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mastering one's own bioenergies. In the context of the OOBE, the control of bioenergies is a key component in producing OOBEs, is responsible for the level of lucidity we are able to acquire outside the physical body, and is the resource that enables us to carry out tasks and maintain balance in the extraphysical dimension. temperature, pressure in the body, tears (watering of eyes) as well as clairvoyance and the tunnel effect. Respondents also reported experiencing a variety of less-common sensations such as spinning, waves passing through the body, pulsation, swelling, being lifted, dizziness, elongation, dematerialisation and bubbling. OOBE, or an altered state of consciousness? Current and historical research on OOBEs With the silver cord ensuring a constant connection between the Personal experimentation is the most logical method for physical and extraphysical bodies, it is possible to have a rich vari- validation of these sensations, and researchers are largely reliant on ety of lucid experiences outside the body. We can travel in the the accumulation of data relating to personal accounts in seeking to physical realm or visit other dimensions, meet old friends and make _ identify the elements common to these experiences. For this reason, new acquaintances, exercise our will and take decisions. But how survey research has often been used in the study of the OOBE. One can we be so sure that what we experience is real, and not a dream of the first recorded was conducted in the UK in 1890 by the British or some other altered state of consciousness provoked by any num- Society of Psychical Research. ber of things such as fainting, exhaustion, fever, medicines, hor- More than 100 years later, in 1999, a sophisticated online survey mones or drugs? analysing 98 different aspects of the OOBE was launched via the Some of the characteristics of the conscious OOBE that clearly Internet by the International Academy of Consciousness [see distinguish it from a dream or hallucination include the following: NEXUS 6/05]. To date, over 7,000 Internet users have responded. * Individuals are lucid, active participants of OOBEs, taking The IAC researchers Wagner Alegretti and Nanci Trivellato decisions and using their mental acknowledge that the survey partici- attributes, whilst in dreams they . os pants are not representative of the gen- remain passive, having no control . ».Many different characteristics eral population as they are all Internet over the dream experience; . users and most had some pre-existin, . Environments and situations of the phenomena associated interest in studies of the paranormal encountered during a projection are with the OOBE are shared by Nevertheless, the results show that real, whilst in dreams they may be people around the world, many different characteristics of the distorted or nonsensical; phenomena associated with the OOBE - Situations encountered in Prelee irrespective of their age, are shared by people around the worl. tions occur independently of the indi- . . + irrespective of their age, gender, vidual's capacity for creativity and gender, nationality, ethnicity, nationality, ethnicity, cultural back- imagination; _ religion, level of education or ground, religion, level of education or ¢ Projections are more difficult to . . socio-economic status. This is a sig- recollect than dreams, as the experi- socio-economic status. nificant outcome that further confirms ence occurs beyond, and is not recorded by, the physical brain; ¢ Projectors can see their physical body and even touch it; dreams http://www.iacworld.org.) occur inside the physical body; The sensations mentioned previously are corroborated by the pre- ¢ Projectors experience a sense of liberty, well-being, expanded liminary results of the IAC online survey, which reveal that, of the awareness and sometimes euphoria at being able to fly and pass first 1,185 people who responded to this survey in 1999, 1,007 through physical objects; dreams provide more mundane feelings reported experiencing some of these sensations. and experiences; Other historical surveys of interest include a study conducted by + Projectors often perceive the departure and/or return of their Celia Elizabeth Green. In 1967, she asked 380 students at Oxford extraphysical body from the physical body; this does not occur in University if they had had any experiences in which they felt them- dreams. selves to be outside their body. Thirty-four per cent of the students the value of pursuing such investiga- tions. (This survey may be accessed at ...many different characteristics of the phenomena associated with the OOBE are shared by people around the world, irrespective of their age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, level of education or socio-economic status. sooty http://www.iacworld.org.) The sensations mentioned previously are corroborated by the pre- liminary results of the IAC online survey, which reveal that, of the first 1,185 people who responded to this survey in 1999, 1,007 reported experiencing some of these sensations. Other historical surveys of interest include a study conducted by Celia Elizabeth Green. In 1967, she asked 380 students at Oxford University if they had had any experiences in which they felt them- selves to be outside their body. Thirty-four per cent of the students replied affirmatively. In addition, much experimental research has been conducted by a number of scientists. In 1972, for example, Janet Lee Mitchell, a researcher at the American Society for Psychical Research in New York, USA, carried out a number of experiments aimed at further- ing knowledge of vision whilst outside the body. The research sub- ject was Ingo Swann, a known clairvoyant and surrealist painter. During the experiments, different target objects were hidden on a platform suspended 3.5 metres above the floor of the room. After "projecting" his vision, Swann described the objects he saw both verbally and with illustrations. An independent judge correctly matched eight of Swann's drawings with the eight target objects used in the experiment. Such satisfactory results were highly improbable and attest to the "travelling" nature of Swann's viewing. The following year, Karlis Osis, a parapsychologist, sent an open invitation throughout the United States to all individuals capable of projecting at will, to project themselves out of body and into the premises of the American Society for Psychical Research in New York. One hundred people were selected from the large number Sensations in the process of leaving the body To contribute to the understanding of OOBEs, we can, for exam- ple, look at some of the sensations associated with the process of departing the physical body. Data collected from students’ descriptions of their sensations in experiments held during the practical sessions of the courses on OOBEs (offered around the world by the International Academy of Consciousness, formerly known as the International Institute of Projectiology and Conscientiology) suggest that some of the common sensations usually experienced in relation to either leaving or returning to the physical body are: falling, floating and repercussions, e.g., myoclonus (jerking limbs), jerking awake, projective catalepsy (a sleep paralysis type of sensation), sinking, torpidity (numbness), intracranial sounds (a sound that seems to be coming from inside the head), tingling, clairvoyance, oscillation (a type of rocking or swaying sensation), vibrations and serenity. Other experiences reported by the students included the perception of extraphysical beings, sensations such as itching, chills, change of APRIL — MAY 2004 NEXUS = 55 www.nexusmagazine.com