"In an out-of-body experience (OBE), people feel as though they have left their physical body and can see the world from outside it. What are these experiences, and are they spiritual? As a 19 year-old psychology student, Susan Blackmore had an extraordinarily powerful OBE that lasted for hours and culminated in a mystical experience of transformation and oneness. Her determination to understand what had happened led Susan to becoming a parapsychologist – a profession she later gave up, zen training, and decades of research into the nature of mind and consciousness. In this talk, Susan will explore the surprising science of out-of-body experiences, whether anything really leaves the body during an OBE, and their profound effect on our sense of self.
