Astral Projection

**Astral Projection** is the ability to project one's consciousness (or soul) into an astral form outside the body. When a person astral projects, their physical body falls to the floor, slumps over or remains still until they return.

While in *"astral mode"*, active powers are dormant. However, some advanced users have mastered the skill to use their powers whilst astral projecting.

## **Types of Astral Projection:**

### **There are two types of astral projection:**

* Projecting yourself onto the physical plane with a corporeal body.
* Projecting yourself onto the astral plane as an invisible spirit.

### **Corporeal form:**

This form of astral projecting allows the user to interact with other people and vice versa. In Prue's case, telekinesis is used to move her astral form outside the body and to keep her in *"astral mode".* Because of this, she can not use Telekinesis during the projection. However, this limitation can be overcome after excessive exercise with the power. Though her Telekinesis is neutralized, she still demonstrates the basic witch ability to cast spells. In this astral form, it is also possible to project from one place to another without returning to the body. Prue Halliwell once did this to avoid bullets.

When astral projecting, the user's body will become unconscious. When new to the power, the body will collapse and fall to the ground, although, more experienced users will be able to let their body stand still.

This form of Astral Projection is most common for beings such as witches and can be recognized by a pink flash that accompanies the projection when it appears and disappears. Demonic beings astral project with another form, and invisible form.

### **Invisible form:**

This form of astral projection allows the user to appear invisible and make a telepathic connection with someone. While in *"astral mode"*, the user of this form can implant thoughts and suggestions to other people. The suggestions can be heard by anyone or by an individual, depending on the concentration and strength of the user.

Barbas is a prime example of demons who use this ability. He learned to astral project from another demon, whilst in purgatory, in return for that demon's freedom. Together, with his power to read fears, Barbas gained much strength over his victims, allowing him to plant subliminal thoughts into the mind of his victims and creating illusions. It also allowed Barbas to attack and manipulate his victims without them ever knowing that he implanted any thoughts, as well as attack them from a distance.

## **Exhaustion:**

When new to the power, astral projecting can be exhausting for its users as it requires a lot of energy to maintain two corporeal selves. This also causes their astral selves to not last very long. Over time, users will master the skill to use their ability without fatigue and maintain an astral self for a longer period of time.

Very advanced users will even master the skill to be awake in both their physical body as well as their astral form. However, this would require a lot of energy, exhausting even the most advanced users.

## **Teaching Astral Projection:**

**Paige**: "*Did you astral project?*"
**Miss Donovan**: "*Mrs. Winterbourne taught me before she went on sabbatical. Don't worry, I'll get used to it.*"
— Miss Donovan shows off her learnt skill
Astral Projection is one of the few (if not only) powers that can be taught to those who do not naturally possess it. However, spells and potions are favored for those who do not possess the power and do not have or want to take the time to learn this ability.

In 2001, shortly before her death, Prue Halliwell taught Leo Wyatt how to astral project. She probably learned how to teach it from books she read during the time that she wanted to refine her skills. Although Leo kept this a secret from the sisters for a while, in 2005, he passed on this knowledge to them when they had to vanquish Zankou. A vanquishing which would not only kill Zankou, but the sisters as well in the process.

## **List of Users:**

#### **Original power:**

* Prudence 'Prue' Halliwell
* Rex Buckland (*Invisible form*)
* Mrs. Winterbourne
* Stimple (*Presumably*)

#### **Learned skill:**

* Leo Wyatt (*Mentioned, but never used*)
* Piper Halliwell
* Phoebe Halliwell
* Paige Matthews-Mitchell
* Barbas (*Invisible form*)
* Miss Donovan

#### **Through spell, potion, power stealing, etc.:**

* Cryto (*Stolen from Prue*)
* Billie Jenkins (*Through Projection*)
* Christy Jenkins (*Through Billie's Projection*)
* Monkey Prue
* Curtis Williamson (*Never used*)
* Zachary (*Through his power of Telepathy*)
* Dixon Stillman (Syrus' without the Whitelighter part through power stealing)

## **Related Powers:**

### **Astral Premonition**

*Main article: **Astral Premonition***
**Astral Premonition** is the ability to project one's consciousness into a future event, either as a physical astral form or through the body of one's future-self; allowing the user to experience a premonition first-hand. This is a combination of Premonition and Astral Projection and is the closest a Charmed One has gotten to natural Time Travel. The only known users of this power are Phoebe Halliwell, PJ Halliwell, and Stella Halliwell. It allows them to see things in more detail and to stay within the future for a longer period of time.

## **Notes:**

* Astral Projection is featured in all televised seasons.
* Interestingly, good users of this power were only seen using the visible version, while evil users were only seen using the invisible version.
	+ This led many fans to speculate that each version of this power is exclusive to each side, however this was never confirmed.
* Syrus Halliwell-Trudeau inherited Astral Projection, as one of his primary witch powers, from his mother Prue, but his whitelighter DNA changed it into a hybrid power called Astral Orbing.
* Kit was able to see Rex Buckland in his invisible Astral Projection. She's the only known being capable of this.
* Zachary demonstrated the most powerful demonstration of Astral Projection by using his Telepathy to copy Astral Projection and still use both his and Piper's Molecular Immobilization in astral mode.

* While Prue was temporarily an Empath, her power of Astral Projection was augmented by Empathy, which allowed her to stay awake in both her physical body as well as her astral self. Miss Donovan could also stay semi-conscious while in astral mode, pulling herself up before retreating to her body.
* The Demonic Wasteland is located on the Astral Plane. In order for someone to visit the wasteland, they have to astral project onto the plane. When Phoebe had cast the "To Find a Lost Love" spell to bring herself to Cole, the spell manifested her astral self in the wasteland.
* The Halliwell Book of Shadows contains a spell which allows witches without this power to astral project. Phoebe used this spell once to entice Barbas, who stood on the verge of becoming the next Source of All Evil, to attack her and her sisters. While in *astral mode*, Phoebe's fears could not be read by Barbas.
	+ The book also contains a spell that allows witches to summon an astral form to their location against their will, as seen when Phoebe forced Prue back to the manor in "Just Harried".

* According to the sisters in "Something Wicca This Way Goes...?", they learned to astral project from Leo Wyatt, who learned it from Prue. She had taught him how to astral project shortly before her death.
* When a being would astral project, their astral self would ways manifest wearing the clothes they currently had on. Only the exception to this was Prue in "Just Harried", who's astral self wore the same outfit each time she involuntarily astral projected, regardless of what her physical body was wearing.
* The animation for astral projection changed over the seasons;
	+ In Season 7, the bodies of users (Miss Donovan and The Charmed Ones) would glow when their astral selves returned to their bodies. This was not present in other seasons.
	+ When Barbas astral projected in Season 5, the entire screen would flash white.

* The demon Litvack could project images of himself in the minds of others while speaking to them telepathically. When he did this, it closely resembled Astral Projection.
* In "Just Harried", it was revealed that if Prue ignored her inner desires for too long, her astral form would take on a life of its own to act on those desires.