Review: The Complete Manual of Out-of-Body Experiences and Astral Projection

The Complete Manual of Out-of-Body Experiences and Astral Projection

by Marilynn Hughes

Today I'm reviewing  The Complete Manual of Out-of-Body Experiences and Astral Projection by Marilynn Hughes. The copyright is 2025.

Marilynn Hughes has written dozens, or maybe hundreds, of books on out-of-body travel and astral projection based on her own experiences. I currently own three, but before now I've only reviewed one: Odysseys of Light. With dozens to choose from, where do you even start? Well, this book, The Complete Manual of Out-of-Body Experiences and Astral Projection, is a good place to start. You can also start by visiting the website where she promotes her work: The Out of Body Travel Foundation.

Most of Hughes' books have religious themes, with photos of Biblical Angels, Saints, and even Jesus depicted on the covers. For many years that misled me to believe the author was some kind of religious zealot pushing a Christian agenda, but that's entirely untrue. In fact, Hughes talks about many new-age topics like reincarnation. So don't judge her books by their covers.

This book doesn't contain any credentials and very few out-of-body narratives, so there's really no way to judge her level of experience. However, I assure you, Marilynn Hughes is the real deal. She writes from decades of experience and knows exactly what she's talking about, and you can tell that from her many other books. I didn't disagree with anything she wrote here, which is remarkable. She comes across as wise, spiritual, and humble.

So let's dive into the contents.

I liked how Hughes describes the different entities she's encountered in her numerous OBEs, and I'm sure she's had many more interactions with them than I ever have in my 35 years of OBEs. She describes the role of Guides, Angels, and Divine Beings. For example, she writes:

"In my astral travels, I was never alone. From the very first moment I left my body, I began to meet spiritual guides--beings of light and wisdom who accompanied me through the astral realms...

"I learned that these guides are not just separate beings, but reflections of the divine presence that is within all of us." (pg. 34)

The book has solid advice on dealing with fear, which is the biggest roadblock to OBEs. In short, she recommends:

1. Educate yourself [on OBEs]
2. Create a Ritual of Protection
3. Start Small
4. Document Your Experiences
5. Seek Support
   

The book also has good foundational practices, such as:

• Cultivating the right environment
• Preparing your mind
• Visualization exercises
• Intention setting
• Preparing your body (relaxation, etc.)
• Preparing your mind
  

Hughes recommends, not just daily meditation, but "lengthy" meditation sessions during the day of up to three hours duration or more. She says:

"This allows your spirit to get to to [sic] the depths required to achieve the vibrational state which is required for out of body travel to take place." (pg. 57)

Woah, if I only had that kind of free time! That might be a noble "life goal" but for me, definitely not a "relationship goal" because it would be grounds for divorce for sure!

Here's a quote I really liked:

"When I first began my journey into out-of-body travel, I discovered quickly that the act of projection wasn't just about physical detachment from the body; it was about awakening the soul to its natural, expansive state. It wasn't enough to merely attempt to leave my body; I had to align my energy, focus my intention, and cultivate a deep spiritual awareness." (pg. 62)

A lot of OBE books focus on breath work, and Hughes has several very good specific recommendations. One of them is "Conscious Breathing" in which you inhale slowly (through your nose) for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, then exhale for a count of six. (Page 65)

Hughes recommends only two specific books from other OBE authors: Robert Monroe and Robert Bruce, and the book contains some techniques from those books. She claims that Robert Bruce's "Rope" technique became her "go-to method" to initiating her early out-of-body experiences. At other times she used Robert Monroe's "Roll-Out" technique.

Where this book really shines is in the specifics of every chapter. In almost every section of the book, Hughes says something like "Here's how I did this or that." It's pervasive throughout the book and, for me, it's much appreciated. Here are some examples:

• "Here's how I navigated these higher realms:" (pg. 86)
• "Here's how I used astral projection for healing:" (pg. 87)
• "Here's how I've learned to access these higher realms:" (pg. 92)
• "Here's what I've discovered about the middle realms:" (pg. 104) 
• "Here's how I've learned to deepen my communication with divine beings:" (pg. 118)
• "Here's how I overcame fear in my journeys:" (pg. 122) 
• "Here's how I continue to explore the higher realms:" (pg. 156)

I love love love specifics like that, even if the sub-bullets are sometimes a bit "ethereal" or hard to grasp. For example, "Letting go" or "Opening to divine light" might sound a bit vague, but at least they give the reader a good idea of the proper mindset. After all, when it comes to OBEs, sometimes the best action is inaction, and learning to "let go" and "trust the process" go with the territory.

