The idea of astral projection comes from contemplating the stars. The old Promethean illustration of consciousness as compared to fire and light links it to the light of the planets and stars, where the design and pattern of the stars is a principle, the so-called astral layer of reality which underlies lowest physical layer. To put it another way, one can say that our tangible senses examine that which is farthest away we find order in chaos. Thus the astral body is, so to speak, that aspect of the body having to do with its underlying designs and patterns. As above, so bellow. As there are designs above, so too is there the principle, so to speak, of design within us. Where as the world of the mind could be said to include all ideas and concepts, et., The difference between the mind and the astral is that “the mind” describes consciousness, where as designs and patterns are just that. For example, shapes and patterns found in nature, such as the Fibonacci sequence, while entertained by the mind, these cannot be said to have a mind of their own. So basically, astral projection is basically an old way of expressing the idea of traversing the world of the mind. Though keep in mind that astral entities, ideas that have been given somewhat of a life of their own, are not conscious. Consider for example, a video game, which is the creation of a programmer. It is not alive in the same sense that we are, but it still exists. If it’s files were deleted it would still exist as a potential idea, though it’s forces having been depleted.