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.

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.

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 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 who are new to the concept of out of body experience may fear that if the spiritual self separates in this way, it then runs the risk of not being able to reenter. Experts suggest that the physical and the spiritual selves are permanently linked, however, and that this is especially the case for those self-aware enough to purposefully induce a state of separation in the first place. For this reason, it is not believed that one can become trapped outside his or her physical body, and therefore there is no reason to fear exploring.

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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