Is Astral Travelling/Remote Viewing part of your religion?

[Kliska]

Astral projecting is one of those things that opens a person up to spiritual attack, it is messing with things we are not to mess with. Many times those experiences start out fun, full of adventure, excitement, light and the lie of acquiring knowledge… and then over time turn dark and dangerous. It is in no way worth it, a person’s soul is way too precious, and God safeguards us by His rules. He is Light, He is Wisdom, He is Knowledge, we Christians don’t need such tricks as astral projection.

Contemplate and meditate on Him, everything else pales in comparison. If you want to deepen your spiritual relationship with Him look into Christian mystics.

 

[Perplexity]

There seems to be this concern that engaging in astral projection is looking for things apart from one’s God, and since one’s God is all things to her, there’s something wrong with doing so. I can agree with this, as a polytheist: one should not seek for things apart from her God(s), it’s contrary to her purpose. But, again, that doesn’t mean astral projection should not be engaged in at all, only that it – like everything else – should ultimately be a means for unification with ones God(s), and not merely to get excitement, adventure, or insight etc.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

There seems to be this concern that engaging in astral projection is looking for things apart from one’s God, and since one’s God is all things to her, there’s something wrong with doing so. I can agree with this, as a polytheist: one should not seek for things apart from her God(s), it’s contrary to her purpose. But, again, that doesn’t mean astral projection should not be engaged in at all, only that it – like everything else – should ultimately be a means for unification with ones God(s), and not merely to get excitement, adventure, or insight etc.

That’s the pagan perspective.

The Catholic perspective is that we have Jesus Christ in the Eucharist… Body, blood, soul and divinity. And we can not get anymore unified than that.

And besides that, I’m almost certain if Catholics talk to their parish priest about this they are going to be told to stay away from any and all new ages practices, to include Astral projection.

 

[Perplexity]

That’s the pagan perspective.

The Catholic perspective is that we have Jesus Christ in the Eucharist… Body, blood, soul and divinity. And we can not get anymore unified than that.

And besides that, I’m almost certain if Catholics talk to their parish priest about this they are going to be told to stay away from any and all new ages practices, to include Astral projection.

The primacy of the Eucharist in Catholicism as a means of unification does not exclude the great many secondary means, such as penance, the rosary, lectio divina, etc. Out of body experiences can be like that, although I suspect you’re right: priests are likely to associate it with “New Age” practices and forbid it – though they’d be wrong

 

[Kliska]

The primacy of the Eucharist in Catholicism as a means of unification does not exclude the great many secondary means, such as penance, the rosary, lectio divina, etc. Out of body experiences can be like that, although I suspect you’re right: priests are likely to associate it with “New Age” practices and forbid it – though they’d be wrong

If they classified it as “new age” indeed that would be wrong, as it has been around a long long time, but it would not be wrong to advise the person to stay far away from it.

 

[Dorothy]

Astral projecting is one of those things that opens a person up to spiritual attack, it is messing with things we are not to mess with. Many times those experiences start out fun, full of adventure, excitement, light and the lie of acquiring knowledge… and then over time turn dark and dangerous. It is in no way worth it, a person’s soul is way too precious, and God safeguards us by His rules. He is Light, He is Wisdom, He is Knowledge, we Christians don’t need such tricks as astral projection.

Contemplate and meditate on Him, everything else pales in comparison. If you want to deepen your spiritual relationship with Him look into Christian mystics.

Amen!

 

[Dorothy]

The primacy of the Eucharist in Catholicism as a means of unification does not exclude the great many secondary means, such as penance, the rosary, lectio divina, etc. Out of body experiences can be like that, although I suspect you’re right: priests are likely to associate it with “New Age” practices and forbid it – though they’d be wrong

The priests are not wrong to ask us to not pursue astral projection.

However, if God wants it certain saints have been allowed such things, for example…bi-location and other phenonema. (St. Padre Pio). But, they did not ask the Lord for it or try to do it for themselves! Seeking our own will because we think it will benefit us does not work well!

Love is the greatest gift. The love of God can take us out of ourselves and learn to really follow Him.

