John Magnus - Astral Projection

[Pauli2]

I rate the books on a scale from 0 - 10 (10 being the best/highest).


Astral Projection And The Nature Of Reality, John Magnus Johansson, 2005

GRADE: 7.0

The book contains Magnus ideas on the astral realm, his astral experiences and several projection techniques. The most prominent matter is how to AP and how to OBE. Magnus provides a lot of various methods for accomplishing a successful AP/OBE. The book also contains methods for dealing with some other astral, psychic or mental issues. Magnus does not always state what you should expect to achieve from his method or the success rate of using his method. Sometimes I even felt it was a little unclear what the outcome was and how Magnus could ensure that his stated methods would give any result at all.

Perhaps the book contains things that the author will re-evaluate and change ten years later from the creation of the book?

The book relies on discoveries from other authorities in the AP field (Monroe, R Bruce, Moen, Buhlman, R Peterson, etc). But Magnus also has several reflections of his own, be they not as revolutionary. Magnus gives a rather good description of the hypnagogic and hypnopompic states and how they might aid in APing, and the book also provides some AP methods related to these states. I couldn't figure out if Magnus was influenced by others, like Raduga, or if Magnus has made his hypnagogic method discovery himself. I think that some deeper work on the both "hyp-state" techniques might have resulted in an even better book.

I have already read several other books in this area and that makes the book seem quite ordinary, which may be the reason I didn't give it a higher grade. Magnus gave a few interesting examples of his own experiences, one example was when he suddenly became aware in his projected astral self while having talked for a very long time with one of his guides.

[personalreality]

this was my first AP book, as i may have mentioned elsewhere, and i really enjoyed it, though i re-read it recently and had some new insights about it.

I still might give it an 8 or even a 9 because, like peterson, magnus gives a very personal account that was much easier for me to relate to.  i may not have really grasped how comfortable magnus made me feel the first read, but after having read through many of the other biggies, that comfortableness seemed almost necessary for a first AP book.  So, to be more specific, I give this book an 8-9 as a first time AP book.  It's a lot softer and more subtle than some of the other AP books someone might come across as a first book.  I felt like it eased you into not just AP but also into working with your imagination.  It was a good primer for many of the aspects of AP that become part of a successful practice. 

This book is full of practical sections with lots of exercises.  I agree that sometimes that goal of the exercise isn't always obvious (though i felt it was the second time around) but it really is one of those, "just do it and then you'll understand why" kinds of ambiguity.  purposeful.  All in all, a worthwhile read for a first timer or a for a fresh perspective on what you already know.

[Xanth]

I was at my local occult bookshop yesterday rummaging through their rather small astral projection section (I swear, it was only 10 books, most of which I already owned hehe)... and the last book I picked up was THIS ONE!

I wasn't gonna buy anything, was just browsing... but I felt it was a sign and bought it.
I'm only 10 pages, in, but I already know I'm gonna love this book.  His ideas are spot on with mine...

So anyways, I'll write more as I read more.  But so far, I'm suggesting this one to EVERYONE.