Currently I'm reading Adventures Beyond the Body, by William Buhlman, an interesting look at the author's many out-of-body experiences. With a book like this, you are asked to take the author at his word; he says he has had hundreds of OBEs and has taught other people how to do it. I have no reason to doubt him, but as far as I know, he has not been tested by parapsychologists, so there is no independent confirmation. He maintains a Web site and offers seminars on OBEs.
Reading his book, I was reminded of two experiences of my own that had possible features of an OBE.
Some years ago I tried using a relaxation tape made with Hemi-Sync technology. The tape was very effective; I was aware of being more relaxed than I could ever remember. Suddenly I began to notice this strange vibrating, buzzing feeling throughout my body. Perhaps it was the prelude to an OBE. Many people, including Buhlman, report that an OBE often starts with a humming, buzzing, or vibrating sensation. They also say that if you are alarmed by the sensation, the OBE will stop. In my case, I was sufficiently unnerved by the feeling that I slipped out of my state of relaxation. Nothing further happened, so if an OBE was about to commence, I must have aborted it.
I've listened to the same tape several times since then, but I've never become relaxed to the same degree. Subconsciously, I may be wary of doing so.
On another occasion, also several years ago, I had what might have been an OBE, though it may also have been simply a vivid dream. I had fallen asleep on the sofa in my living room. In the dream (if it was a dream), I floated out of my body, then floated over to the stairs and proceeded to float up the stairway to the second story of my home where, for some reason, I detoured into the walk-in closet in my den. I don't recall if I opened the closet door or simply passed through it.
I remember three things very clearly about this dream: first, my progress up the stairs was very exciting, because I could feel that I wasn't actually touching the steps but was sort of "treading water" in the air; second, there was a continuous electric tingle that I felt all over my body throughout the time when I was floating around; and third, a strange yellowish-golden light seemed to travel with me wherever I went, illuminating my immediate environment. (I also remember being in contact with a spiritual presence who gave me some meaningful personal information, and that the electric tingling sensation increased noticeably during this communication, creating a kind of euphoria or mystical, transcendent feeling, the equivalent of thinking "it suddenly all makes sense.")
Usually I forget my dreams almost immediately, but I've never forgotten this one. Was it a dream, or was it an OBE? I don't know. But from what I've read, an actual OBE can have some of these features.
Of course, the mere fact that I cannot be sure if it was a dream or an OBE points up the difficulty inherent in this subject. Could all OBEs be nothing more than dreams? Conversely, could some so-called dreams actually be OBEs?
Many of the experiences described by Buhlman (and by fellow OBEr Robert Monroe) sound a lot like lucid dreams. Indeed, at one point in his book, Buhlman speculates that lucid dreams might be OBEs. He notes, "Physicist and author Fred Alan Wolfe postulates that lucid dreams are actually visits to parallel universes. He has repeatedly stated that lucid dreams might better be called 'parallel universe adventures.'" (p. 114) But one might just as easily argue that OBEs, or at least some of them, are lucid dreams misinterpreted as metaphysical explorations.
Perhaps this is an area where the boundary between subjective experience and objective reality blurs or even breaks down altogether. If so, it would hardly be the only realm of psi phenomena to challenge our basic conceptions of how reality works.
The OBE is such a fascinating area, and there are quite a few who claim to be able to induce one on demand, and yet the last scientific research (that I can think of, maybe someone can point to more recent stuff) was done in 1969 by Tart. Actually, I think maybe in the early 70's by Karlis Osis investigating the psychic Alex Tanous, but nothing serious since. This is disappointing. Maybe the woo woo factor kicks in and limits psi research to the statistical / lab domain, but this could be a goldmine for parapsychology if done with current technology today.
Posted by: michael duggan | March 12, 2010 at 04:14 PM
I have had many similar experieces to yours,Michael.
I have had OBE's where I have been out of the body on earth, out of the body in space looking down on the earth (long before the first satellite photographs were taken) and out of the body in the Spirit World.
All were very different experiences and certainly not dreams. They are as vivid today as when they happened.
I have described them many times on various radio and TV programmes.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 12, 2010 at 04:21 PM
Michael,
The buzzing and all of that is, in my experience most definitely the prelude to an OBE. The first time it happened to me, quite spontaneously, I was completely terrified. This was before there much literature on the topic. I hadn't read any of what was available and it was before the internet.
