My Story

I used to practice astral projection, a form of witchcraft which involves the intentional departure of the spirit from the physical body to explore the spiritual realms at will. At the time, circa 2018–2019, I would have absolutely denied that this practice had anything to do with witchcraft. I believed it was part of my New Age spiritual beliefs; that it was helping me. I even believed a person could engage in New Age practices and still be a Christian.

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My journey into these practices began years earlier. When I was a teenager, I fell under a series of sleep paralysis attacks. During sleep, I often heard voices, saw shadowy figures, and even felt unfamiliar entities crawling into my bed. Scary stuff. My body was paralyzed and I was terrified. I clung to any scientific explanation the internet could offer, but as the attacks continued, these offered no comfort.

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{ DID YOU KNOW? }

Sleep paralysis is more common than many people realize. Researchers estimate that about 1 in 5 people experience sleep paralysis at some point in their lives (Suni, 2025), yet many never talk about it or even realize there is a name for what happened to them.

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I was raised a Christian, so naturally, I prayed for relief. When nothing changed, I became discouraged with God and decided to take matters into my own hands. I thought that if I could develop some form of control in my sleep and dream-space, then maybe I could be freed from these constant attacks.

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Over time, I practiced lucid dreaming, opening my third eye, meditating to the “conscious universe,” yoga, aura reading, and more. My goal was to reach a heightened state of consciousness; the internet explained that this elevated state-of-self was key to obtaining higher awareness, control, and spiritual freedom. All the while, it became increasingly difficult to pray and my Bible began collecting dust.

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I found hope in this New Age way of thinking. And for a while, it seemed like it was working. The attacks were slowing as I continued to develop in my practices. Yet underneath it all was an undying obsession; a relentless desire to achieve deeper and deeper esoteric experiences. I was often proud of my progress, but rarely satisfied. I always found myself seeking more.

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Eventually, I learned about astral projection and believed that stepping out of my body on command would be the ultimate form of spiritual control.

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{ A LITTLE CONTEXT }

Reports of out-of-body experiences are found across cultures, and published literature has estimated that roughly 10–20% of the population may have an out-of-body experience (Moix et al., 2025). ​

 

At the time, I did not question what I was seeking. I believed I was discovering something hidden; something most people simply had not learned how to access; a spiritual pathway of "enlightenment," mystery, and power.

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Because… if I could control my very soul… who could touch me then?

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For a long time, I kept these things secret. It seemed like there was more power in it that way. Eventually, I opened up to my boyfriend, now husband, hoping he would be proud of me for “overcoming my demons” and even desire to join me in these practices. Instead, his response changed the trajectory of my life.

 

He said, “Well, if you’re going out of your body, what if something else comes… in?”

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In instant frustration, I replied, “No! That’s impossible! The Holy Spirit lives in me!”

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But then I was forced to ask myself… was that true? When was the last time I prayed to God? When was the last time I read my Holy Bible?

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It had been quite a while. All along, I convinced myself that I was “still a Christian.” I had justified my practices, telling myself, "This is helping me. This is enlightenment. I am not using physical devices like Ouija boards or tarot cards. All I have used is my own mind and determination."

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But deep down, I knew that my New Age practices were pulling me directly away from God. My nighttime prayers had been replaced by a longing to grasp the unknown. A desire to serve myself had replaced my desire to serve God and serve others. That is just the thing about New Ageism; it encourages a selfish pursuit of higher power. It emphasizes the lie spoken by the serpent in Genesis 3, that we have the potential to “be like God.”

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Eventually, in a moment surrounded by nature, I came to realize that God is indeed the Creator. And if that is so, and God is God, then what kind of darkness had I become?

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When I asked Jesus to save me, He exposed the darkness and restored the truth in my life. It was drastic, and the demons I had unknowingly welcomed near were quite unhappy to be evicted.

 

Through excruciating warfare, I learned about the power in the name of Jesus, and I witnessed demons flee as I spoke His mighty name (Philippians 2:9). The Lord taught me about fear and gave me a fresh perspective: All of creation—including every spiritual being—submits to the all-powerful God, so why shall I fear demons when even they fear God? (James 2:19) Instead of getting lost in the unknown, I am found in the One who knows all. ​

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“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” —Job 28:28

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And after years of sleeping in fear, I can finally say: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” —Psalm 4:8

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I know what it is like to battle these issues in silence, hoping desperately to be met with help and understanding. In the same way that the light of Jesus Christ exposed the darkness in my life, God is calling me shine his light on this very dark topic: to shatter the silence, develop resources, illuminate the truth and expose the darkness.

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