What happens when consciousness seems to move beyond the physical body? Is Shambhala a hidden kingdom, a spiritual realm or something that can only be experienced at another level of consciousness? And why do Mount Kailash, Kalki Avatar, Mahavatar Babaji, and even distant star systems enter the same conversation?
In Episode 115 of Supertalks, spiritual teacher and author Sanjiv Malik explores these questions through his own experiences of astral travel, meditation, and consciousness exploration. His account moves from an unexpected out-of-body experience at the age of 15 to an extraordinary journey he says took him to Shambhala, where he encountered beings of light, Maharishi Agastya, Mahavatar Babaji and what he describes as a vast network of higher knowledge.
The episode also explores the connection between Shambhala and Mount Kailash, Kalki Avatar and Maitreya Buddha, Kalachakra, Starseeds, higher-dimensional consciousness, and the idea that we are more than the physical body.
Who Is Sanjiv Malik?
Sanjiv Malik is a spiritual practitioner, teacher, and author whose work focuses heavily on consciousness, astral travel, and experiences beyond ordinary perception.
His approach is experiential rather than purely theoretical.
That distinction is important.
The central idea running through the episode is simple: instead of merely repeating “I am not the body, I am the soul,” can a person experience that idea directly?
For Malik, astral travel became one way of exploring that question.
He says his first experience happened when he was around 14 or 15 years old during Janmashtami. After spending the day volunteering at a temple, he became exhausted and sat beside a Ganpati idol to rest.
Then something unexpected happened.
He says his consciousness suddenly separated from his physical body. He could see his own body lying below him while experiencing an unusual feeling of lightness and bliss.
He became curious and moved his hands and feet in the air. But when fear entered the experience, he says he immediately returned to his body.
Years later, he experienced something similar while suffering from a high fever.
Those two experiences eventually became part of his deeper exploration of consciousness.
What Is Astral Travel?
Astral travel is generally described in spiritual traditions as an experience in which consciousness appears to separate from the physical body and move independently. It is often associated with the term astral projection, while researchers generally discuss comparable experiences under the broader category of out-of-body experiences (OBEs). Scientific research recognizes OBEs as reported experiences but has not established that consciousness literally leaves the body.
For Sanjiv Malik, however, the experience has a much deeper spiritual meaning.
He describes astral travel as a practical way of experiencing the distinction between the physical body and consciousness.
That is why his explanation begins with a philosophical statement familiar to Indian spirituality:
“I am not the body, I am the soul.”
The difference, according to Malik, is between knowing those words and experiencing them.
During an astral experience, he says, a person can perceive their physical body from an external vantage point. That direct experience can radically change the way they understand themselves.
Modern research approaches the same type of experience differently. A 2025 scoping review examined 87 publications on OBEs and found that they can occur spontaneously or be deliberately induced, with experiences such as lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis sometimes associated with them. Researchers continue to investigate psychological, physiological, and other explanations.
So the same experience can be approached through two very different lenses:
| Spiritual interpretation | Scientific interpretation |
| Consciousness separates from the body | A person experiences themselves as outside the body |
| Astral body or subtle body | Altered body perception and self-location |
| Journey through higher realms | Out-of-body experience |
| Soul-level experience | Phenomenon studied through psychology and neuroscience |
| Spiritual transformation | Altered state of consciousness |
That difference in interpretation is one of the most interesting parts of the subject.
Why Did Sanjiv Malik Begin Experiencing Astral Travel?
Malik says his earliest experiences were spontaneous rather than something he deliberately attempted.
His first happened after physical exhaustion during Janmashtami. His second occurred years later while he was seriously ill with fever.
He interprets these experiences through the idea of samskaras, or impressions carried from previous lives.
According to his spiritual understanding, certain experiences may become accessible when consciousness reaches a particular state because they are not entirely new to the soul.
Science does not establish past-life memories as the cause of OBEs. But spontaneous OBEs themselves are well documented as a subject of research, including experiences associated with sleep, neurological conditions, and altered states.
That distinction matters when reading Malik’s story.
His interpretation is spiritual. The experience itself belongs to a phenomenon that researchers also study.
What Happens When Consciousness Leaves the Body?
