History Main / AstralProjection

* Finn has done this twice on ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''. In "Still", he mentally projects himself to the astral plane to summon an "astral beast" to help free him and Jake from their magic-induced paralysis. And in "Astral Plane" Finn astrally travels throughout Ooo and eventually to Mars [[spoiler: because of a comet that's on a collision course with Mars, which [[HeroicSacrifice Glob diverts]] to Ooo.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Aang can astrally project into the spirit world (or accidentally into the material one). ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' later confirms that non-Avatar people can do this as well.
** Korra does this so she can fight the Dark Avatar. It also revealed earlier in the series that [[spoiler:at the time of his death, Iroh did this, and his spirit became a permanent resident of the Spirit World.]]
** Jinora is found to be very talented at this in the third season. This becomes important when the team reaches Ba Sing Se.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Batman performs this through meditation in "Dawn of the Dead Man!" after being BuriedAlive by Gentleman Ghost. With help from Deadman, he's able to [[DemonicPossession possess]] Speedy in order to get Green Arrow's help before he runs out of air and defeat Gentleman Ghost.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' in "Lady Bouvier's Lover" Nelson is shown to do this when Bart receives an animation cel of an arm that he bought for $350. This leaves him twitching on the Kwik-E-Mart floor.
-->'''Apu:''' This boy is having an out of body experience. This is very bad for business.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E23Reunited "Reunited"]], Steven gets knocked out during [[spoiler:a fight with Blue and Yellow Diamond]], only to find his mind out of his body. Once Steven figures out what's happening, he isn't too surprised by it because of the other dream-related powers he's used before. While projecting, Steven cannot interact with or even see physical objects, but he can see/sense people and interact with them telepathically.
-->'''Connie:''' Wha-where are you? How are you...?\\

* In ''WesternAnimation/UglyAmericans'' Leonard uses a "hologram" spell at times. Though in the second season the hologram is shown to be independently intelligent while Leonard is temporarily dead.
* Doctor Orpheus in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' can do this, usually for the sake of communicating with Jefferson and/or The Alchemist.
** Unfortunately, he cannot double project, which leads to some difficulty when talking to them both at the same time.

* At the height of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, it is thought that both the USA and the USSR extensively tested the veracity of this concept, partly because "remote viewing" offered an intriguing new take on espionage (imagine a spy eavesdropping on Kremlin meetings without once leaving Washington), and mainly out of a paranoid fear that if they didn't at least check out whether there was any truth in it, it might be gifting the other side an advantage. Results were inconclusive.

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': Being the world's most powerful telepath, [[Characters/MarvelComicsProfessorX Charles Xavier]] does this frequently.

Astral Projection is a magic/mystic practice which allows a character to detach either his soul or his conscious mind ([[AnatomyOfTheSoul the distinction is important]]) from his body and let it wander freely, either [[{{Invisibility}} invisibly]] in the material plane or out in the SpiritWorld.

Now effectively a living [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghost]], the character can go just about anywhere, see and hear anything, and potentially engage in InvisibleJerkass behavior, depending on whether he can [[MindOverMatter move objects telekinetically]]. Also like ghosts, characters who are Astral Projecting may use DemonicPossession 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.

Unfortunately, the freedom of the soul comes at the expense of the body, which usually lies in a ConvenientComa, utterly helpless and [[RemoteYetVulnerable vulnerable to attack]] or neglect. In many cases, the body will ''die'' if the soul is separated from it for too long. Another danger is that, like a ghost, the 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, or if another person moves his body while he is "away." Worst case scenario, another detached soul (or [[DemonicPossession something even worse]]) takes up residence in the body and [[GrandTheftMe takes over the person's life]] while they are stuck outside their own body for good.

It's entirely possible for an Astral Projector to separate from his body by accident. Perhaps he misused an AncientArtifact that forced him into an Astral Projection without [[EnlightenmentSuperpowers telling him how to undo the state]] or return to his body. Or he might accidentally end up in [[FreakyFridayFlip the wrong body]], or someone else might take possession of his. On the upside, this state makes him [[NighInvulnerability indestructible to everything]] (except angry ghosts, [[HollywoodExorcism exorcists]], irate housewives with [[GhostsAbhorAVacuum vacuum cleaners...]]).

* In Franchise/TheDCU, magic users like ComicBook/DoctorFate, ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}, and [[ComicBook/RavenDCComics Raven]] can do this.
* ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange'': This is one of the many mystic arts that Doctor Strange has mastered. He can also pull someone else's astral form out of his/her body, though the other person usually freaks out and needs constant reassurance that everything is okay. Strange bypasses the whole "physical body left helpless" thing; his body simply can't be harmed while he's not in it. However, this is an incredibly dangerous spell that leaves the body vulnerable and is fatal after 24 hours. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fire12_210.jpg Strange barely even hesitates to use it]]. Inevitably, someone who sees his astral form will mistake him for a decedent, so he has to emphasize that he's AnAstralProjectionNotAGhost. Of course, he never makes that mistake himself.