 

[SyroMalankara]

My opinion: its poppycock. There is no inherent benefit or danger, except falling into delusion that one has a special gift or insight, or that what is imagined is real.

 

[GEddie]

My opinion: its poppycock. There is no inherent benefit or danger, except falling into delusion that one has a special gift or insight, or that what is imagined is real.

Even if AT were rubbish and nothing in fact leaves the body, (since after all, “travel” requires physical movement), one could still have a mental breakdown going too far into these “other realities.”

ICXC NIKA

 

[M-Dent]

One of the most popular techniques for inducing out of body experiences is voluntarily entering sleep paralysis. But, drastic shift in perspective can cause auditory and visual hallucinations. Most often, folks report hearing a loud wind, or train like sound. Others, a crackling or popping. Some report seeing dark or frightening figures, though it’s unclear whether they actually are dark or fright-worthy, or if they only appear that way from the traveler’s vantage point.

It is highly probable Astral Travelling is mostly a type of hallucination triggered by some neurological mechanism (as in this experiment).

 

[Perplexity]

It is highly probable Astral Travelling is mostly a type of hallucination triggered by some neurological mechanism (as in this experiment).

This is the same sort of argument that atheists use against religious experiences. The first problem is we can – at least in theory – induce any perceptual experience within a lab. That doesn’t mean perception is unreliable – and what a self-defeating argument that ends up being. The second problem is that just because an experience involves neurological events doesn’t mean it only involves neurological events. Finally, even if OBE’s were entirely neurological, such that no external secondary causes produce them, that doesn’t mean no primary causes do. Thus, you presumably believe that God imparts the being required for a hallucinatory experience, even if only by way of permitting it. So too, the Gods may simply use this hallucination as a means of unification. But, thank you for the link, I hadn’t heard of this experiment.

 

[M-Dent]

This is the same sort of argument that atheists use against religious experiences. The first problem is we can – at least in theory – induce any perceptual experience within a lab. That doesn’t mean perception is unreliable – and what a self-defeating argument that ends up being. The second problem is that just because an experience involves neurological events doesn’t mean it only involves neurological events. Finally, even if OBE’s were entirely neurological, such that no external secondary causes produce them, that doesn’t mean no primary causes do. Thus, you presumably believe that God imparts the being required for a hallucinatory experience, even if only by way of permitting it. So too, the Gods may simply use this hallucination as a means of unification. But, thank you for the link, I hadn’t heard of this experiment.

Fair enough. We can induce many perceptual experiences in a lab; which should lead us to some reasonable conclusions. The human brain is a wondrously complex creation.

I tend to believe God has {on very rare occasion} utilized the imagination of some mystics with hallucinatory experience and communicated via this process.

Negating the influence of outside of foreign substances, I suppose there could be three sources of seemingly mysterious hallucinatory experience, human (material world), demonic (preternatural) or God (supernatural).

I believe the far majority are produced by human exertion. In some rare cases, carefully discerning the fruits of such manifestations may point to a different source.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

The Church may have to a degree dropped mysticism but just the same I don’t know enough of it to be able to say it is “demonic” as suggested by others. Even the Gregorian Chant that is supposed to be sung at Mass I believe to be a mild form of mysticism (or perhaps more than mild if done right but who knows this today?), or at least that what is written on paper that is to be chanted activates certain parts of our much underutilized though very capable brains and therefore does something to the singer and those listening and the importance of each melody attached to each part of the Mass for each feast has some deeper raison d’etre that has been lost to time and that today we no longer understand. However, all of this was written and handed down for a reason and just because we may no longer understand doesn’t mean we should drop it and do something else. The document Sacrosanctum concilium of Vatican II states that Gregorian Chant is to be given “pride of place” in the liturgy. The following is a direct quote of Archbishop Fulton Sheen: “… as we drop mysticism, the young people go in for pharmaceuticals and drugs…” So while there is or was an authentic Christian mysticism, who really knows what it is today? It’s certainly not yoga which has one take up positions of hindu gods.

 

[Dorothy]

We have Doctors of the Church on prayer, Lay Third Orders, etc., to aid us in practicing deeper prayer.