One of the most striking parts of Malik’s explanation concerns what he calls the connection between the physical and astral bodies.
According to his account, astral travel does not mean that the physical body is abandoned permanently. The connection remains, allowing consciousness to return. Death, he says, is different because that connection is permanently severed.
This idea of a “silver cord” appears in various esoteric descriptions of astral travel, although it is not a scientifically established anatomical structure.
For Malik, the practical distinction is therefore straightforward:
Astral travel is reversible; death is not.
This becomes especially important because many people who report OBEs describe a powerful sensation of returning suddenly to the body.
Malik describes it almost like a switch.
He says that fear during his first experience caused him to snap back into his physical body.
That moment, rather than the more spectacular parts of the experience, reveals something about how strongly emotion can influence altered states.
How Did Sanjiv Malik Describe His Journey to Shambhala?
The conversation becomes even more unusual when Malik describes his claimed astral journey to Shambhala.
In Tibetan Buddhist traditions, Shambhala is associated with the Kalachakra tradition and is described in different ways, including as a sacred kingdom and an exalted state of mind.
Malik offers a different and deeply personal interpretation.
He describes Shambhala as an interdimensional gateway, a place that cannot simply be reached by travelling to a physical location on a map.
According to his account, access requires a particular state of consciousness.
Before attempting the journey, he says his guru instructed him to withdraw from ordinary distractions for 15 days, spend time in solitude, meditate and follow a strict vegetarian diet. The purpose was to prepare his mind and maintain what he describes as a high level of consciousness.
Then, around 11:30 at night, he says he began the astral journey.
There was no conventional map.
According to Malik, astral travel operates through intention rather than physical direction.
He set the intention to separate from his body and seek higher wisdom.
He says he then experienced himself rising above his room, his building and the Earth.
Within seconds, he describes arriving at what he understood as the gateway of Shambhala.
What Did Sanjiv Malik See in Shambhala?
Malik’s description of Shambhala is less like a conventional city and more like a constantly shifting realm of consciousness.
He describes glowing structures, changing colours, divine fragrance and an atmosphere of profound peace.
There was no ordinary physical door.
Instead, he describes a “conscious gate” that opened after prayer and closed after he entered.
Inside, he says he encountered beings appearing as forms of light, including white, golden and pink energies.
He also describes an unusual form of communication.
According to Malik, these beings did not need to speak in ordinary language. Knowledge appeared directly through intention and intuition.
That detail is central to his understanding of higher consciousness.
The experience was not simply about seeing another place.
It was about receiving information without conventional conversation.
Malik says he was eventually taken toward a grand temple-like structure where his consciousness was scanned for emotional state, intention and negativity.
Inside, he describes a vast interdimensional space where rishis and higher beings could move between different realms.
He compares it to a kind of divine airport.
The imagery is extraordinary, but it is important to identify it correctly: this is Malik’s reported spiritual experience, not an independently verified physical discovery.
What Does Shambhala Have to Do With Mount Kailash?
The Shambhala and Kailash connection is one of the episode’s biggest mysteries.
Mount Kailash has a powerful place in several Asian religious traditions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon.
Malik describes Kailash as energetically connected with Shambhala and places the latter in the broader direction of Mount Kailash.
His explanation is not that someone can simply climb Mount Kailash and find a hidden doorway.
Instead, he describes Shambhala as a dimensional state that becomes accessible only when consciousness reaches the required frequency.
Traditional Buddhist material adds another layer. Shambhala is closely associated with the Kalachakra teachings, while Hindu texts use the name Sambhala/Shambhala in connection with the future appearance of Kalki. The traditions are related in modern discussions but are not identical belief systems.
That distinction will become important when exploring the Kalki and Maitreya connection separately.
What Does Shambhala Have to Do With Kalki Avatar?
The connection between Shambhala and Kalki is not solely a modern spiritual claim.
The Vishnu Purana describes Kalki as appearing in the family of Vishnuyasha in Sambhala village at the end of the Kali age. The Bhagavata Purana similarly refers to Kalki appearing in the home of Vishnuyasha in Shambhala.
But there is an important distinction.
