FOUR METHODS OF ASTRAL PROJECTION

Method One:
Start off by placing some markers around your room or home. These markers could include such things as a rose, a bowl of cold water, a shoe, etc.. Now lie down on your bed. Next, get up and make a circle, going from one marker to the next and back to your bed. Involve yourself with each of the markers. Smell the rose. Feel the cool wetness of the water. Feel the texture of the rubber sole of the
shoe. When you return to the bed, lie down in your original position.

The next step is to visualize above you a cloud of the purest white. It may
remain as a cloud or you can form it into the shape of your own body (idealized
if desires). You may notice a connection between your physical body and your
double in the form of an umbilical-like cord at your navel, solar plexus, third
eye area, or at the top of your head. People experience this cord in different
places.

Now, will the cloud or double to circle around the markers following the same
path that you had taken earlier. If you noticed the cord, you can see that it
will stretch indefinitely. Have the double or cloud smell the rose, feel the
water and feel the shoe, just as you did earlier. Eventually, this imaginary
tour will change to bi-locationality and finally to astral projection. Once you
have attained these states, there’s no need to limit yourself as to where you
can go. Feel free to visit a friend’s home. Remember that you are learning a
new skill, so don’t try to go too far until you are very comfortable with the
experience.

Even if you are only using imagination, always reabsorb the double or cloud back
into your physical body when you have completed your journey. Also, always end
with a banishing ritual.

Method Two:
This is similar to method one. Either lie down or sit in a chair. Begin by
visualizing a cloud in front of you (or over you if you are lying down). If you
wish, you may form it into a double of yourself.

Now, firmly desire to transfer your consciousness to the double. If you feel a
sudden change in your body, described by some as a lightening or vibrating
feeling, will yourself to open your eyes. Do not try to physically open your
eyes by using your muscles. Just will yourself to see. Do not be surprised when
you see your physical body in front of you.

Spend no more then three minutes concentrating or trying to cause your
consciousness to leave your body and join your Astral self. If it works, fine.
If it doesn’t work in about three minutes, that is fine too. Relax, take some
deep breaths, and try again tomorrow.

The key to succeeding with this system (and with all of the methods, really) is
the URGENT DESIRE TO LEAVE your physical body. When you succeed, be sure to reabsorb the double into your physical body at the end of the projection. Of course, do banishings before and after.

Method Three:
Lie naked on a bed. Have a friend or relative put a folded heavy bedspread on
your feet. Now have your aide slowly drag the folded spread up your body until
it reaches the top of your head. Then the person helping you should quickly lift
the spread up and away from you and quietly leave the room.

Now duplicate the process in your mind’s eye. Only instead of a bedspread, feel
your Astral body rising up. First your feet rise, then your ankles, calves,
knees and so forth to the top of your head. At the point where the bedspread was
lifted from your physical body, imagine your consciousness going with the Astral
body. When finished, reabsorb the double or cloud back into your physical body.

Method Four:
Hear the musical note D natural above middle C in your mind. A little practice
with a piano, pitch pipe, or a friend with a musical instrument will make this
pitch familiar to you. Now double the frequency of the pitch in your mind so
that you hear a pitch an octave higher then the first note. If you are not a
musician, a friend with musical knowledge can help you with this.

Again hear the tune, only an additional octave higher, then hear it an octave
above that. Continue this process until you are far above a piano’s range.

You will notice that you are feeling lighter as the notes get higher in pitch.
You may sense a vibration in your head. Let the sound rise higher and higher as
you feel THE SOUND rise towards the ceiling of your room. When you sense that
the sound is as high as you can go, both as a pitch and within the confines of
the room, will your eyes to open. Again, don’t be surprised if you see your
physical body below. When finished, allow the double to be reabsorbed into the
physical body. This method is particularly good for musicians.

HOW TO ASTRAL TRAVEL

This article is being written in response to the overwhelming interest in
“Astral Travel”. It is my hope that I can dispel many of the myths of Astral
Travel, and provide some common-sense approaches to the subject for the student.

WHAT IS ASTRAL TRAVEL EXACTLY?

The very first myth I wish to dispel is the nonsense concept of “Out of Body”.
When speaking of Astral Travel, the term works well enough as a metaphor; but
many people today seem to have forgotten that it is only a metaphor. How many
hours of wasted time have students invested in half-baked techniques of “getting
out of the body”? I, personally, spent years laying on my back vainly trying to
figure out exactly how to leave my physical body. Likewise, most of the people
who I run across report the same results.

Astral Travel is, quite simply, a method of visiting other planes. However,
it is the nature of these planes that are gravely misunderstood. Let us use, as
an example, the Wizard who spends much time Astral Traveling into the various
Planetary Spheres- also known as the Seven Heavens. In all of the mythological
writings which describe these Heavens, they are specifically described as Higher
Realms. However, when we read the writings of these Wizards, the journey is
described as an inner one. In Shamanic Cultures as well, the Astral Journeys
known as “Vision Quests” were known to be the inner realms of the Shaman’s
psyche. In Australia, the Astral Elm is plainly called the “Dream-Time”.

And so the Astral Realms are, in fact, the inner realms of the Self. Thus it
is that getting “out of body” is a worthless goal- not to mention impossible.
Of course, others will present evidence that they do have interaction with other
Beings- sometimes right here on Earth- while Traveling. These experiences are
often valid, and their nature will be covered below.

The basic thing to keep in mind is that you have been Astral Traveling all of
your life. Being that the Astral Realms are within us, then the obvious
realization is that gaining them is simply the gaining of a certain level of
consciousness. Have you ever been so extremely bored that you “zoned out”? You
entered into a fantasy of some sort, and lost track of everything going on
around you. You were perfectly awake, yet you were “a million miles away”.
This was Astral Travel. Dreaming is another form of this, and Lucid Dreaming is
certainly a form as well. It’s that simple; there are no hidden meanings to
this. Dreams and Daydreams are Astral Travel. The only “trick” is in learning
how to do it at will.

GIVING THE ASTRAL BODY A WORKOUT

The first and foremost thing we must do is give the Astral Body (or Body of
Light) a workout. After spending your whole life in a wheel-chair, one can not
hope to be a runner without some effort toward physical therapy. Thus it is
that I will stress the need for three practices to be done daily for a while
before you can hope to achieve any real success.

One is a Purification and Balancing Ritual. This will serve to blast out of
your aura (the Astral Body) all of the garbage that might otherwise hinder
progress. I suggest the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram very strongly
for this purpose.

Two is a Charging of the Chackras. This will bring large amounts of Energy into
the aura, and get all of it’s component parts up and running. For this purpose
I suggest the Middle Pillar- which should be done immediately after the
Purification above.

And Three is the Circulation of the Body of Light. This consists of two or
three different exercises, all designed to immediately follow the chakra
charging. One is to visualize Energy rising from the ground, through the body,
and bursting forth from the crown of the head like a fountain to rain back down
to the ground. This should cycle repeatedly with the breath- Energy rises with
intake of breath, and falls back to the ground with each exhalation. The next
is to visualize Energy running up one side of the aura and down the other- first
up one side and down the other, and then up the front and down the back. You
can also make it change distances- first a full arm’s length from the body, and
then later make it go up and down along the spine. This should also cycle with
the breath.

Do this everyday at the same time. After you have learned the exercises so that
you can do them smoothly, allow them to continue for a couple of weeks before
continuing with the following. Once you begin the methods below, do not
discontinue them at all. It would do no harm to do them everyday for the rest
of your life, but at least do them until you have mastered Astral Travel.

METHODS OF TRAVEL

Before you continue reading this, I want you to try an experiment. Get into a
comfortable sitting position, or perhaps lay on your back. Clear your mind, and
begin to fantacise about something. It doesn’t matter what- just chose a
setting and allow a little movie to play out within your mind (you don’t even
have to be involved in the movie). Do this now, and then read on afterward…

Now, at this time I will ask you a few questions. Number one: Were you able to
accomplish the exercise at all? Were you able to bring any pictures into your
mind, and have them be solid enough to have any impact? Number two: Did your mind wander? Was it hard- or even impossible- to keep your mind focused on the fantasy? Did you keep losing your train of thought? Did you perhaps fall
asleep?

And, Number Three: How real was the fantasy? Were you aware of what was
around you in the room you sat or laid in? Did you have to move the characters
of your fantasy around consciously like puppets? Did you have to write the
story as it progressed? Or, were you able to completely lose yourself into the
fantasy? Did it seem to take on a life of it’s own and just take you along for
the ride?

