With the Aether so attuned to cognition, there are some circumstances where a mind can imprint itself into the field and propagate itself independently of its physical substrate. Sometimes when an esper is astrally projecting, they might forget the way back to their body or be severed from it. Certain high-energy excitations of the Aetheric Field can also cause such a projection to be created. An Aetheric projection (or spirit) maintains all of its cognitive and psi abilities, without the ability to change and learn beyond what context it can hold in its mind. Spirits must expend energy to both think and act, and unless externally supplemented they will eventually fade.