Extraordinary
Experiences
OBE - Out of Body Experience
- Definition - OBE or OOBE is the experience and awareness of being outside of the physical body and at times observing the physical body. There are many books, articles, and videos that document the experiences of many who have had OBEs. There are also many who teach and train others who wish to learn to experience OBEs. My personal view is that when and if we are to experience an OBE, it will occur in its proper time. Simply looking fun or adventurous experiences in this realm may be a distraction to fulfilling your task in our bodies in the world.
- Physical and Astral or Ethereal Body
Of course, we have a fairly good idea of our physical body since we spend most of our conscious moments in this vehicle. The Astral, Ethereal, or Etheric Body can be likened to an aura or spiritual cloud that is attached to the physical body and can also disassociate awareness from the physical body. Most teaching purport there to be a silver cord that connects the astral body to the physical body, so when it is time to return, there is the return path assured. Some have experienced a sudden return as a jolt that may bring you back quickly to physical body consciousness.
- Astral Projection or Sleep TravelThis phenomena is the awareness of being out of the physical body and traveling to other locations and or meeting up with other people during periods of sleep or deep meditation.
- Accident experiences
Following accidents, people have reported floating above the scene and watching what is going on, including viewing their physical body from above.
- OBEs during surgery
Similar phenomena have been reported as patients have hovered over the surgical table viewing an operation on their physical body and reporting details of events and conversations that occurred while they were presumed to be unconscious.
- OBEs during other trauma
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Mental/Emotional Abuse
The above areas of experience have been reported by victims of abuse and seem to provide a form of dissociative response to help the person deal with the trauma and violence to the body, mind, and emotions. Sometimes prolonged abuse can produce split personalities or various subpersonalities that help the person function while the memory of the abuse is seemingly repressed from consciousness of a dominant subpersonality.
For further information, Click Here or google "Out of Body Experiences."
NDE - Near Death Experience
- Definition - An NDE may occur during or following a traumatic event such as an vehicular accident, heart attack, 'dying' during surgery, or any other situation in which the person may actually be considered dead by medical personnel.
- OBE Similarity - The event may include actual OBE experiences as mentioned above.
- Traveling toward the Light - Those who have an NDE often report a traveling toward a bright and loving energy.
- Life Review - Some NDEers also report a complete life review more as a learning experience than as a time of judgment.
- Appearance of Loved Ones - NDEers sometimes report meeting one or more loved ones who have already passed from this life.
- Decision Point - There is a reported point of choosing whether or not to return to the physical body, usually accompanied with a profound sense of a reason or mission to accomplish.
- New Abilities - In addition to a new purpose and mission for returning, some people return from their NDE with new abilities and a new spiritual perspective. Some have increased intuitive and psychic abilities; some have new knowledge that was not learned during their lifetime up to the point of the NDE.
- Other Issues and experiences - Some report other than positive travel during their NDE, or not wanting to come back but being told their time is not up. Others may be traumatized by the experience and not want to talk about it because they will fear being ostracized and labeled as being crazy. Hopefully this isn't as prevalent as it used to be with all the research done in these areas over the last 50 years. For further information click here or google "Near Death Experiences."
IBE - Incarnating Body Experience
The Incarnating Body Experience or In-Body Experience is a category that I am adding as that experience of bring into conscious awareness and action in the world both a spiritual energy of Love and a 'knowing' of the connection between our existence and Life's Source Energy. It usually involves an experiential knowing or realization that all Life is One. Many of the spiritual masters, like Jesus of Nazareth or Buddha, showed the rest of us how to 'incarnate' the truth and presence of Life's Source, the creating Spirit and energy of Life and transformation. While much press is given the OBEs and the NDEs because of the extraordinary stories that often accompany the events, often the people who are actually living an ongoing IBE at optimal levels do not receive much attention, nor do they usually seek it.
NOW - New Optimal Window
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the NOW experience which is taking the positive spiritual lessons and connections from any of the above experiences and being aware and active in the Present Moment. Of course it is not a "New" Optimal Window or way of seeing the world, and it may be for some. Our domestication process, especially in the western cultures, has focused on left-brain, linear models of education for living in the industrialized world run by time clocks and calendars. While these are necessary aspects for functioning in our everyday life, they place most of the focus on the past and the future. And, so, most of us spend a good bit of our thinking rummaging through past events or anticipating future events that may or may not occur.
The present moment is here now and is always here now. It is the spaciousness of eternity... timeless... it is pure awareness now. It seems that of the wise teachers in other 'nows' have emphasized the importance of the present moment of awareness.
So this is now a New Optimal Window ...the NOW experience... to switch from fantasies about tomorrow's now and interpretations about yesterday's nows. NOW is an extraordinary experience!
Now, is this as good a time as any to check out this New Optimal Window...this new way of seeing...? It brings the Present into its deserved focus, since it is the only real time that exists... NOW!
