Last September 15, I published a journal entry about an OBE I’d just had. It was remarkable, and now has become even more so. I have them fairly frequently and I can sometimes induce them, but this one stood out for four reasons: first, it was induced from the outside; second, somebody saw me as I left the place I was in; third, I went to a place that I was able to describe in detail, and it turned out that people at the conference I was attending knew the place well; fourth, I have now gone physically to that place, which I had previously visited only OBE and had never seen in the physical before.
This combination of events makes this the most powerful OBE I have ever experienced. I recounted it in detail in my last entry about it, but I will go over it again here, and then explain the new dimension it has taken on.
I was at a conference at an institute in northern California. At three in the morning of the 3rd, I woke up and meditated as I have been doing since the visitors came and asked this of me in September of 2015. As you may imagine, this is hard. It’s always hard, but especially so when fatigued from traveling and being part of a conference that was, to say the least, very dynamic and engaging. But I did it, then went back to bed and gratefully off to sleep for the rest of the night. At 4:30 I was awakened by a terrific blast of electricity shooting up my spine. I was instantly wide awake and also furious. I said aloud, "I meditated at three. Don’t make me do this again." I waited, but the only response was silence. So I got up, dragged myself into the posture and meditated for a few minutes, albeit not very deeply. Then I all but fell back into the bed.
At once, I was out of my body. Complete break. I was in the hallway of the dorm. I was also astonished, but aware that I might be able to make myself seen if anybody was awake. I tried to go to the room of the conference organizer, and thought I had, but as I approached a man’s bedside, I shot up through the ceiling and into the sky. I was not in control of this. Somebody else was doing it. I went up really high. Awesome height, a terrific sense of altitude. Indeed, I was so high that I could see the line of dawn far to the east. Below me, I could see a couple of lights and the darker inlets of the ocean.
Then I went shooting down at an angle, moving eastward. In no more than a few seconds, I found myself in front of a building. It was early morning here, meaning that I was somewhere in the eastern US or Canada. I saw a young man come out of the building with a backpack on, turn and go toward a parking area. I moved toward the building, which I assumed was a dormitory. I went in, finding myself in a foyer. There were couches and chairs. It was a sitting area. On one wall was a large, very black object of a kind I have seen before while OBE. These are not visible at the physical level. I think that they are living creatures, but what they do I don’t know. My sense is that they collect energy in the same way that leeches collect blood. Perhaps a specific type of energy, I don’t know. But they are so black that I would think that negative energy is what they are there for.
I went down a short hall and arrived at the doorway of a dorm room. It was opened a bit, and beside it there was a tall object leaning against the wall. It had a fluted end and I took it to be some sort of musical instrument, maybe a dulcimer. But if so, It was a big one.
It crossed my mind that I was very far from the northern California institute and getting quite involved in this place. I’ve had trouble getting back into my body from time to time, so I began to think about returning. As this thought crossed my mind, I was entering the dorm room. I have only a flash of that. I saw an empty bed and maybe another bed with somebody in it, I’m not sure. In any case, I found myself going up. As I passed above the roofs of the campus, I saw a building with a cupola on it. Then I was racing back and, the next thing I knew, I was in my body again.
What I did not know is that one of the participants in the weekend was frantically texting a friend in another room that he had just seen me in the OBE state enter his room, then disappear. Later that morning, I reported the OBE to the conference. (It was held under a privacy agreement, so I cannot say more about its purpose, who was there, where exactly it was, etc. Suffice to say that it involved scientists and academics.)
I next discovered that a) the conferee who’s bedroom I had entered had seen me and that a group of them recognized the campus I described. It was theirs.
Two weeks ago, I went to the campus. From past experience, I knew that, when I came physically to a place where I had previously been OBE, there would be an immediate moment of recognition when I reached the exact location of the OBE. But while I had experienced this before, I’d never done so when I’d only previously been to the spot in the OBE state. Indeed, most of my OBEs have involved either travel into the next layer of reality or into places in the physical which I know.
When I was taken to the dorm where they thought I’d been, the outside of it didn’t really click like that. It could have been that building or another. But the moment I entered the foyer, I experienced the most unusual memory I have ever known: I was right in the middle of a space that I had never seen before in my life, except out-of-body.
I proceed down the hall, and there leaning against the wall was not a dulcimer, but another long object with a fluted end, something I had never been aware of before, a type of skateboard called a longboard. It had a curved end and was the precise length I had seen. As I was unaware of longboards, my mind had envisioned the object as something similar that I had encountered before.
