'By reshaping our sense of self, out-of-body experiences may reshape our worldview, allowing us to truly step into another’s shoes.'
New research suggests these extraordinary events could unlock greater empathy. By reshaping our sense of self, they may reshape our worldview, allowing us to truly step into another’s shoes.
The Transformative Impact of Out-of-Body Experiences
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) occur spontaneously during sleep, near-death experiences, or through induced methods like hypnosis or psychedelic drugs. Affecting approximately 15 percent of people, according to some research, out-of-body experiences challenge the notion that the mind is confined to the body.
Recent studies suggest OBEs can result in lasting increases in perspective-taking, patience, and compassion—similar to effects seen with meditation.
A new narrative review in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews explores the psychological and neurological basis of out-of-body experiences as “seeds” that, under certain conditions, can grow into transformative events.