Sylvan Muldoon was an American esotericist in the first half of the twentieth century. He promoted the idea of astral projection and out-of-body experiences, linking them with dreams (though he did not consider astral projection to be a dream). He actively collaborated with Hereward Carrington, a well-known researcher of psychic phenomena at the time. They co-authored three books.
According to Muldoon, he had his first astral experience at the age of twelve. His mother, influenced by books on spiritualism, went to a camp for mediums, taking her family with her. Little Sylvan dozed off, and, “waking up,” he felt that he was neither sleeping nor awake. At first he couldn’t get up – as if he was stuck – but then he lifted up and began to vibrate up and down. When he was finally able to get on his feet and walk, he tried to wake up his family – but to no avail. The adventure ended with him being pulled back into his physical body.
Muldoon told this story in detail in his book The Projection of the Astral Body, co-authored with Carrington. Muldoon does not consider the astral plane to be a dream state, but at the same time gives some recommendations on lucid dreams (LD), promising the development of the ability to control oneself up to the moment of immersion in sleep. Ideal control would entail imagining a certain scene, focusing one’s attention on it, and then transferring oneself into it. According to Muldoon, such experiments are more often successful and more easily accomplished in choleric people.
As preparation, the author advises to observe yourself at the moment of falling asleep, trying to concentrate on a specific dream scenario (where you play an active role). Carefully monitor the process of your consciousness becoming clouded. Try to remember that you are awake, and at the same time continue to fall asleep.
Muldoon noted that astral projection happens more often in the morning, and also practiced the broken dream technique: waking up at night, staying awake for fifteen minutes, and then going back to sleep. He was, therefore, one of the pioneering researchers of many LD practices that are well-known today.
The author’s books are available on Amazon.
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