Out of body experience - what is it? Reality or myth? Is it possible to experience such sensations, and what needs to be done? This term refers to a specific phenomenon in neuropsychology, the essence of which is that a person feels that he is leaving his physical shell and is even able to see it from the side. There are various factors influencing this condition: disturbances in the work of certain areas of the brain, severe stresses, psychotropic substances. It is even possible to experience an out-of-body experience through meditation.
More on the essence of the phenomenon
People who have experienced the exit of the soul from the body usually give similar characteristics to this sensation. First of all, a person feels separation from his physical body, feels “outside of it,” he can even see it from the side (most often from above). Also, in a person in this state, the subjective perspective of perception changes: it is transferred to a point outside the physical body. Despite the fact that it remains motionless, a person seems to soar above him, observing everything that is happening around. He can move in space, see surrounding objects, experience emotions.
Causes and factors affecting the manifestation of the phenomenon
The situation in which such a sensation is most often experienced is clinical death. Religious people call this state the exit of the soul from the body. But this is not the only situation in which you can experience this.
Various psychotropic and psychoactive substances can also cause the appearance of such sensations.
Among patients with schizophrenia, people suffering from schizotopic or post-traumatic disorder, one can also meet those who have experienced the phenomenon.
Out-of-body experience can come through meditation or involuntarily. For example, Robert Monroe published a book on similar techniques and founded his own institute, where such conditions are actively studied and investigated. It also provides training in out-of-body practices and practices of changing consciousness.
Such experiences can also occur with a sharp change in the position of the body in space, for example, in aircraft pilots, during a car accident (if the car rolls over or a person flies out of it), during a free fall.
Some people claim that they felt a separation from their physical shell, but such a phenomenon is quite difficult to study and fix, therefore, it is impossible to say with absolute certainty whether this is the same phenomenon.
There is also evidence of the fact that experiencing out-of-body experiences can also be in a state of deep hypnotic trance. Research on this topic was conducted by Professor Etzel Cardenia. According to his data, the subjects, under hypnosis, felt the sensation of leaving their own body, free floating, slowing down or stopping time.
At a time when the mind and body are in separation, the perception of the environment usually does not change. A person sees everything in the same colors, the same shapes and sizes.
Recommendations for preparing for the ECP
People who consciously want to experience this need to follow a few recommendations. Firstly, it is necessary to observe a special diet. It is recommended to eat light food, refuse foods such as meat and nuts. Before practice, you should not eat at all, and you can only drink water. It is also necessary to perform certain breathing exercises. Yoga, mantras and special meditations can also help to achieve a state of bodylessness.
To fix the results, you can write down each of your experiences in a diary so as not to forget any important details and track the patterns that arise. It is also important to study the theory of this phenomenon: reading special literature, listening to lectures.
Steps required to achieve ECP
- Complete relaxation. It is necessary to create such conditions under which nothing - neither extraneous sounds, nor the natural needs of the body, nor physical discomfort, will be distracting. Clothing should be as comfortable as possible. It is not recommended to set time limits.
- Meditation. Meditation on the chakras is suitable, meditation aimed at abstracting from the body, focusing on a specific thing
- Autotraining.
- Complete muscle relaxation. It begins with the relaxation of the toes and gradually spreads to the whole body. By the way, visualization of any relaxing scene can help with this.
- Trance is a state of relaxed mind and a waking body. It is important to continue to be fully aware of yourself.
Various techniques
After the stage of complete relaxation has begun, it is necessary to come to the stage of abstracting from the physical body and the altered state of consciousness. Ways to enter this state:
- Lifting method. This technique is quite simple: you must imagine yourself floating up, rising above your physical shell.
- Rotation method. Its essence is that you need to try to slowly roll over without helping yourself with your arms or legs. You need to start the movement with the head and shoulders.
- Monroe Method. It consists in relaxing the body, plunging into a state of hypnosis and deepening this state, followed by the development of a sensation of vibration.
- "Small system" is a method developed by Ofiel. It is necessary to develop any route and think through every detail. The route needs to highlight the main points. After achieving relaxation, try to imagine yourself at the first point and then move from it to others, while observing yourself.
- The "Body of Light" method - it is necessary to imagine your double in front of you, and then transfer consciousness into it.
Physical manifestations
- Vibration. It looks like a light electric shock. At first it can be scary, but it is a natural manifestation of an out-of-body experience.
- Sleepy paralysis. At this moment, a person is not able to lift a finger, he feels as if he is very heavy.
- Auditory hallucinations. At the very beginning of the department you can hear strange sounds. They can be in any form: voices, hissing, crackling. They must be ignored, since they exist only at the subconscious level.
- Fear. It is completely natural to experience fear of death or injury during an out-of-body experience. However, according to studies (Canterbury Institute Experiment), it is difficult to suffer during such practices.
Research
Most of the research work is to collect and study information from those people who have experienced this condition. However, over time, this phenomenon changed from mystical phenomena to neuropsychological ones. In neuropsychology, this phenomenon is associated with the way in which the idea of a physical body is formed in the human mind, how it connects with the representation of one's own "I".
For the first time, an out-of-body experience as a neuropsychological phenomenon was singled out by surgeon Wilder Penfield, whose patient experienced a similar condition during a brain operation. Then, in 2002, scientists led by Olaf Blanca achieved similar results through electrical stimulation. Moreover, they managed to localize that part of the brain where out-of-body experience occurs. It turned out to be the right angular gyrus between the temporal and parietal regions.
In 2007, experiments were conducted on out-of-body experiences in people immersed in artificial reality. The participants in the experiment had the feeling that they saw themselves from the side, but at the same time, people could feel touches of the body.
Historical Facts about the Phenomenon
- Out-of-body experience was first described in ancient Egypt. There he was called "ba."
- The great philosopher Plato spoke about this state. He described it in his essay Republic.
- In ancient China, experiences of such practices after meditation were described.
- Some modern shamans claim that they can leave the physical shell at will.
Theories explaining the phenomenon of out-of-body experience
There are several groups explaining this condition. The first group explains such phenomena by the existence of the soul, the dualism of consciousness and matter. The theories that fall into this group are not scientific, their experimental verification is either difficult or impossible at all. They are found in religious works, esoteric writings, philosophical treatises.
The second group relates it to the phenomena of the psyche, but does not exclude that there are various paranormal phenomena. Proponents of this theory are trying to confirm the authenticity of extrasensory perception during this state, but so far it has not been proved.
Finally, the third group perceives out-of-body experience as a neuropsychic phenomenon. They study it using neuroscience methods. However, even the theories of this group at the moment do not explain all the features of this phenomenon. You can only study brain reactions, but otherwise you have to rely on the comments of the subjects, which complicates the objective interpretation.
Experiments with the phenomenon
Out-of-body experiences are of great interest for study. Nevertheless, some experiments were carried out.
- In Holland, scientists were able to weigh the physical body of a person before and during a state. The difference in weight was approximately 50 grams.
- Researcher Robert Morris and his followers studied this phenomenon for two years. They examined it with test subject Keith Harari. For example, he could, leaving his physical body, read documents in another room, and then retell them to researchers.
The phenomena of lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis (waking dream)
A lucid dream is a state when a person understands that he is sleeping, but can control his actions.
To enter this state requires regular practice, keeping a diary and meditation. One of the important trainings is a reality test, when a person tries to argue why what is happening now is not a dream.
Sleepy paralysis or waking sleep is a condition in which a person, being conscious, cannot move.
In this state, there are visual and auditory hallucinations. It can occur due to lack of sleep or improper mode. This condition in itself is not dangerous, but it can cause a feeling of fear in a person experiencing it.