What kind of a person is an astral projector?

[Leary Herring]

do

[Astral316]

The only character trait common to all projectors is that they are conscious. 

[Lexy]

Anyone can do it

[c0sm0nautt]

Using some of Gardner's intelligence types, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that intrapersonal intelligent people are more likely to project - the introverted type. 

[personalreality]

it is the birthright of all people, it comes more naturally to some. 

perhaps those people that might have been chosen at birth to become the shaman's apprentice, or our modern day seers and guides.  someone with strong intuition. 

[alfalfa]

maybe they are all naive? and naivity drives them to have such beliefs?

[personalreality]

jesus alfalfa.  nothing nice to say?   

maybe you're right.  maybe this is all crazy and we're making it up and we're really just naive and trusting of wonderful claims.

maybe we're can't cope with the real scientific reality that you inhabit so well.  naturally we seek a way out, we live in a fanciful world of imagination that holds no concrete value.  we are so pathetic.

i'm playing portal 2 as well.......for science.

[alfalfa]

but then how can so many people have such experiences?
it cant be that they are all naive, i dont think they are, you are just one of them, u cant talk for all of them
(haha yes i make your head blow because you assume i am takeing sites)

[c0sm0nautt]

Most people who aren't properly initiated in this stuff do seem to think they are going crazy. 

[personalreality]

but then how can so many people have such experiences?
it cant be that they are all naive, i dont think they are, you are just one of them, u cant talk for all of them
(haha yes i make your head blow because you assume i am takeing sites)

remove that one line and this is a great example of a legitimate post!

you're on your way to becoming a real live member!

lol. 

just having a laugh alfalfa, please do join in.

[CFTraveler]

maybe they are all naive? and naivity drives them to have such beliefs?

There is no belief associated with projection, only experiences.  You can create a story to explain an experience (or explain it away) but an experience is an experience.

[Jilt]

A typical projector may have experience meditating or naturally being good at focusing, is somewhat fearless since at first many have roadblocks/strange sensations, and is very curious about the nature of reality (and explores theories like those found in Buddhism, Quantum physics, Jane Roberts/Seth books and Law of Attraction).

[Rudolph]

Or headed in that direction. 

Heh. Yeah, at least one would hope so.

But then I started wondering at the huge numbers of 'curiosity seekers' who are only into it as a 'dip the toe in the water' type action.

I think we need to clarify what the definition of "Astral Projector" is. Daily OBEs? Monthly? Yearly?

Do Lucid dreams count? How lucid?

...

[Xanth]

Heh. Yeah, at least one would hope so.

But then I started wondering at the huge numbers of 'curiosity seekers' who are only into it as a 'dip the toe in the water' type action.

I think we need to clarify what the definition of "Astral Projector" is. Daily OBEs? Monthly? Yearly?

Do Lucid dreams count? How lucid?

...

It depends on who you talk to.

If you're talking to me, I believe that any experience that doesn't happen while you're wide awake here in this physical reality is a non-physical experience (aka: "projection").

Some people disagree with me, and that's really fine. 
But it underlines the point that we'll probably never come to a consensus over all of this stuff.  The best you can do is come to your own opinion through experience. 

[kailaurius]

An astral projector is every kind of person you can think of because everyone projects whether they are aware of it or not, so I'm assuming what you are really asking is what kind of a person is one who is good at "recalling" projection experiences.  Well, again that could be anything.  It's like asking what kind of a person is a body builder, or what kind of a person is a basketball player.  There's nothing special about someone who can recall their projection experiences.  It's just that, due to our upbringing in this materialistic society and deeply embedded belief systems since birth, most have to work really hard at being able to successfully recall projection experiences, just as a body builder has to work really hard to get a muscular body.

As far as there being different kinds of projections, the only difference is in how they are perceived.  Like Xanth said, they are all projections of consciousness.  They are just perceived differently.  And even the word "projection" is not really an appropriate word because there is no such thing as "time" or "space".  We don't project anywhere, because we are already there.  "Out of Body" experiences does not mean you are actually out of your body, it is just perceived that way.  "Astral Projecting" into the astral realms does not mean you are projecting outside of the physical realm because there is no "outside" of anything.  Again, there is no such thing as "space" or "distance".  So again, all projections of consciousness occur within, and even the term "within" is not an appropriate word, but given the limitations of human language it will have to suffice for the purposes of the topic of projections of consciousness.  It's really more like just shifting or transforming your awareness.

