A practitioner sits before a diagram that resembles a cross between a medieval map and a circuit board. The paper is covered in concentric circles, strange sigils, and color-coded bands. This is an astral plane chart, and it is not a decoration. It is a tool for navigation. An astral plane chart is a visual map of the non-physical layers of reality, used by occultists to orient themselves during astral travel or ritual work. The chart organizes the astral plane into zones, each corresponding to emotional states, planetary influences, or spiritual hierarchies. Without it, the traveler moves blind.
Where do astral plane charts come from?
The concept of mapping the invisible world is older than the term “astral plane.” Neoplatonic philosophers like Plotinus (204–270 CE) described a series of immaterial spheres radiating from the One. Medieval kabbalists charted the Sefirot on the Tree of Life, and Renaissance magicians like Cornelius Agrippa (1486–1535) published diagrams of the celestial spheres in De Occulta Philosophia. But the specific diagram we recognize as an astral plane chart emerged in the late 19th century.
The Theosophical Society, founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky in 1875, systematized the idea of seven planes of existence. The astral plane was the second, a realm of emotion and desire. S. L. MacGregor Mathers, a co-founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, published a short treatise titled The Astral Plane in 1896. That text included a diagram of the astral plane’s sub-planes, color-coded and labeled with planetary symbols. Mathers drew on earlier sources: the astral light of Eliphas Lévi (Alphonse Louis Constant, 1810–1875) and the Qabalistic spheres.
Aleister Crowley’s The Vision and the Voice (1909) described the 30 æthyrs of the astral plane, each with its own sigil and vision. The chart became a practical tool for the student of the Golden Dawn and later for practitioners of the Western mystery tradition. Franz Bardon adapted the concept in Initiation into Hermetics (1956), where he gave a simplified diagram of the four elemental planes within the astral. No single chart is universal: each tradition modifies the map to fit its cosmology.
That history explains why the chart is not a literal geography. It is a symbolic projection of a model of consciousness.
What do the symbols on the chart actually mean?
The astral plane chart is built from a few repeating elements. The commonest format is a series of concentric circles, each representing a sub-plane. The center is the physical world, the densest level. Moving outward, the circles represent the lower astral (emotions, dreams, passions), the middle astral (imagination, memory, archetypes), and the higher astral (intuition, spiritual vision). Some charts extend to the mental or causal plane.
Colors are the first key. The Theosophical model assigns a color to each sub-plane: dark red for the lower astral (desire, anger), orange for the emotional, yellow for the intellectual, green for the healing/balance, blue for the spiritual, indigo for the divine, and violet for the highest. In practice, the exact shades vary by tradition. The Golden Dawn chart used the seven colors of the rainbow, starting with red at the center.
Planetary glyphs appear on the periphery. Each planet rules a specific astral quality: Moon for dreams and subconscious, Mercury for communication and travel, Venus for love and attraction, Mars for conflict and will, Jupiter for expansion, Saturn for limitation and structure. The chart often includes the Sun in the center, representing the aspiring soul.
Sigils mark thresholds. These are geometric symbols that act as keys to enter a specific sub-plane. Some are drawn from the Enochian system, others from the Golden Dawn’s Rose Cross. The practitioner learns to trace these sigils in the air during projection.
Directional arrows or runes indicate the path of ascent. The traveler moves from the outermost circle inward (descending into the physical) or from the center outward (ascending into the astral). The chart is a mandala of orientation.
How to Use an Astral Plane Chart in Practice
We do not use the chart as a simple picture. The reading is an active meditation. Before attempting projection, we sit with the chart and memorize its layout. The eyes trace the circles from center to periphery, then back. The breath follows the motion: inhale as you move outward, exhale as you return. This conditions the mind to the path.
Step one: identify the target layer. Decide what kind of work you intend. If you seek contact with a deceased relative, the lower astral is the likely region. If you want to access a spiritual teacher, aim for the middle or higher astral. The chart marks these zones. The color band tells you what to expect.
Step two: locate the corresponding planetary hour. The chart often includes a table of planetary hours, placing the practice in a specific time. For example, the hour of the Moon is best for dreamwork. Align the chart’s planetary glyph with the current hour. This is older than the chart itself: Agrippa gave the tables in the 16th century.
