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Posted: 22-09-2005 03:05 Post subject:

The University of Manchester are conducting an online survey if people want to contribute their experiences:

www.freeresponse.org/muobe2005/

Posted: 22-09-2005 16:05 Post subject: OBE survey

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4271018.stm

David Wilde says the experience is rather like a dead arm
One in 10 people have had an out-of-body experience, yet scientists know very little about the phenomenon. Researchers say a new study could bring us closer to the ultimate question of what happens when we die.

Out-of-body experiences involve a sensation of floating and seeing the physical body from the outside. They are often a symptom of the near-death experience, where people, whilst apparently dead, experience visions, tunnels of light and a feeling of peace, before being resuscitated.

These experiences are reported across many cultures and "experiencers" often cite them as life-changing events. Preliminary studies have shown that certain populations are more susceptible. Among students, for example, the incidence of out-of-body experiences (OBE) rises to 25%.

A team of scientists at the University of Manchester aims to study profile those who have and haven't had OBEs. Using an online questionnaire on body perceptions and experience, they aim to isolate differences between these groups. The survey will also gather details on the different kinds of OBEs people have, to categorise these experiences more precisely.

"There are several theories as to why people have OBEs," says David Wilde, the researcher running the project. "A common link between them is the idea that in certain circumstances the brain somehow loses touch with sensory information coming in from the body. This triggers a series of psychological mechanisms which can lead to someone having an OBE."

If someone has had an experience, then we take that as real - we can't disprove or prove anything

David Wilde
Mr Wilde draws an analogy with the experience of a dead arm.

"It's a little bit like if you sleep on your arm and loose sensation in it. Only with an OBE, the sensation loss is in the whole body and the brain's response seems to be to create a feeling of separation from the self."

"In this study we aim to take the theory a stage further, by looking at the way people see and experience their bodies, and how - through perfectly ordinary psychological processes - these images and experiences may create the impression of seeing their bodies from the outside."

It isn't rare for people to have more than one OBE, and they may also occur as part of the wider near-death experience (NDE) some report experiencing in life-threatening circumstances.

Mr Wilde is at pains to stress that he doesn't judge whether OBEs are real.

"If someone has had an experience, then we take that as real. We can't disprove or prove anything."

Sam Parnia is looking at oxygen, CO2 and salt levels among patients
A different research approach comes from Dr Sam Parnia, who studies OBEs as part of his interest in near-death experiences. He is looking at reports of OBEs from cardiac arrest patients. He is conducting a national study, looking at physical factors that might cause this experience.

Reports of OBEs and NDEs are often simply anecdotal, but the hospital environment allows Sam Parnia to monitor and compare oxygen, carbon dioxide and salt levels in the patients who did and did not have either experience.

His study also involves a novel method of testing if the "self" actually does leave the body during an OBE. Sam has suspended boards below the ceiling and these have images on the upper side. The idea is that if people do look down from above, they may recall the extra information. As yet, no patients have reported seeing these images.

Whether these phenomena are visions of a dying brain or paranormal activity, Dr Parnia says science needs to offer an explanation of what happens when we die.

"I think that NDEs hold the key to finally solving this mystery. In studying them further we will be able to discover the true nature of the relationship between the mind and the brain and answer the wider questions regarding the existence of an afterlife."

Some related links from the article :

http://www.freeresponse.org/muobe2005/
http://www.horizonresearch.org/

Posted: 22-09-2005 21:41 Post subject:

I would like to see the his methodology, questionnaire forms and statistical analysis that determined this 10% figure - hmm, demand characteristics, self-selecting participants etc. More info would be good. Very Happy

Posted: 23-09-2005 07:26 Post subject:

You can find his questionnaire here:
http://www.freeresponse.org/muobe2005/

I keep meaning to complete it, but it's rather long.

Posted: 23-09-2005 07:40 Post subject:

I already posted about this survey, a month ago!

