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This article was published exclusively online in the Christian Research Journal, Volume 49, number 04 (2026).

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If you’ve seen the deeply disturbing Netflix series Behind Her Eyes (2021; contains graphic sexual content),¹ the film Dr. Strange (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2016), or even the children’s show Tiny Toons Looniversity (Cartoon Network, 2023–2025), you may be familiar with astral projection. But if you’re like me, you probably have some questions about it. Is astral projection associated with near-death experiences, as it seems to be in Dr. Strange? Does one need to be aligned with the New Age to experience astral projection, like Shirley, the New Age hippie duck on Tiny Toons? Although out-of-body experiences like astral projection are certainly popular subjects in entertainment media, discussions about them as real-life experiences are taking root in the real world, too. For example, singer Demi Lovato claimed to encounter extraterrestrial beings on a “pink and purple planet” during an astral projection experience.²

Due to its rising popularity, it’s becoming important for Christians to have a basic understanding of astral projection as well as a potential response if it comes up in conversations with friends, family, and even our children. This article will answer some foundational questions about astral projection as well as offer a biblical perspective to help us answer questions when they arise.

What Is Astral Projection? An out-of-body experience (OBE) is when a person feels like their consciousness has left their physical body and they are looking at the world from outside of themselves. The term “out-of-body experience” was introduced by British mathematician and parapsychologist G. N. M. Tyrrell in his book, Apparitions (1943). In 1971, researcher Robert Monroe released his popular book, Journeys Out of the Body (Doubleday), which further opened the door to conversations about OBEs. Several types of OBEs exist, from spontaneous ones like near-death experiences to induced experiences like astral projection. Some Eastern worldviews and esoteric traditions such as Hinduism and Taoism view OBEs as an opportunity to experience more of the spiritual realm.

Astral projection is one type of out-of-body experience which is believed by some to allow one’s consciousness to separate from their physical body and travel to a non-physical dimension called the astral plane. Occult traditions have theorized about the practice, and people like Aleister Crowley and Edgar Cayce both professed to induce OBEs that allowed them to visit other dimensions. Proponents of astral projection claim that this is most likely accomplished when a person is in a trance-like state or during deep physical relaxation.

Why People Practice Astral Projection. In one of my earliest articles for the Christian Research Journal, I discussed Teal Swan, a New Age influencer and self-help speaker who offers advice on emotional health.³ She is a proponent of astral projection, claiming that it allows escape from the prison we endure in the real world. She writes:

When your consciousness begins to transition from awake to asleep, there is a window of blackness. In that window, thoughts begin to distort. You can feel them stretch and shrink and magnify. If you watch the thoughts, they cease to make any rational sense. This is one of the easiest ways to get out of body. The minute you notice this window, you think about going into the darkness deeper and deeper and deeper. You will find yourself standing in the fourth dimension. If you turn around, you will see your body on the bed. You will see a brilliant pearlescent filament connecting you to your body. You will feel as if you are outside of a “reality” that your body is limited to…imprisoned in even.⁴

Swan frequently talks about divine consciousness and achieving your “Higher Self,” a supposedly spiritualized and enlightened dimension of one’s own being. So it makes sense that she would seek ways to increase her “vibrations”⁵ and move closer to the “Source,” the term frequently used by New Agers for an ultimate divine reality. Robert Bruce, author of Astral Dynamics (Hampton Roads, 2009), gives similar feedback as to why he practices astral projection. “Your higher spiritual self compared with your normal self is like a deity. It is always with you because it is a part of you,” he writes. “And your higher self is always very interested in helping you to learn and to achieve your goals. Your higher self loves you more than you could possibly imagine. You are your higher self and your higher self is love.”⁶ The goal, then, of astral projection and other out-of-body experiences is to attain your Higher Self and find freedom.

While proponents may exalt the benefits of astral projection, it doesn’t come without risks. These range from strange body sensations, such as itching, to more serious physical reactions, such as headaches and difficulty breathing.⁷ Perhaps the most frightening is difficulty exiting the OBE. According to Bruce, this may occur for different reasons, such as too much protein intake prior to the experience.⁸ It can be scary and may cause panic because the person feels stuck in the altered state. And Bruce contends that the lunar cycle is tied to OBEs, with full moons offering the best chance for successfully returning to the body as well as minimizing pain or other problems.⁹

