In this video I give a summary of out-of-body experiences from ancient times – taking a quick guided tour through these fascinating and once secretive accounts from cultures across the world, in places like Egypt, India, Persia, Greece, Tibet, China, and in early Christianity. Specifically, I looks at accounts of astral projection, astral travel, and lucid dreaming.
My husband Mark and I have pieced together these accounts from over two years of extensive research. This video is just a small summary of our research, which we present in our book The Spiritual Out-of-Body Experience.
You might be surprised to learn that some of the greatest spiritual figures in the world, like Krishna, Jesus, Osiris, Odin, and Hermes Trismegistus are recorded as having had OBEs. A few of the most pivotal figures in history, like Plato and Aristotle, also contributed to our understanding of the astral plane and astral body. Accounts of OBEs are found in some of the oldest and most important religious texts. Some of the greatest ancient sites in the world were used for having OBEs. And journeys to the “otherworld” during OBEs have become deeply woven into folklore.
The understanding of how important OBEs were in ancient religion is little known today. Many of the accounts we include have been recovered from ancient texts that were lost for over a thousand years, or which are obscure and hardly read. We would like to bring this forgotten chapter of human history back into the public consciousness.
Few realize that ancient people experienced the same things in out-of-body experiences that people do in OBEs today, as they are a natural part of human experience in which we can interact with real beings and places. This means that OBEs can contribute greatly to our understanding of ancient religion, and to the understanding of the wider reality in which we exist.
Thank you to Jon for editing this video together with some beautiful effects. Thank you Erik and the small team of helpers who found many of the images, and to Erik for organizing them all. Thank you Erik and Dara for producing the AI images. Thank you Jordan and Jenny for putting together the credits. Thank you Erik for the thumbnail. And thank you Julian for filming and creating the beautiful final sequence.
Thank you as always to those of you who’ve supported us and the publishing team to make this video possible.
I had a nice little moment last night, looking at the stars before going to bed. I was going to do a prayer, but I ended up just quietly looking at their light without words. At first there were a few thin fast moving clouds so the glistening was very animated. One in particular, although it was actually Jupiter (so reflected sunlight). I was staring at them, though not a blanc gaze, but trying to feel them. It made me think that during the day we can’t stare directly at the sun because it’s too bright, but at night we can look as long as we like.
I agree Karim, stars are soooo beautiful to look at! I had this whole summer “stars-inspired” if I can say so, watching them from our terrace in front of the house almost every night, sometimes joined by my friend. I learned to identify some new constellations that I didn’t know before, like Northern cross/swan, the stars of the so-called “summer triangle”, and also realized a funny “alignment”, where the stars of the Big dipper exactly copied an old pear tree near our house. I never noticed any of these constellations before, only knew about the winter ones (Orion, Pleiades, Sirius). So it was so nice to familiarize myself with these summer ones. I especially liked the star Vega from the constellation Lyra (one of the “summer triangle” ones), as its so bright, and one night I think I saw it shining in the astral as I was waking up. I have also been very inspired with the stars-related practices from the new book, and tried them a few times, but not enough. It would be wonderful to have a building with glass ceiling, or at least a roof window to observe the stars before falling asleep… ✨
Hi Lara and Mark,
this video which complements the content of your new book on Spiritual OBE’s holds such valuable information. I’m gravitating to sections of the book, not really reading it chapter by chapter, but going through it nonetheless.
The section in this video and the chapter/information in the book on psychedelics and the use of state altering mixtures is so well explained and written. It also clarifies that the Religion of the Sun is not endorsing such use of substances for spiritual gains. I have seen the damage ‘recreational’ drugs or the use of psychedelics can do to a person, regardless of how noble the reason was when they took these substances. I have had them describe an elated experience and then being captivated by it and seeking to repeat it, hence the trap of relying on such substances to have OBE’s or to extract spiritual information or learning. I have seen these individuals become more and more unwell, living in disharmony with those around them, losing their focus or their way in life, becoming less honest, more manipulative and so on. From my own experience, it is possible to have OBE’s without the use of any psychedelics or recreational drugs and I have naturally steered away from such practices, as though inherently knowing that they can damage vital brain/body structures and connections.
I’ve also had people speak fondly or favourably of shamanism, and eventhough I have been encouraged to visit one, I have steered away from such practices, as though, once again, innately knowing this is miss-aligned with true spiritual values.
It resonates with me when you say in your book (p565) that: “Having OBE’s in the Religion of the Sun was part of a wider knowledge, which had been inherited from a far older lost civilization that had belonged to the Children of the Sun – those who had been more psychic and seem like they had OBE’s easily. The great knowledge, civilization, and monumental architecture of the past had it’s origins in this civilization, not in psychedelics and shamans, whose own societies have not produced the knowledge of civilization, monumental architecture, or texts of profound wisdom.”
@Emily’s post here. I listened to that attentively during a little break, it’s amazing how sound, music and voice can take you places within. This more musical/modern (?) version of Norito reciting was very nice. Thanks for that ✌️ and I’m glad also for you that you found something like this.
I’ve found that singing a simple mantra or even a song can be strong and uplifting, but when it is combined with a prayer in it (in the words, and in intention by the singer) that fusion can become especially extremely powerful.
@Practicing.
I don’t have the new OBE book yet, but I also started a routine of a specific practice again recently, which felt so good to do. Ended up going with the Gayatri mantra. Every morning. Listening to a musical version of it and singing along. A friend of mine has also joined and that type of accountability is nice to help with sticking to the practice plan.
I’ve been looking forward to the mornings each day ^^. One tip Lara mentioned just now definitely applies to me, to enjoy the practice rather than doing it while heading towards a possible result. So journey rather than destination. Or when you’re walking home but really ‘The only place we need to get to, is here’.
If I can let go of the thoughts and tensions (need to get to work in 5mins :^}) which lock me away, but instead feel the practice it is interesting to witness what is happening.
Yesterday was the first morning when the sun was shining in.
incense
Hey Karim, I was sent this version of Gayatri by a friend who’s been big into Vedic stuff for a while and am really enjoying it recently. This short video explains the basics of how to read Sanskrit intonation and pronunciation which has been fun to get into, including how to make some sounds that I’ve only heard before but never really known (or thought about too much) how to do.
The example of it starts at 14:50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW_M7U-6KE0&t=934s
Apparently singing it is actually frowned on by some traditions and of course there’s lots of serious opinions on the best way to do it. I guess a mantra can’t be around as long as the Gayatri, and mean so much to so many people, without accumulating some controversy!
Thanks Ella, I’m going to have a listen.
Recently I heard a Gayatri mantra version where the beat dictated, where the mantra became like a secondary addition to it, to the beat of the song. And it didn’t feel right. But I think when there’s melody that’s strong I know of many mantras which have sounded amazing to it. (very quick reply.)
I realized I was dreaming last night and became lucid. I was in my childhood house, it was daylight. I had some trouble seeing clearly, and I sang a recitation to clear that space around me just in case, but it persisted and I felt this might’ve been due to my physical eyes being tucked into the pillow and that sense transferring. It wasn’t very mystical this time and I also realised I didn’t have a goal set. But I was happy with my own inner state which was clear. I felt my efforts during the day reflected there, and so did my questioning which made me check there. Maybe I need to get more inspired here and feel it to experience that there as well. :-)
That still sounds like some positive feedback for your efforts! It’s interesting how we often get taken back to our childhood home in dreams. I find it fascinating that our mental images are basically imprinted during childhood – it’s such a precious time. Good luck building inspiration!
I’ve been getting into deep relaxation practices on my back and really enjoying them. I used to have big problems with restless legs when I was first exploring these practices, but I’ve recovered from it with time. I also think linen sheets help to relax your body and ground any static electric or EMFs you’ve picked up during the day. I read that they were used to aid in healing and think I feel better when I use them!
I didn’t receive the book yet, but I’ve started to renew my astral practices using the concentration on the breath for some reason as the old ways of practicing gotten a bit monotonous for me. So, i think it’s great that you, Lara and Mark, are guiding us to refresh our efforts in this area.
I feel it’s very important to keep these teachings alive by digging deeper and rediscovering new things as if that very action is keeping them alive in our own lives, giving us new,fresh strength and dedication to live a life of commitment to the light internally and externally.
