Astral Travel: Is it for real?
What some may call astral travel, or others call visualization or guided meditation, I prefer to call soul journeys. And sometimes, those soul journeys can take us backward or forward in time. Or, in the case of this instance, all of the time, all at once.
What is Astral Travel?
Also known as astral projection, astral travel is the process of allowing your consciousness to travel, or project, to different energetic planes. (Maybe to different dimensions? I can’t wait for science to catch up in this area!) These out-of-body experiences can be a powerful technique that helps your healing journey. During what I like to call a “soul journey,” you may travel back or forward in this lifetime, or back and forward in other lifetimes. You may also travel in space — to a different location, whether physical or astral. For instance, I have created an astral “bonfire” where I bring my clients regularly. This bonfire is well-protected energetically. Astral travel shows up across time and cultures, but it’s not an easy thing to just do.
What are the benefits of astral projection?
Astral projection can help you gain greater perspective across your life. It can also provide a new dimension into which you can practice witchcraft (I adore astral witchcraft.)
How do you astral project?
This depends! Every person’s experience is different. I can easily move my consciousness to a different plane, because I’ve been practicing for decades. Some people use lucid dreaming, hypnosis, or guided meditations. I usually lead my clients and students through guided meditations that allow them to drop into a state of restful awareness and begin our journeys.
Can you help me learn how to astral project?
You betcha. To start, book a mentorship session with me, so that I can begin to get to know you, your energy and your guides. I’ll provide homework to help you begin to get used to the practice, and you can continue to book mentorship sessions over the next few months to learn more and keep up your practice.
What can astral projection feel like?
Again, it all depends! But let me share this story with you….
***
With the sounds of violin-led Christmas carols coursing through my veins and the smell of a cinnamon candle enveloping me in the middle of the morning, I felt a push to go to bed. I didn’t want to take a nap—I had too much to get done. The push intensified. A hard shove between my shoulder blades and a shower of goosebumps convinced me Spirit had a message I needed to hear.
I fell into my bed, letting the pinks and teals of my quilt settle around me and my two small dogs snuggle into each side of my waist. After pressing play on a 30-minute recording of rhythmic drumming on my phone, I settled a blue apatite stone over my heart center with one hand while pulling a pillow over my eyes with the other.
After anchoring, I took the stairs down to my Inner Temple. Worn rock stairs spiraled below me, torchlight dancing on the stone walls. My feet were barefoot, a simple green shift on my frame. The top half of my blonde waist-length hair was tied back into a bow. The stairs opened into a night-time clearing in the woods with a large bonfire.
A gathering of Kees turned their faces to me. The fire illuminated little Kees that sat next to wrinkled Kees. All Kees were sitting with their legs crossed and hands on their knees. I recognized the energy sensation of this gathering; I had been here before, unbeknownst, and would be here again, joyfully, to bear witness to this rite—these rites—of passage.
My clothing shifted to a simple tan dress the color of my skin. My hair was black, just below my shoulders, and straight, with some sort of headdress I could feel, but couldn’t see. Black eyeliner gave me cat eyes. As I walked, barefoot, toward the flames, Future Kees cheered Past Kees, who were throwing no-longer-needed coping mechanisms—a Raggedy Ann doll, journals, poetry—into the fire. As though each Kee was a portal, I could see through to their time and place: One tossing notebooks into the flames was me at 22, throwing the paper into the fireplace in my apartment. One Future Me, gray-haired and bedecked in a nightgown, placed three wildflowers into the flames with reverence. I bowed my head to them, acknowledging and bearing witness to their grief, as I stepped into the fire.
Flames licked at my skin and flesh, burning away my earthly being. I was caressed, warmed, and danced with. Energy flowed into and throughout me as the Real Me began to be revealed: A blue phoenix. Or peacock. Or dragon? Perhaps a combination of all three. A long tail extended behind me, and I had webbed feet. Best of all were the wings I often feel just under my fleshly skin when I’m in the Middle Realm of the Self. I could swim or fly or walk in this reality.
Except for this damn tail. The Kees had all faded away as I felt us all coming together, into and out of and all around within this birdlike frame. I knew I needed to accept the tail, but it trailed behind me, getting in the way. Things and entities and people were tripping over it. I was afraid it was going to be trampled. But I couldn’t quite bring it in to wrap around myself—it just lay on the ground, pretty, but useless. Couldn’t we just cut it off?
In studying my form, I could see that the tail was not simply made of feathers—it wasn’t just for show. It was muscle and sinew. I had as much control over my tail as I had over any other muscle in my body. With this knowledge, I launched into the water/air, actively using my tail as a rudder to direct my energy forward.
Once I accepted the entirety of my being and recognized that it was okay to take up space in the world around me, the time-walking journey faded and I fell asleep.
***
Each time I recall this journey or I find myself in a space of liminality, I can feel the energies of Past and Future mes swirling around. Being in a liminal space isn’t easy, but it can be a powerful nexus of energy propelling me both forward and backward. I view the tail now as my past that trails behind me. I no longer try to cut it off, cut it out, remove it, exorcise it—or make it smaller so it won’t get in the way of others. Instead, accepting my past, the trauma, and the choices I’ve made—both “good” and “bad”—is how I move forward with grace and beauty. How I will continue to move forward with purpose, confidently in the direction I must go.
Written by Kee Hawthorne Reiter, a witch, tarot reader and psychic medium focused on helping clients live empowered lives.
Are you interested in doing a time-walking journey to visit past-you to provide comfort and solace, or future-you to seek guidance? Book a session with me to explore how time-walking might fuel healing in your own life.
Let’s spend some time together to really dig into your situation. Book this longer reading if you are interested in one of the following:
Talking about multiple questions (work, love, finances, etc.)
Going on a psychic adventure that may include time walking to older or younger you
Learning about a past life
Contacting someone in your life who has passed away
Connecting with a specific spirit guide or deity for guidance
This type of reading typically runs 45-75 minutes in length.
If you only have one question, need general guidance, or just want to get a feel for my style, purchase the “General Guidance” reading. And if you are looking for learning possibilities, book the “Mentorship” session.
Or, join the go-at-your-own-pace Astral Witchcraft course and learn how to go on your own time-walking journeys.
Witches flying on brooms is a common symbol in our culture, but did you know that you can learn how to fly astrally? Using the framework of witchcraft to approach astral travel, or astral projection, allows you to learn how to safely and strategically journey through otherworld realms and the collective unconscious. Some people call this pathworking, some call it hedge riding, and others may call it shamanic journeying. Regardless of its name, it's a powerful way to learn, grow, and heal.