Having read recently on the subject of Astral Projection I noticed how many of the experiences come about in crisis situations, such as while in intense pain, when seriously ill, while under a medical operation, following an accident and so on.
Not all, of course, are experienced under such conditions but I thought today I'd give a reasonably well known case which was. In this instance the astral projection came about while being tortured.
The person concerned is Ed Morrell who was tortured in an Arizona State Penitentiary. He describes some of his experiences in the book The 25th Man which shows him as the author. In fact it was his wife who actually wrote the book as he was illiterate. Jack London also made him the hero of his novel The Star Rover.
While in the penitentiary Morrell was often subjected to various forms of torture. It was under this torture that he experienced astral projection for the first time.
It appears that refractory prisoners were tied into two strait jackets which were then soaked with water. As these dried they shrank in size, so much so that the prisoners felt they were being crushed to death.
The first time this happened to Morrell he felt as if he was smothering and lights danced in front of his eyes. Suddenly he felt himself to be walking around outside of the prison as if he was a free person. He had managed to leave his pain wracked body.
He was a difficult prisoner and was often tortured in this way. When this happened the guards were amazed as to Morrell's reaction to the subsequent pain - he appeared to fall asleep. Though some say he had learned self hypnosis.
It was during this 'sleep' that he was able to 'walk' freely and explore the streets of San Francisco. In other words he became free of his physical body to travel wherever he wished.
Morrell was able to verify his astral projections by telling others of what he had seen including a shipwreck in San Francisco Bay.
His travels, while under torture, where even verified by the then Governor of Arizona, George W.P. Hunt. He was able to agree that happenings which Morrell had seen and described were absolutely true.
It's strange though that once Morrell was no longer subjected to torture he lost the ability to leave his body. It's as if astral projection in such cases is an escape mechanism when the body can't take any more.
The circumstances are similar to Near Death Experiences (NDE) such as the case of Iris Lemov which I wrote about in my post Near Death Experience Changes A Woman's Life. The difference being that with Astral projection there is free movement to travel wherever we wish. With NDEs it is usually where someone experiences what happens after, or just prior to, death.
I guess the importance of Astral Projection and NDEs is that it shows quite clearly that we are not simply physical beings. The body is just a temporary home.
Further Reading:
Near Death Experience Changes Woman's Life
Astral Travel By Hypnotherapy
How The Virgin Mary Had A Child But Remained A Virgin
Loved this book. I read it after discovering Robert Monroe's Journeys Out of Body. Great phrase there, Mike - our bodies are just temporary homes.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about reading NDE's is the choice to return in-body after the experience. This example shows a different twist, the choice to leave-body until the trauma is over, then return because being in-body is the objective of spirit.
ReplyDeleteI'm was not familiar with Mr. Morrell's story, until today, and now I have to learn more. :)
Interesting...I personally had a similar experience and had not head of anything like this prior to now. There was a time in my life when I was mired in the experience of the greatest emotional pain that I've ever endured. At the height of my body's suffering, I felt 'myself' float up and behind my body. For a few minutes, I floated there looking down on the back of my head. I remember the immense peace that I felt while floating. My thoughts during this experience where that I had no idea my body was capable of such an emotional extreme and I was marveling at the event. After my body calmed down I naturally migrated back in to it.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience I might offer that perhaps the spirit is incapable of occupying the body when the body is experiencing extreme pain. And that once the body is again an available vessel, the spirit will return to its natural state.
I also recall having my drink spiked followed by a blur and then waking up in hospital (or so I thought) in a critical condition and witnessing my mum and her friend at my bed side. The strange thing was that I felt serene and peaceful but here is the twist in the story. I never woke up and I was essentially in a coma with drips and all sorts of things attached to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw my mum the next day I apologised to her for the grief I had caused everybody and we spoke about the night before and I will remember till the day I die the look on my mother's face when I told her that I remember seeing them both at my bedside the night before.
To which she replied you must of dreamt it because apparently I was complete out of it and she told me that I was in a coma when she had visited me the night before.
I have since tried it myself but I am unable to do it as it feels very strange and I guess fear plays a big part.