I was in a meditative state, flat on my back, focused on my solar plexus. Suddenly there was a loud buzzing sound and what I perceived to be a rapid increase in my pulse rate; to a ridiculous degree. There was also a sensation of a rapid rushing wind that sort of rocked my awareness out of my body. I literally thought I was having a heart attack. When my awareness actually separated from my body and somewhat chaotically floated on the rushing wind to a corner of the room I was certain that I had died.
Somehow - I have forgotten over the years how - I found my way "back" to my body. I was paralyzed for a short period of time and then was able to get up and move around. I was in a cold sweat and I was afraid to go to sleep lest it happen again.
The next few episodes were similar. Then I did some reading in the library. I think it was a Moody book, but not sure (too many years ago - early '80s). I also realized that the experiences could be generated by the meditation techniques I was practicing heavily in conjuction with martial arts at that time. They - the daoists - spoke of "soul flight" as a possible result of practice. Maybe that was what was happening. I hadn't died so it couldn't be as bad as I feared.
Then I vowed to relax and let it happen and to learn to control the effects and the journey.
I eventually gained a fair degree of success in this regard. The results were amazing. I have alluded to some of them in comments on this blog.
As to your second experience, it definitely has OBE qualities.
The weird thing about OBEs is that they can start from a dream state or they can deteriorate into a dream state. Dream features can remain throughout even a veridical OBE.
I have theories about OBEs, none of which I have ever fleshed out. I am not so sure that a physical or quasi physical astral body actually separates and leaves.......but I don't know. But the dream state can always become an intrusion. Ignor this, but be wise enough to understand what is dream and what is real perception of external reality.
Here is my advice if you want to explore further.
I think you are blocking out of fear. This is normal and understandable. Happened to me.
Relax. Cultivate the sensation. You now know what it is. Do not allow the disconcerting sensations to deter you. They will diminish as you have more experiences. When you feel that something is happening seek to gain some small element of control. Baby steps. And do not be discouraged if you fail. Just keep trying. And relax. When you find you are traveling OBE, pick something near by and mundane that you can look at. Find it. Focus briefly. Don't stare! Pick something else. Find it. Focus briefly on it and so on and so forth. As you learn to do this you can expand your horizons. Chose more distant and more unusual targets as you feel able.
Good luck.
Erich
Posted by: Erich | March 12, 2010 at 08:31 PM
Here is one more tip that may have contibuted to my having OBEs. This may take time; months? more than a year? maybe never. I think it has an effect.
An Apache medicine man, who was a friend and a casual mentor suggested that I take a few minutes out of each day - like ten minutes - to look into a mirror and gaze at my own eyes.
I took his advice.
Don't stare. If you feel eye strain then you are staring too much. Rather, gaze. Don't worry or think. If you have thoughts don't worry. Let them do what they will.
Over time a feeling will be experienced as you gaze into your own eyes. Don't try to understand the feeling or describe it. Just feel it. Recall that feeling as you fall into sleep. Again, relax and don't try to the point of strain. Just remind yourself to recall the feeling.
Something might hapen......
Posted by: Erich | March 12, 2010 at 09:02 PM
I've had very vivid dreams as long as I can remember. I often know when I'm dreaming and can control the dreams. Sometimes I've had what seem like OBEs. They were very common when I was living away from home and was very homesick. I used to think I was just having very vivid dreams about home, but they were so real to me. I guess because I've had these things all my life I didn't know they were not typical dreams. Just like I didn't know what my imaginary friends were.
My parents told me that dreams were dreams and imaginary friends were imaginary. I'm still trying to figure out what is what.
Posted by: Sandy | March 12, 2010 at 09:25 PM
I read this book many years ago and found it interesting and the author sincere. Almost all of the reviews were positive and many had been able to have their own OBE after reading this book. I find this aspect of the book interesting. Like mediumship I suspect there are millions of people that can have an out of body experience after they learn they are possible and with the right instructions.
Passive entertainment has limited the number of potential mediums and persons capable of OBE’s in the world. I believe the time will come when out of body experiences and telepathy will be common and accepted occurrences.
“I'm still trying to figure out what is what.”
Sandy you have a lot of company. The greatest roadblock to understanding is to think we have it all figured out. Sometimes I think the harder we try to figure it out the less we figure out.
Posted by: william | March 13, 2010 at 03:30 AM
I often know when I'm dreaming and can control the dreams.