Here's another quote I loved:

"One of the most awe-inspiring and transformative aspects of my out-of-body experiences has been the encounters I've had with guides, angels, and divine beings...over time, I've learned that these encounters are not only a central part of astral travel--they are an essential part of our spiritual journey." (pg. 111)

I also liked this quote:

"As I continued to apply the insights from my astral journeys, I realized that the key to living a spiritually fulfilled life is maintaining a heightened state of awareness throughout the day." (pg. 140)

There's a spiritual side to this book, and I wouldn't expect anything less from Marilynn Hughes. The good news is that it's humble and honest, not pushy or preachy. For example:

"The more I traveled, the more I came to understand that every journey is a stepping stone on the path to deeper awareness, healing, and union with the divine." (pg. 153)

See? Well said but not preachy. Perhaps my favorite quote is near the end of the book:

"But perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned is that the true purpose of astral travel is not simply to explore the unseen realms. It is to bring the wisdom, healing, and transformation that we experience during our journeys back into our daily lives. As we travel beyond the veil, we awaken to our true essence, our infinite potential, and our connection to the divine." (pg. 163)

This isn't a big book. It's 185 pages, but the format is petite (not "small"), the margins are wide and there's a lot of white space. That means there isn't a ton of content, but just enough to satisfy. It also makes for a quick read: You can read the book easily in one evening. It's very well organized and well written.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, but it's almost 4 and a half. It's "perfect for some people." It's a good mixture of practical advice and spiritual insights. Still, there's plenty the author didn't say. Still, after writing so many books on the subject, she probably covered it all elsewhere.

Bob Peterson
11 March 2025

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If you want me to review a book about out-of-body experiences or astral projection, send me an email: bob@robertpeterson.org, but please check the index first to see if I've already reviewed it. Also, I've got a huge pile of books I'm planning to review, so don't expect a quick turnaround.

If you like my work, visit my website, robertpeterson.org, where you'll find lots of other free OBE advice and links.

Return to the index of my OBE Book reviews

Review: Astral Projection by Brad Steiger

Review: Astral Projection

by Brad Steiger

 

Today I'm reviewing Astral Projection by Brad Steiger. The copyright is 1982, so it's an oldie for sure. My copy is signed by the author himself, although I don't remember where I acquired it. I've owned it since the 1980s.

Brad Steiger is a good author and he's written many books on many paranormal subjects. His books are both informative and entertaining.

In a few words, this book has a lot of general information about astral projection, coupled with lots of narratives, and you know how much I love OBE narratives. The narratives are cast as stories, so not exactly fictionalized, but more entertaining to be sure. The nice thing about this book is that the vast majority of them contain veridical evidence. In other words, evidence that the OBEs were "real."

Starting in October 2020, I wrote a series of six articles for this blog that presented some of the most convincing "proof." You can find them here:

Part 1, Introduction, click here.
Part 2, Laboratory Experiments, click here.
Part 3, Anecdotal Evidence, click here.
Part 4, Evidence from OBE Adepts, click here.
Part 5, Indirect Evidence, click here.
Part 6, Evidence against OBEs, click here.

Well, most of the OBE narratives with veridical evidence I cited in these articles are not found in this book. Or, to look at it another way, this book contains lots and lots more evidence not included in those articles. I could have done another six-part installment based on this book alone!

So if you're looking for "Proof" this book is for you.

Steiger breaks the book into sections, each describing different circumstances under which the OBEs occurred. For example:

• Projection at the Time of Accident
• Leaving the Body during Intense Pain
• Out-of-Body Experiences during Illness
• Projection during Surgery
• Astral Travel during Sleep
• Projection at the moment of Death
• Conscious Out-of-Body Projections
• Projections during Hypnosis

Steiger spends a lot of time discussing experiments done using hypnosis, and it's fascinating. Especially since many of these contain veridical evidence. For example, they hypnotized a talented friend and instructed her to leave her body and travel to a friend's home that she'd never seen before. She described these people and places perfectly, including some unexpected things that were later proven to be true.

It also includes some stories of remote "out-of-body" healing done through hypnosis.

The book also contains a few narratives from the author himself. For example, when one of Steiger's acquaintances attempts to "prove" OBEs are real by visiting him in an OBE. These are important because, unlike most narratives, they are firsthand from the author.

He writes that his wife, Francie, is an accomplished "mind traveller" and has done it since the age of five. She gives a pretty good description of how she does it. After some necessary prep work and extreme relaxation, she says:

"Next, imagine circles emanating before you. They may be vague at first, then they will become clearer, moving toward you, growing gradually larger, until they can pass easily over your body and completely encircle you." (pg. 186)

Wow, that sounds a lot like what happened the first time I induced the vibrations, as described in chapter 3 of my first book. You can read my account at this link.

He also talks about the "Old Pros" like Sylvan Muldoon, Oliver Fox, Yram, Paul Twitchell, and others. Bear in mind this book was written long before the likes of William Buhlman and many other post-Robert-Monroe authors.