Astral Projection and Lucid Dreaming. Although astral projection is sometimes compared with lucid dreaming, they are not the same. Lucid dreaming is more of an altered reality within one’s mind, while astral projection is when a person believes they have left their body. Lucid dreamers claim to maintain control of their experiences, while astral projection doesn’t offer a person the same kind of control because they are outside of their body. Another important difference seems to be that lucid dreamers do not believe they are experiencing the paranormal, while astral projection practitioners do.¹⁰ Some believe it is easier to transition to astral projection from a lucid dream.¹¹ That is to say, lucid dreams can turn into OBEs, but for most people, dreaming is much more common and is the “only connection with the greater reality and their spiritual roots.”¹²

Scientific Evidence? Is there any scientific support for astral projection or OBEs? Roughly five-to-ten percent of the population claims they’ve had some sort of out-of-body experience,¹³ but what does the science say? Several studies have been conducted to determine whether OBEs are grounded in reality. Although one might expect the answer to be cut-and-dry, it’s not. A reason for this may be because OBEs are subjective and experiential and, in many ways, perceived only by the one experiencing them. Thus, we have many first-hand accounts and very few studies, if any, to support them. Even though there may be no physical proof, it is possible that triggers like fatigue and meditation cause these experiences for particular people. Further, researchers seem open to OBEs, despite the lack of evidence.¹⁴

Sometimes the research creates more questions. For example, in a research trial involving forty participants in Brazil,¹⁵ the results were relatively unremarkable — participants who claimed they were leaving their physical bodies in an OBE were unable to answer questions any better than people who were guessing. However, something happened after the experiment ended. Two of the participants were able to tell researchers what was happening in another room. Was this due to remote viewing? Some think so. In response to the Brazilian study, researcher Marina Weiler said, “For me, the most important takeaway is that unexpected findings can sometimes help us ask better questions. We now have a specific idea that can be tested in future experiments, and that is exactly what science should do.”¹⁶ Thus, the research continues.

The Christian Response. It would be easy to write off out-of-body experiences such as astral projection simply because of the potential association with the occult. Even so, we must be careful when friends or family members raise questions or express interest in them. Listening well and asking questions will help us better understand and navigate the conversation with discernment and compassion.

We should also remember that not all out-of-body experiences are the same. For example, some near-death experiences (NDEs) include spontaneous, involuntary out-of-body experiences. Christians differ, however, on how such experiences should be understood. Some investigators, such as Lee Strobel, maintain that NDEs may provide evidence of consciousness existing apart from the physical body and offer insights into the reality and nature of an afterlife.¹⁷ Others, such as Hank Hanegraaff, strongly caution that NDE accounts frequently reflect the religious assumptions of those reporting them and contradict one another.¹⁸ Moreover, near-death experiences, by definition, do not establish what happens after biological death. As such, even sincerely reported extraordinary near-death experiences cannot be regarded as reliable guides to spiritual reality and the afterlife.¹⁹

Despite disagreement about the nature and evidential value of NDEs, orthodox Christians agree that the experiences themselves must be evaluated in light of Scripture rather than treated as independent sources of spiritual truth. Many NDE accounts reflect religious universalism, New Age interpretations, or other worldviews incompatible with biblical Christianity, demonstrating how even apparently uplifting spiritual experiences may nevertheless communicate false teaching.²⁰ Our confidence in the reality of life after death rests ultimately not on subjective experiences but on the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1–22, particularly verses 17–20).²¹ With this foundation, we can approach conversations about NDEs and other extraordinary experiences with both intellectual honesty and Christian charity.

Deliberately induced OBEs, however, raise different concerns, as astral projection is unavoidably connected with the occult, which involves seeking sources of knowledge, enlightenment, or power through supernatural means contrary to God’s revealed will in Scripture.²² Indeed, seeking spiritual enlightenment through occult practices rather than through faith in Christ and His revelation is a form of idolatry. Instead of drawing us nearer to the Lord, such practices direct our attention away from God and toward ourselves.

The Bible explicitly warns us against idolatry and occult practices. The apostle Paul includes idolatry and sorcery among the works of the flesh that disqualify a person from receiving eternal salvation. He writes, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21).²³ Likewise, Deuteronomy strongly condemns occult practices. John Ferrer observes that in prohibiting occult practice, Deuteronomy 18:9–14 lists occultism alongside child-sacrifice (“makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire”), “implying that it’s among the worst things people can do.”²⁴

Furthermore, Teal Swan’s promotion of astral projection as a means of finding our Higher Self shows that there is also a connection between astral projection and New Age spirituality — an eclectic system of beliefs and practices that seeks spiritual enlightenment through mystical experiences induced by occult practices, emphasizing the divinity of humanity (pantheism) and the ultimate oneness of all reality (monism).²⁵ Centered in the occult and pantheism, New Age spirituality is thus a radical distortion of reality — of the truth about God and humanity’s relationship to Him.