* Johann Kraus in ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' was a spiritualist whose body was killed while during a seance. His soul had nowhere to return to, so he has to live in a containment suit to avoid completely evaporating.
* A form of astral projection called hypnokinesis is used on ''ComicBook/JohanAndPeewit'' in the story "ComicBook/TheSmurfs and the Magic Flute". The main difference is that their projected forms have physicality, so it's as if they have actually been transported into the Cursed Land (or to the Smurf forest, in the AnimatedAdaptation [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsAndTheMagicFlute of the story]]).
* The villain Scarab in ''ComicBook/{{Manifest}}''. And possibly the protagonist's mentor, the Spectral Wayfarer.
* A ''ComicBook/MartianManhunter'' villain named Bette Noir has this power. In fact, it's the only way she can explore the world, since her physical form is an immobile blob of flesh. Her astral self looks like a beautiful pale-skinned woman. Unfortunately, she's also a psychic vampire of sorts, feeding off of the psychic energies of others to empower herself.
* ComicBook/{{Superman}} does this one time with the help of ComicBook/WonderWoman's assistant I-Ching in ''ComicBook/KryptoniteNevermore'', where a sand-created duplicate of himself is stealing his powers.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' as written by her creator William Marston in ''ComicBook/SensationComics'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'' often involves astral projection. A villain once forced Wonder Woman out of her body with electricity ("What a queer feeling... like ''falling!''"). Other times, characters learn the art of deliberately leaving the body.

** {{Discussed|Trope}} in "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S1E1ShatterdayALittlePeaceAndQuiet Shatterday]]". Peter Jay Novins' alter ego claims that he is the real Novins and that the other one is a piece of him that wandered off while he was sleeping because of astral projection.

* In ''ComicStrip/{{Conchy}}'', Oom Paul has been known to meditate so hard that he accidentally detaches his consciousness from his body. HilarityEnsues when he decides to inhabit a rock or a plant.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In the ''Literature/ChakonaSpace'' stories Skunktaurs of House Blackpaw have this ability, as do Chakats sired by them and some other individuals of different species.
* [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-438 SCP-438 ("Addictive Straitjacket of Espionage").]] SCP-438 appears to be a normal straitjacket. When it is put on, the person wearing it falls into a coma and undergoes an OBE (Out of Body Experience). Their consciousness can travel great distances instantly and effortlessly, with a full range of sensory perception.
* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': A number of psychics and wizards are capable of different forms of this. The most notable of these is [[MeaningfulName Fubar]], who uses a projected image of an adult version of his original body, as well as using MindOverMatter to make himself seem physically present, in order to interact more naturally with others.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': In various novels, astral projection is a common ability for powerful psykers and sorcerers:

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS5E133RingADingGirl Ring-A-Ding Girl]]", Bunny Blake is seemingly able to astrally project herself to Howardsville while her physical body is on a plane. She does so in order to save as many townspeople as possible when the plane crashes during the Founders Day's picnic.

** In "Quarantine", Sarah and the other members of the {{Commune}} have the ability to astrally project themselves to anywhere in the universe that they choose, including inhospitable planets which ships could have never visited. Irene uses her [[HumansArePsychicInTheFuture psychic powers]] on Matthew Foreman and takes his mind on a trip around UsefulNotes/TheSolarSystem.
** In "Song of the Younger World", Amy Hawkline and Tanner Smith use the ''I Ching'' to transfer their souls into the bodies of a pair of wolves in a [[AlternateUniverse younger world]] so that they can be free of her [[AbusiveParents abusive father]] Mordecai forever.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' x ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos'' fic ''Fanfic/TheGodsAwaken'', Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, is able to do this in his initial meeting with Luz and the others.

* This is one of the many mystic arts that ComicBook/DoctorStrange has mastered. He can also pull someone else's astral form out of his/her body, though the other person usually freaks out and needs constant reassurance that everything is okay. Strange bypasses the whole "physical body left helpless" thing; his body simply can't be harmed while he's not in it. On the other hand, he can't be outside his body for more than twenty-four hours or he dies.

* In the first book of ''Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy'', Underwood does this and discovers that his apprentice, the book's main character Nathaniel, has been spying on him. Things nearly turn very nasty, until he gets called away.

* In Franchise/TheDCU, magic users like ComicBook/DoctorFate, ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}, and [[ComicBook/TeenTitans Raven]] can do this.

* In Franchise/TheDCU, magic users like ComicBook/DoctorFate, ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}, and ComicBook/{{Raven}} can do this.

* In ''Film/AceVenturaWhenNatureCalls'', the titular protagonist uses it to go back to Tibet and discuss his frustration with the case he has on hand with his master.

It's entirely possible for an Astral Projector to separate from his body by accident. Perhaps he misused an AncientArtifact that forced him into an Astral Projection without [[EnlightenmentSuperpowers telling him how to undo the state]] or return to his body. Or he might accidentally end up in [[FreakyFridayFlip the wrong body]], or someone else might take possession of his. On the upside, being MadeOfAir makes him indestructible to everything (except angry ghosts, [[HollywoodExorcism exorcists]], irate housewives with [[GhostsAbhorAVacuum vacuum cleaners...]])

'''Nobita''': [seeing Doraemon as a "ghost"] Wait, robots have souls?\\

'''Nobita''': [''seing Doraemon as a "ghost"] Wait, robots have souls?\\

* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'' has a one-shot gadget, the "Ghost Candy", which allows a person's soul to leave their bodies (without dying, obviously), used in a chapter where after Nobita gets bullied by Gian for the ''n''th time, vows he'll haunt Gian if he dies first. Cue Doraemon taking out the candy.
--> '''Doraemon''': You don't need to wait till you're dead to haunt him.

Astral Projection is a magic/mystic practice which allows a character to detach either his soul or his conscious mind ([[SoulAnatomy the distinction is important]]) from his body and let it wander freely, either [[{{Invisibility}} invisibly]] in the material plane or out in the SpiritWorld.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Aang can astral project into the spirit world (or accidentally into the material one). ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' later confirms that non-Avatar people can do this as well.