Steiger gives a couple meager OBE induction procedures, but nothing to write home about. One of the more interesting techniques is quoted from an elderly gentleman who claimed to do it since 1905:

"You need total darkness, a mirror,  and a five-watt light. On your forehead, in the center, you place an orange-colored disc. You look at this disc for five minutes without winking, and this is to be practiced every night until you can do this.

"You increase your sitting to six minutes, then seven minutes, and so on, only when you have succeeded in making the previous time. Once while doing this, the wall suddenly disappeared and I found myself in a backyard garden..." (pg. 117)

There are also one or two helpful hints as well, such as:

"You should have some motivation, some reason for going. I think the greater motivation, the easier it is to achieve this thing." (pg. 122)

The book is professionally written and edited, and enjoyable. I didn't notice any grammar or spelling problems. The material is dated, but still very interesting. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

Bob Peterson
18 February 2025

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If you want me to review a book about out-of-body experiences or astral projection, send me an email: bob@robertpeterson.org, but please check the index first to see if I've already reviewed it. Also, I've got a huge pile of books I'm planning to review, so don't expect a quick turnaround.

If you like my work, visit my website, robertpeterson.org, where you'll find lots of other free OBE advice and links.

Return to the index of my OBE Book reviews

Review: Astral Projection by Jennifer Vinney

Astral Projection

by Jennifer Vinney

Today I'm reviewing Astral Projection: An Easy Way to Travel the Soul by Jennifer Vinney. The copyright is missing, but assumed to be 2024.

This book gave a very bad first impression. Why? There was no copyright page, the pages aren't numbered, the chapters aren't numbered, and the English grammar is poor. I could easily believe the book was written in Chinese and translated by a bot or AI into English. For example, the author, Jennifer Vinney, never talks about herself in the first person. Instead she refers to herself as "The author." In several cases she is referred to as "he" when she quite clearly (from a photo) is a she. For example:

"In the author's journey, the author found a lot of amazing knowledge and techniques. It is amazing due to the its simplicity, yet it produced amazing results." (pg ??)

Despite all that, the book gets better. The grammar gets a little better with each chapter and it contains several solid out-of-body techniques. I'll go over them later.

Despite the poor grammar, the book does have some good advice. For example:

"One-pointed attention does not mean to empty your mind. As the name suggests, one-pointed attention means to focus your attention on something. It is not recommended for you to be in a complete empty mind because this may allow the entry of distracting external forces." (pg. ??)

I agree to some extent. The difference is subtle but important. It's not exactly "Concentration" and it's not exactly keeping the mind empty. You need to achieve a quiesced state of mind with single-pointed focus.

Here's some more good advice:

"However, if you are just partially paralyzed, silence your mind and relax. As you relax, your paralysis will become stronger and then you can will yourself out." (pg. ??)

She talks about affirmations, suggesting, for example:

"My body will sleep soon, but when my body falls asleep, I will be conscious. My consciousness will not disappear. I will have full consciousness while my body is sleeping." (pg. ??)

The book contains a few curious things that baffle me. For example, she writes:

When you return to your physical body, you will usually feel the beat. This beat is a sensation caused by friction or fast movement when the other layers of your aura merges with the physical body." (pg. ??)

I have no idea what she's talking about. Is she talking about heart beat? The Vibrations? Who knows.

At one point she talks about using crystals to facilitate astral projection. She says:

"While many crystals enhance body vibrations, thereby facilitating the process, Jasper, particularly Leopardskin Jasper, is considered the best crystal for this purpose." (pg. ??)

To my memory, this is the only book I've read that suggests jasper. Some books recommend quartz crystals, and various kinds of quartz such as amethyst, but one of the most popular seems to be Blue Calcite. I've had a large Blue Calcite crystal at my bedside for many years and I don't think it's made my OBEs more or less likely. Modern thinking suggests that mixing more than one type of crystal is a bad idea, so if you do want to use crystals, stick with one type. Again, this is the first book to suggest Jasper, so maybe I'll pick up some Jasper the next time I find myself at a rock shop, and I'll let you know.

Also, most books that suggest the use of crystals say to keep it by your bedside. Vinney has the following suggestions:

"Once the crystal is cleansed and prepared for use, gently place it on your navel before sleeping. It is recommended to avoid using large crystals weighing several kilograms for this purpose. A small crystal the size of your thumb is sufficient. If you find the crystal on your navel disruptive, you can place it beside your body, at a height around the navel." (pg. ??)

The Bad

Here is something I disagree with:

"The problem most commonly experienced by most people after returning to the physical body is a headache...However, most of them will suffer headaches for days each time they leave their physical bodies." (pg. ??)

