Has Anyone Here Ever Had An Out Of Body Experience? (spiritual, spirit)
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My experience was visual as well as being a physical sensation of being outside my body. I actually saw myself and the scene from 2 different vantage points other than where I was physically. First I saw myself, specifically my face. Then I saw the whole scene from a fair distance above (I was in a large cathedral-like church). Since, as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I am "mentally blind", I do wonder how I was able to actually "see" the scene from a different perspective than where I was physically.
This seems reasonable.
I struggle to visualize how someone can be 'mentally blind' because i do not know how it is possible to understand things without the help of mental visualization.
I am not for one moment saying that you are telling fibs.
But it does underline the point being made about the differences in experiences people have, from the artificial lab ones, to the complex to the extremely complex - how it is not easy for one to understand the other, as is the case for me trying to understand how you are mentally blind.
But I can (or at least can try to put 'me' in 'your place') in order to understand that if something which might only exist in 'the mind' can experience a 'thing of the mind' which allows you such a visual, then I would think that no amount of lab-speak could ever quite convince you that what you experienced was real.
I know enough to understand how - at the very least - the experience stays in the mind, never too far away from conscious recall.
But that is 'me' trying to be 'you'. That is how I would react to such an event.
Your sharing of your experience reminded me of a moment in one of my own where I was a floating point of self awareness experiencing a full 360˚ visual on my surroundings. The experience was fleeting as it disorientated me.
It was only afterwards in recall that I realized that I had been 'seeing' everything the way one would if they could see 360˚.
It is a weird sensation for a being whose normal visual experience is 'eyes front' with a wee bit of peripheral vision either side.
When I was a teenager, my girlfriend had an out of body experience, I wouldn't usually believe people but I did believe her. Later in life I met a bunch of scientologists and I have no doubt that they leave their bodies. I wouldn't recommend it, but I am sure they do it, I am convinced of either or.
Either there is some type of hallucinations happening to tens of thousands of people the same way, or they are really leaving their bodies. I know they are not lying about it, so maybe they are in some type of hallucination spell, but how could that happen the same way to so many?
I have no choice but to consider that they actually leave their bodies, I just wouldn't do it myself.
I struggle to visualize how someone can be 'mentally blind' because i do not know how it is possible to understand things without the help of mental visualization.
I am not for one moment saying that you are telling fibs.
But it does underline the point being made about the differences in experiences people have, from the artificial lab ones, to the complex to the extremely complex - how it is not easy for one to understand the other, as is the case for me trying to understand how you are mentally blind.
But I can (or at least can try to put 'me' in 'your place') in order to understand that if something which might only exist in 'the mind' can experience a 'thing of the mind' which allows you such a visual, then I would think that no amount of lab-speak could ever quite convince you that what you experienced was real.
I know enough to understand how - at the very least - the experience stays in the mind, never too far away from conscious recall.
But that is 'me' trying to be 'you'. That is how I would react to such an event.
Your sharing of your experience reminded me of a moment in one of my own where I was a floating point of self awareness experiencing a full 360˚ visual on my surroundings. The experience was fleeting as it disorientated me.
It was only afterwards in recall that I realized that I had been 'seeing' everything the way one would if they could see 360˚.
It is a weird sensation for a being whose normal visual experience is 'eyes front' with a wee bit of peripheral vision either side.
I'm not sure what you mean about not ever being convinced what I experienced was real. You mean, being convinced that I was actually OOB? And what do you mean by "lab-speak"?
Too much to evaluate from anecdote, and entirely off topic it seems from the mod post above which is to discuss having the experiences and not evaluating those of others. Perhaps we can discuss it on another thread. There are any number of answers to your query.
By all means discuss the scene and experience further however.
Why would it be off topic for me to say what I did about my experience in relation to what you shared about the arm experiment? The arm experiment produces a physical sensation only. While it is interesting that the mind can fool itself in that way, I'm saying that my OOB experience included not only a physical sensation, but also a visual experience which my mind was/is not able to produce under normal circumstances. That makes the experiment and my experience quite different.