If you were able to completely lose yourself into the fantasy, then you are very
lucky indeed. Most likely, however, you experienced some of the above
problems- if not more. The skill of Astral Travel is the skill to avoid these
problems; and, as you can see, not one of them has anything at all to do with
getting “out of body”. Following, then, is a method you can use to gain an
Astral Experience.

MAKING THE ASTRAL BODY

The first thing you have to do is to make your Astral Shell. Of course, it’s
already there, but it’s your ability to picture it that lacks. Thus, we will
work on some techniques for this. Of course, you will surely experience all of
the same problems as you did during the above exercise. However, if you do this
often you will get better at it. There are no easy answers, only practice,
practice, and more practice. It is best to do this everyday at a specific time;
begin at perhaps five minutes, then ten, then fifteen, twenty, and so on.

Get into a nice quite place where you can be sure you won’t be disturbed. Get
comfortable in either a sitting or lying down position. Now, take a deep
breath, and as you do so imagine a great amount of Energy being drawn into you. You can visualize this coming from everywhere, or from the Earth, or from Above- it doesn’t matter. Just make sure that you see and feel this Energy building higher and higher as you take in the breath. Don’t worry about whether it is real or imagined, just imagine it and know that it is working. Once you get
used to the feeling, you’ll know it’s not just imaginary.

Now, once the Energy is built, let all the air out. As you exhale, hold your
hands out as if grasping a ball, and imagine all of the Energy being forced
between them in a spherical shape, and glowing a Golden color. Once you get
used to doing this, you will notice a very specific effect. Holding this ball
of Energy tends to feel much like trying to hold two magnets together with the
same poles facing each other. You’ll feel a kind of non-physical “push” against
your hands.

Once you’ve accomplished this, visualize the Ball moving away from your hands
to a short distance in front of you. Immediately see the sphere take on the
shape of a body- specifically yours. Once more, I stress, don’t worry about if
this is real or imagined. It is real. What the beginner must realize is that
what he imagines IS real. The methods I’m describing are simply ways to make
the imagination seem more real.

At this point, you have a version of yourself standing before you. Of course,
it could (and should) be an idealized version of yourself. I usually picture
myself in full Ceremonial garb. Spend time picturing this. Allow it to move
around some. You can even get up and move, visualizing it matching your
movements (this is similar to an important technique that I will describe
later). You can even go ahead and picture yourself doing something in an
imaginary world- but I would reserve this for a while at first.

The point behind all of this is to help you to visualize yourself. You should
become so familiar with this picture that you can easily call it to mind. At
first, however, you will probably have difficulty. You will only see parts, and
often forget details. Each time you do this, simply correct it and go on with
the exercise. As you practice, it will get better. Give this about a month or
so- or until you are good enough at it to satisfy yourself. Remember, the only
one you can lie to or cheat on this is yourself.

Lastly, as you do this, and the vision gets more stable, you can dispense with
the golden sphere. Just gather the Energy and send it out to form the Shell.
Just remember that this should only be done once the Shell is fully formed, and
you can easily picture it in all detail. Making the golden sphere will help you
focus your mind to the goal. Once you’ve accomplished a good mental mock-up of yourself, then proceed with the following:

THE ASTRAL TEMPLE

This method is one which kills two birds with one stone. Many, possibly most,
Magickal Traditions put a certain amount of stress on the Astral Temple, Middle
Temple, or Place of Comfort. All of these are names for the same thing- a kind
of personal space upon the Astral Plane which only you can access. Once you
master Astral Travel, it is a place where you can go to perform Ceremonies at
any time, anywhere, and with little notice. Best of all, it will always live up
to the image of your own dream Temple or other Sacred Magickal Space.

The practical work on this is extremely simple. Get into your usual place, at
your usual time, and start to fantacise: Get a good picture of your ideal
working space. See yourself walking around in it. Examine all the implements
upon the Altar and the Temple furniture. Have fun with it- it’s that simple.
Of course, you’re just adding the aspect of a background to your previous
visualizations. You want to be able to call the image of your Temple to mind as
easily as the image of your Astral Shell. You’ll want to give this a month or
so as well.

Besides walking around in the Astral Temple, you may wish to perform a simple
Ritual. The Cabalistic “Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram” is a rather
nice one, as well as the other Rituals I mentioned above such as the Middle
Pillar and Circulation of the Body of Light. In fact, you will want to
eventually perform these daily Rituals strictly on the Astral. This serves as a
kind of gauge for progress- to see how far you can get through the ritual before
losing the train of thought. In time, you will be able to perform the entire
Ritual. It will seem less forced, and, most importantly, you will lose track of
your physical body. However, keep in mind that you should NEVER attempt to cast a spell while learning. What harm could be caused if you get half-way through a spell and then lose your train of thought?

Another thing to keep in mind is that it is OK to see yourself from the outside
at first- as you did in the first exercise. Just daydream as you normally
would. As you become accustomed to it, you can begin to try the Astral Body on
for size and daydream from the view-point of the main character- you. After a
while, this will happen naturally anyway. Above all else, BE PATIENT. Give
this time- it could take months to make progress. You would short yourself if
you gave up even before a year (though, don’t allow that to frighten you, as you
should have results much sooner than that).

A SIGN TO LOOK FOR

As you practice this, I’m sure you’ll be looking for some kind of sign of
progress. Of course, the main sign is that you forget about the physical body;
that you get lost within the fantasy completely. However, there is also another
side-effect you will notice in time.

Events on the Astral are not limited the same way as they are here on the
physical. There is no inertia to overcome, no muscles to flex, no atmosphere to
push through, no gravity pulling down, even words do not have to formed on the
lips and vibrated through the air. Thus, you may spend what seems like an hour
or more upon the Astral, only to wake and discover that it’s only been fifteen
minutes to half an hour. This “time displacement” is only achieved by becoming
properly lost in the fantasy, and forgetful of the body. Thus, it serves as a
great sign-post for progress.

BODY MOVEMENTS

There is one final aspect of the above work that I wish to now stress. As you
move within the Temple, and you finally begin to view the fantasy from your own
viewpoint, you will want to pay special attention to how your own body feels.
Not your physical body, but the Astral Body. Feel your legs as they move, and
your feet as they move across the carpet, tile, grass, or whatever. Run your
hands along the surfaces of the Temple furniture and implements. Feel the
temperature of the air around you. Hear any sounds that may be present. This
is an important aspect of gaining full Astral Travel; this is the “trying on of
the Astral Body” I mentioned above.

There is also an exercise that you can use to aid this process. Just as above,
the main problem with gaining Astral Travel is the difficulty of “tricking”
yourself into feeling like you are there for real. Therefore, we can aid our
Astral Senses by first getting better acquainted with our physical ones.

To begin with, simply sit or lay in your comfortable, quiet place as usual. Hold
your hand in front of your face and look at it. Don’t just glance at it, but
really look at it as if you’ve never even seen a hand before. Take in every
detail you possibly can. Most importantly, move the hand. First flex each
finger. Then move the entire hand in various motions. All the while, pay very
close attention to exactly how the hand looks during that motion, as well as how
it feels.

Now, while keeping the hand in front of your face, close your eyes and create a
mental picture of the hand as if it were “overlaid” over the real one. As you
move your real hand, picture the imaginary hand making the same motions. Since your real hand is acting as a guide (even though you can’t see it), this
shouldn’t be too difficult. While you do this, tell yourself that the physical
sensations you are feeling from the motion are coming from the imaginary hand-
that is, forget about the real hand as best as you can. Finally, once you get
that down, cease moving the real hand altogether and allow the imaginary hand to continue it’s motions. You may be surprised to notice that the physical
sensations- which you have tricked your mind into thinking are coming from the
imaginary hand- do not cease. Of course, they will waver some at first because
you will be able to feel your real hand stop. However, the skill here is to
ignore that sensation and to remain focused on the imaginary (Astral) hand.

Once you have this down, then continue with both hands. From there proceed to
your arms. And do not stop this process until you have targeted every body-part
possible in this way. Do this with walking, sitting, crouching, etc., etc.,
etc. A good friend of mine once made the wonderful suggestion of doing this
(once you are working on full-body movements like walking) in a pitch-black
room. If this is not possible, then simply closing or blindfolding your eyes
will do.