Well, that just sounds wrong to me. I've never returned to my body with a headache. Not once, ever. In all the studying I've done, and all the books I've read, I've never heard of anyone returning with a headache. If that were the case, it surely would have been talked about by the likes of Dr. Janet Mitchell, Susan Blackmore, Robert Crookall, Gabbard & Twemlow, William Buhlman, and similar.

Show of hands: Have you ever returned to your body with a headache?

Here's another point I disagree with:

"In visiting friends or relatives, don't visit someone who performs a lot of spiritual practice...A person whose energy frequency is far higher than you can throw you back into your physical body with rapid heartbeat. It also might result in the inability to leave your body for several weeks afterwards." (pg. ??)

That sounds like a lot of nonsense to me. I've been around a lot of people with varying degrees of spiritual practice, such as channelers, psychics, mediums, healers, and fellow astral travelers. I've also encounter many high-vibration entities "out there" and never once has it caused me to be sent back with rapid heartbeat. What's more, after every out-of-body experience, it's been a lot easier to induce more, at least for a couple weeks. Yes, I've been thrown back inside my body for various reason, and sometimes with rapid heartbeat, but it's always been due to a startling physical event (the phone rings, etc.) and it has NEVER made the induction process any harder.

Here's another thing I disagree with:

"Evil life forms can only reach the fifth dimension. If you are able to leave with at least the fourth layer of your aura, then you will be able to secure yourself by going to the sixth dimension when you are chased." (pg. ??)

First of all, this is unnecessary fear mongering. Second, although there seems to be "layers" of places in OBEs, I've never identified them as "layer 4, 5, or 6, etc." Like I've always said, there aren't signs above the doorway saying "This is the Astral Plane, level 3." It's more like "This doesn't look very physical, so where the heck am I now?"

I really don't believe in "evil" as people think of it. Yes, there are entities with bad intentions and motivations, just like in physical life, but if you keep your thoughts and emotions positive, they won't be able to reach you, regardless of which "dimension."

Another point of disagreement:

"The subconscious, however, is merely an overflow of information from these three consciousnesses...Unlike our three consciousnesses, which can deliberate, make choices, and learn, the subconscious lacks these abilities, although it is connected to all three consciousnesses. It serves as a receptacle for strong emotions and other information from the consciousnesses, functioning essentially as a "garbage can." (pg. ?? -- Near the end of the book) 

That sounds like textbook learning, and it doesn't match my experience. In my experience, the subconscious is highly intelligent and independent, capable of making its own decisions. Or maybe it's just a problem with semantics: Maybe what I call my "subconscious" is one of the "three consciousnesses" she describes. Who knows.

The Good

Okay, so far I've focused mostly on the negative aspects of the book (pretty much the first half of the book). Now let's focus on the positive (the second half). This is where Vinney describes out-of-body induction techniques, and she offers a good variety of them:

Table Tennis Technique

I'm not sure why she calls this technique "Table Tennis." I think maybe it's mislabeled. Basically you lie down and imagine yourself floating up to the ceiling and back down.

Accordion Technique

This is similar to the Table Tennis Technique, except you imagine a small ball the size of a table tennis ball, then you pull it toward you and push it away, in rhythmic fashion. Gee, does that sound familiar to you? It's basically the same thing I wrote in chapter 24 of my first book. You can read my version of the technique by clicking this link.

Rope Technique

This obligatory technique was created by Robert Bruce. At least Vinney gets it right that it's supposed to employ "tactile imagination" rather than visualization.

Watch Yourself Going to Sleep

Again, this was appropriated from my first book, chapter 5. You can read it at this link.

Monroe Techniques

This also seems to be an obligatory technique for newer astral projection books, created by the famous Robert Monroe. Vinney's is a fairly decent description of the technique.

OOBE from Lucid Dreams

Again, this is pretty straightforward, but the author really doesn't say how to transition from a lucid dream to the OBE state.

The Red Spot Method

This technique is kind of unique. Basically, she suggests it should be done "after several hours of sleep." Basically, as you drift to sleep, you imagine there is a red spot on the floor next to your bed, and imagine that you, as a pinpoint of consciousness, are sitting on that red spot.

The Object Technique

This is just another name for the famous "Target Technique" quoted by many, but again, invented by Ophiel.

Displaced-awareness Projection

This sounds very similar to techniques in my first book.

The Jump Technique

This is a well-known technique in lucid dreaming where you jump up in the air slightly as a reality check. 

Muldoon's Thirst Technique

Sylvan Muldoon described this in his book The Projection of the Astral Body. I don't recommend it. You basically leverage unsatisfied thirst to motivate your astral body to leave the physical. Believe me: dehydration is a dangerous game.

