The best astral projection books are Robert Monroe’s Journeys Out of the Body for the classic first-person account, Robert Bruce’s Astral Dynamics for a full practical manual, and William Buhlman’s Adventures Beyond the Body for a clear step-by-step guide.
Below are 11 books worth your time, grouped by what you are looking for: the classics, practical guides, and books that ask what out-of-body travel may mean. Each one comes with who it is for, so you can pick the right one tonight.
Key Takeaways
- Start with Journeys Out of the Body. Robert Monroe’s 1971 account is plain, personal and the book many readers meet first.
- For a how-to, read Robert Bruce, William Buhlman or Preston Dennett. Each gives you techniques to try, from short and friendly to long and thorough.
- For the early history, read Muldoon and Carrington. Their 1929 book is one of the oldest first-person works on the subject.
- Hold every claim with discernment. These books describe personal experience. Science has not shown that anything leaves the body.
- Prefer to listen? Jannecke Øinæs and Mariko Frederick, both Next Level Soul guests, speak about astral travel from their own experience.
What Are Astral Projection Books?
Astral projection is the practice, and the reported experience, of the awareness leaving the physical body and traveling in a subtle or astral realm. Researchers usually call the experience an out-of-body experience, or OBE, and it has been reported in cultures around the world.
Astral projection books gather the history, the techniques and the stories. The best ones teach you how to relax, enter the in-between state before sleep and handle fear, while staying honest about what is known. If you want the full picture first, start with our guide to astral projection, or read about the astral journey and the silver cord.
Astral Projection Books at a Glance
| Book | Best for | Type | Voice |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Projection of the Astral Body (Muldoon, Carrington) | The early history | Classic | Experiencer and researcher |
| Journeys Out of the Body (Monroe) | First read | Classic | Businessman and explorer |
| Far Journeys (Monroe) | Going further | Classic | Businessman and explorer |
| Ultimate Journey (Monroe) | The big picture | Classic | Businessman and explorer |
| Astral Dynamics (Bruce) | A full manual | Practical guide | Practitioner |
| Adventures Beyond the Body (Buhlman) | Step-by-step practice | Practical guide | Teacher |
| Out-of-Body Exploring (Dennett) | A friendly beginner path | Practical guide | Author |
| The Llewellyn Practical Guide to Astral Projection (Denning, Phillips) | A structured, esoteric path | Practical guide | Esoteric teachers |
| Hacking the Out of Body Experience (Peterson) | A modern, method-minded view | Practical guide | Practitioner |
| The Secret of the Soul (Buhlman) | What it may mean | Exploration | Teacher |
| Navigating the Out-of-Body Experience (Nicholls) | Troubleshooting | Exploration | Practitioner |
How Do I Choose the Right Astral Projection Book?
Start with what you want. If you want a story, pick Monroe. If you want techniques, pick Buhlman, Bruce or Dennett. If you want to understand what it all might mean, pick Buhlman’s The Secret of the Soul.
A few simple guides help:
- Brand new? Start with Out-of-Body Exploring or Adventures Beyond the Body.
- Love a good story? Read Journeys Out of the Body.
- Want a deep reference? Astral Dynamics is long and thorough.
- Drawn to older esoteric teaching? Try the Llewellyn guide, and see our study guide to The Astral Plane by C. W. Leadbeater.
If your experiences happen at the edge of sleep, our page on sleep paralysis and astral projection is a good companion. For reading across the whole spiritual path, see our list of the top spiritual books.
The Classics: Where the Modern Conversation Began
These four books shaped how people talk about leaving the body. They are older, and they read like field notes from early explorers.
1. The Projection of the Astral Body
Sylvan J. Muldoon and Hereward Carrington (first published 1929; this edition is a recent reprint)
Muldoon wrote of his own out-of-body experiences, and the parapsychologist Hereward Carrington helped shape the book. It is one of the oldest first-person works on the subject and a source for ideas about the silver cord.
The style is dated, so read it as a historical document. Our guide to the silver cord explains the idea.
Best for: Readers who want the early history of the subject.
2. Journeys Out of the Body
Robert A. Monroe (Doubleday, first published 1971)
Monroe, a businessman who founded the Monroe Institute, tells the story of his own out-of-body experiences with a plain, careful voice. It is the book that brought the subject to many readers.
His claims rest on his own account, and he writes them that way.
Best for: First-time readers who want a clear, personal account.
3. Far Journeys
Robert A. Monroe (Doubleday, first published 1985)
Monroe’s second book goes further into the places and beings he says he met. It reads as more speculative than his first.
Best read after Journeys Out of the Body, not before.
Best for: Readers who loved the first book and want more.
4. Ultimate Journey
Robert A. Monroe (Doubleday, first published 1994)
Monroe’s last book turns to the larger journey of the soul and to what he describes as the stages after death.
It is the most spiritual of the three and the most open to interpretation.
Best for: Readers who want the full arc of Monroe’s thinking.
Practical Guides: Techniques You Can Try
These five books are built for practice. They teach relaxation, preparation and technique, in different styles.
5. Astral Dynamics: The Complete Book of Out-of-Body Experiences
Robert Bruce (Hampton Roads, 2009 edition)
A long, thorough manual that covers techniques, the energy body and protection. It is one of the most complete practical references in this field.
It is dense, so take it a chapter at a time.
Best for: Serious students who want a deep reference.
6. Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel
William Buhlman (HarperSanFrancisco, 1996)
Buhlman offers practical techniques for beginners, laid out step by step, with accounts of his own experiences.
If you want one how-to book to begin with, this is a strong choice.
Best for: Beginners who want a clear path from the first page.
7. Out-of-Body Exploring: A Beginner’s Approach
Preston Dennett (Hampton Roads, 2004)
A short, friendly beginner guide that keeps the process simple and the tone light.
It is a gentle place to start if bigger manuals feel heavy.
Best for: Readers who want to ease in with a simple guide.
8. The Llewellyn Practical Guide to Astral Projection: The Out-of-Body Experience
Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips (Llewellyn, 2001 edition)
This guide comes from the Western esoteric tradition and takes a structured, ritual-minded approach to preparation and practice.
It suits readers who like order and tradition, and it is heavier going than a modern beginner book.
Best for: Readers drawn to the Western esoteric path.
9. Hacking the Out of Body Experience
Robert Peterson (independently published, 2019)
A modern guide that brings a method-minded approach to out-of-body practice.
It is newer and less established than the classics, so read it with your own discernment.
Best for: Readers who like a modern, practical voice.
Going Further: What Does It All Mean?
Once you have tried a technique or two, these books help with the bigger questions.
10. The Secret of the Soul: Using Out-of-Body Experiences to Understand Our Immortality
William Buhlman (HarperOne, 2001)
Less a how-to and more a look at what out-of-body experiences might say about the soul and what lies beyond death.
It shares many of Buhlman’s accounts and his own conclusions.
Best for: Readers who want the meaning behind the practice.
11. Navigating the Out-of-Body Experience
Graham Nicholls (The Out-of-Body & Near Death Experience Society, 2025 revised edition)
A practitioner’s guide to techniques and the common obstacles, now in a revised and expanded edition.
It is a good companion when your practice stalls.
Best for: Practitioners who hit a wall and want help getting through.
An Honest View of Astral Projection
Out-of-body experiences are well documented as experiences, and many people describe them as vivid and life-changing. Science has not shown that anything actually leaves the body, and researchers continue to debate what is going on. Some see a brain-based experience, and others see consciousness traveling.
Use these books as guides, not authorities. Go gently, keep your feet on the ground, and stop if something frightens you. Sleep paralysis, which often comes with these experiences, can be scary even though it is not harmful in itself. Nothing here replaces medical or mental health care; if you are struggling, please reach out to a doctor or call or text 988 in the US.
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Hear It From the Guests
Prefer to listen? None of the authors on this list has joined our podcast yet, but these Next Level Soul guests speak about astral travel from their own experience.
Benefits of Astral Projection with Jannecke Øinæs
Jannecke Øinæs shares her inner journey, a vivid landscape she describes, and her view of soul purpose with Alex Ferrari. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
Astral Therapy & Deep Soul Healing with Mariko Frederick
Mariko Frederick explains astral therapy, staying conscious between lifetimes, and why the feeling of not being ready is a lie. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
Watch More on Next Level Soul TV
Next Level Soul TV is our own home for films, series and teachings on these questions. Here are six to start with.
Go Deeper with NLS Mastery: Astral Therapy
A guided journey into the higher realms, and a natural next step for anyone drawn to astral travel and expanded states of awareness. Mariko Frederick teaches it in Astral Therapy, part of NLS Mastery. Watch the course preview below.
Sources and Further Reading
Spirituality for the Rest of Us™
Movies, teachings and community on Next Level Soul TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best astral projection book for beginners?
Out-of-Body Exploring by Preston Dennett and Adventures Beyond the Body by William Buhlman are friendly places to start, and Robert Monroe’s Journeys Out of the Body is the classic first-person account.
What is astral projection?
It is the practice, and the reported experience, of the awareness leaving the physical body to travel in an astral or subtle realm. Our guide to astral projection explains it in full.
Is astral projection real?
People report out-of-body experiences around the world, and researchers study them as experiences. Science has not shown that anything leaves the body, so what they mean is still debated.
What is the difference between astral projection and an out-of-body experience?
An out-of-body experience is the experience of seeming to be outside the body. Astral projection usually means doing it on purpose and traveling in an astral realm.
Who was Robert Monroe?
Robert Monroe was an American businessman who wrote Journeys Out of the Body in 1971 and founded the Monroe Institute to explore consciousness.
What is the silver cord?
The silver cord is a thread said to connect the astral body to the physical body. Our guide to the silver cord covers where the idea comes from.
Is astral projection dangerous?
Practitioners generally describe it as safe, and there is no scientific evidence of harm. Fear and sleep paralysis can be distressing, so go gently and speak with a doctor if you have concerns.
Is sleep paralysis connected to astral projection?
They often show up together at the edge of sleep. Our page on sleep paralysis and astral projection looks at the science and the practitioner view.
What is the difference between astral projection and lucid dreaming?
In a lucid dream you know you are dreaming, and in astral projection people describe leaving the body. They can feel alike, and our guide to lucid dreaming explains the dream side.
How long does it take to learn astral projection?
It varies a great deal. Some people have an experience within weeks, and others practice for months or longer. Steady relaxation practice helps.
Can I hear from people who have traveled astrally?
Yes. Jannecke Øinæs and Mariko Frederick have both been guests on our podcast, and their interviews are linked above.
Is there an NLS course on astral travel?
Yes. Mariko Frederick teaches Astral Therapy, a Next Level Soul Mastery course on a journey into the higher realms.