Sandy, google this for further information.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 13, 2010 at 04:22 AM
Sandy, what you experienced is called lucid dreaming. I meant google 'lucid dreaming'.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 13, 2010 at 04:37 AM
I don't know if they'd be called OBEs, but I cross over to Spirit most nights. Since it happens while I'm asleep, I obviously don't have conscious control over it. It doesn't connect with dreams (my dreams are uniformly mundane and daft at the same time!) and in fact I only remember it later, when snippets of what happened come back to me. Not that it's significant stuff to anyone else; it's very domestic, in fact. I have no way of persuading anyone that this is not dreaming or imagination. I can only say that it feels totally different from when I imagine things. I can best describe it as observing memories surface. The only way I can double-check it - and this is, again, only useful to me - is to ask via my pendulum "Was that something that happened last night?"
OBEs or whatever they might be called, it's wonderful to have moments from Spirit to recall. Blow astral travel, this is a better place and definitely better company! :)
Posted by: Louise | March 13, 2010 at 04:39 AM
I loved both of Buhlman's books and was able to meet (and interview) him many years ago at a Gulf Breeze UFO/Paranormal conference. Great guy. He wanted to give me free stuff for interviewing him. I finally accepted (after trying to run him down several times) one of his CDs that supposed to get you into the pre-OBE state. No luck yet. Probably due to my fear. I have HAD luck with other CDs (Dr. John Turner in Hawaii) that help get to the vibrational state but still haven't overcome the fear to get to the next level - if there is one.
Posted by: VegasJoe | March 13, 2010 at 08:43 AM
Some years ago I tried using a relaxation tape made with Hemi-Sync technology. The tape was very effective; I was aware of being more relaxed than I could ever remember.
Many years ago I attended a weekend seminar run by the Monroe Institute using the HemiSync tapes.
We spent most of the course lying on mattresses wearing headphones through which signals were fed - the object was to induce a state of deep relaxation and hopefully have an OBE.
It certainly was the most relaxing weekend I have ever experienced.
As the signals were being relayed through the headphones we were encouraged to imagine falling off a log or reaching up to the ceiling.
To cut a long story short I very quickly found myself walking down a path which led to some buildings.
At the end of the session when the facilitators asked us for our experiences I described in detail what I had seen. They looked at each other and said that I had described the Monroe Institute and which I would immediately recognise if I ever visited there.
The opportunity to do so never arose but I still have vivid memories of the whole experience.
That induced OBE experience was completely different to the others, I referred to earlier, which happened spontaneously.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 13, 2010 at 10:44 AM
So I've been doing some thinking re; OBE versus lucid dream versus visionary experience and what if anything leaves the physical body.
In some OBEs it definitely feels like something along the lines of the classic "astral body" is projecting out into the world. In others, the experience is more like a classic psychic "vision".
Now here's the thing that I can't work out, remore veiwing results show that it is possible to "see" events/objects that are a considerable distance away. Reading Targ's descriptions of these experiments I don't get the sense that the successful subjects described what they did in terms of an OBE. Yet, something in their awareness "traveled" the distance and perceived.
This makes me think that it is at least possible that OBEs are just the mind's way of making sense (i.e. interpreting) of the same process as remote viewing. Perhaps it does the same thing, meaning constructs the image of an astral body, during certain visionary experiences in which one may observe past, present or future events not occuring at the location of the ohysical body.
But then the whole subject also forces questions as to the nature of time and space and mind and it all gets away from my ability to maintain a coherent scheme.
Then again,maybe there is an astral body that projects during an OBE and maybe there are visionary states that have much in common with OBEs and once you start having one type of experience you also tend to have the other as well and it's easy to confuse the two.
Incidentally, in my numerous OBEs I never saw anything like a "silver chord". I even looked for it after I read about it.
Posted by: Erich | March 13, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Erich wrote: Then again,maybe there is an astral body that projects during an OBE and maybe there are visionary states that have much in common with OBEs and once you start having one type of experience you also tend to have the other as well and it's easy to confuse the two.
The physical body and the spiritual/etheric/astral body are connected by a bluey/grey/silver cord which is why they are able to separate leading to out-of-body experiences.
It also enables us to sleep at night as the two separate - the etheric counterpart usually hovering about 18 inches to two feet above the physical body.
When the cord is severed through accident or natural causes - that is when we 'die'. The etheric body is instantly in its new environment and the physical body is either buried or cremated.
