The primary cause for disturbance is to be found in the conventional thought process which has bound man for centuries as if by an ironclad. The conventional mind-set is a sequel to that process. It is this process that creates the ‘I’, the ego, and we meet life through this unfortunate ego-interface. Under these circumstances, any mental peace can only be temporary and the breeding ground for the disturbance would remain alive and well. When we see this, we wake up with a start, because the matter is indeed serious. Once people get hit by this seriousness, they become interested in the wider and deeper perspectives on life. They no longer function as conformists and call it ‘quits’ (while making sure that their jobs are safe!). They strike a new trail for themselves and lead a healthy life. Some people who are reading these lines may get charged and want to do the same. To them is opened a grand vista for the rest of their lives. They no longer use religion and God to feed their ego, and they replace the self-centered religious activities with pure devotion to Divinity. This devotion arises out of the inquisitive feeling for understanding the Universal Energy and Intelligence. There is a radical departure from slavery to belief systems. Mirthfulness and the love of application to the practical aspects of life permeate one’s day-to-day activities.Once we get out of the conventional rut, we start looking in the direction of what lies beyond the apparent and begin wondering about the true, non-sectarian spirituality that is not the monopoly of any group. This wonderment guides us along the path of self-discovery and the associated joy. Paranormal phenomena begin to draw attention. Two absorbing issues that fall along these lines are OBE (Out-of-Body Experience) and NDE (Near Death Experience). They seem to hold the key to discovering the esoteric side of life. Mental relaxation follows. The following lines regarding an OBE are taken from the book entitled “Leaving the Body” authored by Scott Rogo.
“It was on a night in October about 11 PM. I suddenly found myself out of the body floating over a Highland moor in a body as light or lighter than air. There was a wood at the side of the moor and the clouds were drifting past the moon and a cool wind was flowing. I found that I didn’t mind the wind as I should have done had I been in my physical body, because I was at one with it. The life in the wind and in the clouds and the trees was within me also, flowing into me and through me, and I offered no resistance to it. I was filled with glorious life. All the time, in the margin of my consciousness, I knew where my earthly body was, and that I could return to it instantly if danger threatened. The experience may have lasted a few minutes or a few seconds, I cannot tell – for I was outside time. I came back greatly invigorated and refreshed, and very much alive. I remember thinking that if this is what the so called dead experience, how much more vitally alive they are than we are here!”
NDEs also give in-depth messages. If you feel drawn to such topics as OBE and NDE, you have an opportunity to dwell on those wonderful areas of psychology and bring about a radical transformation in you towards leading a holistic life. The book “In Quest of the Deeper Self” covers the topics of OBE and NDE in some detail. More about the book can be found in http://spirituality.yolasite.