The Shambhala discussed in Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the Sambhala mentioned in Hindu texts are not automatically the same place.
Malik’s interpretation brings these traditions into a much larger framework.
He connects Shambhala with the preparation for the descent of Kalki and says that, at the level of consciousness, a shift associated with Kalki has already occurred.
He does not claim that this means the physical Kalki Avatar has appeared.
According to his explanation, the physical manifestation will occur when its time arrives.
That question opens another major branch of the conversation: Are Kalki and Maitreya actually connected?
The episode explores that question through the Buddhist concept of Kalachakra and the future Buddha Maitreya.
What Is Kalachakra?
Kalachakra literally refers to the “Wheel of Time” or cycles of time in tantric Buddhism. The tradition deals with cycles ranging from cosmic and planetary processes to human breath and subtle energies.
Malik takes the idea even further.
According to his experience, Shambhala exists beyond ordinary linear time. Past, present and future are not experienced there in the same way.
He describes the possibility of seeing an entire timeline almost instantaneously.
This idea fits naturally into the episode’s larger question:
What happens to consciousness when it is no longer limited by ordinary human perception of space and time?
It is also why Kalachakra becomes an important bridge between Shambhala, Maitreya and the wider discussion of higher consciousness.
Who Are the Higher Beings Sanjiv Malik Describes?
Malik says that during his experience he encountered figures associated with different spiritual traditions and realms.
He specifically describes the presence of:
- Maharishi Agastya
- Lord Buddha
- Mahavatar Babaji
- Paramahansa Yogananda
- Lahiri Mahasaya
- other rishis and higher souls
One of the most personal moments came when he says Maharishi Agastya placed a hand on his chest.
According to Malik, that experience gave him a clearer understanding of his soul’s purpose.
He also describes entering a crystal cave where his past-life memories unfolded and where he experienced what he interpreted as an internal cleansing.
Again, these are personal spiritual experiences and should be understood in that context.
There is no independent evidence establishing that these encounters occurred as physical events.
But as a first-person account, they reveal what Malik believes consciousness can experience beyond ordinary waking awareness.
What Are Starseeds and Higher-Dimensional Souls?
The episode then moves from ancient rishis and Shambhala to a modern spiritual concept: Starseeds.
In contemporary spiritual communities, a Starseed is generally understood as a soul believed to have a connection with another star system, dimension or higher realm before incarnating on Earth.
Malik describes several signs he associates with such souls.
He mentions people who:
- Have unusual or highly developed talents.
- Feel internally detached from ordinary worldly life.
- Experience a strong connection with nature or the stars.
- Struggle deeply with control, bondage or subordination.
- Feel a powerful desire for liberation or service.
He also discusses Pleiadian, Andromedan and Arcturian identities, each associated in modern esoteric communities with different qualities.
This is one of the areas where the episode moves furthest from established science.
There is currently no scientific test that can determine whether someone is a Starseed or establish that a person’s consciousness originated on another planet.
For Malik, however, the concept is ultimately less about extraterrestrial identity and more about purpose.
Why are you here?
What are you meant to contribute?
And why do some people feel profoundly different from the world around them?
Those are questions that existed long before the modern Starseed vocabulary.
What Does “Aham Brahmasmi” Mean in This Context?
The conversation eventually returns to a much older Indian idea.
Aham Brahmasmi is commonly translated as “I am Brahman,” while Tat Tvam Asi means “That Thou Art” or “You are That.”
For Malik, these ideas offer a deeper interpretation of everything discussed in the episode.
Astral travel, Shambhala, Starseeds and higher dimensions are fascinating subjects.
But they are not necessarily the final destination.
The deeper question is the nature of consciousness itself.
If the physical body is only one aspect of who we are, then spiritual practice becomes a process of discovering what lies beyond our ordinary identity.
That is the philosophical thread tying the entire conversation together.
What Is Sanjiv Malik’s “Smiling Yogi” Philosophy?
Malik’s spiritual philosophy is not presented as an escape from ordinary life.
In fact, he says his guru appeared to him on January 1, 2026, and gave him a simple instruction: stop being so serious and smile.
That became the inspiration for his book Smiling Yogi.
