What Is An Out of Body Experience?


For centuries, human beings have experienced a state in which their spiritual body is freed from their physical body, and thus, able to explore the outermost regions of space and time. This is called the out of body experience, or, OBE for short.

Characteristic of this experience are feelings of weightlessness and freedom from all physical limitations, as well as being able to see one's physical body from a multi-dimensional outside point of view.

Individuals who discuss their out of body experiences typically indicate that these occasions occur immediately after a traumatic event (physical, emotional, mental or a combination of the three), after having an experience with drugs, or after self-inducing the state through meditation followed by undertaking a series of specific steps in the proper sequence.

Out of body experiences are different than dreams in that they are conscious states of awareness, often very vivid and unfolding in real time, whereas dreams are simply manifestations of the subconscious mind that may or may not seem real. Those who have had out of body experiences report feeling their senses heightened, and often that they possess other depths of awareness in addition to their physical senses.

Individuals who report their out of body experiences also say that their spirits or souls seem to take on another form, a form that is in addition to, and separate from, their physical bodies. This separate spirit, sometimes called the astral body, is then free to travel to different dimensions of space and time, and free even to encounter the spirits of deceased loved ones inhabiting the other side.

For this reason it's easy to see why many individuals actively pursue the out of body experience, whether in search of answers to the unknown questions of the world such as 'what happens after we die' or 'how big is the universe?' or simply to reconnect with a friend of a relative with whom one has business yet unfinished.

People from all stations in life, from all cultures and of all ages, have out of body experiences. It is important to note this, because some people hesitate for religious reasons to say they have had an OBE. Their fears of religious repercussions are unfounded: tales of these experiences exist throughout history and are are included in various religious scriptures, from old Native American oral traditions to and including the Bible.

Although most people who actively try to have an out of body experience are new age thinkers, the practice actually is an ancient way to strive for personal enlightenment and betterment.

It is somewhat surprising to learn just how frequently people report having out of body experiences: approximately one out of every 15 individuals experiences some type of OBE. People have out of body experiences under almost any circumstances, from something as relaxing as sleeping to being in the middle of stressful or violent situations such as accidents or imminent accidents. The explanation for this wide range of situations is simply that people are different and respond differently under various circumstances.

Many people report a feeling of vibration, or the physical body suddenly feeling very heavy, during an out of body experience. Many believe that these feelings are signals that the spiritual self is separating from the physical body, after which the spirit or astral body is free to travel in the astral plane.

Some people who are not familiar with the concept of the out of body experience fear that if their spiritual self separates from their physical body, it may not be able to re-unite. Experts suggest, however, that a permanent link exists between the spiritual and physical selves, and that this is particularly the case with people who are sufficiently self-aware to induce the state on purpose. Because it is not believed that the spirit can somehow become trapped outside the physical body, there is very little reason to fear having an out of body experience.

Out of body experiences are more common than you might think. They have been a part of the human experience for hundreds of years and in a variety of different cultures. Having an out of body experience has long been thought to be a way to achieve self-understanding and a means of achieving greater enlightenment for the world around us.

If only we can calm our minds long enough to give our inner selves the freedom they strive for, we can enjoy opportunities for increased personal insight and advances in technology that otherwise lie beyond our physical consciousness. Through study and practice, anyone can begin to unlock his or her personal potential by starting down the path that leads to spiritual awakening. The path is before us, we have only to take the first step.



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