Review: Astral Projection by Janet Bord

Review: Astral Projection

by Janet Bord

Today I'm reviewing Janet Bord's 1973 book "Astral Projection." This was probably one of the first books I ever read on astral projection because when I started my quest in 1979, there wasn't much else available. Muldoon, Monroe, Crookall, and a few others.

The first thing to note is that it's a small book, about 7 by 4 inches. It's also short: just 62 pages. Still, it's got a small font, so there's a fair amount of information inside.

The author is not an experiencer; she's just an author who researched the subject and wrote a book about it. She collected OBE accounts and did her own informal surveys. In that respect, it's very basic and doesn't treat the subject in any great depth.

This book basically just tries to answer some basic questions, in five chapters:

1. What is Astral Projection?
2. A Case History
3. When Does It Happen?
4. What Does It Feel Like?
5. Can It Be Induced At Will?

The first chapter describes OBEs and what they're like. It talks about the astral body, the silver cord, and so forth. It cites several OBE accounts to describe these things. It mentions that OBEs mostly happen once in a lifetime to many people, and very few have more than one. Despite that, Bord got the help of OBE adepts to go into a bit more depth. In other words, she wasn't just skimming the surface.

Chapter two is about obe of those adepts, Mrs. C.A. of London, who has had many OBEs. It has several of her OBE narratives. (I love OBE narratives).

Chapter three talks about the different things that can trigger OBEs, and in that respect, it reminded me of Robert Crookall's OBE books, but it wasn't as detailed: it was pretty basic information.

Chapter four talks about the vibrations, exit sensations, exit noises, hypnagogic imagery, and so forth. It was good, solid information.

The last chapter contains instructions from repeat OBErs on exactly how they self-induce their OBEs. There are only two methods described, but both are interesting to read. The first involves using mirrors to memorize yourself from another perspective, then using your imagination to transfer your consciousness to the astral body. The second method involves relaxing and drawing all your awareness into your head, trying to center the seat of your consciousness at your pineal gland.

This book is small, but well organized and well written. The information is very basic, but solid. It's perfect for someone who knows nothing, but is curious about OBEs. It doesn't go into any great depth, so it won't satisfy people who are familiar with the subject. If you're looking for depth, read Frederick Aardema's, Robert Monroe's, or William Buhlman's book.

Bob Peterson
17 March 2015