His idea of a smiling yogi is someone who can participate fully in worldly life without becoming completely identified with it.
That means working, relationships, responsibilities and everyday problems can continue.
The difference is internal.
A person learns to step back from attachment rather than running away from life.
Malik has also released Journey Beyond Death, extending his exploration of consciousness into questions surrounding death and what may lie beyond physical existence.
What Can We Actually Conclude From Sanjiv Malik’s Experiences?
There are two easy ways to approach a conversation like this.
You can believe every experience literally.
Or you can dismiss the entire subject because science has not established its spiritual interpretation.
Neither approach captures what makes the discussion interesting.
Sanjiv Malik is offering a first-person account of experiences that he interprets through spirituality, reincarnation, higher dimensions and consciousness. At the same time, science studies related experiences under terms such as out-of-body experiences and altered states of consciousness. A 2025 review of 87 publications concluded that OBEs are complex, highly individual experiences that can occur spontaneously or be induced in different ways, while their underlying nature remains an open question.
That leaves room for curiosity without confusing belief with evidence.
And perhaps that is the most useful way to approach Episode 115.
Listen to the experience.
Understand the traditions behind it.
Look at what research actually says.
Then decide what you believe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is astral travel?
Astral travel is a spiritual term for an experience in which consciousness is perceived as separating from the physical body and travelling independently. Similar experiences are studied scientifically as out-of-body experiences, although science has not established that consciousness literally leaves the body.
Is astral travel scientifically proven?
No. Researchers have documented and studied out-of-body experiences, but there is no scientific consensus establishing that consciousness literally separates from the brain and travels independently. Current research explores neurological, psychological and altered-state explanations.
What is Shambhala?
Shambhala is a sacred realm or kingdom associated particularly with Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the Kalachakra teachings. Different traditions and teachers interpret it differently, including as a physical kingdom, spiritual realm or exalted state of consciousness.
Is Shambhala connected to Mount Kailash?
Sanjiv Malik describes a strong energetic and dimensional connection between Shambhala and Mount Kailash. Traditional Buddhist and Hindu sources, however, describe Shambhala/Sambhala in different contexts, so the connection should not automatically be treated as a confirmed physical location.
Is Shambhala connected to Kalki Avatar?
There is a textual connection worth examining. Hindu scriptures including the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana describe Kalki as appearing in Sambhala/Shambhala village. Tibetan Buddhist Shambhala traditions have a different historical and religious context, so the two should not simply be treated as identical.
What are Starseeds?
Starseed is a modern spiritual concept describing people who believe their souls have connections to other planets, star systems or dimensions. The idea is part of contemporary esoteric spirituality and is not a scientifically established classification.
The Bigger Question Behind Episode 115
The most fascinating part of Sanjiv Malik’s conversation is not whether every detail of his astral journeys can be independently verified.
It is the question underneath all of them.
What exactly is consciousness?
For Malik, astral travel offered a personal experience that changed his understanding of the body and soul. His account of Shambhala expanded that exploration into higher dimensions, rishis, ancient wisdom and the possibility of consciousness operating beyond ordinary limits.
From there, the conversation reaches Kailash, Kalki, Maitreya, Kalachakra and Starseeds before eventually returning to a much simpler idea:
Know who you are beyond the identity you have created for yourself.
Whether someone interprets that through Vedanta, meditation, neuroscience, Buddhist philosophy or personal spiritual experience, the question remains remarkably relevant.
The next step is to go deeper.
The full Supertalks Episode 115 explores these subjects in Sanjiv Malik’s own words, while the articles in this series will separately examine astral travel, Shambhala, Kalachakra, Kalki Avatar, Maitreya Buddha and Starseeds in much greater detail.
Disclaimer
This article discusses spiritual beliefs, personal experiences, and interpretations shared by Sanjiv Malik during a Supertalks podcast. Claims concerning astral travel, interdimensional realms, past lives, Starseeds, higher-dimensional beings and similar subjects are presented as spiritual or experiential claims, not established scientific facts. Scientific research on related phenomena such as out-of-body experiences is ongoing. This article is intended for informational and cultural discussion and should not be treated as medical, scientific or religious advice.
