spot right now. The “blueprint of who you are is ready to climb that rope”. Reach up and grab it and climb until your energy is fully out of your “body”. This entire process requires unwavering commitment. The moment you question if it is possible, or if you think it is stupid, you will fill yourself with doubt and it will stop working. If it feels like it’s working, don’t question it. Have faith. Anything is possible. Again, getting back won’t be an issue. You will likely do it by mistake. 

Rollover

The same time works best for this technique as well. That magic time right after sort of waking is easiest but anytime will do. You want to lay and be still and centered. Knowing your energy is crucial! If you haven’t mastered that yet, I refer you back to the centering article. We want to feel our energy as it fills our body. Notice anything you are feeling and release any tension. Focus on your fingers. Feel them, they are still, your whole body is still, and it remains still through this entire process. No physical part of you will move. Try to make a fist. Again, don’t move your body but you know what it feels like to make a fist so feel what it would feel like if you did. These beginning steps require imagination. We are sort of going to trick ourselves here so just go with it and it will work. Practice moving your hand slowly opening one finger at a time. Feel your energy extend with each finger that opens. Now, feel that side of the body, focusing on the fist up to the shoulder primarily. Roll onto your side. Keep that focus on how it would feel to do this. Your energy knows how it feels and can do it without your body. Once you roll to your side, keep going and then open your eyes. This process might take more than one try depending on your level of commitment and belief as well as your level of experience with controlling and recognizing your own energy. Odds are, it works long before you realize it has.

These experiences are ones we do instinctually. Learning to control them is no different than learning to control your breathing. This is something many spend years mastering – yet we all can breathe. To master your own energy and awareness is the key to having a meaningful astral experience. There is not going to be a wrong method, there is only what resonates with you and what doesn’t. 

There are crystals that can help the process! 

The list of crystals that can help someone have an astral experience is endless because what we all need is going to vary. Some important things that I have found most people benefit from are the raising of vibrations, reinforcement of natural shields, connection to spirit, faith, the clarity and calm needed to navigate confusion, and most importantly something to re-center and ground once finished. I do have some favorites for these but feel free to experiment and find the ones that resonate best with you! My list of favorites is so long depending on the issue I might be having. Overall, these tend to work well to help facilitate control, recall, and awareness during “astral” experiences.

Try to remember we aren’t going anywhere

Even if we “travel” to view current events, the pyramids in Egypt, or the Moon; we must remember we are in control and we are still right where we started. If we take the super mystical out of this very confusing topic, we open up a world we might previously have refused to accept existed.

The physical world is contained within the spiritual, not outside of it. If we can remember this, the potential experiences we may have will increase exponentially.