Another common question about astral projection is, ‘How real are the astral planes?’ In other words, is the non-physical world real, or is it simply the product of our own imaginations?
This is a very difficult question to answer, for it all depends on what one considers to be ‘real’ in the first place. It is true that the non-physical planes of existence experienced in astral projection are perceived through the imaginative faculties, but then so is much of our everyday physical life. When we read a book, the words themselves are just symbols. It is our imagination which interprets those symbols and creates ‘mind movies‘ which appear as if real in our mind’s eye. This does not mean, however, that a book is simply a figment of one’s imagination. It simply means that the reality of the book is different from the experience of what the book contains.
Some people spend a lot of time arguing about whether the non-physical planes are ‘inside’ the mind of the individual or ‘outside’ the physical body, but such arguments are futile. Because the non-physical plane is, as it’s name suggests, non-physical, it does not reside in any space and cannot therefore be described as either ‘in’ or ‘out’. All that can be said with any degree of certainty is that the non-physical plane is perceived by the imaginative faculties of the individual, but cannot be described as having any geographical location.
The real question one should therefore ask, is not, ‘How real are the astral planes?’ but, ‘How useful are an individual’s experiences of the astral planes?’ This question gets to the real crux of the matter, since what a person really wants to know is whether or not astral projection will benefit them, and if so, how?
According to the vast majority of people who have deliberately projected their consciousness into the astral planes, the experience is of great use and importance. Apart from the obvious ‘novelty experiences’ of floating, flying to far-off places and generally enjoying freedom from the restrictions of the physical plane, astral projection offers a lot in the way of spiritual and personal development. Consider the following :
• Astral projection enables you to experience existence as a point of pure consciousness which is not encumbered by the housing of the physical body.
• Astral projection allows you to see your thoughts shape his experience on a moment-by-moment basis. This is very useful, since it demonstrates how your thought-energy shapes the reality you experience on the physical plane.
• Astral projection gives you the opportunity of exploring the non-physical planes for yourself and allows you to draw your own conclusions as to what is ‘out there’ instead of merely relying on the recorded experiences of other people.
There are many other things which make astral projection beneficial in terms of personal and spiritual development, and you will no doubt discover these for yourself as you begin to explore the realm of non-physicality on your own. In order to do that however, you need to learn how to project your consciousness into the non-physical planes, which is what I will begin to discuss in my next post…
