Astral Projection Body Swap Technique?

23. Other Systems and Alternate Approaches
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Hello, I have been practicing yoga for almost 7 years now. Over the last few years I have had an increased interest in advanced practices and the interaction of our mind/body with the physical and supernatural worlds. In short, the supernatural world and other dimensions greatly interest me, and I want to explore them as much as possible. Lately I have become very interested in lucid dreaming/astral projection. I’ve been practicing both, with mixed results, but have started to get more consistent with both in the last year. My partner is also quite adept at LD/AP and naturally we wanted to explore these other words together. One concept we both have gotten interested in is trong-jug/Parapurapraveśa. Is it possible to do something similar while we are both APing? Essentially be able to switch bodies temporarily with each other? Or anything of the sorts. We are both accepting of any risks and are looking at it as an opportunity to expand our minds/knowledge. Thank you!

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Hi nowhereman240,

Welcome!

You may not get much response from AYP practitioners on your inquiry, as it is outside the mainstream of the AYP system of practices, That is why it was moved from Satsang to Other Systems.

The AYP knowledgebase is vast and can be easily accessed using modern AI tools, and that may be the best way to address your question from the AYP perspective. That has been done below with two questions, with answers from the Forum AI provided.

Bottom line: Astral body swapping does not have much to do with promoting spiritual progress, which is not to say that you should not follow your bhakti (spiritual desire), and enjoy the scenery along the way. Just remember that the scenery is not the enlightenment. The cultivation of abiding inner silence is, along with the permanent awakening of radiating ecstatic bliss and divine love in our ordinary daily life.

All the best on your path, Practice wisely, and enjoy!

The guru is in you.

Q1: What is the Astral Projection Body Swap Technique?

AI Answer: The sources discuss both astral projection (also referred to as an out-of-body experience) and the siddhi (supernormal power) of “occupying another body” or “entering the mind of another.” However, a specific “Astral Projection Body Swap Technique” with detailed instructions is not explicitly described.

Here’s what the sources indicate regarding these phenomena:

  • Astral Projection (Out-of-Body Experiences - OBEs):

    • Astral projection is described as a phenomenon where an individual’s “astral body” leaves their “physical body”.
    • It can be a spontaneous experience, sometimes occurring during meditation, at bedtime, or even induced by external factors like certain substances or severe pain.
    • Experiences can include feelings of flying, falling, sinking, seeing throbbing black and white spots, and a racing heart.
    • In the context of yogic practice, astral projection is often considered “scenery” during deep meditation. Practitioners are advised to notice it and then gently return their attention to their meditation object (e.g., a mantra).
    • It is identified as an effect of spiritual evolution and higher states of consciousness, rather than a cause or prerequisite for spiritual progress like samadhi. Focusing on attaining such powers for their own sake can be a distraction to spiritual advancement.
    • The best application for such powers, if they arise spontaneously, is for a purpose or “need (service)” in a distant place.

  • Body Swap / Entering Another’s Body or Mind:

    • The sources describe a situation where a practitioner, during deep meditation, reportedly “incarnates in them and lives in there body and experience and knows everything they’re having” with another person.
    • This ability is identified as a siddhi, or supernormal power, specifically “the ability to leave one body/mind system (which we usually call our own) and enter another’s”.
    • While literal incarnation into another person’s body is questioned, the possibility of entering the mind of another is suggested. Due to the tight link between mind and body, experiencing another’s mind would also lead to experiencing their body. This is likened to an advanced form of mental telepathy or a “Vulcan Mind Meld”.
    • Siddhis are considered real by-products of spiritual practice but are not the ultimate goal and should not be clung to, as focusing on them can slow down spiritual progress.
    • Within the context of Samyama (a combination of focused attention, meditation, and deep inner silence used with an object or thought), one of the listed siddhis is gaining “knowledge of occupying another body” by performing Samyama on “Bondage of the Mind”. This is the closest the sources come to describing a “technique” for this specific ability.

In summary, while the sources acknowledge astral projection as a phenomenon and the ability to mentally or subtly “occupy” or “enter” another’s body/mind as a siddhi, they do not outline a specific step-by-step “Astral Projection Body Swap Technique.” Instead, they present these as experiences or abilities that can arise incidentally or through advanced yogic practices like Samyama, with an emphasis on spiritual progress over the pursuit of such powers.

Q2: How does lucid dreaming relate to astral projection?

AI Answer: The sources indicate a relationship between lucid dreaming and astral projection primarily through the concept of heightened awareness during sleep states, although they also draw distinctions and offer a cautionary note about combining practices.

Here’s a breakdown of how they relate according to the provided information:

  1. Shared Realm of Heightened Awareness During Sleep:

    • Lucid dreaming is described as being aware of oneself sleeping and dreaming.
    • Astral projection (also referred to as an out-of-body experience or OBE) can occur spontaneously when an individual is between the stage of sleepy and awake, or during shallow sleep. One practitioner linked their experiences of “flying and falling and sinking and seeing throbbing black and white spots” at bedtime to astral projection after learning about it.
    • The concept of Yoga Nidra, or “yogic sleep” (also called “turiya” or the “witness”), is presented as the state of remaining conscious during deep sleep. This heightened awareness gradually coexists as a constant condition across waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states, meaning one is “never unconscious”. This “witnessing” state is promoted by meditation and samyama and can encompass the awareness characteristic of both lucid dreaming and experiences like astral projection. In its early stages, witnessing during sleep might even feel like sleeplessness because the individual is “always awake (aware) inside”.

  2. Astral Projection as an Effect, Not a Goal:

    • Astral projection is considered a spontaneous experience and a “symptom of purification” that is “nothing to worry about”.
    • It is seen as an effect of spiritual evolution and higher states of consciousness, rather than a cause or prerequisite for spiritual progress like samadhi.
    • The sources advise treating such experiences as “scenery” along the spiritual journey, not as the primary goal. Focusing on attaining powers like astral projection for their own sake can be a distraction to spiritual advancement.
    • The best application for such powers, if they arise spontaneously, is for a “purpose (service) in a distant place”.

  3. Distinction from Samadhi and Potential for Misinterpretation:

    • A direct distinction is made: the energy associated with astral projection is not the same as, nor a prerequisite for, samadhi.
    • One forum participant questions the “astral body” idea, suggesting that OBEs might be akin to psychic perception (ESP) with a “dissociative quality” and that these experiences are “all in the mind”. This highlights a potential for different interpretations of these phenomena.
    • The sources explain that an unenlightened person experiencing astral travel might think they are “someone, going somewhere, experiencing something,” whereas an enlightened being knows “they are not a person, they are going nowhere and they are experiencing nothing. Everything is them”. This points to a difference in the perception and understanding of the experience based on one’s spiritual development.

  4. Caution Against Combining Practices:

    • The AYP system specifically does not recommend combining cosmic samyama with “lucid dreaming practices,” as this “can cause imbalances in the nervous system leading to sleep deprivation, which is not beneficial for our health and wellbeing”. This indicates a recognition of overlap but also a warning about potential negative consequences if they are intentionally pursued together within certain yogic frameworks.

In essence, while lucid dreaming and astral projection may manifest as heightened states of awareness during sleep or transitional states, and are related to the overall process of spiritual purification and the development of inner silence (Yoga Nidra), the AYP approach generally views them as incidental “scenery” or effects rather than primary practices or goals. There’s a particular caution against actively cultivating “lucid dreaming practices” in conjunction with certain advanced yogic techniques.

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