That’s great Tina you’ve started already. All the very best with your efforts! I recommend enjoying the practice, no matter the result, because it is such an uplifting thing to do whether you have an OBE or not. There is so much to learn and explore about oneself even in making efforts, and in going deeper into the transition between wakefulness and sleep.
Am holding onto this advice Lara! My interest in the astral has naturally been sparked off again with all this wonderful activity and the book en route! It’s like a new mystical perception has started to creep into my days and I’m enjoying just exploring relaxing my body while drifting off to sleep in a renewed way, making a beautiful room with candles and icons that can focus my mind into the right state when I open my eyes and have felt myself sinking into a kind of peace. Baby steps, but with a lot of hope!
Beautiful video, such a gift to the world! A great teaser for the book, keeping us hungry with all these little appetizers :)
So interesting, and definitely resonates with my experience.
For example the coffin in the Great Pyramid could be not a coffin at all! But a sacred tool in a sacred chamber of the sacred site, designed for very important spiritual purposes, the most likely.
Yoga Nidra is taught in different ways, some are much deeper going into a deep meditation, rejuvenating the body, opening the layers of the psyche etc. but yes, the knowledge of astral travel has been effectively lost in India. Just like we have reached to the East, now they need to reach humbly to the West, for this aspect of the teachings.
That’s a good point about East needing to now reach for the West. We make the point in the book that astral projection appears to have been part of a secret teaching in India, that became overridden by later ideas that seemed to develop in the Vedantic branch of Hinduism. So it is a reaching to the West to reconnect with a more ancient part of their tradition.
I’ve heard stories of secret texts hidden in the catacombs of hindu temples, you have to wonder if that knowledge is there somewhere…
I definitely agree with your statement, Vadim, that the East should reach to the West for this
lost part of the teachings.
I was a practitioner of TM,which is a part of the Vedic tradition and which had contained many aspects of the religion of the Sun, but the OBEs were actually discouraged. The moment the teacher told me that the OBEs and related were just in our minds as his teacher told him, I have never returned to that place,although i have benefited greatly from the TM practice for so many years, I knew that something was missing,as if coming to a point where you just know that you have to move forward, forward closer to the true teachings of the Sun.
Yes Tina, and there are things like having the Guru being able to astral project but his disciples didn’t receive the guidance how and consider it a miracle; sincere Kriyas/Tantra practitioners having lucid dreams but not being sure what to do about it it and ultimately condemning it as it is not a part of their official teachings; the characters like Sadhguru, that work with WEF, giving a partially correct but misleading information; and Tibetan dark influences being so close, putting off many people as they conclude that all OBE stuff is dark.
It is just amazing how nowadays people in India and around the world can watch Lara’s videos and study the books and get back their old knowledge.
Eventually God wills, with more work, enough knowledge and understanding will crystallize and the change will happen.
That’s a really interesting experience you had with TM. I remember Lucia posted a video in which Sadguru had said the same thing. You’ll see in the book that we look at a major old yoga text which says that everything one sees in dreams, while out of the body, and after death is a complete illusion that all comes from one’s own mind, and that even the physical world is completely unreal. You can see where the perspective of Buddhism came from, which believes the same thing. This mindset, which seems to have completely overridden the more ancient understanding of OBEs in Hinduism, still persists today as you experienced.
You are right Lara. Many schools of Hinduism today seem to put an emphasis on the notion of Maya,meaning everything is an illusion,including OBEs. I’m not sure if this influence originated in Tibet,as it seems like a lot of these stuff started with Hinduism in India,and eventually gave rise to other religions like Buddhism. I think Buddhism,carrying with it this unorthodoxic idea, spread to places beyond the Indian subcontinent like Tibet and China,influenced the beliefs of indigenous religions there and leading them to accept the notion of emptiness as well,even if they were offshoots of the religion of the sun. Some Taoist schools in China also adopted a code of celibacy for its practitioners just like Buddhism,and some of them consider the Dao to be synonymous with the Buddhist notion of emptiness. As you can probably tell,this change would stray them away from the original path of the Religion of the Sun. Some schools of Taoism today also consider astral projection to be indifferent from the hallucinations created from taking psychedelics, so the opinions about OBEs are really divided among Taoist practitioners as I can tell. Fortunately I was able to come to know a group with advanced experience in astral projection,they have also preserved other esoteric knowledge from ancient times. I guess it makes sense for them to be secretive,since many have messed up the original teachings;)
From all what you have said Emily, now you can see the immense importance of the work Mark and Lara are bringing to the world. Once you know the principles of the Religion of the Sun in their purity, it is not difficult to see where the different schools and philosophies went astray. But without this guiding Light, nobody knows for sure and there is an utmost mess. I just want to point this out, as sometimes we tend to forget where the Light is actually coming from… Also regarding those secretive Taoist schools, they may be the remnants of the true schools of Light, or they may also have some wrong elements in them, depending on if they are guided by real awakened individuals (the “twice born” as they are called in Kolbrin, that is, people who have died and resurrected), or not. Often, it is very difficult for a person to say, if they don’t have this discerning knowledge and a strong intuition.
I think you’re spot on Emily, from what I’ve seen the notion of Maya and emptiness originated within certain branches of Hinduism. It then became foundational to Buddhism, which took it even further. Buddhist ideas then spread to influence other religions in the East like Taoism. It is a distortion to the ancient Religion of the Sun that had profound consequences for the wisdom of the East, and I hope that somehow this can be reversed so that people return to the more original understanding of the Eastern lineage of the Religion of the Sun.
I have come across the same perspective existing in the few Buddhist and Tao readings I have done over time, that it is all part of the subconscious projections or illusion created by the mind during OBE’s or NDE’s. This however does not explain the clarity, the lucidness, the calmness, the far reaching and incredible perception that is felt or achieved in an instant, the vastness of unspoken understanding that can be realised, or the bliss/serenity/love that can be felt when having such experiences during OBE’s – they are palpable and feel just as rea as being in this 3D physical world. There is a knowing that I am in the astral, that I am in an astral body, that I am not in my physical body, but in another form of it. The aftereffects can linger on for days .
I think I remember when I talked to the practitioners of that school,one of them did mention something about “negative influence from Buddhism” which had infiltrated and messed with Taoist doctrines. They were firm on the idea that while Buddhism and Taoism may seem similar to many people,the essence of the two religions are fundamentally different. I would say that I agree with this. The influence of Maya and emptiness on the Religion of the Sun in the East cannot be ignored, and you are right that the Hindus should look to the West to discover lost teachings of their ancient tradition. I think the Taoists need to do the same.
I totally agree Emily that the influence of Maya and emptiness on the Religion of the Sun in the East has been huge and destructive, as it negated the existence of the Spiritual Sun/Source which has had many profound consequences. I am very glad to hear there are Taoists who recognize the incompatible influences of Buddhism upon their ancient knowledge.
I think the darkness that is in Tibet is a result of a combination of both Buddhism and shamanism. The Bon religion certainly has elements of it,and it together with Buddhism have influenced the beliefs of Tibetans,causing them to deviate away from the Religion of the Sun.
The other major influence on Tibetan religions is the branch of Hinduism known as Shaivism – particularly Shaivite Tantra. Reading Tibetan Buddhist and Bon texts, and then reading Shaivite Tantric texts, the similarities were strikingly obvious to me. We talk about this in the book, and a number of scholars are very aware of it, though I am surprised it isn’t more widely known. Already in Shaivite Tantra for example, the concept of “void” or “emptiness” is central, even though they identify this with Shiva as the Spiritual Sun. You can see it was not much of a step to remove the Spiritual Sun, and continue with “void” once blended with Buddhism. Hindu Tantra contains many dark/black magic practices, which were also clearly transferred to Tibet. Certainly, this played a huge part in causing Tibetans to deviate from the Religion of the Sun.
So in summary, I think there are 4 contributors to the religions of Tibet – Shaivite Tantra, Buddhism, Shamanism, and the Religion of the Sun.
