Are you guys normal:)?

[astral_1976]

You guys are really interesting people!

Even if I visit a science fiction board, I doubt I would find any crazy discussions like that yet you all believe your experiences are real etc.
I do have OBE too so I am not criticizing you, don't get me wrong...

I am curious, however, how do you see yourselves? Do you guys have a normal life? Do you talk these things with your friends/colleagues/family? are you guys all deeply involved in metaphysics/paranormal stuff?
Do you consider yourselves blessed, or cursed, or just ordinary people.

But regardless you have to admit AP can be considered supernatural. Even buddhism considers this supernatural

"One of the Buddha’s great disciples, Moggallana is recorded to have six types of supernormal powers. Through developing his mind over an infinite period of time, Moggallana was capable of a much wider experience in space and time. His knowledge transcended the limitations and boundaries of the normal mind. Some of his powers and feats have been carefully documented and preserved to help future generations understand the full potential of the mind. One of the power is astral travel"

PS: Somehow my nickname is deleted (klabs1976)... CFTraveler did you delete my nickname?
Anyhow, I decided not to do OBE/AP anymore but somehow they happen involuntarily so I just welcome the experience...

[Sinera]

... crazy discussions like that yet you all believe your experiences are real etc....

they are real

Do you consider yourselves blessed, or cursed, or just ordinary people.

I am absolutely normal. The rest of the world is f*****g crazy.

[lightgal]

normal is relative to what you are used to

[Korpo]

Hey, klabs1976.

I guess for most people I pass as very normal. And for a long time that was also my goal - be normal and be considered normal for the sake of acceptance.

Nowadays I have however come to the point where none of the religions I know nor society itself provide me with something I would consider a model for my life. It is at times disorienting as a mode of living, and the more I commit myself to that, the more abnormal ("different from the norm") I would consider myself, even though it doesn't show for the most part and it doesn't bother me.

In hindsight it is strange to see how often I wanted to be something for the sake of the acceptance by others. Nowadays I aspire to be myself, which holds its own surprises.

Cheers,
Oliver

[aardvark]

Normal is overrated.

Besides, I tend to think there's no such thing as normal in this fluid and f'ed up reality of ours.

[CFTraveler]

You guys are really interesting people!

First of all, I didn't delete your account, if I had all your posts would disappear (did they?) and I think we may have a hacker. I'll have to look into this.
Secondly, posting a thread on an AP forum basically telling people that they are "interesting"? And using phrases like "you believe your experiences are real"? Is it really you, or did you forget the 'respect' rule?

I do have OBE too so I am not criticizing you, don't get me wrong...

Not overtly, no.

I am curious, however, how do you see yourselves?

How do you see others? How do you see yourself? Consider this- I have always been me, so how else could I see myself?

Do you guys have a normal life?

What's a normal life? I am married, with children, and work. And do this on my spare time. Have other hobbies too, but not to this extent. What do you consider normal? Having shallow conversations about clothes and boys (or girls?) We talk about 'being', 'consciousness' and 'the big picture'. Is this too deep for you?

Do you talk these things with your friends/colleagues/family? are you guys all deeply involved in metaphysics/paranormal stuff?

It's a metaphysics board. I don't know about paranormal, although we do have a section about what is consider paranormal, I personally don't believe in paranormal stuff.

Do you consider yourselves blessed, or cursed, or just ordinary people.

An ordinary person, just a little more introspective than most, but you'd be surprised at the level of self-awareness some people have.

But regardless you have to admit AP can be considered supernatural. Even buddhism considers this supernatural

I don't believe in the supernatural. So, it's not for me to say what buddhism sees AP.

Anyhow, I decided not to do OBE/AP anymore but somehow they happen involuntarily so I just welcome the experience...

Well, good for you. But you can stop them if you want to. Just go to sleep fast.

[CFTraveler]

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=33670

Klabs is still here. So, are you really klabs? Because klabs is polite and respectful, and you don't seem to be the same person. Are you a hacker?

[astral_1976]

First of all, I didn't delete your account, if I had all your posts would disappear (did they?) and I think we may have a hacker. I'll have to look into this.
Secondly, posting a thread on an AP forum basically telling people that they are "interesting"? And using phrases like "you believe your experiences are real"? Is it really you, or did you forget the 'respect' rule?

Hey CFTraveller, its really me...I tried to log-in many times thru my old account but I couldn't. I also tried to retrieve my password but somehow the system didn't recognize my email address so I had to get another account.

Lol...I was only joking...I called you guys "interesting" but I didn't mean anything bad and neither I thought anyone would get it the wrong way. I can OBE/AP and 100% believe the authenticity of it so please no hard feelings. I truly believe you guys are interesting. I wish I had more people like you around me but I can only share my experiences thru this forum because no one would understand. I think a lot of people here are very special (again, in a good way)...
God (whoever your God is) bless you all ...

PS: I also have great respect for your efforts in this forum. You help a lot of people like me here so thank you for that...

[CFTraveler]

The multiple log-in problems has been happening for days to various posters, so we do think someone is trying to hack into accounts to get into the forums. If this happens again, even with the new accounts, just give it a few minutes and try again.
Robert says this should be resolved when we update the site but I'm not sure when this is going to be.

[greytraveller]

Hallo astral 1976
I totally agree that OBEs and the people who experience them are interesting. I would even go so far as to call them fascinating.
Regarding being a normal person - here I can only speak for myself. I regard myself outside of the cultural normal because
1) only about 10% of the population experience OBEs. And of that 10% probably fewer than 1/2 deliberately try to induce OBEs. So as far as that goes that puts me in a minority of about 3% to 5%.
2) Fewer people still keep detailed records of their OBEs and regularly discuss them via the internet. Think about it, if 10% of all American have OBEs that puts the total number at about 30,000,000 (That's Right 30 MILLION ! ). If only 10% of those 3 million are members of a website about OBEs then that number is 3,000,000 !) Yet the member list here is about 6,000 (or so??) Maybe the total members for All OBE websites is about 40,000 to 50,000 (most probably a LOT less). That's makes me and you a minority within a minority.
3) My views (theories, concepts, experiences, etc) about OBEs are much more esoteric than most people's. (I won't go into details.)
So add it all up and it is easy to come to the conclusion that I am NOT normal. The fact that the vast majority of scientists and medical professionals will not publicly acknowledge the reality of OBE shows how radically different my worldview is from the current mainstream. Yet IMO that is Okay.

Regards
Grey