Ultimately, there is nothing in Scripture that would support the practice of astral projection as a means of spiritual enlightenment or communion with God. Moreover, as I found in various descriptions of astral projection, the experience is inherently dangerous and uncontrollable. In other words, you don’t know what you’ll find in your perception of the astral plane — but as with any occult practice, an encounter with demons seems inevitable, even if that encounter goes unnoticed or is mistaken for something good. Such practices may well expose individuals to spiritual influences they neither understand nor control (John 8:44; 10:10; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 4:1–3).²⁶

The good news is that you don’t need to get to an astral plane to find God. He’s already here with us (Isaiah 41:10). As He declared to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ESV). And in the Great Commission, Jesus told His disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). None of these verses tell us we need to achieve a Higher Self or travel to an astral plane to find God — let alone receive counsel and power from fallen spirits in the process. Indeed, Christians already enjoy communion with God in Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who enables us to understand and embrace the truth of God’s Word. The Lord Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27 ESV), and it is through the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit that we recognize the voice of Christ speaking to us through Scripture.²⁷ We must stand firm on truth, grounded in Scripture (Psalm 119). God’s Word is truth (John 17:17), and our hope is in Christ (Romans 15:13). Find your peace in Him (John 14:27).

Lindsey Medenwaldt is an assistant professor of business and economics at Northwestern College and the author of Bridge-Building Apologetics (Harvest Apologetics, 2024) and co-author with Douglas Groothuis of What If Jesus Is Right? (Tyndale Elevate, 2026). She holds a master’s in apologetics and ethics from Denver Seminary, a JD from St. Mary’s University School of Law, and a master’s in public administration from Midwestern State University.

