How does floating outside your body, seeing yourself from above, sound? This surreal experience, known as an out-of-body event, might be more than just a curious phenomenon. Recent studies suggest OBEs can result in lasting increases in perspective-taking, patience, and compassion—similar to effects seen with meditation. “When a person is not linked to their physical bodies,” Ms.
Weiler said, “it allows the person to feel connected to other things, to other people, to other circumstances, or everything that is around them.” This occurs because our self-identity or ego is partly tied to our physical body, from which we typically view the world, she added. Empathy, crucial for understanding others, involves adopting different perspectives by shedding one’s ego.
Ms. Weiler emphasized that “making sense of the out-of-body experiences is crucial for integrating its transformative effects.” She describes it as a two-stage process: ego dissolution followed by re-evaluation of oneself and reality.
Those who process their OBEs emotionally and discuss them often experience less self-doubt and anxiety, she noted. Motivation Reducing fear of death Fostering inner peace Altering life perspectives Increasing self-awareness Redefining relationships Strengthening spiritual beliefs Meditation : deep absorption states that transcend ordinary self-identity Visualization: using mental imagery to expand beyond the physical body Lucid dreaming : maintaining awareness while transiti.