Once again, this is not a process of hours, days, or even weeks. Give it a
couple of months at the least. The point here is to become intimately familiar
with your body-movements, and it will take as long to do this with each movement as it takes to become familiar with anything.

THE OTHER SENSES

Once you can A) control your mind to have a decent daydream, and B) trick
yourself into thinking you are physically there, then you can proceed onto the
other senses of the body. This exercise will be a breeze once the above is
mastered.

Around your comfortable area, place five different objects that relate to the
four senses of smell, touch, taste, and hearing. For instance, place a glass of
vinegar about five feet to your left; a bowl of ice five feet in front of you
to your left; a lolli-pop five feet in front of you to your right; and a bell
five feet to your right.

Now, sit in your place, relax, and clear your mind. Slowly stand, walk to the
vinegar, and take a good whiff. Then continue to the next station and push your
hands into the ice. Go from there to the lolli-pop and taste it. From there
continue to the bell and ring it, and finally return to your starting place and
sit or lie down. Just as above, REALLY experience these things as if you’ve
never been exposed to them before. Normally we take these things for granted,
and that is why I’ve suggested such extreme sensations as vinegar, lolli-pops,
and ice. Also, don’t forget to concentrate on your body-movements while you
stand up and walk from one station to the other.

Do this a few times until you feel you are familiar enough with the procedure.
Then, upon returning to the starting position, simply imagine yourself arising
and repeating the process anew (you might want to actually project the Astral
Shell as described above first). Once again, you want to trick yourself into
thinking you’re really doing these things, and to forget about the physical
body. If you lose train of thought at all, simply imagine yourself returning to
the starting point, and then physically get up and start over again. Also, you
may also wish to picture the Astral part of the exercise as being within the
Astral Temple.

This process shouldn’t take as long as the first procedures. At this point, you
should be getting pretty good at it, and things will fall into line rather
quickly. But, still, give this a couple (or more) weeks to really set strongly
within you. As it gets easier, you may wish to alternate the sensations. Change
the vinegar for a sweet smell, the lolli-pop for a salty taste, the ice for
something warm, soft, or rough, and the bell for other sounds. Once you
dispense with the physical objects altogether, spend time on the Astral
alternating them. Pick up the glass and will it to be vinegar, and then
immediately will it to be another liquid, and then another. And so for the other
stations.

By the time you complete this, you should be pretty set as far as the Astral
Body goes. You have charged it, fitted it for size, and gotten used to walking
around in it. At the same time, you have fully constructed your Astral Temple
for later use. All in all, you are Astral Traveling, and it only remains to
make some use of it.

SENSORY DEPRIVATION

Before I continue, I want to briefly discuss the concept of gaining Astral
Projection by way of sensory deprivation. This is a kind of short-cut to the
practice, but as you will see it is certainly not the desirable method.

In the Ancient World, an Initiate into a Mystery Tradition (or sometimes even
manhood in general) was forced into Astral Projection for the purpose of coming
into contact with Spirit Guides, Gods, Elevated Masters, and other such
concepts.

Especially in the instance of “coming into manhood”, the Priests did not have
the months necessary to train one for Astral Travel. And, quite frankly, these
Ancient Cultures did not have the sophisticated techniques we do today to make
the process any easier.

The Ancient Egyptians would tie the Initiate to a stone slab in a dark,
soundless room for three days. Of course, the Initiate was not bond fast- but
if he got up, he would not be able to re-tie the knots himself and his failure
of the ordeal would be known. In the Celtic lands, the Shaman would wrap
himself in a hot, scratchy wool blanket for a few days. Other Cultures would
mutilate the body and, literally, half-kill the Initiate. The purpose of all
the above is the same: to deprive the mind of all of it’s input (the sensory
deprivation), and also to make the person as uncomfortable as possible without
actually killing him.

The result was that the mind HAD to wander elsewhere- else it would surely go
insane. Simply, the lack of sensory input, food, and water, as well as the
pain, would make the person hallucinate. The Priests would have previously
spent time training the Initiate in their systems- filling his head with all the
appropriate Symbolism- so that the hallucinations were more than likely to
follow along those lines. If they did, then the Initiation was a success. If
the Initiate failed to meet the correct Astral Beings, then he was deemed
unworthy of the Path, and sent elsewhere.

What might surprise you is that you have, most likely, already undergone this
very Initiation! Remember above when I asked if you had ever been so bored that
you “zoned out”? When I speak of this, I tend to think back to my school days.
Long hours sitting in a drab classroom, listening either to absolutely nothing,
or to the incessant droning of a teacher. Not being allowed to move, fidget,
speak, or focus your attention on anything of any interest. Add to this the
horribly uncomfortable seats they made you squeeze yourself into, and (if you
happen to be old enough to remember the older ways, or Catholic) even the pain
of the stick as the teacher patrolled the class looking for reasons to abuse
you.

And what was the result of this? You zoned out, went a million miles away, and
basically went jaunting around the Astral Plane. You didn’t know it then, but
now you do, and I hope it brings things into perspective. You’ve already been
Initiated into the Art of Astral Travel. Of course, we experience some problems
because (unlike the Ancients), these were the very times that we were told to
“come back to earth” or to “stop pretending!”. Now we simply have to learn how
to Pretend again, and to make practical use of it.

SO, DOES THIS MEAN IT’S ALL IN MY HEAD AFTER ALL?

The answer is no. Astral Travel is not a state of getting out of body, but it
is a the gaining of a state of consciousness that is not restricted by the body.
As Shamans and Wizards alike know, the deeper into our Selves we go, the closer
to the “Collective Consciousness” we get. Ninety-nine percent of what we
experience on the Astral is totally subjective. However, there is that small
percentage of the experience that is objective. People can interact with each
other, and with other Entities upon the Astral.

One of the things that seems to draw most people to Astral Travel is the concept
that we can do things such as visit friends or other Earthly locations. However,
what is not understood is that this is not Astral Travel, but Etheric Travel.
To understand this concept, I will simply have to explain how the various Planes
are constructed.

THE PLANES AND SUBTLE BODIES

There are five principal Planes (supposedly accessed by various spiritual
“bodies”) that concern the student of Astral Projection. For those of you who
have read other books on Astral Travel, you will be familiar with the following
list of “Subtle Bodies”. From the highest to the lowest they are:

-Causal Body
-Higher Mental Body
-Lower Mental Body
-Astral Body
-Etheric Body
-Physical Body

You will notice that the Astral Body is the second step from the physical. The
fact of the matter is that all Astral Travel occurs here. Some theorize that it
is possible to travel on the Higher Planes, but I do not know if this is the
case at all. The higher Planes shown above are more concepts than anything
else.

If, when we Travel, we are upon the Astral Plane, then when are we on the
Etheric Plane? The answer is simple- the Etheric Plain is the realm of the
Conscious Mind. Modern science has long pondered exactly what the Mind is. The brain we know- but the physical matter which we call a brain does not account for the concept of the sentient and conscious Mind. The Mind is not something physical, but it is certainly something that interacts with the physical. Thus, the Mind must be one single step above the physical- which is the Etheric Realm.

The normal Etheric state is to be perfectly awake and conscious of the world and
the body. When we Astral Travel, we are elevating our awareness another step
higher into the Astral Realm. And thus is the difficulty with Etheric Travel.
In order to project to a physical location, we must force our awareness back to
the level of normal waking consciousness, but somehow keep ourselves from BEING awake and conscious of our bodies and immediate surroundings.

This is certainly possible, but it is extremely difficult. Most texts on Astral
Travel will speak of this “Out of Body Experience” occurring to people who are
sick or dying- where their Mind is not functioning properly to begin with. In
fact, I have personally Etherally Projected once in my life- while I was
extremely sick. It was fun for what it was worth, but that wasn’t much. It is
not only a rare and difficult thing to achieve, but it is basically unnatural,
and an overall useless practice. If it were indeed of any real use, I assure
you the Spy industry would be a vastly different field today.

ENTERING THE HEAVENLY REALMS

Now that you have both the practice, and the concepts behind the practice down,
it’s time to leave the Astral Temple and start visiting some of these Outer
Realms the Grimoires tell us so much about. Though I will not go into any major
detail at this time, I will at least cover the concept.

Many sources tell us about “Gates of Entrance” which we can pass through and
meet all kind of strange and wonderful Beings. They give us the image of the
Gate, and the formula for entering, but only the Initiate may know exactly what
the “Entrance” itself is.

