What is the astral realm? Why would we go there?
Essentially, the astral realm is what we think of when we refer to the "dream world." When your spirit leaves your body, this is where it goes. Many cultures have different names for it, but essentially it is the "other" world which is ruled by mind and spirit rather than body and matter.
Existing in their incorporeal (non physical) state, many spirits and other life forms reside in the astral realm. This could be why you seek to astral travel. Many people have experiences with deities, guides, ancestors, etc in the astral realm. However, it is worth mentioning that just as in our physical realities, there are malicious beings alongside the benevolent ones. It is important to be protected. (I'll talk about that more in the "Tips and Tricks" part of this post.)
So... how do you astral travel?
It's a fairly easy concept if you're already familiar with being mindful of your energetic body. (Energetic body=spirit, soul, etc.) It is simply separating your energetic body from your physical body.
Start by focusing on your breath. Deep breaths in, gentle breaths out. It is important to stay relaxed- the less relaxed you are, the more difficult the entire process will be. You'll want to focus on your body for a moment- notice the way it feels, notice what sensations occur and where they occur, begin to become aware of your energetic body rising and falling with your breath. Focus your awareness to your energetic body. Notice sensations on the subtle energetic level, begin to feel the limits of your physical body. Move past them. Move past the barriers. I think of it as "stretching" my aura, almost. More commonly, this phenomena is described as "floating" or "lifting." This is the point many people may experience seeing themselves lying in their meditative state. Remember: at it's core, astral travel is just shifting your conscious awareness to sit in your energetic body rather than your physical body.
Meditate regularly. Seriously. I know how boring this sounds. Your psychic senses are like a muscle that must be strengthened before you can comfortably do heavy lifting. Meditate every day if you can, for 10-15 minutes minimum. Just do it. Every day if you can. As much as you can. Commit to the routine. Mindfulness meditations specifically would help strengthen your astral travel tools. If you're unfamiliar with it, Google will do better at explaining it. YouTube also has lots of good guided meditations if you don't know where to start.
Play ambient music without words. Words will be a distraction, but music itself can help your focus. If binaural beats are your thing, use them. Any instrumental music would work, I like strings and piano personally. "Meditative Mind" on Spotify and YouTube has some really good ambient stuff.
Use crystals associated with psychic senses. For example, amethyst, labradorite, lapis lazuli, etc. Again, Google will be more help than me.
Visualize a golden thread going from the base of your energetic body's spine to the base of your physical body's spine. If you're prone to experiencing fear and anxiety in the astral, this is for you. One good tug on that thread and you're back in your physical body.
Cast a circle. This is more or less me reminding you to be a responsible witch. You don't know what energies could follow you back. You don't know what energies could mess with your physical body while you aren't in it. Truthfully, you probably wouldn't WANT to know. I am not trying to spread fear, I am just trying to be realistic and offer the most practice protection advice I can. Just cast your damn circle.
Don't be discouraged if you don't make it very far your first few attempts! Don't be discouraged if they aren't successful at all! This stuff takes time and practice, I believe in you :)