This, I think, shows a very interesting possible limitation of vision in the world of the soul. Without the wiring of the physical body to generate an objective image of something, one might not see what is really there, but rather something from one’s memory that is similar. I can’t prove it, of course, but my guess is that this happens to the dead. As the vast majority of them aren’t expecting it is probably very deceptive. Without realizing it, they perceive not the actual, physical world but an amalgam of memory and reality.
In any case, being there in that place that I could never have dreamed about but of which I had definite memory ranks as one of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had in my life. Every other OBE I have ever had could, in some way, have been a dream. That is not possible in this case. When I walked into that foyer, I was in a place that I had been before. It was quite certain.
I’ve long assumed that OBE movement was real, but the assumption has been based on subjective experience. This is different. Having never been on that campus before, never been in that foyer, never seen that corridor except out-of-body, I now know that OBE movement is real. Consciousness can detach from the body.
I have known for a long time that there is an attachment along the spine. When utilizing Robert Monroe’s techniques, I find that I will have a separation when I begin feeling the pulsation that he describes in my body, which runs along the spine. And that night at the conference, there was a powerful shock along the spine that preceded the OBE.
I wasn’t trying for anything except to go back to sleep. I had no idea of doing an OBE. But it was done using me, and it was done for a reason. This is so that I could communicate the conviction that I now have that we are indeed more than physical entities.
It is one thing to believe this, another to know it. It is no longer for me a belief, but rather part of my knowledge. I know it in the same way that I know the rest of reality—that we breathe air, that the objects around me are real, that night will come and the stars will course.
But does this also mean that I know that the soul survives the death of the body? No, not at all. That is still for me a belief. Given all I have seen of the dead and the fact that I am so very close to my departed wife, it is a very strong belief, but it is not like this, a certainty.
It has changed me. I know now that we bear something very sacred within the cup of the body. It’s something I have believed for a long time, but this is fundamentally different.
As Wordsworth put it so exquisitely,
“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting
And cometh from afar…”
Not so much a sleep anymore, not for me, no. I hope, when you read this, you can say to yourself ‘yes, this adds to my store of possibilities for my own life, if not to my absolutely knowledge. But now, based on his experience, I can call the idea that I am an exquisite being cradled in my body more than a hope. I can call it a legitimate belief, and take a step deeper into my own search.’
My greater hope is that such knowledge will come to more of us, so that even as machines enter intelligence and possibly also consciousness, and penetrate into our brains and deepest thoughts, we can say with assurance, ‘I am still beyond this. I am still more. Yes, I belong to the material world, but I belong first and foremost to the mystery of being.’
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Stunning. I would love to
Stunning. I would love to learn how to have OBE’s. I seems like this is the year of the soul.
Stunning. I would love to
Stunning. I would love to learn how to have OBE’s. I seems like this is the year of the soul.
It’s interesting that you
It’s interesting that you meditated before you had the OBE. I’ve had this idea for a while that for one to induce an experience like this, involving energies at a subtle level, perhaps even at the quantum level, one would have to put their attention to it first (meditation) in order to activate the process. You did not consciously desire the OBE before it happened, but perhaps you knew on some deeper level that that was about to transpire. Lately I have been meditating and putting my attention on my body, particularly the chakra points running up my spine, and I have noticed certain energy manifestations associated with each of the chakras. It makes me wonder what else can be affected or activated when you put your attention on something. By doing so, it’s like you’re “inviting” or “determining” the outcome of a state of quantum potentiality.
It’s interesting that you
It’s interesting that you meditated before you had the OBE. I’ve had this idea for a while that for one to induce an experience like this, involving energies at a subtle level, perhaps even at the quantum level, one would have to put their attention to it first (meditation) in order to activate the process. You did not consciously desire the OBE before it happened, but perhaps you knew on some deeper level that that was about to transpire. Lately I have been meditating and putting my attention on my body, particularly the chakra points running up my spine, and I have noticed certain energy manifestations associated with each of the chakras. It makes me wonder what else can be affected or activated when you put your attention on something. By doing so, it’s like you’re “inviting” or “determining” the outcome of a state of quantum potentiality.
It is interesting that as I
It is interesting that as I read this 3 of the 5 new songs I am working on for our band contain lyrics that reflect the topic of this post, including the influence / connection with a the star(s).