Let us say that you wish to visit the Astral Realm of the Forces of Aries. You
would construct an image of the Aries Symbol, in the proper colors of Aries, and
place it upon your altar. You would then go about a Ceremony of Invocation for
the Forces of Aries, complete with a Calling of the Entities who you wish to
speak to within the Gate. Once all the power has been raised, you would sit
before the altar, get a good picture of the Aries Image in your mind, and then
Astral Travel through it. Some teachers have you actually enter the Astral
Temple first, and then to see a Gate, Door, or Curtain at the edge of the Temple
with the Image upon it. Then, already in your Astral Body, you simply walk
through the Gate and into the land beyond it.

From that point onward, everything you experience will relate to Aries. You
will meet with the Beings you have Called, and They will guide you through the
land and teach you what you are ready to learn about it. If you call no Guide,
or if They simply to not show, then you can walk around and see the land for
yourself. Though, you will more than likely see things that you will wish to
have clarified at a later date.

This practice is for the intermediate to Adept student ONLY. One must know all
about the Sign of Aries so that one can verify the vision. For instance, if the
Adept enters the Aries gate and sees a vast sea with mermaids lounging on rocks,
then he knows that a mistake has been made (for Aries is a Fiery Sign, not a
Watery one). The beginner would not recognize this, and thus would be receiving incorrect information. Of course, there is little to no chance of the Adept entering a Gate with such contradictory results. And, in fact, the same goes for the beginner. Instead, the differences will be subtle enough to fool the
Wizard if he is not on his game. There are many skills that must be learned so
as not to be deceived within the Gates. I am specifically leaving these skills
out, as well as the above mentioned Ceremonies, so as to discourage any foolish
experimentation.

The Major point to visiting these Realms is Initiation. As we visit each Plane,
we will be Initiated into the Forces contained there. We can become Initiated
into the ways of Fire, Water, Air, Earth, the Zodiacal Forces, and the Planets.
We can Astral Travel into ANY symbol to learn more about it- be it occult or
mundane. One could Travel into that man-shape on men’s rooms if one so desired.

SCRYING

As a final note, I wish to mention Scrying. This is exactly the same as Astral
Travel, with the exception of not losing consciousness of the body. You do not
participate in the vision, but simply watch it as an observer. As above, any
symbol can be used for this. For general divinitory purposes, many things can
be used such as a crystal ball, candle flame, etc. Of course, there’s nothing
wrong with just closing your eyes and going for it as well.

Other than that, I will not go into the subject of scrying. I do hope that the
above has greatly helped you in your search for Astral Travel. And I hope that
it has cut through most of the bull surrounding the subject. Good luck on your
journeys!

_______________________________

Permission is granted to distribute this work in electronic form, with these
conditions:

1) No fees may be charged for the distribution or transmission of this document,
other than standard charges for use of transmission lines or electronic media.
Distribution for commercial purposes or by commercial entities is specifically
prohibited.

2) All copies distributed must contain the complete, unedited text of the
original document and this copyright notice.

3) Persons acquiring the electronic version of this document may make one
printed copy for their personal use.

All other rights are retained by the author.

Meanings for Common Dreams

Common Dream Interpretations

By Phylameana lila Desy

Flying Dreams

The meaning of flying dreams has been the topic of much speculation and makes for interesting water cooler conversations. Flying dreams actually often have to do with career aspirations. Flying can symbolize ambition and attaining higher status.

Types of Flying Dreams and What They Could Mean

Soaring High: Flying upwards indicates success or achievement. Look below you to see what is underneath you to discover what area of your life is going well. Are you flying over your home (family happiness) or over the building where you work (business successes).
Flying in/on a Vehicle: Were you floating away in a hot air balloon, grabbing onto a kite string, sitting inside an airplane, or being carried in the arms of Superman? Any of these flying dreams indicate that your efforts are being supported by someone else. You are not alone in your endeavors.
Losing Altitude: A need for re-evaluation of your goals. Ask yourself if you are headed in the right direction.
Failure to get Lift-Off: A strong gravity pull could be signifying a need for grounding.

Falling Dreams

Falling dreams are often manifestations of our fears and anxieties.

Types of Falling Dreams and What They Could Mean

Falling from the Skies:: Flying downwards from the heavens may symbolize a “fall from grace.” Has an authority figure expressed disappointment in you? Have you embarrassed yourself by recent behaviors?
Being Pushed: Loss of empowerment. Getting fired or looked over in a promotion you were hoping for. Or, being bullied or forced into an uncomfortable situation.
Stumbling as you Walk: Feeling as if you have lost your way in your life path. Overly anxious about finding your life purpose.
Jumping without a Parachute: Being or feeling unsupported by others.
Being Jerked Awake: Have you ever been awoken from a falling dream? Or felt a jerking sensation in your body that jolts you awake? One theory for this happening is that your spiritual body has returned from its astral flight and that “jolt” is the dreamer experiencing re-entry into the physical realm.

Nakedness in Dreams

Being naked in a dream could indicate feelings of emotional vulnerability or fears of exposure. A clue to the meaning of nudity in your dream is any emotion attached to it. Did you feel excited, embarrassed, surprised, carefree, or some other emotion?

Types of Nudity Dreams and What They Could Mean

Nudity in a Public Place: Feelings of embarrassment or guilt.
Naked in the Classroom: Feeling vulnerable among your peers.
Being Naked Among Friends or Family: Desire to be seen or accepted as your authentic self.
Loss or Disappearance of Clothing: Hidden truths or secrets revealed.
Carefree Nudity in a Lucid Dream: Expression of freedom, open-mindedness, or unrestrained self-acceptance.

Pregnancy Dreams

Dreaming of being pregnant could be prophetic, but these types of dreams typically mean you are growing spiritually, OR something creative is incubating within your being. Having a baby in your dream can represent rebirth or something new is entering your life. Because you are the one pregnant in the dream or the person birthing the new life, you will be the creator or the originator of a new idea.

Types of Pregnancy Dreams and What They Could Mean

Conceiving a Child: Seeding a new idea, being open to start afresh, or setting new goals.
Being Pregnant: Growing or incubating a new idea, anticipation of a change, or laying the groundwork for a new project.
Giving Birth: Birthing a new idea, undertaking a new direction, or entering a new life stage
Experiencing Labor Pains: Growing pains or painful life lessons.
Experiencing False Labor: Misunderstandings or wrong timing.
Having a Miscarriage: Unfulfilled hopes or wishes or missed opportunities.
Aborting a Pregnancy: Squelching an idea or giving up on your dreams.

Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

by Agarwal

Astral Projection is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. It is a process by which the human consciousness temporarily leaves the physical body and functions independently, while the physical body remains still and passive throughout.

There are hundreds of techniques available that induce Projection. But since there is no universal method that would work for everyone to attain conscious projection, we will discuss some different kinds of techniques. You should know them all to decide which one suits you best.

In this section we will discuss some most popular and widely used techniques of experiencing an OOBE.

1. Rope Technique : This technique has been formulated by Robert Bruce and is one of the most effective techniques around. A key ingredient to this projection technique is an invisible, imaginary rope hanging from your ceiling. This rope will be used to exert dynamic pressure at a single point on your astral body to force its separation from the physical.

Reach out with your imaginary hands and pull yourself, hand over hand, up the strong, invisible, imaginary rope hanging above you. You will feel a slight dizzy sensation inside you as you do this. This feeling of vertigo will intensify the more you pull on the rope.

Keep climbing, hand over hand, ever upwards, and you will feel the vibrations start. Your whole body will seem to be vibrating and you will feel paralyzed. Concentrate single minded, on climbing your rope. Don’t stop.

Next you will feel yourself coming free of your body. You will exit your body in the direction of your imaginary rope and will be hovering above your body. You’re free at last!

2. Watch Yourself Going To Sleep : Lie down comfortably on your back, facing the ceiling. Relax your body and clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Relax even more.

Tell yourself that you are going to watch yourself in the act of going to sleep. You must be very clear about your intent. You’re going to let your body sleep while your mind will remain alert throughout the entire process. Tell yourself you will retain consciousness even while your body is going to be in complete “trance”.

As you relax completely, you must learn to recognize the rather strange, distinctive sensations you feel as your body moves into the sleep state. You MUST stay aware as this unfolds. At a certain point, you will feel that your body is feeling heavy and numb.

