Astral Projection: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
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[[Astral Projection]] is a magic/mystic practice which allows a character to detach either his soul or his conscious mind ([[Soul Anatomy|the distinction is important]]) from his body and let it wander freely, either [[Invisibility|invisibly]] in the material plane or out in the [[Spirit World]].
As, essentially, a living [[Our Ghosts Are Different|ghost]], the character can go just about anywhere, see and hear anything, and potentially engage in [[Invisible Jerkass]] behaviour, depending on whether he can [[Mind Over Matter|move objects telekinetically]]. Also like ghosts, characters who are Astral Projecting may use [[Demonic Possession]] to take over host bodies, though this doesn't necessarily allow them to [[Telepathy|pry into their mind]]. Most victims usually have no idea what happened afterward.
▲Astral Projection is a magic/mystic practice which allows a character to detach either his soul or his conscious mind ([[Soul Anatomy|the distinction is important]]) from his body and let it wander freely, either [[Invisibility|invisibly]] in the material plane or out in the [[Spirit World]].
Some darker uses of this practice will forcibly evict the Astral Self from its host body. If the spirit doesn't know their body is still alive, they may even [[An Astral Projection, Not a Ghost|confuse themselves for an actual ghost]].▼
▲As, essentially, a living [[Our Ghosts Are Different|ghost]], the character can go just about anywhere, see and hear anything, and potentially engage in [[Invisible Jerkass]] behaviour, depending on whether he can [[Mind Over Matter|move objects telekinetically]]. Also like ghosts, characters who are Astral Projecting may use [[Demonic Possession]] to take over host bodies, though this doesn't necessarily allow them to [[Telepathy|pry into their mind]]. Most victims usually have no idea what happened afterward.
Of course, it's entirely possible for an Astral Projector to misuse an [[Ancient Artifact]] that forces him into an Astral Projection without [[Enlightenment Superpowers|knowing how to undo the state]] or return to his body. Or worse, end up in a [[Freaky Friday]] situation! On the upside, being [[Made of Air]] makes him indestructible to everything except angry ghosts, [[Hollywood Exorcism|exorcisms]] and irate housewives with vacuum cleaners... Of course, that's little help while his body is in a [[Convenient Coma]] and extremely vulnerable to attack or neglect (in many cases the body will ''die'' if the soul is separated from it for too long). The other vulnerability is that, also as with a ghost, his soul/mind might be unable to find its way back. This is especially risky if the Astral Projector loses the "tether" that connects him back to his body.
▲Some darker uses of this practice will forcibly evict the Astral Self from its host body. If the spirit doesn't know their body is still alive, they may even [[An Astral Projection Not a Ghost|confuse themselves for an actual ghost]].
▲Of course, it's entirely possible for an Astral Projector to misuse an [[Ancient Artifact]] that forces him into an Astral Projection without [[Enlightenment Superpowers|knowing how to undo the state]] or return to his body. Or worse, end up in a [[Freaky Friday]] situation! On the upside, being [[Made of Air]] makes him indestructible to everything except angry ghosts, [[Hollywood Exorcism|exorcisms]] and irate housewives with vacuum cleaners... Of course, that's little help while his body is in a [[Convenient Coma]] and extremely vulnerable to attack or neglect (in many cases the body will ''die'' if the soul is separated from it for too long). The other vulnerability is that, also as with a ghost, his soul/mind might be unable to find its way back. This is especially risky if the Astral Projector loses the "tether" that connects him back to his body.
Compare [[Animal Eye Spy]], where the character can see other locations through an animal's eyes.
{{examples|Examples:}}▼
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Only the most powerful [[Psychic Powers|Newtypes]] in the various incarnations ''[[Gundam]]'' have this ability. Examples include series protagonist [[Ace Pilot|Camille Vidan]] and main villains [[Dark Messiah|Paptimus Scirocco]] and [[Lady of War|Haman Kahn]] of ''[[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
* Something like this happens in the ''[[Pokémon (
* Production I.G.'s ''[[Ghost Hound]]'' features a group of teenage boys who each gained the ability to enter the "[[Spirit World|Unseen World]]" after a traumatizing experience they went through in their own childhood. For the former half of the series, they use it to investigate their own past trauma.
* The bedridden Grove in ''[[Vampire Hunter D]]'' has the power of astral projection, his soul becoming a powerful entity, though doing so drains his life.
* Schierke of ''[[
* In ''[[
** During the two-year [[Time Skip]] in ''[[
* In the ''[[Ranma
* In the first movie of ''[[
* The Silver Tribe of ''[[Heroic Age]]'' frequently does this, and are capable of it across the vastness of the galaxy. Dhienalia, the human princess, is also capable of it, and makes use of it for long-distance communication, or guiding the ship through uncharted space. It's apparently pretty well-known, as no one shows the slightest surprise when someone does it.
* Yurie, the title character of ''[[Kamichu!]]'', discovers that this is one of her powers by accident - and her spirit familiars are as surprised (and more worried) by this as she is, hinting that astral projection is ''not'' one of the standard godly powers in that setting. In a later episode, she does this deliberately to visit the ''Yamato''.