The Stretch-out Technique

This is a take-off on Jerry Glaskin's "Christos Technique" where you imagine your body is stretched to be taller at the head and at the feet. The original Christos Technique involved the use of helpers to massage the head and feet, but Vinney's variant doesn't. Incidentally, this technique was one of many techniques taught by William Buhlman in the Out of Body class he used to conduct at The Monroe Institute.

The Hammock Technique

This is a classic motion-based technique, like I wrote about in Hacking the Out of Body Experience.

The Trampoline Technique

This is a variant of the Hammock Technique.

Consciousness Transfer Method 

There is one more technique listed, but it's not very helpful. Here it is:

"...the instruction given in the method is 'Let God's Blessings help you to transfer you to soul consciousness.'" (pg. ??--near the end of the book)

So the techniques section is better than a lot of other astral projection books out there, but never as good as the original sources. At the end of the book Vinney gives a "Bibliography" page in which she surprisingly recommends only seven books, only five of which are about OBEs. They are:

1. Jane Roberts (who channeled "Seth")
   
2. Usui Mikao (who wrote about Reiki)
3. William Buhlman (first book)
4. Vee Van Dam, The Psychic Explorer (which I own but haven't read)
5. Robert Peterson (first book--Hey! That's me!)
6. Janet Lee Mitchell
7. Robert Monroe (curiously, only his second book, Far Journeys)
   

The book is 158 pages with slim margins and decent font, which means it's a decent amount of content.

I give this book 3 stars out of 5, but that's generous. The book needs page numbers, chapter numbers, and a solid Native-English editor.

Bob Peterson
04 February 2025

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If you want me to review a book about out-of-body experiences or astral projection, send me an email: bob@robertpeterson.org, but please check the index first to see if I've already reviewed it. Also, I've got a huge pile of books I'm planning to review, so don't expect a quick turnaround.

If you like my work, visit my website, robertpeterson.org, where you'll find lots of other free OBE advice and links.

Return to the index of my OBE Book reviews

Review: Astral Projection by Eva Roseheart

Review: Astral Projection

by Eva Roseheart

Today I'm reviewing Astral Projection: The Complete Self-Empowerment Guide & Workbook by Eva Roseheart. The subtitle is: Experience Profound Awakening With Simple Techniques to Let Go of Limiting Beliefs and Awaken Your Higher Consciousness. Whew! That's a mouthful! The copyright is 2022.

The book is 135 pages, with tight margins and smallish font, but there's also a lot of white space. I'd like the book to be bigger, but at least I didn't feel cheated like some of the 48-page so-called "books" I've read.

After reading a bad book, like my previously reviewed book by Holly Jane McConnell, this one seemed refreshing. Still not great, but better. Roseheart's writing was at least normal, unlike McConnell's tedious "passive voice". Roseheart should probably have used a good editor or proofreader to catch a few rookie mistakes, like three or four times she wrote "mediation" instead of "meditation." But at least she knows the difference between "it's" and "its." And she even has chapter numbers and page numbers, unlike some books I've reviewed.

If I had to sum this book up in one sentence, I'd say: It's a classic "Self-Help" book clothed in an astral projection disguise. That is to say, the book focuses more on fixing the person (in this case, potential astral projector) than teaching dynamics, tricks, tips, or techniques of astral projection.

The questions I always ask when I read an astral projection book are:

• Who is this author?
• What is their level of experience?
• What are their credentials?
• What makes them qualified to write about it?
• Do they have book-learning or knowledge based on personal experiences?

On pages 36 and 37, Eva Roseheart gives a personal out-of-body narrative to show you she's had at least one OBE. That's better than McConnell and many other authors. Unfortunately, it's the only OBE narrative in the book, and it's labeled "My astral projection" (singular), so I can only assume her experience is very limited. Still, I appreciated her honesty and candor.

Roseheart gives several astral projection techniques, but nothing really unique or innovative. She describes some obligatory techniques like Robert Bruce's "Rope" (pg. 121), even giving him credit. Also "The Monroe Technique" (pg. crediting Robert Monroe) But instead of quoting the original authors, she apparently used a website called astralprojectionmastery.com, which is now gone or recently hacked as a redirect to some slot gaming site. Maybe it was once owned by L. Jordan whose book "Astral Projection Mastery" I gave 3 stars? At any rate, she echoes the same advice to "visualize" a rope, which is one variant, but the whole idea behind the rope technique is to use tactile imagination, i.e. to use your imaginary sense of touch, not visualization.

She also describes "The Yo-Yo Method" (pg. 122) which I invented for my first book (she doesn't give me credit, but you can read it at this link).

So also gives "The Free Fall Method" (pg. 122-123) which I also invented (I called it "Falling In A Well" which is at the end of my chapter 11.)