It is not a mysterious process. Basically it's just a simple biological fact. We can debate the process ad infinitum but the simple fact is that when the cord is severed our life on earth is over and continues in another dimension. No ritual or rites can bring the two bodies together again.
We temporarily live in a physical body for a time but the body is not the real us.
All the evidence I have gathered over the last fifty or so years confirms without a doubt the above statements.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 13, 2010 at 06:17 PM
Zerdini, I've read the same as what you just stated. But I'm telling you, looking down on my motionless body and looking for that chord, I never saw it. And I'm still breathing O2.
Maybe it's hard to see? Or maybe the chord is derived from spritualist dogma?
Posted by: Erich | March 13, 2010 at 08:27 PM
I asked my beloved (who's been in Spirit over three centuries) about the silver cord the other day. He said it's a metaphor.
Posted by: Louise | March 13, 2010 at 09:57 PM
(Metaphor for the spirit-body connection, I should have said.)
Posted by: Louise | March 13, 2010 at 09:58 PM
Zerdini, I've read the same as what you just stated. But I'm telling you, looking down on my motionless body and looking for that chord, I never saw it. And I'm still breathing O2.
Maybe it's hard to see? Or maybe the chord is derived from spritualist dogma?
I have never seen the silver cord attached to my body but others have.
It is not a fantasy nor a metaphor.
It is a cord (not chord) similar to a rope but thinner and can stretch to an infinite length if necessary.
I have no idea what Spiritualist dogma is - I've never heard any. I only write and speak of my own experiences.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 14, 2010 at 04:05 AM
Cord, right. Chord is the mucisian in me coming out.
Others have seen a cord attached to your body or others have reported the cord attached to their own bodies? If the later, it contradicts, "I only write and speak of my own experiences."Actually, even if the former, there is still some level of contradiction.
Posted by: Erich | March 14, 2010 at 09:55 AM
Others have reported seeing the cord attached to my body. I have seen the cord attached to others' bodies so there is no contradiction.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 14, 2010 at 10:47 AM
So then, there may well be an actual cord (whatever it is), but it may be that it is not unusual to not be able to see it attached to one's own body?
Posted by: Erich | March 14, 2010 at 11:08 AM
So then, there may well be an actual cord (whatever it is), but it may be that it is not unusual to not be able to see it attached to one's own body?
Yes, Erich. We have been told that it is very similar to the umbilical cord. I have never seen one but I accept the evidence of others who have done so.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 14, 2010 at 11:40 AM
If you send 10 people to France on vacation and asked them when they get back what they saw and did you'll get 10 very different essays about what they saw and experienced while they were in France.
Posted by: Art | March 14, 2010 at 04:43 PM
......and your point is?
Posted by: Zerdini | March 14, 2010 at 05:07 PM
"and your point is?" - Zerdini
----------
I'm sorry, I didn't think I need to explain any further. What is important to me might not be worth mentioning to you. We are all different and so focus on different things. After someone gets back from an experience like that what they found important or meaningful will be different for each individual.
Posted by: Art | March 14, 2010 at 05:20 PM
I am still thinking the silver cord is a psychological construct; not that some people don't see it under the right conditions and need set, but that it isn't "there" in the same sense as a physical appendage such as an arm or leg is there in the physical realm.
Posted by: Erich | March 14, 2010 at 06:17 PM
Zerdini - in one of the comments above you said:
"Others have reported seeing the cord attached to my body. I have seen the cord attached to others' bodies so there is no contradiction."
And then a moment later - as it pertains to what the cord is....
"Yes, Erich. We have been told that it is very similar to the umbilical cord. I have never seen one but I accept the evidence of others who have done so."
Which one is it? (I understand you were first talking about your OWN body.....but the second comment does seem to directly state you've never seen one at all.....whereas a moment before, you indicate you've seen this plainly with others.
Is it just me......or does this seem to be a complete contradiction?
Posted by: felipe | March 15, 2010 at 08:46 AM
felipe: Is it just me......or does this seem to be a complete contradiction?
It's both of us! I referred to the umbilical cord and stated I HAD NEVER SEEN ONE but accepted the evidence of those who had done.
As fas as the silver (etheric) cord is concerned it is as I stated.
I apologise for any confusion.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 15, 2010 at 09:49 AM
Thanks for the clarification!