[Emp edit: Ah yes but in the NDE thread Wink

All posts shuffled over to the OoBE thread and link removed]

Cool

Posted: 23-09-2005 13:39 Post subject:

Posted: 29-11-2005 10:24 Post subject: My Out of body experience/s

My first experience of this phenomena occured Xmas eve 1977.
I had been out for a drink with my wormates from the mine i worked at, i had a great night but was not drunk. It started to rain so i phoned a cab which came, and i got in the front passenger seat, and tried to clip the seat belt (It would not lock).. We had travelled approx 3/4 of a mile, there was a white opal car in front of us, then suddenly a drunk driver coming the opposite way sideswiped the opal causing the taxi i was in to swerve up the kerb, and we hit a telegraph pole.
I was launched from the cab through the windshield narrowly missing the pole, then i landed undeneath an hedge, (please note the events explained above about the actual collision i found out from the police)..
I was of course out cold having suffered a severe blow to the head, and my face was chopped liver. I was taken to hospital, and to the operating room where i received several pints of blood, and was operated on by two surgeons trying to save my life, during this time my heart stopped twice, and they had to restart it using the machine..
While this was going on i was above the table looking down on events from i assume was the ceiling. I saw in great clarity exactly what they were doing, i could hear their words clearly, and later on waking i quoted the doctors verbatim, and told them i had died twice.
Needless to say they were amazed but to me it seemed the most natural thing in the world..During the experience i felt aware that someone was with me, and i felt totally at peace with no fear of dying, in fact i was sad to know i had to return to my body. Since then i have had several OB's and to me it's a normal thing...Some argue that maybe i was not totally unconcsious but in actual fact i was Clinically dead, i could not have seen what was going on with my physical eyes because my face was so cut up, and my eyes so swollen it would have been impossible, yet i described to these doctors the exact procedures they were doing..Those like myself that experience this are lucky, and i believe that at sometime in our lives we all experience this but not all are aware of it happening, i can however clue you in to when it may be occuring, sometimes when you are in bed, relaxed, and comfortable your entire body may suddenly jump, this is it happening, the knack is, is not to panic but simply let it happen. This is my story, it is completely true, and i hope it may help some...Thank you[/i]

Posted: 29-11-2005 11:36 Post subject:

Wow, that is EXACTLY how I'd imagine an OOBE experience to be. Shocked

Posted: 01-01-2006 19:35 Post subject: Re: Out of body experiences

Posted: 06-03-2007 09:47 Post subject:

Posted: 13-03-2007 00:38 Post subject:

'Flying' in your sleep may be a paralysis

I believe this may be partly a reason for an OoBE, at least IMOE. One of the most frightening experiences I had while experiencing sleep paralysis was when I believed my self to be lying under my bed. I was hiding from who ever was "in" the room with me, however at the same time I was unable to move.
I was trying to scream and move but was obviously paralysied. The worst thing about the situation at the time for me was that I was 5 months pregnant and living in a homeless shelter. Therefore because the situation seemed so real it was even more terrifying due to my emotional and physical circumstances at the time.
It took me several days to get over the experience. However over the years I have been able to deal with SP in a more rational manner.

Slightly OT but still maybe relevant to OoBE

Mods feel free to move if necessary[i]

Posted: 01-04-2007 23:56 Post subject:

Robert Bruce and I think other OOBE writers have talked about the liminal state similar to sleep paralysis (but not, because you induce it on purpose and it does not nessecarily precede sleep) where partial or complete projection can occur. I tend to get stuck there with my total OOBE attempts. I tend to think that I have just moved about my legs when, physically, I couldn't possibly have done so. I have had spontaneous sleep paralysis a couple of times. one of these gave way to a attack by an entity. I ended up in fighting the entity off in very Marvel Comics fashion. since that time I have not had any more instances of sleep paralysis at all, other than deliberate OOBE attempts.

Posted: 06-04-2007 20:00 Post subject:

Whilst surfing I came across this artical (Brief copy and paste, then the link for more.):

Posted: 06-04-2007 21:44 Post subject: