The ability to astral project is something which everyone already has naturally � in fact, you’ve probably astral projected before without knowing it. What we’re going to talk about here is learning to consciously use astral projection and have control over where your astral body goes.

Let’s assume that you are already familiar with the astral plane and you know what astral projection is. The purpose of what follows is to tell you about a few different ways of how to astral project. If you know which methods work best for you, you can know the powerful experience that is astral projection.

The following technique to help you understand how to astral project is a five-step process which can be done as you’re lying in bed before you fall asleep.

*Your first goal is to initiate a state of adequate relaxation by relaxing your entire body. In order to reach this state of relaxation you need to be lying down and then, starting at the lowest point which is your toes, tense each muscle and then relax it again. Once you�ve finished doing this with your toes, you do it with you feet, then your lower legs, then your thighs and so you continue upwards until you eventually finish with the muscles in your face. If at this point you feel your body is becoming heavy, do be alarmed at all as this is exactly what should be happening.

*Okay, hopefully you will have achieved a state of deep relaxation, so now you need to control your breathing with slow deep breaths by following a method which has proven to be very popular in meditation. Breathe in deep but slowly and allow yourself to actually feel the air moving into you as it makes its way into your lungs. Now breath out slowly, once again paying attention to the air leaving your body. This is the bit many people find hard due to the extreme relaxation which results. Instead, they simply fall asleep which is of course, the last thing you want to be doing. Focusing on the centre of your forehead will in most cases, help you to remain conscious.

*After several of these breathes, begin thinking of how your body feels, which should be like a heavy slab of clay and difficult to move. Once you sense that you feel this way, shift your attention into your astral body, which is weightless and free, nothing like your physical body. Close your eyes and envision your astral Self, a feather in the wind, or a luminous bird.

*Fourth � Now you may have the experience of being able to see perfectly well in your darkened room which should now be illuminated by a purple light � even though your eyes are closed! Turn your attention to the light which is coming from your ceiling.

*Envision yourself pulling the drawing imagine that you are pulling the ceiling light into you. As you’re doing this you might well get the sensation that you’re floating. If you feel this, you can likely look “down” at your own physical body lying still on the bed.

If you�ve experienced this unique phenomenon, well done. You�ve successfully managed to astral project and are now in a position to start exploring with your astral travels. As I�ve mentioned before, different techniques work for different people so if this technique hasn�t worked for you, go ahead and attempt using this next technique.

You can do this one, known as the Gazing Method, when you’re hitting the hay for night as well. You’ll need an object to focus on: the moon through your window or skylight, a lava lamp, even just a nightlight; whatever can hold your attention.

Of course, you must make sure you can gaze at the object as you lie in bed. Now, essentially you’re going to stare at this object. If you feel your attention wandering, bring it back to the object. You should soon begin to feel your eyelids getting heavy. Just keep staring; eventually your eyes will close but you should still be able to see the object as if your eyes are still open. Don’t turn your head; keep “staring”. You’ll come to a point where you want to sit up or stand up, and if you feel yourself do this don’t be alarmed if you can see your own physical body lying asleep on the bed.

If you aren’t immediately successful with these techniques, don’t give up. There are other ways to astral project, though any technique can take some practice. Be persistent and you will learn how to astral project before too long.

You see, no matter what methodologies you attempt with astral projection or any new spiritual discipline, it’s your own subconscious mind which is the main obstacle. Your subconscious mind must feel like it’s perfectly alright for the astral body to temporarily depart from the physical body. To this end you can do some affirmations for several minutes every day to re-program the subconscious mind. Remember that all affirmations must be stated in the positive and they cannot be lies. (I.E. do not talk as if you have already astral projected; talk as if you have made the decision to astral project and you know it’s perfectly natural to do so).

There do exist some shortcuts to becoming able to consciously astral project for those who might not have the patience to try over and over until they get it right. These should enable you to astral project on just your first attempt or second.

Hypnosis is something which a lot of people find helps them to astral project. Especially for beginners, a guided hypnosis session can help. Having an expert there to tell you what’s happening and what to do next at each step is valuable guidance.

The recently developed sonic technology of “binaural beats” can also program your subconscious mind to be deeply relaxed and let down the guard against astral projection.

Everybody is born with the natural ability to astral project. Techniques and tools such as affirmations and hypnosis simply offer a little assistance to those who struggling to learn.