# Astral Projection > Astral projection is the expansion of consciousness beyond the physical body not a literal leaving but an enlargement of conscious focus. Your consciousness is always 360 degrees around your physical form. During astral projection you shift your focal point to the skin of that expanded sphere perceiving realities beyond physical dimension while maintaining awareness of your physical connection. - Canonical: https://sassani.app/topic/astral-projection # Astral Projection Astral projection is the expansion of your consciousness beyond the physical body, not a literal leaving of the body but an enlargement of your conscious focus. Your consciousness is always 360 degrees around your physical form; during astral projection, you simply shift your focal point to the "skin" of that expanded sphere, perceiving realities beyond physical dimension while maintaining awareness of your physical connection. > — All Of It (qa-1), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## How Consciousness Expands Your consciousness functions like a sphere. When physically focused, that sphere is condensed to the shape of your body. When you astral project, you are not actually exiting the body — you are expanding the sphere of your consciousness so that your focal point moves outward. Your physical body remains at the center of this expanded consciousness field, always contained within your awareness. > — All Of It (qa-2), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) This means you can simultaneously maintain awareness of physical sensations while exploring non-physical realms. Some astral experiences involve complete disengagement from physical perception, while others retain a dual awareness of both physical and non-physical states. Both are valid variations of the same expanded consciousness. > — All Of It (qa-3), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## The Bubble Mechanism *A resting alcove remains calm as a nearby window opens onto a wide misty inlet* Imagine your consciousness as a bubble. In physical focus, the bubble is tight around your body. To astral project, you expand this bubble outward. Your physical reality becomes the dense center, and you move your focal point to the outer "skin" of the bubble, perceiving different viewpoints along that surface. Because your consciousness is everywhere within the bubble simultaneously, you can instantly shift focus from one point on the skin to another — this is why astral travel involves no actual travel time between locations. > — All Of It (qa-4), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## Distinguishing Features Bashar clarifies that what you call astral projection spans a spectrum of experience: Full disengagement: Complete focus away from physical sensation, typical of deep astral travel or what many consider "true" astral projection. Dual awareness: Maintaining awareness of both physical and non-physical states simultaneously, which some experience as they expand their consciousness. Dream-state projection: Many dreams are actually interpreted memories of out-of-body experiences; your physical mind translates the non-physical journey into dream symbology upon waking. > — All Of It (qa-5), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) The key distinction is not where you go but where you place your conscious attention. All these experiences involve the same mechanism — expanded consciousness — filtered through different degrees of physical focus. > — All Of It (qa-6), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## Opening the Astral Eye *A resting figure faces an open water view while their bed remains close behind* When you first begin expanding your astral awareness, you may have the sense of being "out" without clear visual perception. Bashar explains this is often because you are still using physical habits of perception and have not yet learned to "open your astral eye." You can practice by turning your attention outward on the skin of your expanded consciousness sphere, using your imagination to explore different viewpoints along that surface. What you perceive may not look like physical vision — that is appropriate, as non-physical perception operates by different principles. > — All Of It (qa-7), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## Integration with Physical Life Your astral experiences are not separate from your physical life — they provide additional perspectives and information that can inform your physical choices. Bashar notes that even during physical sleep, your consciousness makes connections and explores other levels of reality; what you remember as dreams are often your physical mind's interpretation of these expanded consciousness journeys. > — All Of It (qa-8), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## Practical Implications Understanding the expanded nature of consciousness can transform how you approach astral projection: You are always safe: Your physical body remains within your consciousness field at all times. You cannot get "lost" outside your body because you are never actually outside it — your body is inside your consciousness. Fear of separation inhibits the experience; knowing your body remains within your expanded awareness allows deeper exploration. > — All Of It (qa-9), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) Start with dual awareness: Many find it easiest to begin by maintaining awareness of physical sensation while simultaneously expanding consciousness to other levels. This builds trust that the physical remains safe while you explore non-physical realms. > — All Of It (qa-10), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) Use imagination consciously: Your imagination is the bridge between physical and non-physical perception. Consciously imagining yourself expanded, viewing other locations, or exploring different viewpoints trains your consciousness to recognize its true expanded nature. > — All Of It (qa-11), [Source](https://sassani.app/source-transmissions/all-of-it) ## Representative Passages "Think now when you are physically focused that the sphere, let us say, is simply in the shape of your body... Then when you go out of body, it is not that you are actually exiting the body. It is that you are expanding the sphere so that your consciousness is now out here further and further and further... Your consciousness, therefore, is actually always 360 degrees around your body, which is at the center, so to speak."— Bashar, "Many individuals would assume that it is not completely astral projection unless you lost the realization of the focus of your physical form. It is still astral projection, but it may simply be that your consciousness is not focused simply in the skin of the bubble, but throughout the entire thing."— Bashar, ## Related Markdown twin of https://sassani.app/topic/astral-projection. The HTML page is the source of truth.