You are on the right track! Pay close attention to all your bodily sensations. You may feel yourself swaying or floating. You might even find certain parts of your body tingling. There might be vibrations running from your head to toe. You might even hear a strong buzzing sensation in your ears. Whatever the sensations, do not panic as these are very good signals that you are on the verge of experiencing an OOBE.

You have to then visualize that you are rising up from your bed and floating towards the ceiling. How would it feel if you could actually float? Try to make the experience as real as possible. Hold this image for as long as you can. If everything goes on well, you might suddenly find yourself outside the body, floating near the ceiling!

3. Monroe Technique : Robert Monroe, one of the foremost authorities on Astral Projection devised this method.

You have to first relax your body. This is a very important step.

Then try to go to sleep, but don’t fall asleep. Maintain your awareness between sleep and wakefulness. This is known as the hypnagogic state. Then deepen this hypnagogic state and start to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the blackness in front of you.

Then you must enter an even deeper state of relaxation. The next step is to induce vibrations throughout your body and intensify them. These vibrations have to be controlled and intensified further. This is the moment when the Astral body will separate from the Physical body. You then simply have to “roll-over” and you will find yourself out of your body.

4. OOBE from Lucid Dreams : Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming. In a Lucid Dream a person is already “out” of his body.

In order to achieve Astral Projection from Lucid Dreams, you have to first become obsessed with OBEs and you must really DESIRE it. You must read everything you can about it. You must think about it every free moment that you have.

Once your mind is besotted with the thought of OOBEs we will need triggers and affirmations so that you have a Lucid Dream. During the day keep thinking: ‘Tonight I’m going to have a Lucid Dream’. Remind yourself of this all day long. And – and this is the important part – keep asking yourself during the day “Am I dreaming now?”

With a few days of practice, you’ll have programmed your sub-conscious to induce a Lucid Dream.

Once you are in a Lucid Dream, and know that you are dreaming, you would also know that you are not in your body. You can then will yourself to see your bedroom. In most cases, when you do this, your dreamland will suddenly disappear and you will find yourself in your bedroom, floating above your body.

5. Displaced-awareness Projection : Close your eyes and get into your usual trance-state Try to sense the entire room, at once. Feel yourself just above your shoulders and seeing all around. Be very passive about what is going on.

Then imagine that your Astral Body is slowly rotating by 180 degrees. Once you finish your mental rotation, your Astral head should be where your physical feet are, and your Astral feet would be where your physical head is! With this firmly in your mind, try visualizing the room from this new direction.

The idea is to forget about where you really are, and displace your sense of direction. When you do this correctly, you will find yourself getting dizzy. This is normal.

When you are comfortable with this, the next step is to imagine floating towards the roof. Try to make it as real as possible. You may suddenly find yourself “popped” out of your physical body!

6. The Jump Technique: The Jump Technique, when done well, can wake up anyone in their dreams and make them Lucid. However, it does need to be done well.

This is how the technique works: We repeatedly need to ask ourselves during the day whether we are in a dream or not. It is important that we do this not just for the sake of asking ourselves the question, but because we really want to know where we are. We should really doubt that we are in the Physical. So in order to prove where we are, we jump as if we were going to fly. If we are in the Physical, we will land back on the ground. But during a dream, when we jump, we will defy gravity and float.

When this is done for a few days, you will soon find yourself in a dream in which you are jumping to check whether you are in a dream or not. As soon as you jump, you will find yourself floating, thus triggering a Lucid Dream and an OOBE.

7. Muldoon’s Thirst Technique: This is not one of the most pleasant or effective methods designed by Sylvan Muldoon.

In order to use this technique, you must refrain from drinking for some hours before going to bed. Throughout the day increase your thirst by every means you can. Keep a glass of water in front of you and stare into it, imagining drinking, but not allowing yourself to do so!

Then before you sleep, eat a pinch or two of salt. Place the glass of water at some convenient place away from your bed and rehearse in your mind all the actions necessary to getting it: getting up, crossing the room, reaching out for the glass, and so on. You must then go to bed, still thinking about your thirst and the means of quenching it. At night, you might awaken in your dream and you will find yourself walking towards the glass of water. With any luck the suggestions you have made to yourself will bring about the desired OBE.

8. The Stretch-out Technique: Lie down, shut your eyes and relax your body. Imagine your feet stretching out and becoming longer by just an inch or so. Once you have this picture in your mind, let your feet go back to normal. Do the same with his head, stretching it out an inch beyond its normal position. Then, get it back to normal. Then alternate all between head and feet, gradually increasing the distance until you can

stretch out both your feet and head to about two feet or more. At this stage imagine stretching out both at once. This exercise will make you feel dizzy and often start the vibrations.

After some practice, you will experience floating sensations and you can then tell yourself to rise up towards the ceiling. You are out!

9. The Hammock Technique: Visualize yourself lying in a bright white hammock, stationed between two palm trees on a secluded beach. Imagine the feeling of swaying in the wind, and recreate that feeling now as you visualize yourself swaying from side to side in the hammock. Repeat this visualization for as long as it takes to bring forth the vibrations, and when you feel the vibrations, just “roll-out” of your body.

Whichever technique you choose, you are unlikely to get a result on the very first night, or even on the first few nights – so take your time with them and try not to get frustrated when nothing happens at first. But I promise you will soon start to see some results.

Charm for Lucid Dreaming

Items You Will Need:

Peppermint

Light blue mojo bag

Cinnamon

Lemon balm

Calendula

Vervain

Hops

Instructions:

If you find you need a little help in lucid dreaming, or you want to learn the answer to a specific problem, this charm bag is a great tool It soothes the waking mind and helps your sleeping mind to focus. The ingredients can also be used to feel a dream pillows as well. Make or buy a light blue Mojo or talisman bag. Put in a pinch or two of each of the following:

Peppermint

Cinnamon

Lemon Balm

Calendula (Marigold)

Vervain

Hops

During the Full Moon, put the bag together, then consecrate and charge it. Make certain it is tied tightly. Before sleep each night, rub the bag over our third eye (center of forehead) and concentrate on the question, problem or situation. Then place the bag under your pillow. Continue to concentrate on the situation as you drift off. When you wake, jot down whatever you remember in your dream journal. Your question should be answered within the first few nights. This pouch can also help increase your skill at lucid dreaming, by keeping your mind focused on the fact that you are just dreaming.

Dream Magick

Dream catchers, pillows and journals are popular items for the Witch. Dreams open a world to use that is beyond our normal realm of perception. Stones and herbs can add vividness to our dreams. The extra boost of energy they impart allow us to remember our dreams more clearly. We can interpret the signs and symbols in our dreams to help us relate more effectively to the people in our everyday lives.

Dreaming takes place on the Astral Plane. It occupies the same space as magick. Dreams are the vehicles for departed souls and the Gods to reach us and impart their messages.

Dream Control Method
Learn to realize you are having an out of body experience through dream control!
Then when you have become successful with that part of dream control , you will be ready for this part. You need to advance your dream techniques to where you realize that you are dreaming so that you can control the dream. Once you realize that you are dreaming you will find that you can control where you want to go and what you want to do.

Now I am talking about when you have a dream that is in full blown color.
Those type of dreams usually mean that your are actually out of body. You see, when people go to sleep at night their astral bodies leave and float around the astral planes in a dreamy state or gathering energy. Sometimes you may be learning things from other higher beings and eventually it is released in your conscious state later on when these beings think the time is right. You just have to become conscious of all this.
Here are your key pointers:

Work with dreams that are in full color.
You must learn to become conscious during the dream.
Try to take control of the dream and go where you wish.
When you have achieved control you will know you have had an OBE!
Remember to keep a diary of every experience.

More Dreams Come True Comments

MONROE TECHNIQUES FOR ASTRAL PROJECTION

Note: After having studied many methods of Astral
Projection, I have found that this is the easiest to do.
Monroe teaches these techniques in a week, but they can be
easily done in a day, with proper devotion. I feel that this
technique is superior to others because it doe not require
intense visualization, which many people cannot do.
enjoy!

(Taken from Leaving The Body: A Complete Guide to Astral
Projection, D. Scott Rogo, prentice Hall Press)

One of the chief barriers people learning to project face is
fear. Many are afraid that they may die, or be harmed in some
way as a result of their projection. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. The Canterbury Institute, renowned for its
occult studies, executed an experiment in projection involving
over 2,000 people. None of them were hurt in any way by this,
and now, three years later, none have complained of any newly
arising problems.

