It's pretty dramatic isn't it? The combustion could be seen as transformation and purification (burning away the dross). Nothing I've read in the published experiences of modern OOBE'ers describes this. Have you been through something similar?

Hi y'all,

One of my reasons for being very interested in astral projection is that early post-biblical Jewish mysticism has a number of "mysterious" descriptions of ascents to heaven. I have developed a few theories of what this all entails (one of which involves the effect one's culture and upbringing has on the type of experiences one has while out of body), and want very much to test this out for myself instead of being restricted to the realms of theory. So apart from my own nascent efforts to project astrally, I was wondering if anyone had already tried these out, or is interested in trying to follow the route traced out in the Heichalot texts.
 
In the Zohar, the Heichalot, "Chambers", are described as the seven chambers of light perceived by the mystic during prayer, or by a righteous person as his soul passes away from this world and ascends on high (Zohar I, 38a-45b and Zohar II, 244b-268b).


Here is an example of an early (i.e. approx 1000 years before the Zohar was published) Heichalot text.

Rabbi Ishmael said: How beloved is Israel before the Holy, Blessed One! Even more than the ministering angels! For [when] the angels want to recite songs first, before making, for instance, mountains of fire or hills of flame, the Holy, Blessed One says to them, 'Be silent, until I have listened to the songs and praises, prayers and pleasant melodies of Israel' as it is written, 'When the morning stars sang together' (Job 38:7)--this [refers to Israel--'and all the sons of God shouted for joy' (Job 38:7)--this refers to the ministering angels. When all the ministering angels and all the angels of the firmament hear the sound of the songs and praises that Israel sings below, they immediately open [their mouths and] in a loud voice say 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory' (Isaiah 6:3).

When the time arrives for the angels to sing [a song] and melody, the angel Shmu''el, the great, honoured and awesome prince stands at the windows of the lower firmament to listen intently to the sound of the songs, praises and melodies that arise from the synagogues and study houses, and lets the children of the firmament and the holy creatures listen. And when he has heard and has let every firmament hear, immediately countless classes of camps and armies of angels descend into the midst of the rivers of fire and the rivers of flame, and immerse themselves seven times, and examine themselves in the fire three hundred and sixty five times, in accordance [with the fact that] they are appointed to [do] worldly work and descend each day to bring peace to the world. And when the time of song arrives, they ascend to the firmament and purify themselves in the fire. But do angels require immersion? [Certainly not! But] because of the smell of those born of woman, who are masters of uncleanness and fluxes, they therefore immerse themselves in fire. Then they go like the angels of the seventh heaven (?).

After this they call to each other and talk to each other, and ascend from the rivers of fire with each others permission, and make themselves like light and like the most radiant lightning. Then they ascend by a ladder of fire, until they reach the armies of the seventh heaven, the pure chashmal(?), the holy creatures, the wheels of the chariot, the high and exalted throne of glory. Immediately they stand in awe and reverence, in fear and humility, and cover their faces with their wings in order not to look upon the form of God sitting on the chariot. Then they stand in classes of thousands upon thousands, many myriads, and hosts of hosts beyond number before the throne of the glory. And at that moment, the Holy Blessed One sits on the throne of glory filling the whole world, as it says, The whole world is full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3). Even the holy creatures prepare and sanctify themselves, with each one of the million crowns of [different] types of light on their heads, dressed in garments of light, and with their faces wrapped in lightning, while the Holy Blessed One [turns] His face from the holy creatures.

Then the 'wheels' of beauty, the cherubim of glory, and the holy creatures, sanctify, purify, clothe and wrap themselves more because the chariot is in front of them, the throne of glory is above their heads, and the Shechinah is high above them, and the rivers of fire are passing between them. Therefore they prepare, brighten and purify themselves with light seventy times, and then all of them stand in purity and holiness and recite songs, praises, melodies, exaltations, adulations, acclamations, and paeans, with [one] voice, one speech, one knowledge, and one melody.

And not only this, but some of these million myriads of ministering angels also fall into the burning rivers of fire, and are burnt up. Why? Because anyone who precedes or follows in song is immediately burnt, while even the holy creatures contain neither 'before' nor 'after' since their standing, 'planting', and shining are all done in unison. They direct the four legs of the throne, each leg corresponding to another, each wheel corresponding to another, each creature corresponding to another, each cherub corresponding to another, and each melody corresponding to another. Then they open their mouths in song, in holiness and purity, with a 'still small voice' [I Kings 19:12], as it is said, 'and after the earthquake...a still small voice', and they raise the chariot with the sound of songs and praises.

At that moment, holy beings sanctify themselves, pure beings offer praise, angelic beings exult, wheels laud, creatures and angels sing and divide into three classes of millions and myriads, and say, Holy, holy, holy. One class says 'Holy' and falls on its face; [then another class says 'Holy, holy' and falls on its face;] and then another class says 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts'. The holy creatures from under the throne respond and say 'Blessed is the glory of the Lord from its place' (Ezekiel 3:12) because the Shechinah is in every place. In the future, the Shechinah will return to its place, to the house of the Holy of Holies, and will say, 'Blessed is the glory of the Lord from its place'....

from Seder Rabbah

Shalom Beth,

Have you tried out the Merkavah techniques with astral projection? I know the techniques are scantily described in the Heichalot literature (especially the bit about descending into the Chariot), the journeys themselves are pretty graphic. I have yet to achieve a "real" astral projection, and would like to use the images described. So if you have had any relevant experiences I'd love to hear about them. I am very also very interested in how acculturation affects the OOBE one has.

Hi,

I'm busy researching the subject of Astral Projection and Judaism. Normative Judaism is a very practice-oriented religion, with the philosophical/magical element being provided by the Kabbalah. Early Kabbalistic texts focus on the "Merkavah" (=chariot or vehicle), which one descends into in order to ascend to various heavenly levels. In the Talmud, there is a cryptic passage describing the ascent/descent of four Rabbis to "paradise"; only one of the four returned unscathed. One of the reasons I am interested in Astral Projection is that I want to test out the methods given in the various "manuals", including the Sefer Yetsirah. Has anyone had any experience with these methods?

I enjoyed your intro. Short and sweet.

Hi everyone, I'm from the Netherlands. After about two years of doing NEW and being really impressed by the results, I decided to take the plunge and buy MAP, of which I am now into my eighth day. I already had one experience (I went to sleep reciting the affirmations and then woke up aware that I was floating slightly above my physical body -- everything was black -- I sensed I was in my energetic body; I thought about projecting my consciousness into my real-time body when suddenly I was catapulted forward at great speed. Everything was still black, and I was briefly aware I had left my physical body far behind me, then I was back in the physical. Later that night I had a dream that I was flying a plane when I ran out of fuel and had to crash land) so I'm off to a good start. I have four young kids and a full time job so I think for me the biggest challenge will be creating a time-space continuum in which I won't be disturbed! See you in the astral!