I am fascinated by your suggestion that how we see with the “soul” eyes is different to with our physical (there is an entire days worth of writing and research there alone) which emphasises for me that learning how to use our soul anatomy is crucial for us (humanity) in taking our next steps forward.
As in the original report of the primary event written about here, the large black objects on the wall are a source of fascination for me, and I am wondering if you not referring to them as beetles this time has to do with reconsidering that perhaps when you “saw” them OB that this form is what your mind went to as a means of trying to cognate something not normally seen in the physical?
It is interesting that as I
It is interesting that as I read this 3 of the 5 new songs I am working on for our band contain lyrics that reflect the topic of this post, including the influence / connection with a the star(s).
I am fascinated by your suggestion that how we see with the “soul” eyes is different to with our physical (there is an entire days worth of writing and research there alone) which emphasises for me that learning how to use our soul anatomy is crucial for us (humanity) in taking our next steps forward.
As in the original report of the primary event written about here, the large black objects on the wall are a source of fascination for me, and I am wondering if you not referring to them as beetles this time has to do with reconsidering that perhaps when you “saw” them OB that this form is what your mind went to as a means of trying to cognate something not normally seen in the physical?
I really appreciate your
I really appreciate your rigorous thinking, Whitley, in discerning between what is known and what is believed. That mental discipline has often distinguished you well among the usual “paranormal” authors and thinkers. I’m especially impressed that you’ve delineated between the reality of OBE movement and the question of the consciousness surviving death of the body. Because the question remains even for you, if (while your awareness was floating OOB around campus) someone back in your room had murdered your body, would you have remained that disembodied awareness, only with no body to return to? The verified OBE surely makes that seem more likely to be true, but it does not prove it (as you point out.) By rough analogy, it’s like the movie projector and the image far away on the screen. The image seems to have a compelling and independent existence, but if you destroy the projector the image ceases to exist.
Personally, with less personal evidence than yours I still believe we are more than the body and our “soul” is more than a projection, but I’m far from sure. And I’m even less sure the post-body experience will be an enjoyable one, but assuming there is an existence beyond we have to move on for better or worse, sooner or later. I’ve sometimes thought that the darker, entropic forces simply want all that to end by destroying everything, simply because it’s all too much to bear in eternal consciousness. I prefer to believe in the whole light, love, and increasing ecstasy outcome, but again there is belief vs. knowing.
I really appreciate your
I really appreciate your rigorous thinking, Whitley, in discerning between what is known and what is believed. That mental discipline has often distinguished you well among the usual “paranormal” authors and thinkers. I’m especially impressed that you’ve delineated between the reality of OBE movement and the question of the consciousness surviving death of the body. Because the question remains even for you, if (while your awareness was floating OOB around campus) someone back in your room had murdered your body, would you have remained that disembodied awareness, only with no body to return to? The verified OBE surely makes that seem more likely to be true, but it does not prove it (as you point out.) By rough analogy, it’s like the movie projector and the image far away on the screen. The image seems to have a compelling and independent existence, but if you destroy the projector the image ceases to exist.
Personally, with less personal evidence than yours I still believe we are more than the body and our “soul” is more than a projection, but I’m far from sure. And I’m even less sure the post-body experience will be an enjoyable one, but assuming there is an existence beyond we have to move on for better or worse, sooner or later. I’ve sometimes thought that the darker, entropic forces simply want all that to end by destroying everything, simply because it’s all too much to bear in eternal consciousness. I prefer to believe in the whole light, love, and increasing ecstasy outcome, but again there is belief vs. knowing.
I’ve never been able to
I’ve never been able to solidly confirm any of my own OBEs. Not like this. But I’m confident that one day I will. I always appreciate someone I trust relaying their own experience of solid confirmation. Thank you!
I’ve never been able to
I’ve never been able to solidly confirm any of my own OBEs. Not like this. But I’m confident that one day I will. I always appreciate someone I trust relaying their own experience of solid confirmation. Thank you!
Donald Morrison, don’t give
Donald Morrison, don’t give up. It my case it took roughly 2 years of almost daily practice to have my first fully awake OBE. THE technique I use is simple and direct, though maybe not the best but it does work eventually. The core of the technique is this: every night I simply lay still for as long as I can before going to sleep. And I mean absolutely still, don’t move any skeletal muscles (except face) AT ALL. This is more difficult than it sounds. But practice makes it better and better. I should also note that I had been practicing TM for about a month before my first OBE. A regular meditation practice might be very important too. I do TM and Whitley’s body sensing. Find a meditation that works for you. Something that’s easy for you to stick to. Practice every day with no expectations but still have the intent. And lastly, you may go out of body when you least expect it. For me, it often happens after I give up. Something about letting go and being surprised.