Once you are aware that you cannot be harmed by projecting,
you should begin monroe’s techniques, step by step.

Step one:
Relax the body. According to Monroe, “the ability to relax
is the first prerequisite, perhaps even the first step itself”
to having an OBE. (out of body experience) This includes both
physical and mental relaxation. Monroe does not suggest a
method of attaining this relaxation, although Progressive
Muscle relaxation, coupled with deep breathing exercises
(inhale 1, exhale 2, inhale 3…. until 50 or 100) are known
to work well.

Step two:
Enter the state bordering sleep. This is known as the
hypnagogic state. Once again, Monroe doesn’t recommend any
method of doing this. One way is to hold your forearm
up, while keeping your upper arm on the bed, or ground. As you
start to fall asleep, your arm will fall, and you will awaken
again. With practice, you can learn to control the Hypnagogic
state without using your arm. Another method is to
concentrate on an object. When other images start to enter
your thoughts, you have entered the Hypnagogic state.
Passively watch these images. This will also help you
maintain this state of near-sleep. Monroe calls this Condition
A.

Step three:
Deepen this state. Begin to clear your mind. observe your
field of vision through your closed eyes. Do nothing more
for a while. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the
blackness in front of you. After a while, you may notice
light patterns. These are simply neural discharges. They
have no specific effect. Ignore them. When they cease, one

has entered what Monroe calls Condition B. From here, one
must enter an even deeper state of relaxation which Monroe
calls Condition C– a state of such relaxation that you lose
all awareness of the body and sensory stimulation. You are
almost in a void in which your only source of stimulation will
be your own thoughts.
The ideal state for leaving your body is Condition D.
This is Condition C when it is voluntarily induced from a
rested and refreshed condition and is not the effect of normal
fatigue. To achieve Condition D, Monroe suggests that you
practice entering it in the morning or after a short nap.

Step Four:
Enter a state of Vibration. This is the most important
part of the technique, and also the most vague.
Many projectors have noted these vibrations at the onset
of projection. They can be experienced as a mild tingling, or
as is electricity is being shot through the body. /their
cause is a mystery. It may actually be the astral body trying
to leave the physical one.
For entering into the vibrational state, he offers the
following directions:

1. Remove all jewelry or other items that might be touching
your skin.
2. Darken the room so that no light can be seen through your
eyelids, but do not shut out all light.
3. Lie down with your body along a north-south axis, with your
head pointed toward magnetic north.
4. Loosen all clothing, but keep covered so that you are
slightly warmer than might normally be comfortable.
5. Be sure you are in a location where, and at a time when,
there will be absolutely no noise to disturb you.
6. Enter a state of relaxation
7. Give yourself the mental suggestion that you will remember
all that occurs during the upcoming session that will be
beneficial to your well-being. Repeat this five times.
8. Proceed to breath through your half-open mouth.
9. As you breath, concentrate on the void in front of you.
10. Select a point a foot away from your forehead, then change
your point of mental reference to six feet.
11. Turn the point 90 degrees upward by drawing an imaginary
line parallel to your body axis up and above your head. Focus
there and reach out for the vibrations at that point and
bring them back into your body.

Even if you don’t know what these vibrations are, you
will know when you have achieved contact with them.

Step five:
Learn to control the vibrational state. Practice
controlling them by mentally pushing them into your head, down
to your toes, making them surge throughout your entire body,
and producing vibrational waves from head to foot. To produce
this wave effect, concentrate of the vibrations and mentally
push a wave out of your head and guide it down your body.
Practice this until you can induce these waves on command.
Once you have control of the vibrational state, you are ready to leave the body.

Step six:
Begin with a partial separation. The key here is thought
control. Keep your mind firmly focused on the idea of leaving
the body. Do not let it wander. Stray thought might cause you
to lose control of the state.
Now, having entered the vibrational state, begin exploring
the OBE by releasing a hand or a foot of the “second body”.
Monroe suggests that you extend a limb until it comes in
contact with a familiar object, such as a wall near your bed.
Then push it through the object. Return the limb by placing it
back into coincidence with the physical one, decrease the
vibrational rate, and then terminate the experiment. Lie
quietly until you have fully returned to normal. This exercise
will prepare you for full separation.

Step seven:
Dissociate yourself from the body. Monroe suggests two
methods for this. One method is to lift out of the body. To
do this, think about getting lighter and lighter after
entering this vibrational state. Think about how nice it
would be to float upward. Keep this thought in mind at all
costs and let no extraneous thoughts interrupt it. An OBE will
occur naturally at this point.
Another method is the “Rotation method” or “roll-out”
technique. When you have achieved the vibrational state, try
to roll over as if you were turning over in bed. /do not
attempt to roll over physically. Try to twist your body from
the top and virtually roll over into your second body right
out of your physical self. At this point, you will be out of
the body but next to it. Think of floating upward, and you
should find yourself floating above the body.
Monroe suggests you begin with the lift-out method, but
argues that both are equally efficacious.

Quiz of the Day – Are You a Tracker or a Dreamer?

Are You a Tracker or a Dreamer? Quiz

Annie B. Bond

Trackers and dreamers experience energy very differently and connect to the world in very different ways: trackers plan and carry out their plans, where dreamers jump into reality without regard for plans. See if you are more of a dreamer or a tracker with this fun quiz:

Examine these pairs of statements and see which of each pair sounds most like you:

I purposefully consolidate energy. I keep awareness open to radical transformation.

I develop flexibility and fluency among different worlds. I am often black-and-white, totally in perspective or totally out of it.

I tend to be lighthearted. I often become morose or obsessed, seemingly lost within the energies of my world.

I find knowledge through shifting social identities. I find knowledge through shifting the various dreams of reality.

I find meaning in stability, then hook dreaming into the physical and build it from there. I take my awareness, fixate on it, then project that onto others.

I have a difficult time accessing the full robustness of dreaming. I have a difficult time relating to what I consider the limitations of the physical world and the requirements of building something over time.

I isolate components of a problem, then apply strategic pressure to open doors. I sense options, then open doors.

I need training to stretch my energy body. I need training to get down to earth.

I may get lost in the nuances of my wondrous accomplishments. I may get lost in the currents of my own dreams.

If you identified more with the first statement of each pair, you are a Tracker. If you related more to the second, you are a Dreamer.

What’s Up On This Wild & Wacky Wednesday!

Good afternoon, my sweets! Don’t you just love the pic? I saw her and she put a smile on my face (which I desperately needed today). I keep planning on sitting down and writing a longer post each day. Then I look at the clock and panic, I am running late. I promise I am going to get up early and catch you up on things and talk a little magick too. I have been doing some astral projection which I can’t wait to tell you about. That will go in the letter too. Oh no, a letter, she said! I know I get started I don’t know when to hush. But I promise it won’t be too long, lol!

Anyway, got to run for now, I hear those horoscopes a’callin’.

Have a beautiful & blessed day, my friends,

Luv & Hugs,

Lady A

Astral Travel

Astral Projection, out of body experience, lucid dreaming
Don’t you want to know what the other side will be like?
We all leave our physical bodies when we go to sleep at night.
You may have thought you were dreaming when actually you out of body traveling around the astral planes.
For instance if you were dreaming in full blown color and maybe flying or falling.
In these scenarios you would be actually be astral projecting.
You can learn to consciously leave the body by using my porthole device or
you can use my dream control method, or maybe this method here.
Just so you know… there are many different methods to induce an out of body experience.
There is no best method. The best method is whatever works best for you.
Here is one simple method that is easy to learn.
Simply lay down with the lights off. Make sure you are completely relaxed.
Lie there and be quite and still, calm and clear your mind.
Imagine your astral body which may look like gray matter shaped in the form of your body.
Imagine it lifting and floating out of your body, floating up to the ceiling in your room.
Turn and look down and try to see you body lying there.
If you are successful you may want to stay in the room and float around a bit,
staying close to the body. Or you can choose to walk through walls and travel to
where ever you wish to go. You can fly there or you can will yourself there instantly.
Here are some pointers:
Watch what you think. Everything you think can manifest on the astral planes.
So you don’t want to be thinking about anything evil or you will attract it!
Anytime you think you are scared and or lost, just think of your body and you will be back in it in a flash.
Ever notice that when you are falling in a dream and you hit the bottom you always wake up quickly!
That is your astral body snapping back into place.
The use of drugs can lower your vibrations meaning you will not be able to travel to
higher astral planes where the vibrations are higher.
The reason you will want to travel higher on the astral planes is because you may have
to escape an attack by a lower vibrating entity. They can not travel to the higher planes.

