Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave your body behind and explore the world around you? If so, then you may be interested in learning about out-of-body experiences (OBEs).
Some people report having OBEs while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some claim to have had them during moments of intense fear or stress. Others say they’ve experienced them during meditation or prayer.
There’s no one sure way to induce an OBE. But if you’re curious about what it might be like, there are a few things you can try. In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways people have reported having OBEs and what to expect if you decide to try them.
What is an Out-of-Body Experience?
An OBE is a type of mystical or paranormal experience in which an individual seems to achieve awareness of and access to conscious activity beyond the limits of their physical body. People who have had an OBE often report floating above their bodies and looking down at themselves from above. Some even claim to have traveled to other locations, either on Earth or in other planes of existence.
Although the exact mechanisms behind OBEs are not fully understood, there are a number of theories that attempt to explain them. One popular theory suggests that OBEs occur when the mind becomes detached from the physical body and is able to wander freely through space and time. Another theory proposes that OBEs are the result of astral projection, which is said to be a type of out-of-body experience in which the soul leaves the body and travels to other realms.
Whether or not you believe in out-of-body experiences, there is no denying that they can be fascinating and even life-changing experiences. If you’re curious about exploring your own consciousness, then you may want to consider seeking out an OBE for yourself.
Out-of-Body Experience Types
While the term “out-of-body experience” is often associated with mystical or religious experiences, there are actually a number of different types of out-of-body experiences.
- Spontaneous OBE’s
- These can happen:
- During/near sleep
- Near-death experiences
- Resulting from extreme physical effort
- These can happen:
- Induced OBEs
- These can happen:
- Chemically through certain medicines and drugs
- Mentally through meditation, etc.
- Mechanically through brain stimulation and sensory deprivation
- These can happen:
What Does It Mean to Have an Out-Of-Body Experience?
An out-of-body experience (OBE), also known as a dissociative episode, is a sensation in which your awareness leaves your body.
Psychologists and neuroscientists regard OBEs as dissociative experiences that occur due to many psychological and neurological reasons.
What Does an Out-of-Body Experience Feel Like?
It isn’t easy to put into words how an OBE feels. They generally involve:
- A feeling of floatation outside your body
- Feelings that you are looking down at yourself from above
- A sense of feeling that what’s happening is very real
- Many also experience a strange buzzing or electrical sound
Stages of An Out-of-Body Experience
People can have OBEs in a variety of ways. However, the most common stages are as follows:
- As sensory impulses cease, the individual ceases to interact consciously with the outside world. This is comparable to falling asleep.
- As they progress towards total darkness, the subject feels tremors all over their body.
- They frequently feel as if they have passed over into another realm and are now drifting away from their own body.
- The person may now see their body beneath them. In addition, some people will be able to leave their bodies and explore the world.
- The individual returns to their own body. This is frequently described as a jarring experience.
OBEs typically occur without warning and linger for a short period.
There is some disagreement about whether the perceptions and sensations linked with OBEs occur physiologically or as a hallucination experience.
A 2014 study attempted to investigate this by examining 101 patients in cognitive awareness who survived a cardiac arrest.
- The scientists discovered that 13% of the subjects felt disconnected from their bodies during resuscitation. However, only 7% reported being aware of occurrences they would not have seen from their actual vantage point.
- Furthermore, two subjects claimed to have had audio and visual experiences while in cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, only one was healthy enough to follow up, but he provided a detailed, complete report of what happened during his cardiac arrest resuscitation for about three minutes.
Nonetheless, there is no evidence to support the notion that a person’s consciousness may go outside the body.
What Can Cause an OBE?
No one’s sure what the exact causes of OBEs are, but experts have identified possible explanations.
- Trauma or Stress
- Medical Conditions:
- Brain injuries
- Epilepsy
- Cardiac arrest
- Migraines
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Depersonalization-derealization disorder
- Sleep paralysis
- Certain medications like anesthesia and cough medicines with dextromethorphan
- Certain drugs like marijuana, ketamine, meth, ayahuasca, and LSD.
- A near-death experience
- Hypnosis
- Too much brain stimulation
- Extreme dehydration or physical activity
- Sensory deprivation
Having an OBE From Smoking Weed
Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that has both mental and physical effects.
The sense of disassociation distinguishes the psychedelic experience from other medications. A distance is established between you and your mind and body, giving you the impression that you have transformed into something else.
You are granted the ability to study your mind and body from a more detached perspective due to this. This is similar to what happens when people take mushrooms or LSD.
This does not always occur when smoking marijuana. However, it might if you’re smoking a lot of pot, predominantly Sativa.
The cerebral high associated with potent Sativa strains is frequently linked to the psychedelic experience. However, this does not always occur.
The technique of consumption can also influence the psychedelic experience. For many people, consuming marijuana in the form of edibles provides a significantly more hallucinogenic experience than smoking. In addition, edibles or oils can heighten the sensation of “tripping out,” although this is typically overlooked by many smokers.
If marijuana does provide a psychedelic experience, it is far milder than taking a hit of LSD. Unless you’ve recently smoked anything extremely potent, it’s unusual to have vivid visual or audio hallucinations. On the other hand, the sense of disassociation is something that stoners come to appreciate, and it is what gives them the feeling of strangeness when they use it.
Are OBEs a Health Risk?
An OBE does not have to be a scary experience if people are well prepared.
It is helpful to know what to expect and be open to discussing it after it has happened.
However, it can be traumatic when you are unprepared or have a spontaneous one from drug-induced OBEs. The risks are as follows:
- A person experiencing a drug-induced OBE may suffer panic. In addition, they may find the entire process terrifying.
- Drugs have affected the individual’s mental state usually means that they will not gain from the event. Those who naturally encounter this phenomenon will frequently tell how it has benefitted their lives, but drug-induced OBEs cannot be considered the same.
- Those who have experienced this because of drugs may become delusional or paranoid due to it. In addition, it can occasionally lead to a decline in mental health.
- It may increase people’s troubles if they already have an underlying mental health condition.
- Because the risks are so significant, using medicines to induce OBEs is not suggested unless done under the supervision of a professional.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, it has not been scientifically demonstrated that your consciousness may truly leave your body. However, many people have described comparable sensations of their awareness leaving their bodies for centuries.
Furthermore, OBEs tend to be more common in some illnesses, such as dissociative disorders and epilepsy.
Even though it has not been proven, many people claim to have had an OBE during a near-death experience, such as an electric shock or injury.
No Comments