== Comic Books ==
* Johann Kraus in ''[[Hellboy (
* Being the world's most powerful telepath, [[X-Men (Comic Book)|Charles Xavier]] does this frequently.
** Despite not having any [[Psychic Powers]] of his own, Xavier's [[Heel Face Revolving Door|sometimes-ally, sometimes-enemy]] Magneto can do this as well.
* As the picture indicates, [[Doctor Strange]] has this down to an art form.
== Fan Works ==
* In [[Alternate Universe Fic]], ''[https://www.wattpad.com/story/163260272-astral-journey-it's-complicated Astral Journey: It's Complicated]'', [[Spice Girls| Emma]] develops this after a freak accident at a football (soccer) game with Geri. This causes a lot of painful seizures, trying to save Melanie, and meeting a Cardinal named Nicholas, [[Santa Claus|who looks familiar]]. Brandy, [[Mariah Carey| Mariah]], and [[Celine Dion| Celine]] also seeks to help them out.
== Film ==
* The thematic foundation of ''[[
* After getting caught by the police, the [[Big Bad]] of ''[[
* Prue from ''[[
▲== [[Live Action Television]] ==
* [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] did this once on ''[[The Weird Al Show]]''. Once he achieved it, all he did was go watch TV for a while before returning to his body.
* ''[[
▲* Prue from ''[[Charmed (TV)|Charmed]]'' develops this as a power in the second season although it's treated more like [[Mes a Crowd|cloning]].
▲* Weird Al did this once on ''[[The Weird Al Show]]''. Once he achieved it, all he did was go watch TV for a while before returning to his body.
▲* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', "Nightmares". A twelve-year-old boy in a coma manages to do this (thanks to the Hellmouth's all-purpose magic-boost), but causes everyone's nightmares to come to life. Buffy has to help him defeat his own nightmare - the guy who put him in the hospital - for him to wake up.
▲{{quote| '''Buffy:''' Could I be seeing Billy's asteroid body?<br />
'''Giles:''' ''Astral'' body. }}
* "I'll be Watching You", the first episode of ''Ghosts'', a 6-episode BBC horror series from 1995: The protagonist is a gangster on a long prison sentence. He uses astral projection to spy on and kill his wife and brother (who were having an affair) and an old associate. {{Spoiler|While he's out projecting, a prison guard finds his apparently lifeless body. The resuscitation attempts cause his projected self to lose consciousness and he wakes up in a coffin, buried next to his wife and brother.}}
== Literature ==
* ''[[Discworld]]'': Esmeralda Weatherwax can move her consciousness away from her body and share an experience with a target, or several as in ''[[
* Is a central theme in [[James Herbert]]'s ''Nobody True.''
* The telepathically-gifted on [[Darkover]] do this a lot; there's a [[Spirit World|psychic plane]] called the Overworld where they do various kinds of work (and occasionally engage in mortal combat...)
* Seems to be ''[[John Carter of Mars]]'''s primary method of traveling to Barsoom.
== [[Oral Tradition]], Folklore, Myths and Legends ==
* [[Older Than Print]]: Iron Crutch Li, one of the Chinese Eight Immortals, was once a handsome man with the power of astral projection. He told his apprentice to wait seven days before cremating his body, but when the apprentice had to go visit his dying mother he had to cremate his master's body early, leaving his master with no choice but to enter the body of a recently deceased old cripple.
== [[Tabletop
* ''[[Dungeons
* Astral travel exists in ''[[Shadowrun]]'', but there's also "decking," when a character with the proper cyber implants sends his consciousness onto the Internet.
* This is pretty common in the ''[[
* ''[[
== Toys ==
* The [[Mask of Power|Mask of Spirit]] allows the wearer this power in ''[[Bionicle]]''.
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', when players die, they control their characters' spirits, roaming the world from a spirit healer point looking for their body to revive.
* In the video game ''[[Prey]]'', Tommy's spirit can be projected from his body. Players can use the ability to pass through forcefields, dangerous obstacles, and attack enemies.
** Also, when the player dies, they can shoot down spirits and regain health in the [[Spirit World]] to return.
* In ''[[
* One of the psychic toys from ''[[The Adventures of Sam
* True to his roots, [[Doctor Strange]] uses this at the beginning of his Level 3 super in ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom 3
* In the [[ZX Spectrum]] games ''Avalon'' and ''Dragontorc'', the protagonist is an astral projection.
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* In ''[[
== [[Web Original]] ==
* In the ''[[Chakona Space]]'' stories Skunktaurs of House Blackpaw have this ability, as do Chakats sired by them and some other individuals of different species.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* The sheep talisman in ''[[
* In ''[[
* Doctor Orpheus in ''[[The Venture Bros]]'' can do this, usually for the sake of communicating with Jefferson and/or The Alchemist.
** Unfortunately,
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Paranormal Tropes]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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