Donald Morrison, don’t give
Donald Morrison, don’t give up. It my case it took roughly 2 years of almost daily practice to have my first fully awake OBE. THE technique I use is simple and direct, though maybe not the best but it does work eventually. The core of the technique is this: every night I simply lay still for as long as I can before going to sleep. And I mean absolutely still, don’t move any skeletal muscles (except face) AT ALL. This is more difficult than it sounds. But practice makes it better and better. I should also note that I had been practicing TM for about a month before my first OBE. A regular meditation practice might be very important too. I do TM and Whitley’s body sensing. Find a meditation that works for you. Something that’s easy for you to stick to. Practice every day with no expectations but still have the intent. And lastly, you may go out of body when you least expect it. For me, it often happens after I give up. Something about letting go and being surprised.
“I know now that we bear
“I know now that we bear something very sacred within the cup of the body.” Beautifully stated, Whitley.
“I know now that we bear
“I know now that we bear something very sacred within the cup of the body.” Beautifully stated, Whitley.
I was privileged to know the
I was privileged to know the highly professional principals involved in this “remarkable” OBE that stretched across the US from coast to coast. I was honored to meet Whitley during his visit to the eastern campus and to hear him describe his experiences first hand in a class and over dinner. The integrity of the witnesses to these events is beyond doubt. What Whitley represents is genuinely and very deeply spiritual. Thanks for your uniquely valuable insights, my friend.
I was privileged to know the
I was privileged to know the highly professional principals involved in this “remarkable” OBE that stretched across the US from coast to coast. I was honored to meet Whitley during his visit to the eastern campus and to hear him describe his experiences first hand in a class and over dinner. The integrity of the witnesses to these events is beyond doubt. What Whitley represents is genuinely and very deeply spiritual. Thanks for your uniquely valuable insights, my friend.
While it is truly wonderful
While it is truly wonderful that Whitley had an OBE, with witnesses and validation, I feel that it is important to note that he had not set out to have an OBE. Spiritual practices are for spiritual growth, and once expectations become part of the practice, something may be lost. Buddhist philosophy views expectations as another form of ‘grasping’, which may lead to disappointment and unhappiness. (Andy1111, you are on to something about “…letting go and being surprised.”) I have had a lot of unusual experiences myself, both during and outside of meditation, and every one of them was a big, miraculous surprise! Looking back at Whitley’s experiences, I can’t think of any time he has mentioned an expectation or desire beforehand about what would happen. If you are ‘in the moment’ there are no expectations. Andy is also correct about finding a practice that works for you. (Quiet and stillness are great, but don’t underestimate the power of toning and music too, and don’t be afraid to experiment with various methods— some of us can even get into a meditative state while walking in Nature!)
Whitley, I am so happy for you that you did have that clean break AND validation of your OBE! We are privileged at Unknown Country that you have shared so much with us, and that you continue to be an inspiration!
While it is truly wonderful
While it is truly wonderful that Whitley had an OBE, with witnesses and validation, I feel that it is important to note that he had not set out to have an OBE. Spiritual practices are for spiritual growth, and once expectations become part of the practice, something may be lost. Buddhist philosophy views expectations as another form of ‘grasping’, which may lead to disappointment and unhappiness. (Andy1111, you are on to something about “…letting go and being surprised.”) I have had a lot of unusual experiences myself, both during and outside of meditation, and every one of them was a big, miraculous surprise! Looking back at Whitley’s experiences, I can’t think of any time he has mentioned an expectation or desire beforehand about what would happen. If you are ‘in the moment’ there are no expectations. Andy is also correct about finding a practice that works for you. (Quiet and stillness are great, but don’t underestimate the power of toning and music too, and don’t be afraid to experiment with various methods— some of us can even get into a meditative state while walking in Nature!)
Whitley, I am so happy for you that you did have that clean break AND validation of your OBE! We are privileged at Unknown Country that you have shared so much with us, and that you continue to be an inspiration!
“I am a child of earth and of
“I am a child of earth and of starry Heaven, but, my race is of Heaven (alone).”-From the Hymn of Orpheus
“I am a child of earth and of
“I am a child of earth and of starry Heaven, but, my race is of Heaven (alone).”-From the Hymn of Orpheus