Orienting the Astral Plane

The astral plane—with its rich and multi-varied history deeply intertwined with Tantra in South Asia—occupies a marginal place in the study of world religions and esoteric currents. But the astral plane represents much more than a product of theosophy-inspired orientalism. Indeed, the social and political exchanges that made the idea of an astral plane possible are complex and irreducible to a one-way appropriation of any single cultural or religious belief or practice.  

This project begins by examining the earliest known image to directly inspire the idea of the astral plane: a numbered diagram of the Tamil yogin Sri Sabhapati Swami (1828–1933/4) published in 1880. However, this is just one among at least 20 subsequent diagrams related to the context of astral embodiment, a context which includes maps of the cosmos, mantras, and a rich tantric and yogic ritual environment. This project will offer translations of all of Sabhapati Swami’s relevant diagrams, and provide a free online resource to enable scholars and the general public to better understand and appreciate the importance of South Asian yogic and tantric contributions to the theory behind the astral plane. 

The project also aims to elevate academic understandings of astral phenomena and practices, and cut through the popular chatter by offering additional data and diagrams that will help answer critical questions about the historical threads, practices, theologies, cosmologies, and soteriology connected with the astral plane. 

Project point person: Keith Edward Cantú