Astral Shift

Astral shift occurs when a therianthrope's astral body separates from their physical body, travels to the astral plane (spirit world) and shifts to the form of a nonhuman animal. There is no physical change of the shifter.

This is considered an out-of-body experience (OBE), and that requires the belief in the existence of souls or a form of consciousness called an astral body. This is related to astral projection, and the idea of astral travel is ancient and occurs in multiple cultures. Some consider the astral plane to be a higher plane of consciousness, and it can take practice to learn how to achieve this shift unless one is naturally inclined. Astral shifting can occur during sleep, with the aid of spiritual trance, meditation, or induced through hypnotic means such as self-hypnosis.

Astral shifting was being discussed on AHWW as early as 1995. However, it's a less common shift that is not mentioned as often as shifts like mental and phantom.

It is important to note that there is no proof of auras, astral travel, or out of body experiences. We do need to be aware that there are alternative explanations to astral, aura, spiritual, and bilocation shifting. They may not necessarily be spiritual in nature, but could be explained by ordinary events. Astral shifts could be the result of our brains trying to process the surroundings and the effects of sensory fatigue, a well documented effect which is at work in those able to perceive common optical illusions. Seeing auras or outlines around people and objects can simply be due to eye fatigue and other perceptual processes.

See also: Shift (Therianthropic)