ASTRAL PROJECTION

Astral projection (OOBE, out of the body experience)

is a popular area of occult literature; for traveling to see

other worlds and places while the physical body sleeps or is

entranced is an exciting notion. Astral projection is not

dangerous. It is as safe as sleeping. Most dreams are probably

unconscious astral projections, anyway. Although there has

been quite a bit written on the subject, astral projection

is difficult for many people. The main difficulty is the

tendency to forget dream consciousness upon awakening.

Accordingly, the successful practice of astral projection

requires work.

Modern psychology discounts the idea of actual OOBE

(that the spirit temporarily vacates the physical body).

However, the idea is very ancient. The Tibetans have an

entire system of yoga (dream yoga) based upon astral

projection. And here we have an important assumption: you are

involved in an OOBE (at least to a degree) whenever you

dream. What sets it apart from a full OOBE is your hazy

consciousness during the experience and poor recall

afterwards. Many people forget most of their dreams

completely. Learning astral projection requires a kind of

inner mental clarity and alertness.

Dreams are a door to the subconscious which can be

used for psychological and spiritual insight, and sometimes

for precognition. Dream content is influenced by external

sounds and sensations. For example, a loud external noise

(such as a train) will likely appear in your dream (if it

doesn’t wake you up!). Dreams are also influenced by events

of the previous day, by your moods, and by suggestion.

Everyone normally dreams 4 or 5 times a night (about every 2

hours). The longest dreams occur in the morning. Everyone

dreams. You are more likely to remember the details of your

dream when you first wake up. By keeping a dream diary you

will improve dream recall. Have writing equipment or a tape

recorder at your bedside for this purpose; also a light

which isn’t too bright. Suggest to yourself several times

before you go to sleep, “I will awaken with the knowledge of

a dream.” Then when you do awaken, move quietly (sometimes

just turning over drives the idea away). Remember first,

then write the dream down, and then add as many details as

possible. The next day check for objective facts and expand

if you can (by remembering ‘what happened before that’). Once

you start remembering your dreams in this way, it will

become easier to do so. (If you are unsuccessful at this,

and *really* want to remember your dreams, you could

arrange for someone to sit by your bedside all night long

with a dim light on. Then when he sees your eyes moving back

and forth — rapid eye movements, a sign you are dreaming —

he can wake you and ask for a dream report.)

Realistic Magical Advice for the “Good” Witch

Realistic Magical Advice for the “Good” Witch

Author: The Wyld Dream

As a spell slinger I am often referred to those in “dire need.” Sometimes the problem is rather simple. I have been sent after lost keys, a missing cat, and have had many requests for the usual prosperity spells. Occasionally the difficulty is more occult in nature and there is a problem spirit, a nasty Witch, or even a demonic possession.

Often the person in need is not a Witch and has little or no familiarity with real Magic. They have heard from others that I am “the real deal” and that I can help them. They are willing to suspend their disbelief and trust their contact’s assertion that I can and will magically solve the problem for free. Such is the way of the “good Witch.” A real Magic user often puts themselves out there as a white hat, a do-gooder, a veritable magnet for trouble and we traditionally do it for free.

There is a little saying, “You get what you pay for.” In the case of magical advice this well-known axiom tends to work in the reverse. Very few truly good and helpful Witches make significant amounts of money from practicing their craft. Most won’t take a dime. All that these generous folk ask for is the acknowledgement that they are “real” Magic users, and that you fully accept that when all is said and done that you have been helped by their use of Magic.

I firmly believe that the craft of will working reality is a skill. Yes some people have natural talent, but in the end most people can learn how to consciously change reality and “make things happen.” I believe that everyone, even the most dense and ardent disbeliever already uses Magic daily. The difference between Witches, sorcerers, Wicca, and other will workers is that we do it with purpose.

Using Magic is like dreaming. All people must sleep and all must dream but some people are able to lucid dream. They can control their dream reality. Some have a natural ability to lucid dream, others have taught themselves this skill, several people can lucid dream only rarely, and a few people simply cannot seem to ever remember their dreams at all. Those who can lucid dream have different levels of skill, a number of them can change themselves, some can change their environment, and others can force various people or elements into a dream.

In our waking world there are people that are natural magi. They don’t think much about how they do Magic and find that almost any technique of ritual, focus, or magical practice will work for them. Then there are people who have to try a little bit harder. They have to seek out the magical practice that works best for them. This is an ongoing process of trial and error that can at times be exhausting.

Then there are the difficult ones, the ones that really want to believe, but simply cannot “see” Magic. Where others see providence, they can only see coincidence. And then there are the unfortunate ones. They are completely blind to all Magic and insist that those those of us who do see Magic are mistaken.

Real Magic is a balance between the two opposites of providence and coincidence. For one who is aware of the underlying structure of reality there is no such thing as coincidence, and therefore conversely there is also no true providence. Somewhere between destiny and random happenstance lies the will worker’s mutable continuum of existence. They see that there is a multiplicity of Truths to this existence, and often Witches who are actually capable of effecting change can choose the Truth or the reality that they want to accept at any given moment.

This leads us back to the simple problem of a set of missing keys. When dealing with this predicament there are certain Truths that must be established: Have the keys been stolen, or are the keys “lost?” When and where the keys last seen? Where would the keys normally be? How many other people could have affected the location of the keys?

However before I lift so much as an eyebrow in an effort to find the keys using Magic I must first establish that the client has tried every mundane way possible to find the keys. Why? Because Magic isn’t a toy. Magic is not the easy button you slam whenever you are finding that things in life are inconvenient. If they were my keys, and I was practicing my skill with Magic I would attempt to use my ability of just “knowing” to find the keys. This practice would be for my own edification, and would teach me a valuable lesson on accepting my “knowing” but when working for someone else I need to consider the fact that I may be removing an opportunity for them to learn.

There are many lessons in a lost set of keys. Just telling someone where their keys are teaches them nothing. There are lessons about responsibility, about caution, about being organized, and in the case of an unrecoverable set of keys, about replacing locks. Casting a Magic spell won’t help them in the long run because they will just lose their keys again. Do I have a right to helps someone circumvent their lessons? Do I want the client to put me in their speed dial and call me every time they lose their keys or a contact lens? I don’t think so. Though, maybe just this once they need to learn that Magic is real. So, if I decide that is indeed the lesson that they need to learn the best way to teach them is to let them do it for themselves.

If someone has tried every mundane means feasible short of renting a metal detector to find their keys and are ready to ask for magical help I would consider what would work best for them. In this case dowsing rods seem appropriate. I would take two pieces of thick wire of nearly the same length, bend the ends to make handles and give them to the client and explain that they will point toward the keys. This has in the past lead to a merry chase where in we find every set of keys except the right ones when all the while I know the keys are in their car.

Sometimes there are no keys to find. The keys have been “found” and moved and are no longer lost. A stranger picked them up off the sidewalk or a coworker absconded with them. In these instances I have no choice but to tell people, “Sorry. I don’t see them. I don’t think that they are lost.” We can try to find them, but sometimes some things don’t come back even with real magical help. At this point I recommend putting an ad in the local paper.

This same logical approach can be applied to even the worst situations such as the negative spirit, and the demonic possession. First have they tried any and every possible mundane way to deal with the problem? Have they looked into medical help and made sure they don’t have a brain tumor or a chemical imbalance? Do they live underneath major power lines? Are they exposed to hallucinogens or drugs on a regular basis? Did they do LSD in high school? Think about it, the client isn’t a doctor, nor are they a Witch, can they honestly tell the difference between a hallucination and a visitation? Probably not, so try to encourage them to seek medical advice first.

Once you have established that they are indeed sane and healthy, ask them why they haven’t gone to their church. This is an important question. I am a Polytheist and therefore I don’t casually recommend organized religion as a way to deal with these problems but historically it has been effective to use high ritual to strengthen the mind of the afflicted and allow them to use their faith to either overcome the spirit or close their mind to random spiritual minutia. If you are their clergy then it is your duty to give them as much help as you can. Do not offer help you are not qualified to give, such as medical advice. Do seek a second opinion. Sometimes when you have a very good hammer, such as Magic, all problems start looking like nails, but not every problem is magical or spiritual.

