For hundreds of years, individuals have experienced a state in which their spiritual self, or soul, is freed from their physical body, allowing their spirit to then explore regions of time and space that differ from the plane their physical body is inhabiting. This state is called the out of body experience, sometimes abbreviated as OBE.
Sometimes known as astral projection; feelings of weightlessness, freedom from physical limitations and a sense of being able to see one’s own physical body from a multi-dimensional, external perspective are typical of these experiences.
People who report having an out of body experience usually have their experience immediately after living through one of three situations: a physically, mentally and/or emotionally traumatic event, an interaction with drugs, or an intentionally-induced state achieved through meditation and a sequence of specific steps.
Out of body experiences are distinctly not dream events; they differ in that they are conscious states of awareness, often quite vivid, that unfold in real time. Dreams are the concoctions of the subconscious mind and may or may not appear to be real. Individuals who have had out of body experiences typically say that during the state, their senses are heightened and they possess additional levels of awareness beyond their usual 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.
It is important to know that people of all ages and from all cultures and professions have out of body experiences. Some people are reluctant to report that they have had an OBE because they fear religious repercussions, but various scriptures throughout history document the occurrence of out of body experiences, including ancient Native American oral histories and the Christian Bible.
Although most people who actively seek an OBE are at least somewhat open to new age thinking, the practice is actually a very old method used to find personal enlightenment and enrichment.
Individuals report that out of body experiences occur with a surprising frequency: approximately one out of every 15 individuals has some type of OBE. These experiences occur in almost every set of circumstances, ranging from sleeping or relaxing to being in the midst of a stressful or violent situation such as an accident. The explanation for this wide spectrum of causality is very simple: every person is different, and each responds differently to given situations.
Common to many reports of out of body experience is the feeling of vibration, or the physical self suddenly becoming very heavy. Many believe this feeling is actually the separation of the spiritual self from the physical self in order for the former to then pursue its travels along 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.
Having an out of body experience is more common that one might think, and has been a part of human life across the cultural spectrum for centuries. It has long been considered a method for gaining personal understanding and enlightenment for the world and universe that surrounds 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.
Tags: astral projection, astral travel, out of body, out of body experience, out of body experiences