To seek an experience of the Lord through our prayer life is not to be our goal. But, when the Lord grants it we are to accept graciously His help and then move on.

To seek astral travel is not of God. If He permits it for His plan and purpose is another story.

 

[Perplexity]

We have Doctors of the Church on prayer, Lay Third Orders, etc., to aid us in practicing deeper prayer.

To seek an experience of the Lord through our prayer life is not to be our goal. But, when the Lord grants it we are to accept graciously His help and then move on.

To seek astral travel is not of God. If He permits it for His plan and purpose is another story.

As this the forum for non-Catholic religions, I’ll share a little of my Paganism in relation to this subject:

One of the beautiful things about what’s called “henadic” or “polycentric” polytheism – an understanding of the Gods that developed within Neoplatonism – is its profound respect for the diverse traditions instituted by different Gods: each tradition is a living revelation of an absolutely peculiar and individual divinity. Moreover, each God is understood to be absolutely perfect and the cause of all things in its own way – e.g. Poseidon is the cause of all things insofar as they come to be or change, whereas, we might say, Odin is the cause of all things insofar far as they hunger, or pursue their telos, etc.

Those within a tradition have a bottomless sea of divine self-disclosure to grow in, and may find all they need – from ethics to spiritual practices – in their Deity. So, I certainly don’t want to encourage any Christians to behave contrary to YHWH’s will: He is an inexhaustible source of goodness and life for you.

 

[Dorothy]

As this the forum for non-Catholic religions, I’ll share a little of my Paganism in relation to this subject:

One of the beautiful things about what’s called “henadic” or “polycentric” polytheism – an understanding of the Gods that developed within Neoplatonism – is its profound respect for the diverse traditions instituted by different Gods: each tradition is a living revelation of an absolutely peculiar and individual divinity. Moreover, each God is understood to be absolutely perfect and the cause of all things in its own way – e.g. Poseidon is the cause of all things insofar as they come to be or change, whereas, we might say, Odin is the cause of all things insofar far as they hunger, or pursue their telos, etc.

Those within a tradition have a bottomless sea of divine self-disclosure to grow in, and may find all they need – from ethics to spiritual practices – in their Deity. So, I certainly don’t want to encourage any Christians to behave contrary to YHWH’s will: He is an inexhaustible source of goodness and life for you.

“Perplexity”,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[Anna_Scott]

One of my relatives is a serious yoga practitioner, recently she advised me that she has converted to Hinduism and has opened her “third eye” and is Astro Travelling. She said a lot of eastern religions practice this including Muslims however my muslim neighbour said she has never heard of this practice in their faith.

She has asked me to participate with her in order to open my third eye which will open another part of my brain which is never used. I don’t understand what she is on about and frankly I find it concerning.

Do you practice this as part of your faith?

Absolutely not.

You might want to talk with your Priest about this.

It’s a dangerous path for the soul.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

One of my relatives is a serious yoga practitioner, recently she advised me that she has converted to Hinduism and has opened her “third eye” and is Astro Travelling. She said a lot of eastern religions practice this including Muslims however my muslim neighbour said she has never heard of this practice in their faith.

She has asked me to participate with her in order to open my third eye which will open another part of my brain which is never used. I don’t understand what she is on about and frankly I find it concerning.

Do you practice this as part of your faith?

For your information, so you dont act in ignorance

From the catechism on commandments for catholics
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm

2138 Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic

Divination and magic

2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future.48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.

And from the bible lots of mentions but I like Revelations

Revelation 18:23: and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall be heard in thee no more; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, and all nations were deceived by thy sorcery.

Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death."

Revelation 22: 15: Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and every one who loves and practices falsehood

First thing I did was stop reading horoscopes in the paper daily.

 

[Perplexity]

The church has such a poor understanding of Paganism, as monotheists and westerners overwhelmingly tend to. We’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for sure -.-

 

[Kliska]

The church has such a poor understanding of Paganism, as monotheists and westerners overwhelmingly tend to. We’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for sure -.-

Not agreeing with something doesn’t necessarily represent a poor understanding.