Step three: place the chart on the altar or under the pillow. Some practitioners fold it into a triangle and place it on the solar plexus. We light a candle in the center of the chart, then move the flame outward as we travel. The candle is a stand-in for the self.
Step four: read the symbols during the journey. The astral body does not see the chart as a physical object. The symbols become landmarks. A red zone signals a place of intense emotion. A blue band indicates a calmer region. If you encounter a sigil, trace it with your astral hand. This opens a door.
The chart is not a rigid map. The astral plane shifts and responds to the traveler’s state. The chart gives you a baseline, but you must adapt to what you find.
Astral Plane Chart vs. Tree of Life and Other Diagrams
The astral plane chart is often confused with the Tree of Life. Both are maps of invisible worlds. The Tree of Life is a diagram of the 10 Sefirot and the 22 paths, representing the entire process of creation and the return to the divine. It is a metaphysical scale. The astral plane chart is narrower: it maps only the second plane, the astral, and its sub-divisions. The Tree of Life includes the astral as one of the Sefirot (Yesod, the foundation), but the chart is a zoomed-in view.
Another close cousin is the Astral Light diagram of Eliphas Lévi. In Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie (1854), Lévi described the astral light as a universal medium, a fluid that connects all things. He did not draw a full chart, but his followers later diagrammed the light as a sphere of concentric rings, each ruled by a planetary intelligence. The Lévi diagram is more ethereal, less structured than the Golden Dawn chart.
The Enochian tablets of John Dee and Edward Kelley (1582–1589) are a different beast. They are grids of letters and names, not maps of layers. Yet they serve a similar function: they are keys to specific regions of the astral. The Golden Dawn integrated Enochian elements into their astral charts.
The practitioner must choose the tradition that aligns with their work. The Golden Dawn chart is the most common in Western occultism. The Bardon chart is simpler, tailored for elemental magic. The Theosophical chart is broader, including the higher planes.
What do people get wrong about astral plane charts?
The common error is treating an astral plane chart as a fixed map of a real place. The charts are better understood as a pedagogical device — a way of organizing the experiences, regions, and beings that practitioners report, so that the traveler has a frame of reference. Different traditions draw the chart differently, and the same region may appear under different names. The chart is a tool for orientation, not a photograph of the astral.
Common Misconceptions About the Astral Plane Chart
The most persistent error is treating the chart as a literal map with fixed coordinates. The astral plane is not a physical place. It is a realm of consciousness, shaped by belief and expectation. The chart is a mnemonic, not a GPS. Two travelers using the same chart may experience different landscapes.
Another misconception: that you must be able to see the chart during an out-of-body experience. In our experience, the physical chart is left behind. You memorize it, and the symbols become mental anchors. If you try to carry the paper, it will not appear in the astral.
Some assume that the chart’s colors are universal. They are not. The Theosophical color scheme is one system. The Golden Dawn used a different palette. The Hindu system of chakras uses yet another. There is no standard. The chart you use must be the one you have studied and internalized.
A final mistake: believing that the chart protects you. It does not. The chart is a tool for orientation. Protection comes from banishing rituals, grounding, and the will of the practitioner. The chart itself is neutral.
FAQ
What do the concentric circles on the astral plane chart represent? Each circle corresponds to a sub-plane of the astral, from the densest near the physical center to the most subtle at the outer edge. The colors and symbols indicate the nature of each zone.
How do I choose the right astral plane chart? Select a chart from a tradition you practice: the Golden Dawn, Theosophical, or Bardon charts are the most documented. The chart must match the cosmology you already work with, or confusion will follow.
Can I draw my own astral plane chart? Yes. Many practitioners draw their own charts based on personal experience. Use the standard symbols as a starting point, then add details from your own astral travels. The chart becomes a living document.
What is the difference between an astral plane chart and a talisman? A talisman is an object charged with a specific intent, often worn or carried. The chart is a reference diagram, not a talisman. However, the chart can be consecrated and used as a talisman if you treat it with ritual intent.
The astral plane chart is one of the most practical tools in the library of the esoteric traveler. It bridges the gap between the abstract model and the direct experience. Study it. Trace its lines. Let it become second nature. Then set it aside and walk the map.
For more on the foundations of astral work, see our vertical hub on astral projection. If the term “astral plane” still feels slippery, the glossary entry on the astral plane offers a precise definition. And for a step-by-step method of leaving the body, the guide on how to travel the astral plane will take you further.