Bingo Lara;) Buddhism and Taoism have always been in a kind of ideological competition ever since Buddhism spread to China. There are debates that had been going on for many centuries regarding as to who’s ideology and philosophy is superior. It seems like both Buddhists and Taoists recognized that there were key differences when it comes to their beliefs, although some aspects of their religions do share similarities. Both tried to prove that their religions contained the ultimate truth about life and the universe in order to win support from the masses as well as the ruling class. Overtime some Taoists(and Buddhists too) just went on to adopt some ideas from the other religion, sort of “set down the dispute” and aimed to coexist without any sort of ideological conflict. Taoism and Buddhism influenced one another throughout the course of Chinese history, along with other religions and philosophies that existed,such as Confucianism. But since Confucianism mainly dealt with issues having to do with the things going on in the mundane world,it wasn’t much involved in the debates of the spiritual. In terms of discussions regarding spirituality,it was Buddhism and Taoism that took the lead. This interaction between the two religions eventually lead to the deviation away from the original teachings from the Religion of the Sun. And today many can’t even tell the difference between the ideologies of Buddhism and Taoism. What is the Tao? Is it the same thing as Emptiness in Buddhism? Even many spiritual practitioners in China can’t tell the difference. So Taoism indeed faces a similar situation to Hinduism. It wouldn’t have been so clear if it wasn’t for the research that you’ve done to bring the ancient knowledge of the Religion of the Sun back to life. I still wonder what exactly is the relationship between Taoism and the form of sun worship that existed in China in the very distant past. I haven’t been able to find a lot of information regarding this,but sun worship in East Asia during ancient times in definitely something that is worth looking into. As I said in an earlier comment,the three-legged crow was almost an iconical symbol of the sun in China during ancient times,and Yatagerasu is also described to have been a three-legged crow that lead Emperor Jimmu on his quest in Japanese mythology. It looks like different parts of East Asia must have had been connected somehow back then, but due to the lack of more sufficient evidence(as far as I can find),it looks like more research is needed.
I didn’t know such dark practices existed in Hinduism as well😨 Looks like there were layers on darkness that infiltrated into the Religion of the Sun in the Indian subcontinent
Sometimes books are available in regions that aren’t easily found online or anywhere else, so if you visit the regions with sun practices that still exist, see if they have books about them. I don’t know if that’s true in China, but that’s what I found in Peru and England, so keep an eye out 👀
Hi Tina,
Yes, it does seem odd that the TM organisation should teach that OBEs are just a figment of the imagination. They also taught “yogic flying” and some more way out metaphysical concepts, so it does bring into question their commitment to spreading spiritual knowledge.
I also found the TM mantra useful, but could never follow the logic of the organisation charging thousands, essentially for a mantra, as it became spirituality for the wealthy. It was reported that the organisation’s assets in America alone was $300 million at the time of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s death in 2008, so they clearly succeeded in their “Vedic business” aims.
Yes, I think it’s a real shame that spiritually has become a commodity and so many making a lot of money from it.
In my experience, I see that a lot of people don’t even realise the severity of the situation as many have said something like :we live in a material world so it’s natural to exchange hard work for money”.
My feeling is that there’s so much fear that people carry within and so easily accept the societal notion that any hard work or sacrifice for others should be rewarded monetary. I’ve seen this kind of way of being in the west and actually now it seems all of the Europe is infiltrated with it. Such as “time is money” “and if you take my time I expect to be paid for it or at least get something in return”
Or I get some people saying things like ” if you don’t charge money for your efforts, there’s something wrong with you ,you don’t value yourself ‘….
I understand that if one has a good set of skills related to the material world and sells those for a reasonable price but when things start to touch on the spiritual guidance and inner growth then I believe one gets in return that very same thing from above so no need to charge, often, extortionate amount of money for it.
I’ve met some people who really want to do good and help others and are so passionate about it but just, at the same time, are overwhelmed with the fear of material security that it overrides any good intentions that they may have..
Hi Tina,
Yes, I’ve noticed there can be a lot of fear related to losing material comforts. I’ve known someone from a wealthy family, who worked in banking since leaving a private school and reached a highly regarded position at a prestigious bank. But when there was talk of potential redundancies within the bank, he became very worried about how he would cope with the loss of income, despite having substantial financial assets, including a large property in a sought-after area.
I also remember a report about a millionaire member of the British Royal Family, who was concerned about the cost of his children’s private school fees.
For some people, their self image can also be dependent on their professional status, so it is fear-inducing to lose this, in addition to the financial loss. But as you mentioned elsewhere, this does does tend to restrict learning and spiritual growth. We can easily create an abundance of material comforts, which will not pass beyond this life, such as happened with the Egyptian pharaohs, who believed the way to secure a safe passage into the afterlife was to embellish their tombs with riches, once their understanding of the spiritual significance of the pyramids declined.
I agree that doing lower status jobs can sometimes (but not always) be more enjoyable. For example, I used to work in a fancy insurance company and wore a suit to work, but hated the job, as it was so tedious. I also did some cleaning work around the same time, which I found more enjoyable, as it was an easy-going job with no pressure and I preferred being able to move around, rather than sitting behind a desk for hours on end.
Plus, once the shift finishes in these lower end jobs, there is rarely a need to stay behind to finish work off, or take it home, as is often the case with doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc.
I suppose it depends on what someone’s core interest is. So if someone’s main focus is their career, they will do whatever they can to prioritise and maintain it. Whereas, if someone’s main goal is self knowledge and spiritual development, they will probably adjust their life’s priorities accordingly and let go off unnecessary attachments.
So beautiful and convincing, thank you Lara (and Mark of course) for delving so deep into these subjects in order to make a strong point, with great research and historical examples from all over the world… I had this video looping while cooking today, as it makes such a nice atmosphere in the room, just to listen to your voice on these subjects, quite different from the usual political broadcast I listen to, haha.
As I was watching it, I could not but be amazed at how much of this knowledge has been preserved in Taoism, which together with the famous “Golden elixir” of the Taoists makes this probably the best preserved branch of the Ancient Religion of the Sun in Asia. And what a pity this knowledge degenerated so much in Tibet – the land of mystery, possibly in a close proximity to the mystical Shambala! I was even thinking, that maybe it was some sort of deliberate attack of darkness, to drive away the Ancient Religion of the Sun from those places… 😟 Its really a shame. In my research of Tibet, I did find some traces of the Religion of the Sun in Tibet in the ancient times, including many Sun-related rock carvings with chariots, swastikas, sun symbols, etc., so surely it used to be there, but just a really long time ago it seems… I also found fishy practices there, like making an elixir of invisibility (by using some specific animal and natural ingredients), so these dark practices definitely seem to have taken hold of that area unfortunately. I heard there is also a lot of dark practices going on in India, which would make sense too, and I also found some of it in their ancient texts. So it would seem like these powerful places also attack darkness.
In any case, I am really glad that you lay out the case for the OOBEs so strongly, and what’s even more amazing, presenting them as something that people today can also do to make contact with the spiritual. Beautiful images and animations too, I really love those little animated pictures, with just something in the image gently moving or shimmering, really brings those images alive! And what a cool video of a “contemporary person” astral projecting to the stars at the end! 😊 Very nice, really looking forward to watching more videos with the content of this book, as I am at the same time fighting to revive my own astral life. ⭐
So true Lucia! The added animation to the images is really cool, sets the videos apart from the crowd and is visually captivating! So many great creative accomplishments including Julian’s out-of-body adventure! The bar keeps getting higher! 👏👏👏
Haha, thanks!
I’ve thought for a long time about recreating OBEs, so it’s a dream come true :)
I agree, the new forms of imagrey add so much, it becomes possible to imagine possibilities.
Best wishes with reviving your astral life Lucia! It’s a great chance to make use of the mini-momentum we’ve got going here.
Hi Lucia,
It’s clear that something fishy goes on in Tibet,and it’s sad that many people don’t actually realize this and feel that they’ve been drown to that place as well as its religious practices.
Thank you again Lara for putting in the effort to bring such ancient spiritual knowledge back to life! I didn’t expect a new video to be released this fast, really appreciate the work that you put in! I’ve known about dream yoga in Tibetan Buddhism for a long time,and that is one of the places where I came to know about lucid dreaming as well as few other esoteric practices. I’ve noticed that there are some dark practices contained within the Tibetan Buddhist doctrine, and being unaware of its origin at the time,my first assumptions about esoteric practices had not been so good. I think it’s possible those practices came from influences of local shamanism,which can be indistinguishable from the indigenous Bon religion (many practices were intermixed between different religions in that area) It’s kinda sad that Hinduism has lost its doctrines on astral projection,since it is such a wonderful tradition filled with rich spiritual knowledge! It would be interesting to know how the Indians think of this, it’s actually possible that many of them would not be willing to hear about the opinions of those from other countries since they have such an arrogant pride in their culture and religion that they can become quite chauvinistic:( It’s true,however,that the practice ofOBEs do survive in the accounts of Taoist teachings in China,and I’ve met some practitioners who were really experienced in such skills. As for myself,however,like I’ve said in an earlier comment,there isn’t much to be said about my own personal experience with astral projection since I have literally never succeeded in doing so,and my fear for what I might encounter in the Astral cannot be understated. I do love the contents being created as usual though,and looking forward to more that would come in the future. Much appreciation and love!