The difference between a hallucination and a visitation is generally speaking academic. Do you honestly believe that there is a presence behind the voices your client hears? Do you hear them too? Can you “feel” a presence? Do you think you can make them go away? If the answer is yes, then you have a visitation. Otherwise if only a single individual can experience the disembodied presence it is a hallucination, and if it isn’t caused by a chemical imbalance there are a myriad of other mundane explanations that can be examined, and finally there is the potential for a genuine but singular haunting or possession.

It is important to consider the possibility that the problem can also be both chemical and magical, and sometimes solving one half of the equation; the chemical, you can also solve the magical problem. Someone who has a lithium imbalance or a drinking problem is far more likely to draw dark spirits than other people. In essence their minds are often more open to negative influence. Righting their chemical imbalance through professional help of doctors, medications, or addiction programs can lead to a reduction in spiritual problems.

And then there are those that don’t fit into either category, the emotional. Occasionally you will find that a person is physically healthy, spiritually unhindered but still disturbed by an inability to cope with reality. Some people have emotional damage that you cannot help. They seek attention, are overly dramatic, and while they might truly believe that they are haunted are completely unwilling to take logical action to take care of the problem. Generally they will only take steps to make things worse because they are seeking attention. In such cases it is best for you to walk away and don’t look back.

Furthermore, it is very dangerous to try to help people who are not mentally well, and whether magical, chemical, or simply emotional someone who is fighting a dark presence is not well. Proceed with caution. Emphasize a mundane solution first. A sane healthy person has nothing to lose going to get a cursory medical examine. They won’t balk at speaking to their doctor nor will they shun getting their home checked for uncommonly strong electromagnetic fields caused by power lines, fault lines, or poor wiring. Someone who doesn’t want to deal with the mundane problem and solutions probably won’t actually be able to accept your magical help either, so don’t waste your time.

This leads me to EM fields, radiation, and other sources for visual and auditory delusions. There can be many reasons why someone suddenly experiences negative or positive “spiritual” presences that have to do not with their personal psychic or magical ability but instead are based on their environment. By spiritual I mean disembodied non-corporeal entities. These disturbances can come in a vast array of visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory “hallucinations”.

Again I must emphasize that it can be both a real tangible scientific cause, such as disruptive electromagnetic fields that cause the brain to see things that aren’t there, and it can also be a spirit using those same EM fields as fuel and “messing” with their poor human neighbors because they can. Take care of one problem, poor wiring causing a high EM field in a house, and generally the person won’t have visions, or the ghost won’t be able to bother them any more. (Or at least, not as much.)

And as frightening as the situation likely is for your client there are things they can do that will help. First they must deal with the problem rationally and explore all possible causes and cures and consider possible compromises. Not all spirits are evil. Usually they will come to a Magic user for help because this is a new and frightening experience for them. You must ask them is the really that bad, or is it something they just aren’t accustomed to? If you believe the presence is tied to a location you must ask them why they won’t move. Keep in mind that just because their house is old doesn’t mean it is a ghost bothering them, nor is the strange noise just the house settling. Sometimes the answer is both, and occasionally it is neither.

Teenagers, mostly girls, tend to draw particularly violent and aggressive spiritual disturbances known as poltergeists. This label is a misnomer. It indicates that there is a “noisy ghost” haunting the subject but I have fond that half the time it is subject herself having uncontrollable psychic energy surges unrelated to any outside manifestations. Generally these go away as the girl matures; rarely does the individual learn to control the phenomenon. Some have reoccurrences later in life under particularly stressful situations. If you interrogate a subject you might ask if they were “haunted” in their teenage years and if they are currently under stress from a source other than the visitation.

In the case of possession, there is no positive compromise. A human has exclusive and prime right to their body and under no circumstance should they be encouraged to “share” that private space. In this instance I must insist you ask for and ardently seek help in your area. Start with medical. A chemical imbalance can make a person weak, and susceptible to possession. An emotional imbalance can cause that as well. Remember that if you are not experienced at exorcism you can get hurt, the client can get hurt, and sometimes you can fail utterly. Possession is often linked with suicide, homicide and self-mutilation. It is not for the inexperienced. Do not take it lightly.

Finally sometimes there is no solution, all your best efforts mundane and magical fail, and the best advice you can give to a client is in any situation other than a possession is “Deal with it.” Sometimes a person just has to be strong and accept that their reality is not going to conform to the norm.

Before you compose an email to me you should know that I am not going to help you any more than I already am right now. I wrote this article to give you all the advice I have. It is my very best advice. I am not going to let you fly me to your city to deal with a ghost. I am not going to let you drive the possessed individual to me. This is your quest, and if it leads to them being institutionalized. I’m sorry but it is for the best. At least they won’t be able to hurt themselves as easily.

Remember, a good Magic user is a practical Magic user. Seek every solution, not just the magical solution. Try the mundane way first; it works for billions of other human beings.

Remember that real Magic comes in many forms. Sometimes the magical solution comes through apparently mundane means such as a client getting your number from a friend who happened to be ease dropping on a conversation and thereby leads to you wisely mentioning that they should the couch or the car for the keys. Use the techniques that work for you and just let Magic be.

How Do I Meet My Animal Guide?

Patience, patience, patience… Animal guides are not owned by anyone, even if
some might be called pets. It is their choice whether or not to make themselves
known to you at any particular time. You may ask nicely, but you can never force
a meeting. Most often your guide will reveal itself in its own time. Just
because they do not appear the first time you try to contact them doesn’t mean
you should give up. Keep trying every so often and when they feel the time is
right they will show themselves. There are three ways you can meet your power
animal or discover which animal medicine is right for you. First, you could just
wait until the guide decides that it is time for it to show itself. Second, you
could write and perform a ritual to call and ask for the assistance of the
animal that would best assist you in your present magical workings or be of help
in resolving a conflict in your life or simply ask that a guide make itself
known to you. Finally you could opt for the method of entering a meditative
state (for example ashamanic trance, astral travel or lucid dreaming) and meet
the animal in the spirit world. When the ritual technique is used, you will most
likely see the animal in its natural form or it may appear in your life through
seeming coincidences sometime after the ritual. There may be a synchronistic
conversation where the topic is of the animal, or you find a book about the
animal, images of it keep popping up, etc. When you catch that first glimpse of
that particular medicine, you will know it in your heart. If you meet the animal
in the meditative astral state, converse with it and ask its help. Anything is
possible in the astral, so ask questions and get to know your new partner. If
you have seen the animal after a ritual, plan sometime to go into the meditative
state to cement your relationship, get to know the animal and the wisdom it
represents. It is important to remember that in many cases, we are chosen and
not the one making the choices when it comes to the alliance with an animal
spirit. We may wish to seek the wisdom of a particular guide but others will
show up instead. Remember to be receptive to any or all who appear because they
all have important lessons or wisdom to impart. It is also possible that before
we can progress to our next level of understanding, we must first resolve or
overcome some underlying issues that we may not be fully aware of or are denying
within ourselves. Once you have met and began your relationship with an animal
spirit, what do you do with it? Power animals are great advice givers, often
representing aspects of our higher selves that we haven’t been paying close
enough attention to. In a meditative state you can ask for their assistance on
problems that have been nagging at you. At times, it is also necessary to seek
the assistance of more than one power animal at the same time to maintain
balance, as is the case between Badger and Deer.

Lady A’s Spell Of The Day: RID OF NASTY ASTRAL SLIME

RID OF NASTY ASTRAL SLIME

After Chakra cleansings in the evening by the ocean or a large body of water like a river
or lake or pond. As the sun sets so your bad fortune will drain away.
Hold a stone or object that you find and feel is appropriate and project all the nasty slimy
and inky feeling you picked up from this person into it. Really focus on letting all your
emotions about it as well and let them flow into the rock. When you have done this say:
“I release this astral slime
And all darkness which is not mine
I let go of all that may have harmed
My aura is bright all negativity released
And I am charmed”
Now throw the rock into the water preferably as the sun drops below the horizon and
be conscious of its fading light taking away your bad feelings from this person.
You can do this spell on then first night of the waning moon (after a full moon) for
seven nights if you really feel tainted. Also Place 1/2 cup vinegar, a bunch of fresh
or rosemary and 1 tablespoon of sea salt in your bath. Light a white and a blue candle.
Imagine yourself surrounded by blue light, giving you positive energy.
Visualize all of the negative energy and astral slime leaving your body through every pore.