And as far as those who think that people who "astral project" are delusional based on some radical belief, hehe well, for me to tell you that you don't know what you are missing would be an incredible understatement.  For someone to tell another that projection experiences are not real would be like someone walking up to a person who loves to skydive and telling them that people cannot jump out of airplanes or telling someone who loves to ride rollercoasters that rollercoasters are not real, and that there is no proof that they exist.  I guarantee you they would not care whether or not others had proof of it's existence or not because they already know it's real because they have already experienced it.  And I can tell you right now that projections of consciousness is incredibly more vivid and solid than anything within this physical realm, and because of the extral sensory "overload" it can be perceived to be much more real, to the point where one could argue that the physical is the non-existent dream world and the realms "within" or "beyond" are the "real" world.

[blis]

I personally wouldnt say everyone projects.

To me, projection is about projecting your waking consciousness(or something close to it) to a non-physical environment. Everyone dreams but not with their waking consciousness. For all I know we might all visit the astral every night but I dont think we all take our waking consciousness with us.

I'm inclined to believe that some parts of us are always in the astral and that the projecting is just us moving our waking consciousness to what we happen to be doing in that time/place.

The only trait I can think of that you could probably apply to all projectors is curiosity.

[Lexy]

is the question what kind of person goes about learning how to do it consciously?

There are people who spontaneously project without even knowing what is going on.


Do all people dream? What makes one person more lucid than another? Skill, luck, heridity? Somehow I doubt it has to do with personality traits because we are a very different bunch.

[Rudolph]

I personally wouldnt say everyone projects.
[...]
The only trait I can think of that you could probably apply to all projectors is curiosity.

Well said.

and that last thought is pure genius.

[garrett2]

Yes! I agree with the curiosity part. At least the people who deliberately try to do it are.

[apsinvo]

From Carlos Castaneda's books on don Juan - a man of knowledge IMHO

[personalreality]

good call apsinvo, i haven't seen a castaneda reference in a while.

he always comes back around somehow, lol.

[Bedeekin]

One with patience and the ability to translate, interpret and collate information and experience when faced with the non-physical environment.

[Psan]

Do people who astral project share any character traits? Describe a typical projector.

IMO, No. There are all kind of people, with nothing in common (character traits), who have experienced this.

Don't go very far, just read some posts here, you will find people ranging from fearful housewives to spiritually advanced persons, all describing their experiences.

However, if you are asking about what kind of people pursue AP and give it enough importance that their lives revolve around it, they are mainly of explorer kind, having a deep interest in unknown. Another trait is that they are open minded, open to knowledge and new ideas, however crazy.

One more guess is that they all want to be free, than anything else. (But thats my feeling, can't support it)

I wouldn't say they are fearless, because fear goes away only with time and experience in astral. A random Ap'er will be as afraid of something nasty and dangerous as a common man.
I wouldn't say they are spiritual or evolved, not all of them, because an evolved person has gone past this stage and sees AP as hindrance or mildly amusing at most. Most of us are noobs in spirituality.
I wouldn't say they are special or chosen ones, just a common man who has chosen to become special.

[Rudolph]

If you're talking to me, I believe that any experience that doesn't happen while you're wide awake here in this physical reality is a non-physical experience (aka: "projection").

That would basically make any typical dream a "projection".

I think "wide awake" is even a debatable condition. It is all a continuum and those who are making a successful effort to wake up will often experience a wide range of lucidity throughout the day and night. Even full conscious OBE can be cloudy with impaired or even no vision.

But the question is, "What kind of a person is an astral projector?". Taking a broad sweeping glance across the field of participants reveals a wide range of 'types' experiencing the OBE state. But I think it is narrowed down quite a bit if we define it as those who are consciously making the effort to project and it is narrowed down MUCH further if we require at least once monthly success. Then the characteristics of "curious" along with "persistent" as well as "goal oriented" begin to emerge as a commonality.

[Xanth]

That would basically make any typical dream a "projection".

Exactly. 

The only difference is the lack of what I call a "waking awareness".

I think "wide awake" is even a debatable condition. It is all a continuum and those who are making a successful effort to wake up will often experience a wide range of lucidity throughout the day and night. Even full conscious OBE can be cloudy with impaired or even no vision.

I've actually never experienced this "cloudy" or "impaired" vision that people talk about.  My dreams, when I'm actively experiencing them as they're happening, are always clear, just like my waking physical life right now.

But the question is, "What kind of a person is an astral projector?". Taking a broad sweeping glance across the field of participants reveals a wide range of 'types' experiencing the OBE state. But I think it is narrowed down quite a bit if we define it as those who are consciously making the effort to project and it is narrowed down MUCH further if we require at least once monthly success. Then the characteristics of "curious" along with "persistent" as well as "goal oriented" begin to emerge as a commonality.

I view the astral landscape as so wide and varied, that I'm not sure I could put a finger on it as such.
For me personally, it doesn't even really matter.  If I was hard pressed, I'd say "what kind of person is an astral projector?"  ... I'd say one conscious within this reality frame.