---

OBERF: Out of Body—Out of the World

---

In my November and February columns, I did in-depth explorations of the websites of the Near Death Experience Research Foundation (www.nderf.org) and the After Death Communication Research Foundation (www.adcrf.org). As promised, this month I will explore the third in this trio of websites devoted to other world experiences: Out of Body Experience Research Foundation (www.oberf.org).

     The OBERF site is set up in a similar manner as the NDERF and ADCRF sites. The OBERF site contains a wide range of information about OBEs including information about why they are spiritually transformative events, consciousness studies, and research. At the site, people share their stories and learn more about different states of consciousness.         Here’s my exploration of the OBERF site.

The homepage contains a variety of links that allow you to submit your own OBE experiences and/or explore examples of OBEs as well as current research findings. One interesting link is “General Information OBERF Overview.” This section contains an overview definition of OBE and other general information. According to this section, an OBE can be defined as an experience in which a person seems to perceive the world from a location outside the physical body.

     The section contains an excellent and detailed overview of OBEs in history and research. Here a just a few excerpts from that overview:

     The best know OBEr is perhaps Robert Monroe, who founded the Monroe Institute of Applied Science ... In 1958 Monroe had his first OBE. The experience was profound enough to him that he spent the rest of his life trying to scientifically figure out what happened to him.

     Other pioneering work on OBEs was done by Dean Shiels, in a 1978 study of almost seventy non-Western cultures around the world. His formal conclusion was ... that although there are significant differences in cultural upbringing, religious beliefs, and experiencers come from all walks of life, across geographical and vastly different socioeconomic and educational stature, there remain striking similarities in the basic elements of separation of consciousness from the body.

     Some of the most fascinating research came out of the 1984 study by D. Scot Rogo, whose specific findings helped legitimize the OBE phenomena in the eyes of the world. He found that ten–twenty percent of the adult population had an OBE ... that OBE experiencers weren’t any special personality type (i.e., crazy, hyper, or mentally pathological).

     While out of body, astral projection, and lucid dreaming all share the common element of the consciousness separating from the body, there are some technical distinctions… Astral projection is usually associated with inter-dimensional travel where places may sound like dreams since there are no earthly points of reference. The person is usually in a relaxed or meditative state and then the consciousness separates ... Lucid dreaming is considered an altered reality, much like a dream, but one is usually asleep when the body travels. Lucid dreaming appears to be a type of dream where a person is super-alert and is open to communication from the other side.

     Celia Green was an OBE researcher with the Institute of Psychophysical Research ... OBEs do not need a particular mind set or altered state in order to happen, although most OBEs happen when the physical body is relaxed and inactive. OBEs typically occur between the ages of 15-35. Physically, Green found that 75% of OBEs occurred lying down, and 18% occurred while sitting. Mentally, Green found that 12% of OBEs occurred during sleep, 32% while unconscious, and 25% were associated with some kind of psychological stress, such as fear, worry, or overwork. Long-term profound effects were most commonly reported by those experiencing spontaneous OBEs.

Of course, the most interesting part of the site features submissions from people who have had OBEs. Click on “Newest Experiences,” for example, and read excerpts of OBE adventures like this:

     Spontaneous Out of Body Experience: Iran Experience 2/3/07 From Iran. “I found myself sitting in a small office talking to a personnel representative about benefits and what family status means for an employee. As we talked, without any warning or premonition at all, most of my consciousness gravitated to an observer position somewhere over us. I could hear and see myself sitting in the chair talking, simultaneously wondering just how this could all take place. It was then that I began to become alarmed that should my body below lose track, the situation might become unmanageable. As I was thinking this, the consciousness that was above quickly and without any interruption to my body’s speaking during the interview merged back into my body.” OBE during discussion with another person.

     OBE during meditation: Beverly M Experience 2/3/07. “I was anxious to prove to myself that this was a valid experience, so I looked for objects ... I could check on in the physical state. Once out the window, I headed for a large tree at the side of the yard. I examined it closely in every detail, but saw nothing unusual. I spotted some broken pieces of a clay pot in the yard then glided back into my bedroom. I attempted to turn on the light switch. Although I could move the switch to “on” and hear it, the light failed to respond. I then felt a pull at the bottom of my spine which I couldn’t resist even though I wanted to stay out of my body. I went back into my body head first and had no after effects. I later went into the yard and the pieces of pot were there as seen in the [OBE].”

     Near Death Experience-Like OBE: Sandi T’s Experience. “The simple gist of the experience is that my soul left my body—I was in ethereal form with the extreme alertness that I had separated from my physical body and shot up into the heavens with a speed unknown to me here on earth. The sensation left me breathless, exhilarated, and in wonder. I remember vivid colors of reds, oranges, pinks ... cloud swirls, and then realized that I was coming into the presence of a Holy energy. Words cannot describe, but the knowledge was vivid that this energy was of God, given the AMAZING love, compassion and warmth that enveloped me. No other experience on earth has ever matched that energy in the ‘heavens’.”

Each of the excerpts link to a full description and the exeriencer’s answers to an OBERF research questionnaire. The questionnaire contains questions like, “How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?” and “Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?”

     My advice: Like the NDERF and ADCRF sites, OBERF is chock-a-block full of amazing and informative experiences and research. It’s definitely worth exploring.

---

Mary Montgomery is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises (“Freelancing with Finesse!”), specializes in public relations, writing projects and web authoring, development and publicity, especially in the non-profit sector.  Ms. Montgomery has a Master’s Degree in religious studies from Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) and is working on a Ph.D. with a focus on the new scholarship of Unlimited Love and the Other Regarding Virtues. She is also in the process of completing the Morris Pratt Institute Course on Modern Spiritualism. Contact her via email at monty764@sbcglobal.net or at her web site at www.montymedia.com.

---

Next Article

Return to This Month's Index

Go to the Home Page