If you have seen the newest “Insidious” movie, “The Red Door,” you may have noticed a main topic within the storyline: astral projection. 

“Simply put, astral projection is a term that describes the soul or ‘astral body’ intentionally leaving the physical body while asleep or meditating and traveling to wherever it likes. It’s sometimes referred to as an ‘out-of-body experience (OBE)’ too – a state in which consciousness can operate independently from the physical body and traverse the astral plane,” Latara Buckley wrote in an article on dreams.co.uk.

While this phenomenon is intriguing, is it real? Can people really do astral projection? Many people believe that this is a topic of debate. 

“Surveys suggest that between 8 and 20 percent of people claim to have had something like an out-of-body experience at some point in their lives — a sensation of the consciousness, spirit, or “astral body” leaving the physical body. While most experiences occur during sleep or under hypnosis, some people claim to do it while merely relaxing,” Callum McKelvie and Benjamin Radford wrote in an article on livescience.com. 

There have been many instances where people believe they have projected. 

“In 2017, a study reported on by The Atlantic analyzed some 210 patients who suffered with vestibular disorders. The Vestibular system within the inner ear is responsible for providing the body with its sense of balance and issues relating to this system can result in a sense of ‘floating’. Questioning the patients, it was discovered that some 14% reported out of body experiences compared to the 5% without any form of vestibular issues,” McKelvie and Radford wrote.

There are even astral travel practitioners. These people believe that the experiences are real and can be taught. There are even websites where you can get a professional certification in astral projection, such as the Udemy website. It cost $13.99 for the class and you will learn the step by step process of astral projection. It includes “lucid dreaming, aura, astral matter and dimensions, astral world, energy body system, traveling through time and space, teleportation, sleep phases and sleep hygiene, and meditation.” 

“Practitioners of astral travel insist that the experience must be real because it seems so vivid, and because some of the experiences are similar, even for people from different cultures,” McKelvie and Radford wrote.

Although there have been people who believe that they have experienced astral projection, there are many explanations that have been given by scientists. 

“It may be a profound experience, but the fundamental problem is that there’s really no way to scientifically measure whether or not a person’s spirit “leaves” or “enters” the body. The simplest and best explanation for out-of-body experiences is that the person is merely fantasizing and dreaming. Because there is no scientific evidence that consciousness can exist outside of the brain, astral projection is rejected by scientists,” McKelvie and Radford wrote.

Although the conspiracy may bounce back and forth, overall, astral projection has not been scientifically proven. 

“Why hasn’t astral projection been proven scientifically? Some claim it’s because mainstream scientists are closed-minded and refuse to even look at evidence that doesn’t fit their narrow worldview. However, in science those who disprove dominant theories are rewarded, not punished. Proving the existence of psychic powers, astral projection or alternative dimensions would earn the dissenting scientists a place in the history books, if not a Nobel Prize,” McKelvie and Radford wrote.

Whether you believe in such a phenomenon or not, if you decide to practice astral projection, please make sure you do extensive research before attempting. 

“Before diving into astral projection with no previous experience, we recommend researching thoroughly and finding an expert in that field to help guide you in the right direction to practice it safely and intentionally,” Buckley wrote. 

For more information regarding astral projection, go to /www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/astral-projection or www.livescience.com/27978-astral-projection.html. 

If you would like to try astral projection for yourself, visit https://www.udemy.com/course/professional-certification-in-astral-projection/.