Out of body experiences, or OBEs, are a reasonably common phenomenon inside and outside of spiritual belief.
Many people report out of body experiences, especially during traumatic or near death experiences.
Some very dedicated people have even been able to induce an out of body experience voluntarily.
But what exactly does an out of body experience feel like?
Racing Heart
The first thing someone having an out of body experience feels is a sudden increase in the heart rate.
For people who are trying to induce an OBE, this is usually the first stumbling block. This is because the increased heart rate piques the person’s anxiety levels and they lose focus.
Heat
Next are the heat sensations. Usually, this is a full body heat sensation, with centres around the naval and chest area.
The feeling can range from mild warmth to a burning sensation much like severe heartburn or acid reflux.
Vibrations
Then the vibrations come. This is the energetic excitement of the subtle body releasing itself from the bonds that attach it to the physical body.
Like phantom limbs, the subtle body is so used to having the physical body that the sensations of the body remain.
This can feel like regular vibration or can be a tingling sensation that stretches across the body. It is akin to meeting a twin flame or soulmate in the excitement it elicits.
Head Pressure
This is followed by what can be a quite painful pressure in the head, usually both between the eyebrows and on the crown.
Diligent readers will know that these are both chakra locations – the third eye and crown chakra respectively.
When we are engaging in an out of body experience, these two chakras go into overdrive.
Our crown chakra is our link to the higher dimensions of consciousness we are attempting to utilise, so we expend a lot of energy through this chakra.
The third eye has a lot to do with perception and, as we are trying to transform our perception fundamentally, it makes sense that this chakra is intimately involved.
The Drop
Then comes the drop. Or the rise. Or the drift. It is described differently depending on who we ask. The common thread through these is that we literally feel our subtle body leave our physical body.
At this point, we are officially out of our body. We may be able to move around, looking back at our physical body as an outside observer.
And at that point, many people experience ego loss – a shrugging off of the egocentric perception we all have that we are a separate entity. Something about seeing the world from an entirely external perspective puts the whole universe into a new light for most people.
So if you are actively trying to achieve an out of body experience, or you feel you may have experienced one, those are the signs to look out for.