She also describes:

• Rotation / Roll-out Technique (Robert Monroe)
• Rocking (which I invented) (See this link)
• Wake Back to Bed (Famous lucid dreaming technique)
• Chakra Spinning technique (ancient yogic technique)
• Target Technique (quoted by many, but invented by Ophiel)
  

I don't want to nit-pick my way through the book, but there are a few things I found in error. Roseheart writes:

"Even though some of the oldest mentions of astral projection date back to at least 3,000 years ago, it was just around the 1970s that it was popularized with the name astral projection by Robert Monroe..." (pg. 11)

It's more like 5,000 years ago, and while Robert Monroe undoubtedly helped popularize the subject, I think he hated the old term "astral projection," which is much older. The term "astral projection" was used by occultists (like Oliver Fox) and Theosophists (like Charles Leadbeater) in the 1800s, long before Monroe was born. Some might argue it was popularized by Sylvan Muldoon in his 1929 breakthrough book The Projection of the Astral Body.

Here's another simple misunderstanding:

"Some people might experience hypnagogia--most known as sleep paralysis." (pg. 42)

Actually, hypnagogia (AKA hypnagogic hallucinations) and sleep paralysis are two very different things. I can easily reach a state of hypnagogia 20 seconds after lying down, but it takes a lot longer for me to reach sleep paralysis.

Lastly,  I found a really bad piece of advice in the book:

"Remember to eat at least an hour before practicing any technique and always choose to wear loose clothing." (pg. 131)

No, no, no. Don't eat an hour before practicing. In fact, astral projection experts agree with the rule "Eat early, eat light." Many say that fasting enhances your ability to induce OBEs, otherwise try to eat nothing after 3 p.m. (15:00) the day before you practice and then practice in the early morning.

Now for some of the good points of the book.

Chapter 6 is "Setting an Intention and Letting Go of Limiting Beliefs." That's actually got some good, useful information. Again, it's more like a "Self-Help Guide" but still, there are entire OBE books centered around this. Rick Stack's book comes to mind. I found her list of suggested affirmations (pages 81-82) especially useful.

The book also stresses how important it is to keep journals; both astral projection journals and dream journals. But she takes it a step further and recommends affirmation journals, and--this is fun--a "One Sentence a Day Journal" (pg. 98). She doesn't go into much detail as to why journaling is so important (See my blog article Why Keeping A Dream Journal Helps OBEs), but she does treat the subject fairly.

She also stresses that it's important to communicate to your "Higher Self" and even includes an exercise on page 106 suggesting you "Write a Letter to Your Higher Self." I agree that it's important. I wrote a whole book (titled Answers Within) about the subject.

Another cool exercise (Roseheart calls them "activities") is to "Write Your Own Prayer" (pg. 109) and she even gives an example.

Her astral projection instructions, however, fall short. I want details! Aside from the exit techniques, she only has a few pointers. It's good stuff. For example, she summarizes "key points of astral traveling" such as (paraphrased from pages 118-119):

• Intention and affirmation: Tune into your intuition, affirm what you want.
• Relaxation - Achieve mind awake/body asleep
• Vibration state - Not everyone has it, but be prepared for it
• Just let go and surrender
• Just stay calm
• Use your exit technique of choice
• Do this in the early mornings, like Wake Back To Bed, or in deep trance
• Try not to move your physical body when you wake up, but go into your technique
  

She goes into more detail than this, but not enough detail to satisfy the more detail-oriented people in the audience (me!)

I give this book 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5. It's not bad, but there are much better. It might be just right for someone who needs to hear her messages of encouragement. I would have preferred:

• A longer book (more information)
• More detailed technique instructions
• Examples and explanations of how things work, the "Whys"
  
• More out-of-body narratives to illustrate her points.
  

Bob Peterson
14 January 2025

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If you want me to review a book about out-of-body experiences or astral projection, send me an email: bob@robertpeterson.org, but please check the index first to see if I've already reviewed it. Also, I've got a huge pile of books I'm planning to review, so don't expect a quick turnaround.

If you like my work, visit my website, robertpeterson.org, where you'll find lots of other free OBE advice and links.

Return to the index of my OBE Book reviews

 How OBEs Changed My Life - Part 2

by Bob Peterson

Recently a woman named Janice asked a very good question on the Astral Projection - Techniques group on Facebook. She asked:

"How has Astral Projection changed your life?"

That's an important question, and a very deep one. In fact, it's so deep that I dedicated chapter 17 of my second book, Lessons Out of the Body, to the topic. The chapter is titled "The OBE Outlook on Life" which is how I got the name for my blog.

Thanks to Janice, I decided to release the entire chapter as a series of 2 articles in this blog. This is part 2. Click HERE for part 1.

How OBEs Changed My Life - Part 1

by Bob Peterson

Recently a woman named Janice asked a very good question on the Astral Projection - Techniques group on Facebook. She asked:

"How has Astral Projection changed your life?"

