Projection of the Astral Body [Paperback]

Sylvan Joseph Muldoon (Author), Hereward Carrington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1981

Dr. Carrington, one of the world's foremost psychic researchers, brings his vast knowledge of scientific investigation to bear in editing the remarkable account of Sylvan Muldoon's out of body experiences. Muldoon gives not only a vivid account of his own astral projections, but instructions to the student in the technique of projecting the astral body.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 319 pages
• Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser (February 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087728069X
• ISBN-13: 978-0877280699
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on the Subject, April 12, 2000

By 

Gloria Morrell (Fleetwood, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Projection of the Astral Body (Paperback)

I've had alot of conscious out-of-body experiences in my life and read many books on the subject. This book really hit the nail on the head! The most detailed and accurate book on the subject with lots of exercises that really work! I recommend it highly!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on the Subject!, December 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Projection of the Astral Body (Paperback)

This is certainly an interesting book. When I checked this book out of a library years ago, I was expecting a poorly written book with no good explainations. How wrong I was! This excellent book is the best of the best. The Projection of the Astral Body offers great information about OOBEs, and theroies on how they work. This book has been my favorite in all of my collection.

Meaning: It's damn good.

52 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars far too technical and irrelevant, and may actually prevent you from astral projecting, February 6, 2006

By 

Michael Herman (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Projection of the Astral Body (Paperback)

Along Robert Monroe's work, this is widely considered one of the classic books on the subject. This book is an interesting read IF you are looking for very technical parascience that discusses nitpicky details about questions such as "is the astral body made of etheric magnetism or magnetic ether" (note- I made that bit up, but it's really not far off from the approach taken in this book). This book may useful if you are researching historical texts from the early 1900's, perhaps associated with Theosophy and Spiritualism.

I personally could not find value in this book, because it is essentially an attempt to look at astral projection from a scientific lens. This in itself is interesting, because in our scientific age many people seem to feel a need to find "empirical scientific evidence" to justify their ideas about things that may simply be beyond the senses, i.e. "extra sensory". [if you are wondering why this might be, I would very strongly recommend reading "SSOTBME" by Ramsey Dukes... look into it]

If you find it interesting to read about other peoples experiences with astral projection, I hesitantly say you may find this book interesting. I hesitate because it is a very slow, dry and boring read, and if you simply want to read tales about otherworldly phenomena you may prefer Monroe's books...

My ultimate recommendation, though, is to avoid these books altogether and actually try to get some practical experience of astral projection. Why do you really want to read about other people's experiences , when you could be having your own? These books are definitely not very practical, no matter what claims they may make. Their "practical" elements are primarily based on looking into the different "vibratory states" your etheric body undergoes during the process of separation from your body. Pfffft. How useful is that? The overly technical and outdated language of this book makes it absolutely pale in comparison to any other information you can get about how to actually astral project (or if you are unsuccessful, to at least have lucid dreams)... there is no shortage of info on the internet and more recent and more practical books are available.

HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INFO ABOUT HOW TO ASTRAL PROJECT...
First of all, it is important to keep it simple, because the more you think the harder it is to project. Ironically, this means that it will be harder to project if you have read a lot about it, because your mind will be clouded by preconceived notions and a bunch of expectations.

The most important elements are: awareness, relaxation, and concentration.

Start by remembering your dreams every day, by recalling them when you wake up and writing them down in a journal. The more you remember your dreams, the more you will dream (I didn't dream for about 8 years, until I started this practice, which has helped me have at least 3 dreams a day, and usually several lucid dreams every week... now is a good time to point out that smoking pot will make you unable to dream). It is helpful to look over your dreams occasionally, preferably before you go to sleep. Also, before falling asleep try to go over everything that has happened to you throughout the day, because this helps you to increase your memory of your dreams. You will likely notice that you can only remember things you have paid attention to, which leads us to our next step...

Pay attention to as much as possible throughout the day. The more aware you are while awake, the more aware you will be while asleep. This helps you have lucid dreams. Try to think as little as possible during the day, instead be aware of your senses... "thought is an obstacle to conscious astral projection" (a quote from Samael Aun Weor). Meditation is very helpful, but meditation must be carried through your entire day to be effective, so simply be aware at all times. Put down that book and notice the world around you!

Then work on concentration, one of the two essential elements for astral projection. Meditation is extremely helpful. In particular, try to clear you mind and be aware of your entire physical body. Being aware throughout the day helps develop this ability. Two meditation exercises that help with astral projection: concentration on your heartbeat (if you persist, you will be easily able to feel you heart beating), and concentration on a mantra. Then, when you are trying to project you can do this meditation...
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE UNDERLYING ASTRAL PROJECTION IS THAT YOU MAINTAIN CONCENTRATION THROUGH THE POINT OF FALLING ASLEEP.
If you are concentrating on your heartbeat or a mantra, and fall asleep without drifting off into other thoughts, you can astral project.

Also helpful, for refining your technique, is visualization. Visualization is an essential tool for any magic, and apparently the astral plane is the realm where most magical work takes place, so you may find yourself interested in faaaarrrrr more than you initially considered when researching astral projection.
Very helpful is the ability to visually recall an object in perfect detail, and then to visualize an entire room. This is part of the principle behind projecting to a particular place... so, imagination and willpower are two essential elements involved in astral projection.

In lucid dreaming and astral projection, you will discover a lot about your self and you mind. How much of your dreams are projections of your mind (subjective), and how much is "actually there" (objective)? Does the astral plane (or even our physical world) "really exist"?

One reason this book may be useful is simple... it is easier to astral project when you are determined, and when you are reading about it you may find yourself more determined.
Books about dreaming/astral travel I recommend are: Astral Travel and Dreams (Samael Aun Weor), Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep (Tenzin Wangyal), and Realities of the Dreaming Mind (Swami Sivananda Radha).