Thank you Emily, much love to you too. Thank you for your appreciation and support. I’m really interested to hear about the Taoists who are still practicing astral projection. This is something I wanted to find out more about, but the language and physical barrier makes it very difficult. Anything further you can say about it would be very helpful.
As for the fear of projecting, I think this is something that a lot of people have. Even if it doesn’t seem obvious, I think there is a very primordial and instinctive fear that keeps us clinging to our body, and stops us from being relaxed enough to let go and leave the body consciously. Some of the practices in the book are designed to help with that, so that we can gradually learn to relax into the sensation of being separate to our body.
A “flying Taoist” seems to be quite a common image of Chinese spirituality I think, and probably for a good reason! :-) It is so nice that this aspect of the Religion of the Sun got so preserved in the folk memory there. It is also probably the reason why there is so many flying people in Chinese fantasy dramas. 😉 Even though I did wonder if maybe in the ancient past, spiritual people could also command their physical bodies to fly…
Hi again Lucia,
I think the theme of flying people is clearly one of the common conceptions that people have about Taoism. Flying is also one of the supernatural abilities that one is said to gain from dedicated practices of the esoteric aspects of Taoism. In some doctrines, it is also said that through esoteric practices one can turn his/herself into a ray of light at will. A well-known Taoist figure in China named Lü Dongbin is also said to have possessed the ability of turning the rocks that he touched with his fingers into gold. This also formed the origin of an idiom in Chinese language called dian shi cheng jin（点石成金 lit. “turning stone into gold”). There is also a tale in China regarding this notorious figure, that says one day Lü Dongbin met a poor man who was in search of a better life. Lü Dongbin pitied the man and demonstrated his ability to turn the rocks that he touched with his finger into gold in front of him. Lü Dongbin asked if the man wanted the gold,the man refused and instead said that he wanted his finger that could learn the rocks into gold instead. Lü Dongbin was very disappointed by the man’s response and he left. I think this story bears some similarity to the story of King Midas and the Golden Touch from Greek mythology,but with the difference that the man didn’t get the ability to turn rocks into gold at the end. So there are many supernatural abilities that can be obtained from really deep practices of Taoism. Changes on the physical body of a practitioner is also said to occur. But all of these information can take time and effort to delve into detail and I am unable to go into them now. Those are some stuffs I can think of off the top of my head.
PS: Many Taoist practices also are intermixed with traditional Chinese medicine,as well as Qigong,and other practices from Chinese folk religion. To put it in a nutshell,it’s really complicated.
Hey Emily, I enjoy reading about Taoist tradition from you! It seems like such a sprawling, inaccessible yet captivating tradition to me. I’m interfacing with it a bit at the moment in my Chinese medicine studies, but don’t feel at all at familiar with it yet. The more I learn the more I think the ancient medicine from China is one of the most profound and mystical understandings of the body that has survived into the present day – quite remarkable really!
I really hope you find the “gall bladder” (does that make sense to you!?) to try to explore the astral! It’s an incredible, beautiful thing to experience, it’s more alive than alive, and any negative experiences are so worth it in the balance. Bit like life really!
Hi Lara,
The Taoist teachings and practices can definitely be deep, and there is definitely a lot that can be discussed on this subject. However due to the complexity of the subject I may have to go through all of them and put these information in an organized manner for them to be discussed, which I haven’t had the chance to do so. There exist quite a bit of variations in Taoist teachings that are results of interpretations by different schools that were made and passed down throughout the course of history. The practitioners I’ve met belong to a relatively secretive esoteric school that only share their teachings with those who are among the recognized disciples of their master(it is said that it is very hard to become one of the disciples even though in such a materialistic society very few would be interested in spiritual practices) They live in secluded regions that can take hours of drive to get to from urban area, and their temple is only open to the public during certain times of the year. They are not a group of people that you can just visit for a talk or interview at anytime you want. So I apologize that I’m afraid I would not be able to provide helpful information on this subject at this moment.
I think what you mentioned about the fear of being separated from the body does make a lot of sense,but I think there is indeed another reason that holds me back from astral-projecting. That is not knowing about what exactly I may encounter in the astral realm. It’s almost certain that there will be many different types of beings there,just like there are good and bad people in this world, there are also benevolent and evil spirits which reside in the alternate realm. Not knowing who or what you’ll meet is perhaps the thing that I’m afraid of the most, although maybe there are ways that I don’t know of which can be used to deal with this too.
Thank you Emily for your explanation. I find it very interesting that such secretive schools exist in China, and I wonder how far back their lineage goes.
There are ways to deal with negative beings in the astral realm, so that there is no need to be afraid of them. There are various forms of protection ancient people used, which we discuss in a chapter in the book. What we found is that these mainly called on the light of the Spiritual Sun as this is what has the power to dispel darkness and evil. Based on this we put together an incantation that calls on the light of the Spiritual Sun to repel negative beings and I have found it to be very effective for doing this while out of the body. With this incantation (which is a short phrase that is repeated), it’s possible to repel negative beings and travel unhindered by them. Once some people here get the book, maybe one of them could tell you about it if you’re interested.
Hi Lara,
They say that their lineage is at least hundreds of years old,and Taoist schools can be secretive. Those that have preserved deep esoteric knowledge have always been very cautious about who they pass on their knowledge to, and it seems that this is even more so the case nowadays when so many people are indulged in materialism. They have strict procedures when it comes to choosing their disciples,and simply being interested in pursuing the Spiritual will not guarantee you a place within their community. But there are people in the history of their lineages who had achieved great spiritual attainment,and that’s one of the reasons their schools continue to attract believers.
Wow, this sounds so cool Lara! Can’t wait to try it on some of the “usual suspects” in the astral! It takes forever to receive our book to Europe, looks like I have to wait till the end of this month.
Also, Emily, don’t worry about those astral entities too much, as they are a part of the “culture” of the astral plane, since it is not a purely spiritual/higher plane, and still has both dark and light present. It is, however, very useful for receiving the teachings from the higher beings, as you have already seen via dreams. When we are conscious there, the possibilities of learning are magnified, and that is actually the main reason why these entities are trying to stop us. They don’t harm us physically, but their main goal is to scare, deceive, etc., so we don’t go and receive true knowledge in the astral. Once I even met one entity that told me they are very busy there, checking on people who are getting conscious, and making sure they don’t get very far (not exactly in these words, but that was what I understood). It is not as much scary, as it is bothering, as they can prevent you from flying somewhere, or pretend to be a spiritual being that they are not, etc. The incantation Lara speaks about should be an amazing weapon against them. 🌞 ⚔️ 🌞
That’s great Lucia you were able to get that important information on how they are actively trying to stop anyone from being conscious in the astral. I was told something similar, and that demons can have the job to watch people constantly while they dream so they can be there to attack anyone immediately if they become lucid. Let’s make them even more busy, shall we 😉
Hi Emily,
I previously used some techniques for protection against negative beings similar to those in the new book and found them to be effective, as Lara mentioned. Mark gave an example in the book about using one to get rid of an animal that was biting him, which I also experienced.
At first, I was reacting angrily to it and trying to get rid of it, but it kept on getting a stronger grip, even if I tried pulling it off or hitting it. Then I remembered how I could remove it in a spiritual way and it went away. That’s actually happened a few times and it worked each time.
Mark also mentioned about looking in the eyes of people we encounter in dreams, to see how they are inside. I mentioned before about an old man I saw in a dream who looked like a perfect depiction of a spiritual being, like the druid figures in the recent videos. He was dressed in a white robe, with a long beard and held a golden cane, which he used to point towards a direction I should go in.
But then I looked into his eyes and realised he was actually suspicious, as I could see deceit. So I ignored him and walked off in a different direction.
I was taught a secret incantation for “conscious sleep”, it can be done before going to bed (and then there is another incantation you can say when you have just woken up). The text is “Precepts and Disciplines of Initial Truth” by Wang Chung Hui (not sure if it is translated in English).