That's an important question, and a very deep one. In fact, it's so deep that I dedicated chapter 17 of my second book, Lessons Out of the Body, to the topic. The chapter is titled "The OBE Outlook on Life" which is how I got the name for my blog.

Thanks to Janice, I decided to release the entire chapter as a series of 2 articles in this blog. This is part 1.

Review: The Odyssey of the Soul

by Franck Labat

Today I'm reviewing The Odyssey of the Soul by Franck Labat. The subtitle is Experiments on the Edge of Consciousness. The copyright is 2024. The book is 313 pages with great margins and font size, which means there is a lot of great content.

Full disclosure: Franck has been a Facebook friend of mine for many years. The author even sent me a signed copy of the book all the way from France, I'm sure at considerable cost.

Credentials

The first question I always ask about a book is: Who is the author and what are their credentials to teach out-of-body experiences (OBEs)? Franck Labat has been a steward of the Astral Projection community for many years. Some of his accomplishments include:

• He sponsored William Buhlman to come to France to teach out-of-body classes. The Buhlmans even stayed at his house.
  
• The book is endorsed by William Buhlman who contributed this quote to the front cover: "I highly recommend "Odyssey of the Soul" to all explorers of consciousness."
  
• The foreword to this book was also written by Buhlman. In fact, Labat quotes or cites Buhlman many times throughout the book.
  
• Labat was friends with (the late) Akhena, one of the greatest OBE teachers of our time. She's known to some as "The William Buhlman of France." Akhena's book Out of Body Experiences was so good I gave it a 5-star review back in 2014. Franck brought her to my attention more than 10 years ago and helped to promote her work. Labat's book even contains a photo of he and Akhena.
• In his "most unusual contact experience" Labat had a veridical OBE in which he and Akhena met in a shared experience that was later verified by both. The book contains his full OBE narrative. Akhena's book also contains her version of the narrative, but Franck's name was changed to protect his anonymity.
  
• He's well read and has attended OBE classes at The Monroe Institute.
• In 2024 he sponsored me to appear in a popular French podcast in which I had a live English-French translator.
  

Basics

What I liked most about this book is that Franck Labat shares lots of amazing "aha"-type hints and insights. He pays attention. He tells you what's most important when it comes to inducing OBEs, and often in a matter-of-fact way. For example, he says things like:

"I carry out my exercises because it's by persistence that you get results." (pg. 46)

That matter-of-fact statement is so simple and yet so important. Here's another example. When he speaks about fears and our belief system, he says:

"It's important to understand that as long as we're in a reality where form exists, we can be confronted with our own illusions at any moment. If we wish to explore the continuum of our consciousness in an objective way, we must consider our beliefs and not be afraid to question them." (pg. 74)

Again, very true, and yet so important to know. Same for this quote about something many people overlook:

"Out-of-body experiences are a great tool as long as you use them properly. But it's not the most important element in life. Remember, we're in this physical reality for a purpose. Spiritual alchemy, the transformation of defects into qualities, the quest to become better--these are what's most important." (pg. 95)

Narratives

If you've been following my blog, you know how I love OBE narratives. It shows the author's level of experience, and I can usually use them to tell actual OBEs from fiction.

The first third or so of the book contains a lot of Labat's OBE narratives. They're very honest. Later, he also gives narratives from lucid dreams, so you can compare the two in the author's experience.

The rest is about the practice. Here Labat goes into the prerequisites for OBE exit techniques, such as keeping a journal, optimizing the environment, setting goals, energy work, chakra stimulation, and relaxation. He goes into good detail about kundalini and various types of meditation.

Labat also provides several techniques, including a new hybrid technique that he calls "Neon Body Technique: Energetic Activation". It's not like exit technique switching, as taught by Michael Raduga who bounces from one technique to the next until successful. It's more of a progressive energetic meditation technique, escalating from (1) energy body stimulation to (2) chakra stimulation, to (3) kundalini stimulation. Kind of like leveling up or shifting from first gear, to second gear, and into third.

Labat also dives into the topic of Mudras, which are hand and finger gestures designed to promote the circulation of energy.

He gives plenty of best practices with regard to developing OBE skills.

Tailor your practice to Time of Day

First, he breaks each day down into sections, recommending different practices to different times of day, with concrete examples: What to do when you wake up, mid-morning, afternoon, evening, before going to bed, and in the middle of the night. 

As Labat says:

"Each moment of the day offers unique opportunities to explore OBE practices according to your natural cycle of energy and awareness." (pg. 165)

He describes what each is the most "ideal time for." For example, in the middle of the night is the "ideal time" to practice Wake Back to Bed (WBTB).

One of the most valuable things about this book is its approach to the OBE that tailors the practices to each person's needs. He gives several approaches to this, most of which cannot be found in any other book in the genre. 

