- Hardcover: 271 pages
- Publisher: Heinemann published on behalf of the Society for Psychical Research (1982)
- ISBN-10: 0434074705
- ISBN-13: 978-0434074709
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,359,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Out-of-the-body-experiences (OBEs) are among the most remarkable of psychological phenomena, challenging as they do our fundamental assumptions about reality and consciousness. Following a series of such experiences many years ago, I sought an explanation for them. I found references to them in texts from Plato to Aleister Crowley, but nowhere was there anything approaching a coherent, rational theory. There were – and to a regrettable extent still are – two opposing viewpoints: on the one hand you have the supernaturalists, with talk of "astral projection" and full of sound advice on how to deal with the demons you will encounter on the various "astral plains", and on the other, the orthodox scientific community, who find the whole subject rather embarrassing and would prefer not to be associated with it. I could find no author who understood the importance of OBEs and who approached them in a scientific manner. Until I discovered Blackmore's book. It is without question the definitive work on the subject. It is a model of scientific rigour, and the thoroughness of her research – in psychology, folklore, occult philosophy and more – is astounding.
The supreme philosophical and psychological quest of our time is for an explanation of consciousness. That will not be achieved without taking account of the anomalous ways in which consciousness can sometimes manifest itself, of which OBEs are the most striking examples. If you are lucky enough to have experienced them and you seek an explanation, or if you are just wondering what all the fuss is about, read this book.
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I looked forward to this book, hoping for an unbiased investigation of the phenomena of astral projection. Unfortunately I found it to be full of contradictions, leaning towards whichever argument suited the author's purpose. Despite her own startling experiences of astral projection(albeit whilst apparently under the influence of drugs), she seems to have decided from the outset that the phenomena does not exist and proceeds to use whatever arguments are necessary to prove it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Beyond Excellent
8 Mar 2004
Format:Paperback
Out-of-the-body-experiences (OBEs) are among the most remarkable of psychological phenomena, challenging as they do our fundamental assumptions about reality and consciousness. Following a series of such experiences many years ago, I sought an explanation for them. I found references to them in texts from Plato to Aleister Crowley, but nowhere was there anything approaching a coherent, rational theory. There were - and to a regrettable extent still are - two opposing viewpoints: on the one hand you have the supernaturalists, with talk of "astral projection" and are full of advice on how to deal with the demons you will encounter on the various "astral plains", and on the other, the orthodox scientific community, who find the whole subject rather embarrassing and would prefer not to be associated with it. I could find no author who understood the importance of OBEs and who approached them in a scientific manner. Until I discovered Blackmore's book. It is without question the definitive work on the subject. It is a model of scientific rigor, and the thoroughness of her research - in psychology, folklore, occult philosophy and more - is astounding.
The supreme philosophical and psychological quest of our time is for an explanation of consciousness. That will not be achieved without taking account of the anomalous ways in which consciousness can sometimes manifest itself, of which OBEs are the most striking examples. If you are lucky enough to have experienced them and seek an explanation, or if you are just wondering what all the fuss is about, read this book.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
The definitive book about the out-of-body experience.
13 Jan 2001
Format:Paperback
Dr Susan Blackmore is the leading academic authority on the out-of-body experience or OBE, she has had obes herself and has seriously studied the phenomenon for many years. Her book begins with details of the OBE from the shamans of thousands of years ago right through to the modern day OBE which is often a part of the near-death experience. All of the major names in the field are mentioned like 'Sylvan Muldoon, Robert Monroe, Ingo Swann and Dr Charles tart, as well as all the academic research on the subject. Susan Blackmore brings the full weight and discipline of science to this subject. With great authority, and after considerable explanation she reveals the true nature of the phenomenon with great clarity and insight. This book is a must for all who are seriously interested in the subject.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
IT'S ALL IN YOUR BRAIN
17 Sep 2010
Format:Paperback
Susan Blackmore
Beyond the Body:
An Investigation of Out-of-the-Body Experiences
(London: Heinemann, 1982)
(Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1992
--reprint of the 1982 edition with a new postscript)
Dream-like experiences in which the self seems to travel
while the body remains in bed are reported in many cultures,
with different interpretations in each culture.
Careful analysis shows that these experience are dreams,
because they are conceptual in nature.
As in all dreaming, these experiences recombine elements
of thought and memory already present in the brain of the dreamer.
No alleged out-of-the-body experience has ever been able to discover
some fact of the 'place' to which the dreamer believes
he or she has traveled that was not already known to the dreamer.
Out-of-the-body experiences move quickly thru time and space
because thoughts can change more quickly than bodies can move.
Reading this book will take you out of your body.
But when you put the book down, there you are,
back in your body, returned from your mental trip.
This book is a must read for everyone interested
in alleged out-of-the-body experiences.
To discover other books critical of paranormal claims,
search the Internet for the following exact expression:
"OCCULTISM AND SCIENCE".
James Leonard Park, skeptic.
Beyond the Body:
An Investigation of Out-of-the-Body Experiences
(London: Heinemann, 1982)
(Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1992
--reprint of the 1982 edition with a new postscript)
Dream-like experiences in which the self seems to travel
while the body remains in bed are reported in many cultures,
with different interpretations in each culture.
Careful analysis shows that these experience are dreams,
because they are conceptual in nature.
As in all dreaming, these experiences recombine elements
of thought and memory already present in the brain of the dreamer.
No alleged out-of-the-body experience has ever been able to discover
some fact of the 'place' to which the dreamer believes
he or she has traveled that was not already known to the dreamer.
Out-of-the-body experiences move quickly thru time and space
because thoughts can change more quickly than bodies can move.
Reading this book will take you out of your body.
But when you put the book down, there you are,
back in your body, returned from your mental trip.
This book is a must read for everyone interested
in alleged out-of-the-body experiences.
To discover other books critical of paranormal claims,
search the Internet for the following exact expression:
"OCCULTISM AND SCIENCE".
James Leonard Park, skeptic.
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