OBE

QUESTION: What does OBE mean?

ANSWER:

OBE stands for "out of body experience" - a feeling or experience of leaving one's body and perceiving the world and oneself. People claim to experience OBEs at different points in their lives and some people will never experience one. Influence of drugs, illness, or anesthetic sometimes cause people to experience an out of body experience. Others claim to be able to induce the experience.

These events are said to be very clear and vivid and not like a typical dream. People also claim that OBEs give them more spiritual enlightenment. They sense feelings of energy, vibrations, floating or soaring, and sometimes hear buzzing or other noises.

Near death experiences are sometimes referred to as OBEs. They are most commonly described as going through a dark tunnel and seeing a bright light at the end. Others describe a "life review" during the experience. So what causes OBEs? What do we know about them? Are they mystical in nature? Are they evil?