Tailor your practice to your Astrology Sign

This doesn't appear in any other OBE/AP book: Labat gives suggestions on how to approach OBE practice based on each astrological ("Sun") sign. So Libras might want to focus more on "Deep relaxation and meditation techniques focusing on balance and harmony" whereas Scorpios might want to focus on "Exploration of mystical or transcendent themes, perhaps incorporating power symbols or archetypes" and so on. (pg. 169) So if astrology is your thing, this is a great reference.

Of course, personal experimentation plays a big part in figuring out what works best for you. But that's not the only approach. 

Tailor your practice to your Psychological Profile

He also suggests you adapt your practice to your psychological profile. He suggests different approaches for:

• Analytical and logical people
• Intuitive and creative people
• Emotional and empathic people
• Pragmatic and down-to-Earth people
• Adventurers and experiencers
• Introverts and reflective people
• Anxious and stressed people
• Determined and focused people
  

Tailor your practice to different days of the week

This is yet another approach: You treat each day of the week differently. For example, Thursdays are good days to explore new techniques or areas. Each day is assigned a unique approach.

OBE Techniques

Labat also gives several OBE techniques, as well as lucid dream techniques. This is not just a rehash of the same techniques in other books. Some are unique to the genre. For example, his "Awakening Technique" comes from the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, which is kind of like everyday "Presence" or "Mindfulness". For example, throughout the day, take the time (often) to stop and observe your surroundings. Pay attention to your hands, objects, and everything around you. It's important to develop a habit of this (so do this at least 21 days). Be present. Observe reality.

The key phrase that keeps running through my mind is "Situational Awareness." Train yourself to stop several times every hour, (also maybe whenever you change rooms or settings) to really observe what's going on around you. Look at the things that surround you. Be present. Be aware. This might be a dream!

He also gives techniques such as the Target Technique found in several books, including Buhlman's.

One of Labat's favorite techniques is simply to use affirmations. They're simple and effective and he uses them in many different circumstances. For example, as you fall asleep, repeat an affirmation like "Now I'm out of body" at least 50 times or until you fall asleep. For some people, it can be a very effective technique. (I talked a bit about this in my article Kissing Your Way To an OBE).

When it comes to using affirmations, Labat stresses three things:

1. A strong intention
2. Knowing that it's going to happen immediately
3. Having no doubts

He also says:

"Repeating your affirmations over and over again in a state of deep relaxation is akin to hammering a nail into the unconscious." (pg. 183)

He also gives lots of example affirmations.

Funny story: After I read this, I gave it a try. When I went to bed one night, I started repeating one of Franck's suggested affirmations. After about 7 affirmations, I fell deep into a normal sleep. But oddly enough, I kept repeating the affirmation. Throughout the entire 90-minute sleep cycle, I could still hear my subconscious still repeating the affirmation in the background. It was like a public address system was constantly announcing it in the background of my otherwise normal sleep. It was beyond weird! When I came out of deep sleep and hit the hypnopompic state, I was still repeating it! I guess I was doing something wrong! It wasn't the effect I wanted, but that was only my first try.

Labat also talks about self-hypnosis and autosuggestion with some great insights. For example, if you're a woman, repeat your affirmation in a man's voice. If you're a man, use the voice of a woman. Or use some other "voice of authority" like they do in television ads. You can also vary the speed of your affirmations. These little tricks can make your subconscious pay more attention to the affirmation. Again, it's an innovative trick that's unique in the genre.

He also talks about the all-important visualizations, but again introduces some unique innovations. For example:

"A little trick to increase the sense of immersion in the image [is] by imagining what's behind you while visualizing what's in front of you. This has the effect of encompassing us fully in the imagined environment." (pg. 190)

See what I mean? This is innovative. These are all subtle, but can be big game-changers.

Labat also gives suggestions to help you remember your OBEs.

The book also contains several meditation techniques, such as various breathing techniques, counting breaths, walking meditation, and so on.

The book has sections for:

• Problem solving (such as falling asleep too quickly)
• Essential oils (such as lavender oil, mugwort oil, olibanum oil, etc.)
• Sound and light technologies (with specific examples)
  

I loved this book. I'm giving it a rare 5 stars out of 5. Though he's French, Franck Labat's command of the English language, grammar and spelling are way better than many OBE books written by native English speakers. It's an excellent blend of out-of-body narratives, OBE techniques, and tips. Most importantly, it's innovative.

Bob Peterson
26 November 2024

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If you want me to review a book about out-of-body experiences or astral projection, send me an email: bob@robertpeterson.org, but please check the index first to see if I've already reviewed it. Also, I've got a huge pile of books I'm planning to review, so don't expect a quick turnaround.

If you like my work, visit my website, robertpeterson.org, where you'll find lots of other free OBE advice and links.

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