Posted by: felipe | March 15, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Erich,
I'd be very interested to hear more about the 'symptoms' you recount preceding your OBE, notably the buzzing sound and also the "rapid rushing wind". I have written on these two topics at length, firstly in an article in Darklore Volume 1 ("Her Sweet Murmur", you can download it as a free PDF), and also in subsequent posts on The Daily Grail noting further examples (such as "A Mighty Rushing Wind").
Is this 'wind' a sound, a tactile sensation, or both? Fascinating stuff.
Posted by: Greg Taylor | March 16, 2010 at 09:41 PM
Greg, I don't know that I have much to add, but let's see what I can remember. The majority of my OBEs took place in the early to mid 1980's. After an OBE in which I saw my mother's death in an airplane crash - an event that happened as precognitively seen - a few months later (NW airlines flight 255 in Detroit, 1987) I stopped being able to have the experiences at will, with a few notable exceptions over the preceeding years. I believe that I have psychologically blocked the ability except when something important and preventable is going to happen to loved ones.
When I have OBEs they tend, though not always, to have precognitive content.
My first OBE was pretty much just as described in a comment above. The few were quite similar. All I can say is that there was what appeared to be a rapid increase in pulse rate (appeared becuase I didn't actually measure it) and a sensation of rushing wind. If you asked me ten years ago I could have more accurately filled in details. What my memory allows me to feel comfortable reporting as accurate is that the wind sound generated from within me but also surrounded my body. It was this wind that rocked my awareness out of my physical body. The rocking was a little violent, like being at the mercy of intense waves in the ocean.
The wind is a sound (emenating from the head?) and it is also tactile, not so much to the physical body, but to that awareness that is separating from it. I my case it whipsawed my right out of my physical body. The whole time the physical body was paralyzed ans sensationless, I think.
It the initial few experiences there were other loud and somewhat disturbing noises too; buzzing, humming, etc. I guess these could be desribed as vibrations too.
These initial experiences were chaotic - almost desparate - and frightening.
As I mentioned, over time and more experiences these symptoms declinded to where they became soft background effects, but the sounds were always there.
I read your links. I can relate to descriptions of the intensity of the sounds. I can see where different people might perceive different sounds. I feel that my experiences have something in common with what you outline.
I emphasize that the wind and noise is only in the initial separation of body and awareness. I always felt a mild breeze throughout the experience, but nothing like the initial phase.
If you have some direct precise questions I will do my best to answer them.
Posted by: Erich | March 17, 2010 at 07:53 PM
ugh....
"Few notable exceptions over the preceeding years"
should be subsequent years.
"The few were quite similar"
should be the first few
Posted by: Erich | March 18, 2010 at 07:07 AM
Michael, based on personal experience, your 'dream' definitely WAS an OBE.
I'm struck though by the peculiar episode involving the walk-in closet.
Didn't it ring any bells about possible cultural filtering?
For instance, have you never wondered about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - why a wardrobe?
If you think carefully about that wardrobe you might eventually discern what possibly 'ties' it - pardon the pun - to knot tying as a spiritual activity, why some mediums down the ages've seemed to've functioned better being restrained in some way, why some people get off on wearing bondage gear, transgender clothing or/and being tied to a bed/chained up, why some martial arts employ the practise of striking an unflexing pose and remaining motionless for hours and even days on end, why some archaic rites involve prolonged internment in boxes or even temporary burial underground and why kids love confined spaces.
I also've had 'wardrobe' experiences - while awake, not dreaming - in one of which I was taken up by a sort of celestial Jeeves figure in a long, narrow rickety wooden 'elevator' to a plain laying outside the gates of Heaven where I also received all manner of meaningful information.
To anyone else who might find themselves aboard the rickety wooden 'elevator', I suggest you do as I tend to do and take a detached view of the implications of both the experiences and the 'revelations' - you can't get out of these things but you can avoid the terrible consequences of allowing certain forces to encourage your ego to run rampant.
Posted by: alanborky | March 18, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Erich,
Many thanks for responding! Wonderful to read your thoughts on this, as I've always wondered whether people in these reports were saying more that it was just a 'rushing wind' sound that suggested a wind, or whether there was actually a tactile sensation. From your account, perhaps I get the impression it's almost as if the 'astral body' (for want of another term) was being buffeted out of the physical body?
Would you mind if I added your account to my case list?
Posted by: Greg Taylor | March 19, 2010 at 01:02 AM
Greg, ".....I get the impression it's almost as if the 'astral body' (for want of another term) was being buffeted out of the physical body?"
