Astral Projection and OBE in Fantasy novels?

Have you come across Astral Projection or OBE (Out of Body Experience) in any Fantasy novels? 

I haven't.

In fact, I didn't even believe in such things until some years ago, when I began reading all kinds of New Age books to get ideas for my Fantasy series.

Then I remembered some people I knew who insisted they had an OBE under extreme circumstances (nearly drowned, in severe pain) and slowly the subject began to intrigue me more and more.

In the latest and 3rd book in my series - Rhuna, The Star Child - I decided to introduce Astral Projection, calling it by a different name, but describing it in the way some people do, who have experienced it.

In my story, the main character learns about Astral Projection from her long-lost father, who had been in exile in Tibet, where he learned Astral Projection along with other spiritual pursuits (like yoga and meditation).

It's a fascinating concept, if all humans can astral project, and if this is the case, why can only certain people master it?  The mind boggles!  But that is what Fantasy should be, in my opinion:  something that makes your mind boggle and churn with concepts that might be possible!

Let me know if you have any OBE or Astral Projection thoughts or experiences!

Black Magic in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt is so fascinating, isn't it?  Everyone seems to think so, whether it's the enigma of the Pyramids, the timeless beautystyle of their art and jewellery, the mystery of the mummies, or many other things.

Personally, I became intrigued and fascinated with Ancient Egypt when I was in 5th grade and we did a school project on it.   Back then, I thought the hieroglyphics were great fun - like a code!

Over the years, I learned more about Ancient Egypt as I read all kinds of books - whatever I was into at the time, but what grabbed me the most, and inspired me to include it in my Fantasy/Magical Realism novels, is Ancient Egyptian MAGIC.

People of Ancient Egypt took Magic very seriously, and many superstitions arose from it.  Apparently, a certain priest class could perform magic, which put the common people in awe of them.  Stories about their magic appear in various writings, even the Bible (the Ten Plagues of Egypt).

One of the interesting aspects of their Magic is the use of a primitive doll to represent a person, and then cause that person pain or some kind of harm by sticking pins into the doll.  Yes, like the voodoo doll, and it's also known as poppet magic.

Until I read about these dolls existing in Ancient Egypt already, I thought that kind of magic was a Voodoo thing only, but look at this:

They were performing this kind of "Sympathetic Magick" back in Ancient Egypt already! 

Needless to say, I had to include it in my latest novel, and it features in the 3rd book, "Rhuna, The Star Child".