The Daoist understanding that I am familiar with, is to continue the spiritual/energy work while sleeping and having the mind so clear that ideally there are no dreams at all, if you can naturally project/become lucid and learn from the Divine, that is amazing and can be very valuable, but do not seek it intentionally, focus your intention on the Inner Cultivation at all times.
The lineage goes back to Yin Xi, one of the disciples of Lao Tsu (the method is “Sleeping Gong”, Shui Gong, the Great Method of Hibernating Dragon).
Great leads, thanks Vadim, I will follow them up.
I have the book, happy to share anything that’s useful
I’ve astral projected a couple times, had a number of obes and lucid dreams, and I’m still afraid of astral projecting, even when I know, like Lucia mentioned, there’s no real danger. But, I need knowledge I can only get out-of-the-body, and I’m quite excited at the prospect, a bit like sky diving must be for people who enjoy that kind of thing. I hope you jump in :)
@Lara / @Lucia, I think I might have experienced that ages ago. I was in a dream talking to someone near my house, and I started to get a bit clearer and out of nowhere someone ran up and grabbed me by the arm and spun me around / distracted me so I didn’t wake up in the dream.
Making them more busy sounds good! :D
Hi Lara,
I was wondering if the book includes techniques for dealing with sinister beings in the astral plane. It’s fantastic that you’ve included them. There was a time when I didn’t want to become aware in dreams or project consciously because there always seemed to be a shadowy being waiting for me. While it didn’t cause any obvious harm, just feeling its presence and its unpleasant low vibrational aura was enough to deter me from exploring the astral plane.
It took me a while, but I eventually overcame this fear to the point where it doesn’t always stop me from exploring the astral plane when the rare opportunity arises (and I learnt a few effective techniques to dispel negative forces). Additionally, at some point, I began to suspect that these sinister beings were not always external intelligences but sometimes my own projections of expecting something shadowy that interfered with my clarity and calmness. However, even though these days, or more precisely evenings, I always hope for an astral experience, no matter how challenging it may be, my ability to consciously astral project still seems to be significantly impacted by my deeply hidden fears. Thus, the most effective method for exploring the astral plane for me has been through waking up in dreams.
It’s possible your suspicions were right. I don’t know how many times I was attacked during OBEs; it almost seemed like every time. To make it worse, I found the incantations I knew at the time just didn’t work for me. To add to that, I realized much later, that waking up in the astral and then saying an incantation just in case, was like sounding an alarm that I was conscious to the entities tasked with watching me. At some point, or at least on some occasions, these were no longer actual negative entities, but projections of my own subconscious which grew out of my expectation of being attacked. Touch wood, but with the incantation of the Spiritual Son/Sun, I am finally flying free :-)
That sounds awesome Lara. I am also being attacked almost all the time I manage to become conscious in the astral, or even shortly before that (kind of like Erik pointed out, they seem to know I am becoming conscious even before it fully dawns upon me), Lately, I had an interesting experience, which shows how effective they are at stopping me. Basically, I was somewhere (unconscious) and some entities were around, with one directly next to me. I talked to it something unconscious, and then as I looked at him, I got clearer and pointed my finger at him and said “You are a negative entity” or something like that (which obviously was not the best thing to do, but what can you expect of someone who’s just barely became conscious in the astral, haha). Then I unleashed some recitations on him that work for me, and he fell down on his face, like a stiff statue, and stayed lying there. Then I heard another entity coming to that area, and asking out loud: “what has happened to you?” I realised he was investigating that one that I “neutralised”, so I tried to hide behind a corner (again, a wrong decision, instead of unleashing more rounds of the recitations, I just acted like in physical, trying to “hide” behind corners), but I woke up shortly after that. However, I didn’t wake up fully, and soon I found myself back in the astral, conscious again, and again in the same scene! The “neutralised” guy “revived” in the meantime, and as I looked at him again, he run away immediately, and I figured he went to call the “stronger” guys to deal with me. I didnt want to waste my time and flew away through the window that was there, but soon I felt an attack from behind (an unpleasant sensation to my lower back) that woke me up. Now this is quite regular scenario, and its pretty frustrating, as I barely become conscious and already there is so much obstacles that I almost have no chance, unless there is some form of Divine presence or guidance that keeps them away. It would be amazing if they were just projections of my subconscious as you say, but on this occasion they felt like separate entities… Also not sure what that attack into my lower back can be, as this seems to be repeating to the point that I have already developed an unconscious expectation of it, which means there is a possibility that I can bring this kind of attack on just by thinking about it in the astral… So, definitely, as soon as I get the book, I am going to search for this “Incantation of Light” that you are describing, train to pronounce it many times during the day, and then hopefully unleashing it on these “patrols” in the astral!
This is so interesting, can’t wait to learn the incantation of the Spiritual Sun to dispel the darkness. ☀️
It resonates with my astral experiences, as choosing to follow the sun in the astral world overshadowed by sinister influences.
And I can definitely relate to what you wrote Slawek and Lara.
I have all my conscious astral experiences stored in one file and studying them shows the extent of attacks from both external negative forces and my own subconscious drives that they so skillfully use.
I improvised with pretty much everything one can possibly use against the dark, and it looks like the quality of the inner state is really the key.
There is no perfect technique – they will look for the ways to counter anything! For example so many people call the light, as it is a very simple universal spiritual symbol… but there is a “dark light” too, “illuminating” a soul as a magical shining web of a very big spider…
When one’s Inner State is very clear, empowered by the DIVINE FORCES, you can walk in Hell and be relatively calm and relaxed. :)
That’s very interesting, Lara. I recall having experiences where I frequently recited the incantation just in case, to keep the area clear. So instead of exploring the astral, I found myself looking around for any signs of trouble and repeating the incantation. Eventually, I would lose clarity and valuable conscious time there. Thank you for sharing your experience with anticipation of external attacks growing into something internal. This is exactly how it feels at times.
Thank you for sharing, Lucia. What you wrote about being attacked from behind corresponds somewhat with my experiences. I sometimes felt like I was carrying an unwanted passenger clinging to my upper back, like a small monkey. I couldn’t see it, but I felt its interference. This could, however, be a product of my subconscious, as Lara mentioned above. On other occasions, I am certain it was negative entities. In response to my incantations, sometimes they would induce intense sensations in my belly area, almost instantly throwing me back into the physical.
Vadim, you make a valid point that one’s inner state should be as clear as possible, greatly diminishing the opposition’s ability to interfere. It is never us dispelling the opposition; it is the Divine that does so when we ask.
Despite the troubles and interference, I have learned to immensely value each encounter, as each taught me something about my inner defects. Ultimately, none of the encounters have been harmful, only highlighting the weaknesses I need to correct. Noticing the opposition and feeling their unpleasant, invasive energy contrasts sharply with the peaceful, uplifting and mystical experiences gifted by the Spiritual Light. This contrast gives extra motivation for lasting inner change to get closer and closer to the Spiritual Sun.
Hi everyOne, here I share the incantation of the Spiritual Son/Sun that Lara speaks about:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mdopwn3BZXTPr7QaF8cTkP9fmhhZXev0/view?usp=sharing
Wishing all of you strength and guidance 🌞
Hello every body,
It’s wonderful that this thread is bringing issues of negative entities working in the Astral to light. It has been a continual battle for me in the Astral against these beings as whilst trying to navigate the other dimensions; it’s a real war.
Hi Marco,
Thank you so much for sharing the incantation from the book! I thought the verse would be written in some form of archaic language that very few today understands at first, but I’m so happy that they are this easy to understand and recite;) It seems like it could be done in plain modern English, or any other language that one is familiar with. This is not exactly what I expected,but it appears to give me a feeling of down-to-earth and easy to understand which I did not anticipate. Thank you again for sharing this again Marco! I think it can be really helpful;)
Hello Emily,
It’s a wonderful observation you’ve made.
In my experience the teachings of the Religion of the Sun have a beautiful way of simplifying things for humanity.
@expectations and influence of the subconscious. A little moment last night that relates to it. I was walking up some stairs and questioned whether I was in the dream world. I looked around me to begin to verify it but a strong sense of intuition already came up with the answer that yes it is. Immediately I decided to go straight through the wall in front of me, but this failed. I did the incantation, and I’m sure it worked. But when trying to go through another door it bent/stretched along as I was trying to get through. I felt stuck from being able to escape this ‘bubble’ I was in. After some time I decided to let go of wanting to fly or wanting to make the best use of my time in the astral, even of wanting it to be clear, really not ‘caring’ about it anymore. A high level of letting go and detaching tbh. Then I walked for a bit and everything was normal in that street, clear, as you’d see here physically.
