| Students of out-of-body experiences (OOBEs) will find | | | | happen to people who are sick or drugged. |
| innumerable definitions for it. Some of the common | | | | Although most OOBEs are spontaneous, one can |
| out-of-body experience definitions are as follows. | | | | induce an OOBE. There are a number of techniques |
| The WordNetWeb site says that out-of-body | | | | to induce an OOBE. However, induced OOBEs are |
| experience is "the dissociative experience of observing | | | | different from spontaneous OOBEs. |
| yourself from an external perspective as though your | | | | People who have successfully induced an OOBE |
| mind or soul had left and was observing your body." | | | | speak of an astral body in which their consciousness is |
| says: "When the spirit travels outside the body either | | | | encased. This body is independent of the physical |
| to the astral plane or to another location on this plane, it | | | | body and can move at will. People who have had an |
| is known as either astral projection or out-of-body | | | | induced OOBE also talk about a silver cord, which links |
| experience." | | | | their astral bodies to their physical bodies. |
| says: "Astral projection, also known as out-of-body | | | | An NDE or a near death experience is simply an |
| experience, is the process by which the soul or | | | | OOBE experienced by a person who is close to |
| consciousness separates from the physical body. An | | | | death. People who report an NDE usually come back |
| example of this is when a patient is undergoing an | | | | to their bodies because "it is not yet time for them to |
| operation can see and hear the operation in progress." | | | | leave." In case of death, the soul, which has left the |
| All these out-of-body experience definitions have | | | | body, does not return to it and the silver cord is |
| some common denominators. OOBEs are curious | | | | severed forever. |
| paranormal phenomena in which a person's | | | | Susan Blackmore, the English psychologist, says that |
| consciousness pops out of his/her body, enabling him | | | | no out-of-body experience definition is perfect |
| her to observe the world from an astral point of view. | | | | because OOBE is a subjective experience. If people |
| OOBE is "an experience in which a person seems to | | | | say that they have had an OOBE, we simply have to |
| perceive the world from a location outside his physical | | | | believe them. The person can never prove that he/she |
| body." | | | | had an OOBE. |
| Surprisingly, these phenomenons are quite common. | | | | OOBEs vary from person to person. Hence no OOBE |
| However, no two OOBEs are alike. Anybody can | | | | definition can be taken as the only and perfect |
| have an OOBE at any time. People have reported | | | | definition. And no OOBE can be said to be exactly as |
| having had OOBEs while performing simple activities | | | | the definition says it is. |
| such as eating, sleeping, or dreaming. OOBE's also | | | | |