An out-of-body experience (OBE) typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, seeing one's physical body from outside oneself (autoscopy). Approximately one in ten people claim to have had an out-of-body experience at some time in their lives. For some, the phenomenon occurs spontaneously, while for others it is linked to dangerous circumstances, a dream-like state, a near-death experience, or use of psychedelic drugs. Relatively little is known about OBEs.

O.B.E. (Out of body experience)

This term refers to the experience of leaving ones physical body, intentionally or otherwise. The experience undoubtably occurs but whether it reflects reality remains controversial. It is reported that some of those who recall the experience remember visiting places and people they have never been to or seen before, only to find that they in fact do exist when the individual attempts to retrace their travels in the physical self.

People often report having these experiences after suffering from traumatic experiences such as motor vehicle accidents. People can often remember the accident as if they were observing from a location outside of the vehicle.

Research suggests that O.B.E’s can be self-induced; again this is not a proven concept but has been documented. The act requires the individual to visualise jumping out of ones physical body while remaining extremely relaxed.

It is said that once the consciousness has escaped the physical confines the human body, a silver chord connects the out of body consciousness to the physical.



The following general observations can be made based on a collection of 66 case studies of firsthand accounts of "spontaneous" OBEs (those not part of a planned program to induce the experience).

In some cases, the subjects either willed themselves out of their bodies or found themselves being pulled from their bodies (these were usually preceded by the feeling of paralysis). In other cases, the feeling of being outside the body was something suddenly realized after the fact; the subjects saw their bodies almost by accident.

Subjects claim they can (at will or otherwise) see a silver cord linking their astral form to their physical body. This cord mainly appears to a beginning traveler as assurance they will not become lost. However, even experienced travelers find it useful, claiming it is a fast way to return to the body.

The OBE is not generally long; on the order of a minute or so. Those who experience an OBE may note that the subjective experience is much longer than the objective time passing.

The OBE may or may not be followed by other experiences which are self-reported as being "as real" as the OBE feeling; alternatively, the subject may fade into a state self-reported as dreaming, or they may wake completely. The OBE is sometimes ended due to a fearful feeling of getting "too far away" from the body. Many end with a feeling of suddenly "popping" or "snapping" back into their bodies.
"I was lying in bed and I felt myself rising. This freaked me out, so I slammed back into my body."
"As soon as I noticed myself still lying on the couch I was instantly shot back in my body."
"I reached the floor and touched my bed in a sitting position. I whooshed back into my body."
"I realized that I was floating and became very frightened. In that instant of revelation I felt a sense of great speed and an impact as though I had smashed into a brick wall. I ‘woke up’ crumpled up at the bottom of my bed in the hotel."
"I was pulled violently back into my body and I jerked."
"I can remember walking home from junior school with my friend, and then, I saw myself in the distance walking and talking to her."
"The next thing I knew, I looked straight out in the woods, and I had an OBE. I saw the lights from the back porch, I was about 100–150 feet away from the house looking at me and my friend."
"The doctors did not use any anesthetic at the time because I was too young [two years old]. When they cut me open, I felt severe and intense pain and I left my body because it was too much for me to bear."

Some subjects experience spiritual epiphanies; others experience a general feeling of peacefulness and love; still others experience fearfulness and anxiety. Finally, some experience only the OBE itself, with no direct spiritual experience.

A majority describe the end of the experience as "then I woke up". It's worth noting that even (perhaps especially) those who describe the experience as something fantastic that occurs during sleep, and who describe the end of the experience by saying "and then I woke up", are very specific in describing the experience as one which was clearly not a dream; many described their sense of feeling more awake than they felt when they were normally awake. One compared the experience to that of lucid dreaming, but said that it was "more real".

OBEs are often initiated through lucid dreaming, where one is aware they are dreaming, though other types of initiation are discussed later. The majority of subjects (55+ of the 66 cases), who claim to have had an OBE, reported being asleep, on the verge of sleep, or having been asleep shortly before the experience. A large percentage of these cases referred to situations where the sleep was not particularly deep (due to illness, noises in other rooms, emotional stress, exhaustion from overworking, frequent re-awakening, etc.). In most of these cases, the subjects then felt themselves "wake up"; about half then noted a feeling of physical paralysis. These may be examples of sleep paralysis.

There appear to be two common forms of such lucid experiences. The first involves lucid dreaming, where the subject is immersed in unrealistic worlds, or in a modified form of the reality with impossible or inconsistent features. A second experience is of a more physical nature where the environment is consistent with reality; this is often called an etheric or ethereal experience. This type can be frightening, as extremely realistic physical sensations may occur, often including magnetic and vibrating phenomena, loss of balance, and confusion. The person believes he has awoken physically and panic can be caused by the realization that limbs appear to be penetrating objects. Transition can occur between these states one or several times; this transition may feel much like awakening, including the sensation of numbness often felt on awakening.