Although not a perfect conclusion, but part of the take away I got. The subconscious doesn’t just blur our ability to perceive there (so it might not be as simple as clearing the thought, clear the space) but it can also create temporary forms or limitations (vibes/mindsets even) that are there and we can consequently be stuck in (and something within us might subtly hold on to it still, or in trying to ‘fight’ it) (and using an incantation to make all clear might not work). Basically similar to what Lara mentioned already. It just shows how even a subtle influence of our psyche can cause a big limitation on our epxerience there.
I want to mention something which I have just learned about not so long ago. I heard that in some parts of the rural area in Yunnan, China, there are some people who have a tradition of eating certain toxic mushrooms that could produce a hallucinatory effect. It is said that after eating these mushrooms, one could see something like “little figurines dancing in front of your eyes”. Despite the fact that the the use of psychedelics has been made illegal in the country,this tradition/habit of eating hallucinogenic mushrooms somehow lingers on. Eating these mushrooms actually carry a risk of getting intoxicated, but these people do it regardless because they believe eating these mushrooms allows them to experience a different world and that is thought to be important. It’s not clear what is the exact origin of such practices in these areas, but they seem to have existed for centuries. I was kinda surprised to find out about these practices,and I was never a fan of hallucinogenics. It’s kinda interesting that their use can be found in many different parts of the world, but I never believed they were necessary for spiritual practices.
I heard that there have been people who become hospitalized due to poisoning from such toxic fungi, and they would eat those things just to get an experience where one could see vivid colors, dancing figures, etc. Words about these practices have even lured travelers from other parts of the country to go and seek an experience for themselves. Kinda sad to see that these practices could be so mesmerizing to a lot of people,and they really believe that they are seeing a higher reality from these experiences. This is what the natives of those regions who stuck with the tradition and those who are interested in such things would often say, as they seem to really believe that they are accessing a higher realm of existence by eating these mushrooms. This practice is being criticized by atheists,as well as more serious and dedicated spiritual practitioners such as Taoists and Buddhists alike. But in spite of the criticisms, there are still those who are being attracted to it. I don’t know if anything similar exists in other countries,but that’s definitely something which I wanted to bring up that I have just learned about when speaking of spiritual practices in Asia.
Hi Emily,
I think the culture of the people of Yunnan (especially the Yi people whom I have researched a bit), seem to be some sort of a blend of the Religion of the Sun (as they worship fire, preserved a solar calendar, and their native costumes contain a lot of symbols of the Religion of the Sun) with Shamanistic-style beliefs (they have a shaman priest known as Bimaw or Bimo, they worship ancestors and nature spirits, etc.). In the Spiritual OBE book, Mark writes how these two religions existed side-by-side in the ancient times, and that’s why some shamanistic traditions can contain the elements of the Religion of the Sun within them, while in the same time also practicing things that are completely opposite to the Religion of the Sun. Its actually quite sad state of things I think, as people are unable to separate those two different influences and therefore are stuck. Hopefully, if the word about the Religion of the Sun and its revival spreads, people will be able to understand its principles better and align with them if that’s what they want to do…
I think you are spot on Lucia. It does look like shamanism and the religion of the sun have coexisted for a long time…I think southwestern China has some of the best-preserved solar traditions in the country,and that includes Yunnan and the Yi people. However the fact still shocked me when I found out that the people there have a cultural tradition of eating hallucinogenic mushrooms to induce psychedelic experiences. I have undermined the influence of shamanism on the cultures of China, and I thought they were more common in places like Mongolia or Korea where the researches I did show that they had a long history of being influenced by shamanism and to a far more extent than the religion of the sun. China and Japan seem to be those places in East Asia where traces of the existence of a solar religion is more clear. But I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised to find out that there are shamanistic traditions in these countries as well. For some reason psychedelic experiences just seem to be more attractive to some than having OBEs, and that seems to be a sad reality which exists in the world today. Maybe due to the fact that psychedelic experiences involve something as simple as the act of taking a substance,while OBEs with spiritual purposes require more personal effort. I guess this could also be one of the key differences between psychedelic experiences and OBEs. The use of hallucinogenics can indeed carry many risks, and for all good reasons it shouldn’t be encouraged or recommended.
Yep, negative entities in the Astral – a very real thing. It’s as though they are watching you, alerted when you are about to be lucid or project. They seem to find ways to scare or distract, so as to shorten or interfere with the experience. I’ve had soooo many of these! I’ve even had them put a pillow over my face so I can’t breathe but it didn’t work _ I was in the astral and of course I can breathe under water let alone a pillow!. I told the entity that it will only be making my attempts stronger and the experience went away. I keep persisting with my attempts to be conscious in the astral, though it seems to be getting harder with the layers of EMF or wireless technology frequencies. I think they interfere with my/our natural ability to project or be lucid as they have a way of affecting my/our biological body functions and mind/focus thus interfering with the ability to be rested and able to project.. I have used various forms of recitations for protection along the way and they have assisted to varying degrees, depending on my focus and clarity at the time of reciting them. The battle with negative entities reminds me of the spiritual information I came across many years ago about choosing the spiritual way of life and within that conscious decision, we invoke the opposite in ourselves – to choose good means we ignite or attract attention from the dark. I think this was information in a book titled “the flight of the feathered serpent’
Those are interesting points Dimi. I’m aware of the impact of EMFs on the health of the body, but hadn’t considered it much in relation to our ability to astral project. I haven’t slept in an environment away from EMFs for nearly a decade unfortunately. I used to have more lucid dreams before then, but there was also the positive effect of practising with others.
Good the negative entity was put off by your determination! Yes, the quote in that book is true about how there can be an increased interest from dark forces if we attempt to go towards the light. I hope the new recitations will help people with that.
Hi Michael,
I noticed an obvious shift a few years ago too. It was a marked difference, with the increase of EMF and wireless signals around us. It was such a clear distinction, an obvious shift in my ability to astral project. I noticed the signals started to affect/interfere with the duration and frequency of my experiences. I can still have experiences, but it takes more effort and I make sure I have exposed my body to less of the signals – as much as possible :-).
Oh right, that’s surprising to hear Dimi, but also a pity that you noticed such an obvious difference! It’s a nuisance with all these electrical waves in the environment, isn’t it? Unless we’re able to stay somewhere remote in the countryside, it’s very difficult to avoid them. I live in the suburbs, rather than in a busy city, but there are usually about 16 networks popping up if I check. I generally use an Ethernet connection myself, but can’t do much about the neighbours’ connections!
Although, I did invest in some protective clothing and bedding. They do seem to reduce the signals, for example if I place a mobile phone underneath and try to connect to it. But unless we permanently wear a kind of bee keeper’s anti EMF mesh, it seems that most of us will always have some constant exposure.
Despite these hindrances, it’s good that you still manage to get some astral experiences, albeit with much less frequency (pardon the pun!)
I have just tried this night the incantation of the Spiritual Sun first time consciously in the astral and made an observation.
I tried to shorten the formula, simply asking the light to help, but it didn’t work, I think because the darkness was so overpowering that I could not restrain my fears and my fears led me to shorten it and because the intention to shorten was based on fear, it had no power. (I know that when you are full of courage and spiritual strength, just directing these emanations can clear the dark right away).
Then as I flied up and got more conscious control within, I used the full formula with the intention to be strong and concentrate and it seemed to really clear the dark out.
Then I asked Mark for help using his spiritual name and my flight led me to a very interesting symbolic dream where I was tested on the amount of “light that I actually have at the moment within me”, I won’t go into the details, but one valuable observation was that tests are not always on a simple choice – lie don’t lie, be thief, not be a thief, the Divine Beings can really make something more complex and creative – in a close connection to your daily life – to test in details your inner nature.
So don’t try to over smart the Divine Beings by understanding how they think and just correcting the external behaviour accordingly, but purify yourself in such a depth that good spiritual qualities emerge out of you naturally and the ego side is not present or under control.
That’s excellent you used the incantation successfully and were able to go on to have a meaningful experience.
