The term out of body experience or OBE typically refers to an experience involving the feeling of floating outside of your body. In her 1992 book: Beyond The Body: An Investigation of Out-Of-The-Body Experiences, Dr Susan Blackmore estimated that as many as one in ten of us have had an out of body experience at some point in our lives. This is my story.

It was the evening of 26^th November 1995. From the back of the car I could see my Dad pacing up and down outside my Aunt and Uncles house waiting for us to return from a trip to Cambridge. I had sensed 'something' was coming when my Uncle had taken a call on his mobile in the car on the way home. Anxious glances were exchanged with my Aunt which didn't go unnoticed. Two hours later and I was now climbing out the back of the car and facing the reality of standing in front of my Dad, my Father who was quite obviously wrought with what appeared to be mixture of nerves and sadness. Quietly he gestured for me to go in the house; my heels were quite literally dragging as I sensed that whatever 'this' was, it wasn't going to be good. It was worse.

In the early hours of that same morning, the same date which is now etched into our family history forever more, my sister's husband had died suddenly leaving my sister a widow and her two young daughters without a father. They were aged just five and three at the time; it was incomprehensible that they had lost their Daddy at such a tender age. Within the hour I was with my beloved sister. I can remember to this day the look of complete and utter soul-destroying grief that was etched onto her pretty face. It was almost too much for me to bear yet I knew the feelings of hurt and anger coursing through me must have paled in comparison to the gut-wrenching emotions that must have been tearing her apart that night.

After much hugging, talking and crying I got home and went almost straight to bed. It was just before 1am. The room was partially lit from the lamppost on the street and I lay in the semi-darkness with thoughts racing through my head; Why hadn't I phoned him when it had crossed my mind to do so the previous evening? Why hadn't I done this? Why hadn't I done that? Why didn't I get the chance to say goodbye?

It was exactly at this point when I became aware of what felt like a large heavy object like a sheet of wood pressing down on my entire body. I opened my eyes and was initially confused as to what this massive white object was, it seemed to go on forever out to all sides of me and it was so close to my face it felt suffocating. I looked to the side of me towards my partner to find that he wasn't there. I continued to look to my right all the time pushing with my forearms to try and get this thing, this whatever is was, off me. It was only when I saw the top of my wardrobe that I realised that the pressure I had thought was coming from a heavy object pressing down on me was actually caused by my body pressing up against the ceiling. I turned myself completely around so that my back was against the ceiling, still too stunned at that point to have uttered anything beyond a gasp. It was then that I saw myself lying next to my partner in bed. I was actually looking down at myself. I shouted out my partners name twice and he didn't respond in any way. Despite the oddity of this out of body experience it was only then, when he failed to answer me, that I felt anything resembling panic. Had I died? Was this it? What was going to happen? Why did I still feel real? Why did I still feel solid?

Then as quickly as it had begun it was over; or at least it was over in the sense that I was back in my body but merely the beginning of a lifelong interest fuelled by many as yet unanswered questions about the universe in which we live. I don't recall there being any particular sensation as I returned to my body and I didn't notice any silver cord between my two selves. I was simply back. Just one again. Able now to sit bolt upright in bed I asked my partner why he hadn't answered me when I called him to which he replied ' You haven't said anything'. Seven minutes had passed since I had gone to bed.

During subsequent research I have discovered that Out of Body Experiences are often reported as spontaneously occurring during or near sleep. They are also frequently reported by people who have been close to their own passing and survived, although an experience such as this is more commonly known as a Near Death Experience or an NDE since the out of body experience in this case can be accompanied by several other 'experiences' such as seeing a tunnel and white light and perhaps even talking to loved ones who quite often tell the person close to passing to go back. Less commonly, people have reported an Out of Body Experience as taking place during extreme physical exertion. The fascination with Out of Body Experiences goes back many years and there have been a great number of methods devised to induce them on demand. Techniques vary from meditation to sensory deprivation whilst not forgetting the use of hallucinogenic drugs.

I should make it clear that there were no drugs involved at any stage in my personal Out of Body Experience. I had had a brandy after the news but that had been several hours earlier on and indeed later occasions where several brandies were consumed failed to induce anything other than a hangover. There are many readers that will believe I had simply fallen asleep and had dreamt the whole thing and those readers are of course welcome to their opinion. Some people may find this story incomprehensible and counter to all that they believe and aspire to in their chosen religion and I accept that as their right.

But this is my story and I know it to be true.

I am very interested in hearing if other people have had an out of body experience.  Since research suggests that one in ten of us have, it would be interesting to see what sort of percentages are recorded here! I would be grateful if you would record a response to this poll.