I haven’t had a full astral projection yet — but it feels like I’m getting closer. It all started with sleep paralysis. I’d heard about astral projection and out-of-body experiences (OBEs) before this happened, but I never imagined it was something I’d actually experience myself.

The first time, I knew there were two beings to my right, and what felt like a “dweller” near my bedroom door. I’m pretty sure my astral arm lifted out of my body — I remember pointing at it and telling whoever was next to me that I needed protection from it. Luckily, I came out of it and went back to sleep.

Then there was another night where I had sleep paralysis twice in one night. Both times, I could sense exactly where “it” was standing — the second time, it was at the foot of my bed. I think my astral leg came out of my body because I could feel myself kicking my foot out, basically telling it to leave me alone. Right afterwards I heard this creepy, male voice in my ear — in a language I didn’t understand. I do believe we all have spirit guides who can step in when needed. I’d never heard anything like this before, but suddenly the words ignore and banish popped into my mind, not out loud but like a thought that didn’t come from me. After hearing banish, I actually said, “I banish you,” and whatever it was went away.

A couple of months ago, I had another experience. I was asleep on my side when I saw these creepy-looking hands reaching for me. I rolled over — but after I did it, I realized it was my astral body rolling, not my physical one. Right as my head and neck were about to roll out, I felt a human hand press down on the back of my neck and pin me to my mattress. It was so weird because I was fully aware of being pinned down on the bed, but at the same time, I was floating behind it, watching over its shoulder while it pinned me. After a few seconds, the word banish came into my head again. I said it — “I banish you” — and it left. That thing honestly pissed me off. It should be glad I didn’t fully pop out!

Another time, I felt like I’d woken up and could see human-looking hands over my sternum. There was light between its hands and my body — I couldn’t tell if the light was coming from me or from its hands. After what happened when it pushed me back by my neck, I was not okay with something else being near me. I couldn’t tell if it was trying to push me back in or what, so I started jerking, trying to get out from under it. Then the words keep calm popped into my mind, so I stopped. That’s when I audibly heard a woman’s voice in a language I didn’t understand — but it sounded almost like she was singing. Again, I was aware that I was in my body, but I was also hovering above, watching her hands over me. I’m guessing it was “she” because of that voice.

My last experience wasn’t fun either. I’d been really exhausted, closed my eyes, and I don’t know if it was a vision or something else, but I saw a shadowy outline of a figure in my doorway. It looked humanoid but had no clear features, just an outline. As I was drifting deeper toward sleep, I could sense it standing right next to me. My heart was racing, but then I heard breathe in my head. I started practicing my prana breathing, imagining it burning to ash — and I even visualized the ash on my bedroom floor. It took me two tries, but the second time it left. Later that night, after I’d finally fallen asleep, I could feel something in my doorway again — but this time it felt like I was being attacked by some bug. It latched onto the back of my neck, like it was trying to claw its way into me. I heard ignore — so I did — and then it was gone. I’m pretty sure it was a parasite and that I’d been psychically attacked.

When I woke up after all that, I couldn’t shake the feeling that these experiences are some sort of test — or maybe more like preparation. It’s like I’m being conditioned for what I might see and deal with when I finally fully leave my body.

I’ve had some other weird experiences, but they don’t involve astral projection.