I'm not sure what you mean about not ever being convinced what I experienced was real. You mean, being convinced that I was actually OOB? And what do you mean by "lab-speak"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleroo
I'm not sure what you mean about not ever being convinced what I experienced was real. You mean, being convinced that I was actually OOB? And what do you mean by "lab-speak"?
Ah yes - sorry my bad.
It should have read "then I would think that no amount of lab-speak could ever quite convince you that what you experienced wasn't real.'
When you were evaluating yourself ( or the body you identify with as being your 'self') what thoughts were you having in relation to the evaluation?
I was taking note of what I looked like sitting there. I remember thinking that I couldn't have been imagining this because I wasn't sure my mind was capable of accurately creating all of the details such as the lighting, shadows, and the surroundings. I must have stared at myself for a good 15 seconds before I "came to". It seemed fairly real. My friend subsequently laughed his arse off when I told him about the experience.
Why would it be off topic for me to say what I did about my experience in relation to what you shared about the arm experiment? The arm experiment produces a physical sensation only. While it is interesting that the mind can fool itself in that way, I'm saying that my OOB experience included not only a physical sensation but also a visual experience which my mind was/is not able to produce under normal circumstances. That makes the experiment and my experience quite different.
You have had a glimpse into another aspect of our reality, Pleroo. You are not alone in being "mentally blind" (unable to visualize). But in altered states (such as dreams) we are afforded glimpses into our true reality. Unfortunately, our subconscious mind is usually in control and it can harbor many fears and negative content which we experience as nightmares. Learning to acquire control over your dreams is a first step into another realm. When you do achieve control, you will encounter aspects that you cannot alter no matter how much you try. They are what I consider aspects of our true reality. Control is the key.
Why would it be off topic for me to say what I did about my experience in relation to what you shared about the arm experiment? The arm experiment produces a physical sensation only. While it is interesting that the mind can fool itself in that way, I'm saying that my OOB experience included not only a physical sensation, but also a visual experience which my mind was/is not able to produce under normal circumstances. That makes the experiment and my experience quite different.
I think that this is a very valid observation.
It is all very well to claim that 'the mind is a powerful thing which can reproduce reality and make the consciousness think it is experiencing something real which is 'not' real, but with the claim comes the necessity to duplicate the power of those experiences in a controlled (lab) environment, not simply say 'hey we managed to poke the brain and got this little thing happening, therefore all experience of OOB are the product of and are all in your mind!'
Most people who have had one or more genuine complex and vivid experiences tend to think such reasoning as based more on ignorance of what is being experienced than anything else...certainly it is an explanation of sorts, but not nearly a good enough explanation in which to seal the deal.
I was taking note of what I looked like sitting there. I remember thinking that I couldn't have been imagining this because I wasn't sure my mind was capable of accurately creating all of the details such as the lighting, shadows, and the surroundings. I must have stared at myself for a good 15 seconds before I "came to". It seemed fairly real. My friend subsequently laughed his arse off when I told him about the experience.
Yes - their are many variables occurring simultaneously which quite rightfully have us doubting the explanation that it is 'all in the mind' but if we take that as the correct explanation, then we could deduce that there is far more to the 'mind' than we think.
did your experience in any way effect the way you viewed life etc from that time onward?
You have had a glimpse into another aspect of our reality, Pleroo. You are not alone in being "mentally blind" (unable to visualize). But in altered states (such as dreams) we are afforded glimpses into our true reality. Unfortunately, our subconscious mind is usually in control and it can harbor many fears and negative content which we experience as nightmares. Learning to acquire control over your dreams is a first step into another realm. When you do achieve control, you will encounter aspects that you cannot alter no matter how much you try. They are what I consider aspects of our true reality. Control is the key.
It is the other way around. The subconscious is more aware than the surface conscious as to the alternate realities and it is the surface consciousness (which is primarily how the individual self identifies) which is responsible for the fear and lack of control etc when confronted with the unusual.
The subconscious aspect of the individual is often misunderstood and/or misrepresented by the surface aspect (dominant self identity).
The 'nightmares' etc are ways in which the subconscious self gives opportunity to the conscious self to face the fears and move through them and learn from them, and generally heal.
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