astral
/'æstrəl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective 1. Relating to stars or having a star-like quality: Describes something that is connected to, resembles, or originates from stars. 2. Relating to a non-physical or spiritual realm: In mystical or esoteric contexts, describes a subtle, spiritual body or plane of existence believed to be separate from the physical body.
Usage and Examples
- Relating to stars:
- The telescope revealed the astral beauty of the distant nebula.
- Ancient navigators used astral charts to guide their voyages across the oceans.
- Relating to a spiritual realm:
- Some philosophies teach that the astral body can travel independently of the physical form.
- The mystic claimed to have visions of the astral plane.
Advanced Usage
- "Astral projection": The purported ability for one's consciousness or astral body to travel outside the physical body.
- The book explores techniques for achieving astral projection.
- "Astral light": A term used in some esoteric traditions to describe a subtle luminous substance or energy permeating the universe.
- Alchemists wrote of manipulating the astral light.
Variants and Related Words
- Astral body (noun phrase): In mystical thought, a subtle, non-physical duplicate of the physical body.
- A concept in theosophy is that the astral body survives physical death.
- Astral plane (noun phrase): A spiritual or non-physical dimension of existence.
- The story's hero journeyed to the astral plane to retrieve a lost soul.
Synonyms
- Stellar: Of or relating to stars.
- Astral navigation is synonymous with stellar navigation.
- Sidereal: Relating to or measured with respect to the distant stars.
- Sidereal time is an astral measurement.
- Celestial: Pertaining to the sky or heavens, often inclusive of stars.
- The astral bodies are part of the celestial sphere.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary, most common meaning is scientific or literal, directly pertaining to stars (e.g., astral light, astral navigation).
- The secondary meaning is esoteric or metaphysical, found in spiritual, occult, or philosophical contexts (e.g., astral body, astral travel). This usage is not scientific.
Adjective
- being or relating to or resembling or emanating from stars
- an astral body
- stellar light