Among those who have experienced such a ‘journey’ many people reported that they saw their own body from above, or they gained such information that would otherwise have remained hidden to them.
Three out-of-body experiences are to be discussed below.
The Half-Awake State
Most people experience a strange event when they are in a half-awake state, when their body is already asleep but their mind is still awake. This is called “sleeping paralysis” because the brain and the sensory organs are working perfectly while the body is lying paralysed and unable to move, even while having nightmares. In this case, not only can the body be seen from above, or there can be a sensation similar to flying, but also a variety of hallucinations can be part of the process. In this state you are totally conscious but your body cannot move, it is like a nightmare. You cannot get up even if you try with all your strength. Some have described this paralysed feeling and the pressure in their body as if their consciousness had been split.
Physical or Mental Exhaustion
Long-term physical stress and exhaustion (for example intense sporting activities) can cause a kind of out-of-body experience. Similarly excessive stress, emotional exhaustion or the overloading of the senses can result in an out-of-body experience. In this case a split perception or double consciousness may appear and it is as if the person has two perspectives. They can see things from a normal perspective and at the same time they can see the same things from above. This is not a normal or usual perception but a kind of out-of-body experience.
Near Death Experience
Those who have experienced near-death experiences (such as during a serious accident or major surgery) have reported very similar ‘adventure’ stories afterwards. People who have suffered a life threatening accident often said that they