What is Astral Projection?
Astral projection is the experience of your soul leaving your body. It is the belief that the soul can detach itself from the physical realm and travel. This is also known as having an out of body experience. There are three major realms (or planes) that exist in the universe. These are the physical, the astral, and the ethereal. The ethereal realm is where the Divine exists in its full self. It is the highest plane and is considered to be the most spiritual of the three. It is where all knowledge exists and all answers are kept; it is known as the soul’s first home. The soul travels through the astral in order to reach the physical realm. When the physical body dies, the soul makes the same trip through the astral again. Upon reaching the ethereal, it becomes one with the Divine and the Universe once more. This is the soul’s life cycle.
The astral realm is the link to both the physical and ethereal realms. There are infinite places the soul can travel to in the astral. Every event that has happened in the physical and ethereal realms has also happened there. The difference is that when you astral project, an event can be altered or changed completely. Your astral trip becomes a place that others can visit as well.
There are negative places and events in our physical world. These are also reflected in the astral. More subversive creatures and dark places exist there, too. Personal fears can make the experience of projection dangerous for some. It can become a place of nightmares and terrors. If the soul goes into the astral surrounded by fear, it becomes a beacon to the darker inner realms. These scary places can provide growth as well, though, if the soul is brave enough to face its fears. Some experiences cause changes in the physical realm. For this reason, many use the astral realm as a path to spiritual enlightenment. By revisiting painful past experiences, one can become at peace with what has happened and banish the negative effect it has placed on the soul. This realm is also home to spirit guides, fairies, mythological creatures, spirits and earthly beings. By connecting with them, the soul can obtain knowledge to bring back to the physical self.
When a person dies, all their physical functions cease. The soul is then able to leave the body. Fortunately, this is not the only way the soul can project. When a person daydreams, that person creates a place or an event that totally blocks out what she physically sees, and will normally become quite still. This experience is strongly associated with the astral realm.
The soul is believed to come out of the body in one large exhale; this is the crucial moment that decides whether you will project or not. A common belief is that the physical body and soul are linked by a long silver cord. This cord prevents one from getting lost in the astral realm. This is also why the soul can travel without harming the physical body.
Please see "How do I astral project?" for tips and pointers on this subject.