NOTES

1. Full disclosure: I did not finish watching Behind Her Eyes (rated TV-MA) because I found its graphic sexuality, nudity, language, and occult depictions deeply disturbing. I do not recommend the series.
2. Demi Lovato, interview by Kelly Clarkson, “Demi Lovato Woke Up to 3 Extraterrestrial Beings in Their Room,” The Kelly Clarkson Show, October 1, 2021, YouTube video, 4:27, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lISczc-u9wo. This opens the door to questions about alleged extraterrestrial phenomena, which aren’t going to be the focus of this article. For more information about extraterrestrials, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Ancient Aliens and the Bible: What the Popular Television Series Says about Extraterrestrials in Scripture,” Christian Research Journal 46, nos. 01–02 (2023), https://www.equip.org/articles/ancient-aliens-and-the-bible-what-the-popular-television-series-says-about-extraterrestrials-in-scripture/.
3. See Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Controversial Guru Teal Swan and Astrologer Chani Nicholas Bring New Age Teachings to the Social Media Generation​,” Christian Research Journal 43, no. 01 (2020), https://www.equip.org/articles/controversial-guru-teal-swan-and-astrologer-chani-nicholas-bring-new-age-teachings/.
4. Teal Swan, “The Fox and The Pelican,” October 18, 2016, https://tealswan.com/teals-blog/the-fox-and-the-pelican-r522/, (ellipsis in original).
5. New Agers believe that vibrations exist in everything, and the higher the vibration, the more likely we will reach the highest versions of ourselves. For more about vibrations, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Crystals: Vibrations, Energy, and Healing Power?,” Christian Research Journal 48, no. 03 (2025), https://www.equip.org/articles/crystals-vibrations-energy-and-healing-power/.
6. Robert Bruce, Astral Dynamics: The Complete Book of Out-of-Body Experiences, rev. ed. (Hampton Roads, 2009), 314.
7. Bruce, Astral Dynamics, 190–93.
8. Bruce, Astral Dynamics, 193.
9. Bruce, Astral Dynamics, 196.
10. See “Lucid Dreaming & Astral Projection: What’s the Difference?” Daniel Love — Lucid Dreaming Teacher, YouTube, June 15, 2024, 6:18, https://youtu.be/z33xMVAaEkc?si=Q1Urdgsv6XbQhVix.
11. For more about lucid dreaming, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Consciously Dreaming: A Look at Lucid Dreams,” Christian Research Journal 48, no. 02 (2025), https://www.equip.org/articles/consciously-dreaming-a-look-at-lucid-dreams/.
12. Bruce, Astral Dynamics, 217.
13. Victoria Sayo Turner, “Have Scientists Found the Source of Out-of-Body Experiences?” Smithsonian Magazine, July 24, 2023, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/have-scientists-found-the-source-of-out-of-body-experiences-180982565/.
14. See Jenny Moix, et. al, “Out-of-Body Experiences: Interpretations Through the Eyes of Those Who Live Them,” Frontiers in Psychology 16 (2025), https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1566679/full.
15. Marina Weiler, et al., “Assessing Correspondence Between Subjective Reports and Visual Targets During Attempted Out-of-Body Experiences,” Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing 22, no. 6 (2026), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2026.103506.
16. “Trial Testing Out-of-Body Experiences Produces Unexpected Twist,” UVAHealth, September 9, 2026, https://www.uvahealth.com/news/trial-testing-out-of-body-experiences-yields-unexpected-twist.
17. Kaylin Kaupish, “How Lee Strobel Makes the Case for Heaven,” Guideposts, n.d., https://guideposts.org/articles/angels-and-miracles/life-after-death/how-lee-strobel-makes-a-case-for-heaven/. See also Lee Strobel, The Case for Heaven: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for Life After Death (Zondervan, 2021).
18. See Hank Hanegraaff, “The Contradictory Recollections of Near-Death Experiences,” Christian Research Journal 36, no. 02 (2013), https://www.equip.org/articles/contradictory-recollections-near-death-experiences/; and AfterLife: What You Need to Know About Heaven, the Hereafter, and Near-Death Experiences (Worthy, 2013), 92–108. See also Todd Murphy, “Near-Death Experiences in Thailand,” Journal of Near-Death Studies 19, no. 3 (Spring 2001): 161–78, https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc799340/; and Alinaghi Ghasemiannejad Jahromi and Jeffrey Long, “The Phenomenology of Iranian Near-Death Experiences,” Journal of Near-Death Studies 38, no. 3 (Fall 2020): 180–200, https://doi.org/10.17514/JNDS-2020-38-3-p180-200.
19. See Hanegraaff, AfterLife, 92–108. For a somewhat different assessment that nevertheless shares Hanegraaff’s concern about the interpretation of NDEs in light of Scripture, see Michael Sabom, “The Shadow of Death (Part One): Near-Death Experiences — An Update on the Research and the Controversy,” Christian Research Journal 26, no. 2 (2003), https://www.equip.org/articles/the-shadow-of-death-part-1-near-death-experiences-an-update-on-the-research-and-the-controversy/, and “The Shadow of Death (Part Two): Further Update on Near-Death Experience Research,” Christian Research Journal 26, no. 3 (2003), https://www.equip.org/articles/the-shadow-of-death-part-two-further-update-on-near-death-experience-research/.
20. Hanegraaff, AfterLife, 97–101, 108; Kenneth Ring, Heading toward Omega: In Search of the Meaning of the Near-Death Experience (William Morrow, 1984), 143–64; Bruce Greyson, “Near-Death Experiences and Spirituality,” Zygon 41, no. 2 (2006): 393–414, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.2005.00745.x.
21. Hanegraaff, AfterLife, 102.
22. See Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Behind the Crystal Ball: The Spiritual Risks of Seeing Psychics,” Christian Research Journal 48, no. 04 (2025), https://www.equip.org/articles/behind-the-crystal-ball-the-spiritual-risks-of-seeing-psychics/.
23. Scripture quotations are from the NIV, unless noted otherwise.
24. John D. Ferrer, “Infiltrated: Recognizing and Responding to Occultism in Your Church,” Christian Research Journal 42, nos. 03–04 (2021), https://www.equip.org/articles/infiltrated-recognizing-and-responding-to-occultism-in-your-church/.
25. See Elliot Miller, “The New Age Movement: What Is It? New Age Series (Part One),” Forward (Summer 1985), https://www.equip.org/articles/the-new-age-movement-what-is-it-/.
26. See John Weldon and John Ankerberg, “Visualization: God-Given Power or New Age Danger?,” Christian Research Journal 19, no. 2 (Fall 1996), https://www.equip.org/articles/visualization-part-two/; Ferrer, “Infiltrated”; Medenwaldt, “Behind the Crystal Ball.”
27. See James N. Anderson, “The Internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit: How Do You Know That the Bible Is God’s Word?,” Christian Research Journal 39, no. 05 (2016), https://www.equip.org/articles/internal-testimony-holy-spirit-know-bible-gods-word/.