[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

It sounds like you are referring to mental projection, rather than full body split (astral projection). In both of these cases consciousness does leave the body (if for the purpose of this thread consciousness = where focus is).

There are forms of focusing into a nonphysical area that doesn't involve creating a body double and leaving the physical body. For instance if you develop transparent eyelids while in sleep paralysis you can peer into a nonphysical version of your bedroom while also being fully aware of your physical body.

A lot of mental projections (like you mentioned) start out for me while I'm still fully within my phsyical body. Bruce Moen's style of nonphysical exploration is to stay in that state and never create a body double at all. He's awake while he does this which allows him to speak into a tape recorder while he's looking around

Here's an article he wrote on his method:

http://www.afterlife-knowledge.com/oobe.html

It sounds to me like he's using a sense that's like OBE radar and allows you to be aware of things very precisely but without actually seeing anything