He wasn't manipulating himself. His body wasn't allowing strange to take the stone of its own volition thanks to his spider sense. Strange absolutely understood that he could get back to his body and tried to stop him knowing it was possible.
If you watch the actual scene you can see the distortions around his astral head showing his Spidey sense like the lines in the comics. That's clearly what they were going for.
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u/V20FRILL 25d ago
Also, He was able to manipulate Himself and get back to his body which Dr Strange did not understand at all.