Hi Michael and Karim,
there are layers to these frequencies and protective clothing or fabrics can help, as well as using ethernet connections so no wireless frequencies at all (although some modems and phones ‘pretend’ they have no wireless frequencies beaming out yet they are still emitting).
I have noticed that these frequency layers have created invisible ‘veils'(ie artificial layers of frequencies that emanate through our physical and non- physical realm) that interfere with spiritual functions or abilities – its as though the darkness is getting stronger, more palpable more solid – it is hard to explain.
So, recitations, incantations, protection, etc are key factors to ensure that our Astral experiences and efforts can continue.
And, rightly said Karim – we can’t cheat…! Spiritual Beings can see us for who we are and whether we are genuine/sincere or not.
Hi Vadim,
glad to hear you have managed to verify the effectiveness of this incantation, and also to get that very nice teaching about the amount of the Light within!
I have been training the incantation since we got the book, together with my wife, but so far no success for me in the astral, as I am usually very tired these days and barely remember any dreams. I have been using it in the physical though (during my work in the forest), in potentially dangerous situations, or if I want to clear the environment of darkness.
All the strength to everyone.
Hi Rajko,
Yes, it was nice to see it in this way so clearly – the more light we have within – the more power our incantation of light has.
I can relate to the issue of tiredness, most of my recent astral experiences happened in early morning hours when I had some sleep to at least partially recover and then pushed strongly with an astral practice, yet keeping my sleepiness and delving into relaxation.
Usually I don’t even try an astral practice when my body is too tired… I just try to focus on rest, while praying for protection, guidance, breathing out all tension, etc.
Thanks Lara, this is another highly informative and inspiring video, which is well researched and crafted. There are many rich veins to explore, with histories of OBEs in the cultures and traditions you described.
The clarification of which cultures do not share this common thread was also noteworthy. I remember being surprised when I first saw a painting of a dark angry protector deity in a display of Buddhist artwork. The mention of invoking sinister entities is unsettling and it’s a pity that some traditions merged dark practices with more spiritual practices, such as meditation.
The use of sacred sites as a portal into other dimensions reminds me of part of The Modern Antiquarian documentary, presented by Julian Cope, which I previously shared. This 2-minute section is about Boleigh Fogou near Land’s End in Cornwall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wSCUfp_-as&t=440s
The opening of the fogou is reminiscent of the entrance passageway to Maeshowe, which you mentioned around 22:20 in the Summer Solstice video resembles not only the birth canal of the Mother Earth goddess, but also the tunnel of light described in many NDEs.
One interviewee discusses in the Modern Antiquarian video that he believes the three-dimensional passageway of the fogou to be merely a gateway into a much longer chamber in the higher dimensions. Also that he has used the fogou for the purpose of connecting with these higher dimensions.
I have to commend the high standard of production in this new Sakro Sawel video. The AI images and particularly the closing sequence of astral projection are stunning yet again. I’ve heard discussions of the potential negative uses of AI, but this shows that new technology can be used to create something inspiring, if applied in the right way. The thumbnail image is also beautiful again and the detail of the Greek-style spiral design on the clothing hem is very fitting.
Thanks to everyone involved in producing another well crafted and informative video. It reminds me of the common British saying about waiting for a bus, then three arriving at once! :) For those of us who have been eagerly awaiting the release of the new book, its recent release, along with this and the summer solstice video are a welcome breath of fresh air, with much to reflect on and revisit.
Thanks again for all your efforts!
Thank you very much for sharing that video Michael.
I haven’t visited that site, but I visited another place in Cornwall called Halligye Fogou and it was a very remarkable place. It had similar construction elements to other very old megalithic sites, which makes me question the iron age dating they have put on it. I almost didn’t visit it because it was called iron age, but I’m really glad I did.
It has multiple secondary chambers, some smaller and harder to get into with trilithon entrances, and one that was curved and almost pitch black when you were inside, with some quite strong resonant properties.
It definitely felt like there was much more to it than just being used as a cellar as suggested in that video, very interesting to hear fogous being described as portals like that!
Great clip, thanks for sharing it Michael. I find it really interesting that so many people can generally sense these ancient mound sites were portals of some kind; yet this interpretation is rarely discussed. I think what we’re able to bring to the discussion is a knowledge that the out of body realm really exists, as do the portals ancient people spoke of, and that these were accessed by them in OBEs specifically. By combining the knowledge of OBEs with research into ancient sites and texts, we’ve been able to tie these things together hopefully in a way that will allow people to understand the purpose of these ancient sites in a more concrete way.
Hi Erik and Lara,
Yes, I found it an interesting clip, as is the rest of the documentary. It was my first introduction to learning more about ancient sites when it was broadcast at the turn of the millennium. I agree Lara that it’s very good that the other dimensional aspect of these sites has been brought to the fore again with your and Mark’s work.
It’s good you were able to visit the other fogou in Cornwall Erik. The curved and dark chamber sounds reminiscent of the womb of the Mother Earth goddess, doesn’t it? I had a look at the Mother and Sun book on Cornish fogous by Ian Cooke, which is mentioned in the video clip, but it seems to be quite expensive now it’s out of print. It would be interesting to learn more about these sites though. I see in a description of the book, it mentions the Iron Age again, but I suspect some fogous may actually be older, as you mentioned.
I also saw a documentary about an other worldly portal, which some believe exists in the Rosslyn Chapel, although it was mentioned within the context of UFOs and there was a debate as to whether this was actually the case.
They also mentioned the Falkirk Triangle in the same video, in which there have been many UFO sightings. I found this interesting, as the unusual movement of lights in the sky, which I mentioned before, happened within this region. Two lights that looked like stars moved though the sky and then just stopped. Along with a third light/ star, they formed an equilateral triangle.
This might be something, or might be nothing, but I thought I’d share anyway just in case.
I just lay down for a rest and did a series of short astral practices. I don’t have the new book yet, so I wasn’t doing any particular practice, just trying to watch myself go into sleep in 10 min blocks. I didn’t get out of my body, but after a few times of the alarm going off I woke up with a strong, out-of-nowhere kind of thought about some petroglyphs in Scotland I’d seen over a year ago and a possible link between them and the portal / tunnel into the light.
Some of the petroglyphs, as well as a series of rings, have a line breaking the ring from the center out to the edge of the circles. From memory, in a number of cases, the line out of the circles was pointing in the direction of a solstice or equinox sun alignment on the ones in Scotland I saw. I didn’t know what they could represent at the time, but with that thought in mind they do look quite like a path into a portal / tunnel.
It seems like this is a common symbol in Scotland and England at least, and maybe further afield.
Here are some example photos (not mine):
Example from Scotland
Another example from Scotland
Illustration of examples from Scotland
Example from Northumberland
Another example from Northumberland
Another example from Northumberland
Illustrated classifier for British rock art
This is just a few examples, there are quite a lot more images like this, and in some places there are lots of the same symbol repeated over and over.
I think you’re under something Erik :)
I just got to the part about the cord that used to connect the “children of the sun” to heaven, it could be relevant. The images are also very similar to the bighorn medicine wheel, and I had the same kind of observation about it, though I didn’t think of the word “portal” at the time.
That is so nice to see this concept even reflecting in the petroglyphs! Thank you for sharing Erik, sounds like you have “incubated” a useful dream. 👍 It does remind me of a depiction of a way out of a labyrinth, but in this case it is clearly a different meaning, as this is a way out of the concentric circles,which seem to depict different dimensions. In both cases though, it seems to be a depiction of a way out to the Light… 🌞
Yes, it reminded me of the labyrinth symbol too, which again has the same fundamental design as ancient European mound sites.
That’s so interesting Erik, it’s the same essential pattern as the ancient sites, with the circle and line/avenue leading from within it to the sun.
Very neat Erik, if not a portal, (or not in the way we immediately understand physical space), then perhaps it could be a place of learning, where things were taught, practiced and shared, like a school setting of sorts.
I recently visited some petroglyphs that were quite challenging to get to by foot, they were etched on a cliff, with only a narrow and slightly downward slanting plateau that separated you from the cliff and the shore of a great lake. It felt very magnificent, because the space to look out to was so vast, you could see very far over the lake, and the surrounding nature with its various rocky cliffs and smaller islands was majestic. I could imagine people in the past may have come here on boats and observed the symbols, while someone experienced and learned, shared the knowledge with them.
