Are Out-of-Body Experiences Always Spiritual?

This article brings up the question of whether 'out-of-body experiences' are spiritual happenings, or whether they are just a result of malfunctions in the brain. 

People who have out-of-body experiences report things like going through a tunnel, being enveloped by "the light", and floating above their bodies. The article discussed 3 case studies about 3 different people who have had some sort of out-of-body experience. "Patrick" reported floating above and being able to see his body in the emergency room after suffering a heart attack while driving an ambulance. "Karen" reported drifting around her bedroom while trying to fall asleep after a stressful day. "Matt" reported chronic sleep paralysis, out-of-body experiences, and hallucinations. 

All three of these cases involve out-of-body experiences, but they involve different experiences. Out-of-body experiences are most common during REM sleep, when the temporoparietal region of our brain that helps bind our sense of consciousness, is turned off.


My Question To You: Do you think out-of-body experiences are spiritual signs of the soul leaving the body, or do you think they are just a result of electrical impulses in the brain during REM sleep? Or do you think it is a mix of both?

8 comments:

Harlz said...

I believe that out of body experiences are caused by the brain. This is because I see it as the brain playing with your thoughts and what your mind sees. It could be making you picture this by messing with hormones. So, I believe it is "all in your mind".

- Harley

tcolossa said...

I think out-of-body experiences can be either spiritual signs or in the brain. I've heard about cases of out-of-body experiences that have occured while the person was wide awake. Therefore, they can't always be from electrical impulses in the brain during REM sleep. While this may happen, it's not always the case. It may very well be a spiritual thing.

Maisam said...

I believe out-of-body experiences are just a result of electrical impulses in the brain during REM sleep. The brain can play tricks on you and when a person goes through a horrible accident or event or day, they think differently. Their brains are really stressed out and the brain can give the person the feeling of seeing their soul outside of their own body. The stress buildup, or emotional buildup act up strong when in depression, stress, etc and that might make you think of the soul and etc.

--Dan. Raza

Foster said...

I think that out of body experiences are results of electrical impulses during rapid eye movement sleep. I believe this because I think that your brain can fool you into believing you are seeing things that aren't real. I don't believe this could be a spiritual thing.

ktran said...

I think out-of-body experiences are caused by electrical impulses in the brain during REM sleep. I don't believe in spiritual signs, but trying to understand how the brain works during REM sleep is complex. Some of the electrical impulses could be abnormal causing the brain to react differently and cause these "out-of-body" experiences for brief moments.

kraynock said...

I also belive that out of body experiences are definatly caused by the electrical impulses into the brain, which happens during REM sleep. I almost see it as something similar to a dream. It's something that your brian is doing to almost try and trick you, but it's not really happening. I wouldn't say that out of body experiences spiritual signs of the soul leaving the body.

nicole said...

I believe that out of body experiences are all reflected upon the brain. The brain controls what you see and to see yourself looking back at you, it has to be something with the brain. I believe that you indeed do have to be in a state of REM sleep to feel out of body experiences.

Marianna said...

I believe out of body experiences are more spiritual than physical. I once watched a program about these experiences where people rise above their body and watch doctors operate on them. I dont think that these things can be random brain misfirings but are something a little more complex.