Yes. You have the impression I was trying to convey.
For what it's worth, as I had more of these experiences, the sound and tactile sensation of rushing wind diminished in intensity, to maybe 25% of its original, though it was always there, doing its buffeting.
I have also had lucid dreams with precognitive content where there was no rushing wind sensation, but I do not consider these to have been OBEs. Additionally, I have had clairvoyant and clairaudiant experiences while completely awake and sober and not in a trance state where the wind was absent. I only associate that wind with a full fledged OBE; meaning the perception that an astral body has detached and left the location of the physical body.
And yes, please feel free to add my account to your list.
I like to share and discuss these things. Prior to my experiences I was spiritualy focussed, but I indulged in much intellectual searching on the one hand and much faith on the other. After the experiences, all doubt was removed and I began to feel as if I was able to truly begin growing spiritualy. So the experiences, to me, were more than joy rides*. They served an important purpose.
*In fact, Most of my OBEs were considerably less than pleasant due to content and/or disturbing sensations like the rushing wind, the paralyzed physical body, etc. There were a couple of ecstatic trips, but these were the exceptions.
I have always been suspicious of - and, to be honest maybe a little jealous too - those people who experience during NDEs/OBEs heavenly loving light, angels and friendly deceased relatives and pets and come back believing that everything occurs due to some loving god's plan. Maybe this is the reward of children and simple decent folk.
Based on my experiences, I don't buy most of that as generally applicable. My experiences always had a nuance, a gloss, of what I would call voodoo; that's the word that comes to mind. There was a feeling of slightly dark magic as opposed to some glorious ineffable revelation. People have free will and with that free will they are like gods. They create their own plans, apart from god's, and there is much within those plans that is less than holy or enlightened. People play games of life and death on a daily basis. I mean both physical and spiritual life and death. I have seen hell. It is a real [astral] place and it's big and well populated with all sorts of geniuses.
As far as god's plan goes, I think it's nothing more than to have fun with its creation, like a big groovy party. Everyone is intended to either play an instrument in the band or dance with abandon to the music. My impression is that those that think god is going to hear your prayers and cure you of your disease or make your life otherwise materially better are egotistically deluded. Not that you can't use the energy from the party to heal, etc, because you can. But that is only person to person.
Authors sell books about OBE/NDE like pushers sell dope.....like another opiate of the masses. I know there are more experiences like mine out there. I read them here and there. I've talked to people who have had them. They just don't get the press coverage because the message won't sell.
I've digressed here because I want to manage expectations of anyone seeking to have OBEs or for those who have and think there might be something wrong with them for not coming away from it feeling all warm and fuzzy like pop culture says they should.
Posted by: Erich | March 19, 2010 at 05:20 AM
A little while ago I spent some time trying to induce an OBE by imagining myself doing so just before falling asleep and having the intention of having an OBE.
I had what I am pretty sure was an OBE after maybe 2 weeks or so.
At the time I slept in a bedroom that had built in wardrobes along the length of one wall.
On the night in question I remember being "awake" and looking over towards the mirrors. In the mirror I saw my body lying on the bed with an exact replica floating about a foot or so above.
On realising this I unfortunately must have been in such shock that I felt my body jolt and immediately I sat up in bed with heart pounding at an alarming rate. To this day I am convinced it was an OBE - albeit short lived!
Posted by: Matt | March 19, 2010 at 08:14 AM
That was an OBE all right. The body jolt was the two bodies connecting again.
Posted by: Zerdini | March 19, 2010 at 08:31 AM
Matt, I would say that it was probably an OBE.
Zerdini is a little more dogmatic than I am e.g the "jolt" being what he says it is. I think many people fel a jolt when they have nodded off and suddenly awaken. I know I have when there was no OBE occurring.
The mind can play a lot of tricks, especially in defense of what it fears. It is entirely possible to want to have an OBE and to try to do so and then to have a dream that you are having an OBE, but you actually are not.
I'm not saying that what you experienced was not a brief OBE. I'm suggesting that it may not have been.
My advice is to Keep trying. Keep an open mind. Don't take any of what you experience too seriously. Just keep exploring. At some point you'll figure it out in your own way.
Next time you find yourself aware that you are experiencing a peculiar state, relax and take the baby steps I mentioned in a comment farther up thread.
Good luck
Posted by: Erich | March 19, 2010 at 09:33 PM