OOBE – short for “Out of Body Experience” – is a phenomenon practiced and sought after by many people. The possibility of experiencing existence outside one’s physical body, empirically exploring the reality we inhabit and traveling beyond our bodily shell, is something that rightfully fascinates many.

Beginning to practice OOBE is relatively straightforward. The foundation for achieving this state is the ability to quiet the physical body so that it falls asleep, while the practitioner retains consciousness and leaves the body.

This practice has been known for centuries, but its greatest modern popularizer was Robert A. Monroe, through his personal accounts described in his celebrated trilogy: Journeys Out of the Body, Far Journeys, and Ultimate Journey. Monroe clearly possessed particular predispositions and spiritual support that enabled him to undertake many fascinating non-physical journeys.

But is that level and quality of experience available to everyone?

Many years ago I began my personal journey with OOBE after experiencing it spontaneously and started searching for answers and understanding of this remarkable state. I then discovered Monroe’s books and those of other authors, as well as accounts from OOBE practitioners who used to share their experiences openly online. The ease of exchanging information and experiences quickly allowed me to get to know a cross-section of people practicing OOBE and striving to master the field.

Although I myself experienced OOBE occasionally – making far more attempts than I had successes – I tried to understand what made the experiences what they were and how much they could be controlled. Many people I encountered also complained about an insufficient success rate relative to their attempts, and about problems controlling the OOBE experience once it finally occurred.

The reality we experience in the so-called astral body during OOBE – our non-material body – operates by different rules than everyday life. For example, in the OOBE state, movement is triggered by the mere thought of movement. This is why the state is difficult to control, especially at the start: a single thought can immediately propel you in a given direction. It is like skating on very slippery ice – easy to slide, hard to stop.

Safety in OOBE

One of the biggest myths worth dispelling right at the start is the superstition about the possibility of not returning to the physical body. Many people fear that something might sever their connection to their physical body – lightning, for example, which gets repeated in communities interested in astral travel. But the problem is that no one is inclined to test whether this is true, and no one has yet provided credible confirmation of this belief.

The real problem, however, is not the return – it is the manifestation of fears in the OOBE state and the loosening of the bond between the physical and astral body.

The non-physical space in OOBE has a particular property: it rapidly mirrors one’s beliefs, including one’s fears. If on some level we hold fearful beliefs – for example, if we dread encountering an unfriendly entity – there is a very high chance that this is exactly what we will experience in OOBE. The astral experience is a strong reflection of our inner state and what our subconscious mind contains on these subjects. Fearful beliefs can constitute a serious problem, turning the experience into something unpleasant.

A second related element, present in some people, is the loosening of the astral body’s bond with the physical – specifically, the onset of frequent, spontaneous OOBEs even when the person has no desire for them. Combined with fearful experiences in OOBE, this can create an escalating spiral of very negative experience: when lying down to sleep, the person begins spontaneously experiencing the process of leaving the physical body along with manifestations of their fears. In such cases, it is best to temporarily stop any practices that might stimulate spontaneous OOBE and to actively work on one’s psychology and internal beliefs.

A more common safety issue in OOBE is simpler: the experience provides no sense of security – it is immediately a jump into deep water. In OOBE we are completely outside our physical body with no contact with it during the experience. Our perception of the world is different; we encounter many unfamiliar things. Few people are truly ready for such a radical leap, and without proper preparation, few feel comfortable in the OOBE state.

Although the phenomenon is valuable and significant in itself – enabling better knowledge of oneself and the true world that extends beyond what our physical senses perceive – such experiences should ideally occur when one is properly prepared, and preferably guided by someone with experience.

Exploring the Non-Physical World Beyond OOBE

Fortunately, classical OOBE is not the only way to explore and experience the reality of the non-material world.

Remote Viewing, for example, enables extrasensory perception of non-material (and material) reality without requiring loss of contact with the physical body – which provides a significantly greater sense of security and control over the experienced phenomenon. In Remote Viewing, the practitioner can safely and comfortably perceive everything that can be perceived in the OOBE state, while simultaneously maintaining awareness of the physical body and inducing this state under the controlled, planned conditions of a Remote Viewing session.

Despite many successful OOBE experiences of my own, I came over time to regard Remote Viewing as a more effective method for acquiring information about the reality that surrounds us. Maintaining contact with the physical body provides not only the psychological comfort needed especially by people just beginning their extrasensory practice, but also makes it easier to manage the course of the experience and to achieve planned, desired results more consistently.

Jakub Qba Niegowski – Extrasensory Awareness Development Specialist

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