The Ancient Science Of Astral Travel

In ancient Hindu texts, we find mention of three different bodies lying within ourselves. First, we have the Sthūla Sharīra, or gross body, which is the physical body with which most of us – ignorantly – tend to identify ourselves. The second body is the Sūkshma Sharīra, or subtle body, which includes the mind, intellect, ego, as well as the prāna, or life force. From Chitraketu’s story, we know that it is the Sūkshma Sharīra which is usually associated with astral travel. The third and final body is the causal body, or the Kāraṇa Sharīra, which is the deep unconscious level of the body, and acts as a store-house of our past actions (karma). Astral projection is often associated with the sūkshma
sharīra (subtle body), which is believed to separate from the sthūla sharīra (physical body) under certain conditions, like deep meditation, yogic practices, or at the time of death.
Several ancient texts mention this ability of the subtle body to move beyond the physical form.

For example, in the Brihadāranyaka Upanishad, which is one of the oldest and largest of the Upanishadic texts, a verse states as follows:
“Just as a large fish swims alternately to both banks of the river, so does the Self move between waking and dream states.”
How does this verse relate to the concept of astral projection? Here, it is evident that the ancient Vedic rishīs who realised the truths of the Upanishads believed that the self, or ātman, travelled through the different states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. For example, in our previous video on the Māndūkya Upanishad, we had discussed how the Self inhabits the four different states – while three of these states correspond to waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, it is in the fourth, immeasurable state of Turīya that the Self realises its own infinitude. But it is possible, at the same time, for the Self to realise that it is not one with the body: once it gains this realisation, the Self can then go beyond the body, while the body remains prone and asleep!

#astraltravel #ancientwisdom #astralprojection


Script: Anmol Kohli

VO: Rohit Dave

Edit: Naman

Original Score:    / @asangvani  

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