Great realisation and investigations Erik. These images make me think of trying to escape or to awaken in the higher reality. Trapped in this physical reality though aiming to awaken gradually in truer realities of the higher dimensions
Thanks Erik, those are interesting observations. I see the third image down, featuring illustrations of Scottish petroglyphs also includes the tri-spiral symbol, like at Newgrange:
https://www.newgrange.com/tri-spiral.htm
Good luck with the astral practices! :)
Brilliant work Erik, Thanks for sharing.
The indigenous people of Australia have a common theme in their art that involves connecting concentric circles together using lines. The circles usually aren’t broken like what you have shared and there is usually more than one line involved.
In an earthly sense it usually represents the connection between meeting places but in it can also represent connections in the stars. I often thought it was a veiled reference to astrology and star constellations but after what you’ve shared it may be worth a second look.
Nice Erik 🙌🏼
Perhaps like yourself, I tend to be quite grounded and careful with such things, but I also know it can be a real thing. It sounds, with that suddenness and the specificity of what you saw, that this is such a genuine ‘given thought’/vision.
That symbol, being quite a universal/simple design, could potentially be connected to multiple legitimate meanings, but it would be amazing if this is what it refers to!
I feel that with the way information is gathering now, with the internet, and with what Mark and Lara have presented – that we could be on the brink of more connections being made.
I guess a lot of the looks into ancient sacred sites have been to see their symbolic connection to the path of the spiritual sun cosmology, but less into their use for specific mystical practices. So cool that this done a bit, I believe, in the new book.
Yes, that symbol is found is found in multiple sacred sites of the same tradition along the Atlantic coast and into the Mediterranean.
Hi Erik,
those symbols definitely reminded me of the labyrinth symbol also. There were a couple in the collection you posted that also reminded me of Aboriginal art designs.
It is possible that these symbols are hinting at other realms – a multilayered meaning to these symbols
Thank you, Lara, Mark and the team, for another great video about out-of-body experiences in ancient cultures and religions. Clearly, being able to consciously visit beyond-physical realms was very important to ancient people, as experiencing even one can have a profoundly positive impact on one’s life. Therefore, the idea that ancient people dedicated so much effort to creating sites that assisted in consciously learning directly from the divine makes a lot of sense. When we think about it, what could be of greater importance than receiving guidance from awesomely wise divinity on how to improve oneself internally? Thank you again for making this information freely available.
Thank you Slawek, yes I found it incredible to discover how the priests and priestesses of the religion of the sun had maintained a very ancient method of directing the course of society for the better, by building ancient structures where all those in positions of power would go to have a life-altering OBE. This seems like it was largely to prevent those in power from directing society toward entirely material goals, or into religious beliefs incongruent with reality.
That discovery,Lara, seems amazing. I guess the energy of the whole society was very different back then and so those in power were willing to participate in such practises.
When I worked in one charity years ago, those in higher positions such as directors and team leaders had to spend certain amount of hours each week working in front line jobs,jobs that were done by those with the lowest status in the charity. I really liked that as I believe doing jobs that are not high end brings a lot of learning for a person especially where working on the state of pride is concerned.
Yes, that sounds like a very good idea Tina, for those high up in the organisation to spend some time doing the lower status jobs. It can be a problem when those in charge don’t really have an understanding of what it’s like to be in lowly positions in an organisation or society, such as when millionaires from prestigious schools are in charge of a country and cause havoc for those in need.
I had a funny incident working for another charity, where a staff member saw me chatting with a guy with Down’s syndrome and assumed I also had a learning disability, as I was just speaking to him normally, instead of talking down to him. The staff member started to talk to me in a cheerful but patronising way, similar to a parent encouraging an infant.
I thought it was comical, as I was already well overqualified for the job after many years of university study and relevant employment. But it also highlighted how different someone’s response can be towards people they think are in low status positions in society.
I think that how a society or organisation treats its most vulnerable is telling of the level of spirituality they have. For example, it’s easy to think of religious societies that have appalling records of human rights abuses towards those they consider inferior.
Being in low status positions can also bring a greater level of learning though, such as the resilience and adaptability often required to go about everyday tasks. I agree that being seen in the eyes of society as being on the lowest rungs of the social ladder also gives a lot of opportunities to reduce pride, along with creating more honest interactions.
For example, some famous, wealthy or well respected people may be surrounded by entourages of admirers, but this admiration is often dependent on being able to gain something in return. Whereas, when others see little they can gain from someone, it tends to filter out those who are mainly motivated by their own aims.
I’m reminded of The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles, where Jesus disguises himself as Lithargoel and is calling out “Pearls! Pearls!”:
“The rich men of that city heard his voice. They came out of their hidden storerooms. And some were looking out from the storerooms of their houses. Others looked out from their upper windows. And they did not see (that they could gain) anything from him, because there was no pouch on his back nor bundle inside his cloth and napkin. And because of their disdain they did not even acknowledge him. He, for his part, did not reveal himself to them.”
The text goes on to say how the disciples needed to forgo material comforts, in order to gain something better, which was spiritual knowledge. There is of course a need to take care of ourselves and those we have a responsibility towards, but the text does indicate that if our priorities are wealth and status, although we may gain both with the right efforts, they are inferior rewards in comparison to spiritual rewards, which arguably require a far greater effort in the long run.
Hi Michael,
Yes, very interesting topic indeed.
I’ve known quite few people over the course of this life who have exchanged higher positions for the lower ones deliberately. I’ve met someone in recent year who was a high end designer and earned a lot, but was unfulfilled then left everything and now works as a cleaner for some time and actually enjoy that more. They are quite religious and understand that they need to do those kinds of jobs in order to grow spiritually.
I like those quotes you mentioned as they demonstrate that when we are in a lowest position in life in any kind of way, we have a clearer view of what is what around us as otherwise we would only see a distorted view of things…
That is quite amazing to think about Lara, but it makes sense.
OBEs certainly changed the course of my own life after I came across Mark’s work about astral projection. Such experiences opened me to seeing beyond materialism, and to pursuing a life much more oriented toward self-knowledge, inner growth and spirituality. When I had my first OBEs I knew for sure that there was more to life than the physical world and that it was possible to get guidance from above. And I also knew that my life had a deeper purpose and meaning too.
While I’d always felt there was more to life, this was an intangible feeling that always seemed to get overwhelmed by the pressures of living and the materialist culture around me. I didn’t know what to do about this feeling, or how to act on it, and it seemed that society didn’t know or care much about the deeper questions of existence either. OBEs turned that intangible feeling into something tangible, and then my life took a spiritual direction that I highly doubt it would have otherwise.
So it certainly makes sense that ancient practitioners would seek to help their leaders have these experiences, so that they would be in touch with higher reality and truths, and so better guide their societies (or at least not misguide them). That is very wise really, and gives another insight into why they put so much effort into constructing these sites. It didn’t just benefit a small circle of adepts but the wider society too.
It would be great if one day our society became like that, and more and more people have these experiences and can be put in touch with deeper non-physical realities about their own existence and the purpose of life. Hopefully the new book and these wonderful videos will start to make that possible—although I highly doubt the current crop of world leaders will be lining up to partake in any OBE practices any time soon!
Yes, it would explain why they put so much effort into constructing these sites, and also why they constructed so many lesser ones, as I feel that for a time it was a widespread rite of passage for many people in society, though also tied in with beliefs and customs to do with the afterlife.
The system set up in the religion of the sun to guide society appears to have been very successful, and to have lasted a long time, which is why the religion itself persisted for so long in one form or another. When you think about how transformative an OBE or NDE is, you realize how ingenious what they did was.
The religion of the sun definitely lost the reins of control in society a long time ago though. By many accounts, a fair portion of western leaders are involved in rituals, though these are definitely not of the light.
Yes, those are good points Lara and Matthew. By having those in the upper tiers of ancient societies access these sacred sites for OBEs, they actually benefitted the rest of society, as these experiences can be profound and change our outlook in a positive way. Thus the wider society may be more directed towards spiritual things.
It would be good if this was also the case now, instead of the sinister rituals that Lara mentioned some in power engage in today!
What an eye opening video about Out-of-Body Experiences throughout history, in different cultures and religions and how it relates to the ancient sacred sites around the world. Very informative and great job putting this all together. Left feeling inspired to try to have an OBE myself at the end. Thanks Lara, Mark and the team! Can’t wait for the next episode! God bless and peace to all.
Thanks Beyonder, best wishes with your OBE practice.