Hi, Thanks for all the replies... It's given me a lot to think about!
I'm going to try and tackle this one becuase its been bugging me. I am no scientist, so bare with me if this sounds insane...You can disprove objective theories, but not subjective ones.
It is scientifically proven that a drug can change the chemical composition in the brain and make someone feel happy/sad/tired/create illusions... It is also known that the placebo effect has a response to people that are open to suggestion and or social compliance.
I would like to think that drugs (such as LCD) have no place in the field of spiritual development due to their potential risk to the physical body and emotional state... I believe (key word) that the drug creates a chemical reaction that creates the illusion of OBE's in this state. I would also bet my bottom dollar that the same chemicals are being released when someone induces Astral Projection without a drug.
That doesn't prove anything, I know.
Back to the placebo: Expectations and or social compliance can make people happy, sad, sick etc... Some would say it's their belief that produces the chemicals which make them feel a certain way. Since the above emotions are mainly illusions, OBE's should be placed in the same category, no?
Still doesn't prove anything... aaarrrghhh! This is very hard! I'm trying to make a connection to the placebo effect and people that believe they're having an OBE. I'll come back to it!
Let me try another angle...
I read an interesting post on another site that said, OBE's were related to a similar phenomenon of Alien Abduction... e.g. They wake up paralysed, feel a strong presence in the room and feel their body float up and out, they're taken to other planets etc... Yet there is hardly any evidence to support Alien Abduction or UFO's (trust me I've searched) The vast majority of evidence can be explained away or is a hoax. The point I'm trying to make is that Alien Abduciton reports and OBE's have very similar symptoms... Paralysis, bright lights, strange noises, feeling of a presence, flying/defying gravity... Maybe people that experience either have an experience that shapes their expectations? E.g one person might think the presence is an Alien the other might think its the "old Hag."
Now since the proof of Alien exsistence bares with the believer, it's fair to say that there is no evidence of Aliens or UFO's (especially in this day and age where Camera Phones and technology are so common.) Until there is proof, it is easy for scientists or psychotherapists to say that Abductions are in the mind and it was just some sort of dream where they felt conscious at the time. Since OBE's have similar symptoms, wouldn't it be understandable if they were placed in the same category?
The only thing that can prove OBE's are validations and lets be honest, there are not many people that would be prepared to undergo such testing, either becuase it would be to difficult or they feel they don't need to prove it to anyone... Which is a shame if they really do have the ability. Skeptisism in this field wouldn't exsist if someone was able to validate a RTZ OBE under lab conditions.
And believe me, I'm not talking about the ♥♥♥♥♥ test. If someone could prove and validate OBE's even with a television company, they'd earn much more than a million dollars. With so many people on this planet, I'm surprised someone with the ability hasn't bothered. I can see the skeptics wondering why someone would spend time promoting books when they could easily get a television deal that would be in the millions.
I'd have to completely agree. Hell, I've been researching and practicing for quite some time now, I think I'm quite open and honest and I'm still having trouble believing in them. If we were past it as a race, there'd be millions of people on this forum. I would say most of society would write OBE's off as dreams -I really don't think we are "past that as a race".
Until someone steps up and is willing to really validate their experience, then society is'nt even close, I'd say 50 years is still way out.
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