Out-of-body experiences: interpretations through the eyes of those who live them.

People who have had out-of-body experiences (OBEs) often describe them as more vivid and authentic than everyday reality. In interviews with 10 participants without mental or neurological disorders, five interpreted their OBEs through concepts like "other planes or dimensions" and "universal consciousness," aligning with non-local or expanded consciousness theories. Four had no explanation, and one gave a physiological account. The findings suggest that theories of non-local consciousness could be enriched by incorporating these firsthand experiential perspectives.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are primarily characterized by the sensation of the self being located outside one's physical body. The complexity of this phenomenon has led researchers to propose various theories to explain it, including physiological, psychological, and non-local consciousness theories. The objective of this study is to directly explore the interpretations of individuals who have experienced this phenomenon firsthand. The study employed a qualitative descriptive design with a phenomenological interpretive analysis approach, using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The sample comprised 10 participants without mental disorders or neurological and/or vestibular pathologies. The factors studied were predisposing, precipitating, phenomenological, consequential, and interpretive. All participants agreed that their experience was not only real but described it as more vivid and authentic than everyday reality. Four participants had no explanation for their experience, while one interpreted it in physiological terms. The remaining five explained their experiences using terms like "other planes or dimensions" and "universal consciousness," aligning with some authors who use concepts such as "non-local" or "expanded consciousness" to address OBEs. The findings suggest that, given that most participants refer to explanations that go beyond what is commonly understood as consciousness, theories of non-local consciousness could be enriched by incorporating these experiential perspectives.