astral

Astral is an English adjective derived from Latin astralis, meaning “of the stars.” In contemporary usage it has two broad senses: a scientific or poetic reference to the stars themselves, and an esoteric sense that denotes non-physical realms and phenomena associated with consciousness.

In scientific contexts, the term astral is relatively uncommon and often poetic rather than technical. The proper terms for star-related matters are astronomical or stellar. When used outside science, astral imagery may describe celestial or cosmic concepts, but it does not imply empirical evidence of a non-physical domain.

In occult and metaphysical traditions, the astral plane is a proposed non-physical realm that exists alongside the physical world. The astral body is described as a non-physical double of a person, capable of separating from the physical body during dreams, trance, or deliberate practice such as astral projection, or out-of-body experiences. The concept was developed in late 19th-century Theosophy and has influenced various New Age, esoteric, and fantasy traditions.

In culture and media, astral imagery is used to evoke dreamlike, spiritual, or otherworldly atmospheres. In science, claims of astral projection are regarded as unverified and outside mainstream evidence, often interpreted as products of altered states of consciousness or dream phenomena.

See also: astral plane; astral projection; astral body; lucid dreaming.