Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 128
dreaming is a cognitive skill, or a function of sensory and/or self-awareness in a highly
activated brain. Tibetan Buddhist dream theory is cited, in which the awake state is as
illusory as dreaming and is a way of attaining higher consciousness.
Chapter 6 reviews out-of-body experiences (OBEs), in which one perceives being outside of
the body. OBEs have been reported in fantasy-prone or imaginative people, schizophrenics,
the hypnotizable, as a side effect to street drugs, and in those with body-image distortion or
those who have experienced a traumatic childhood event. Most of the data from
parapsychology has been difficult to validate. Research done while individuals are
experiencing an OBE shows lower EEG frequency, suggesting low arousal, and high theta
and delta and low alpha levels, more like stage 3 sleep. Causation is not clear and might be
due to temporal lobe pathways, sensory-based reality perception, or somatic perception
based on attenuated sensorium.
Chapter 7 considers ESP and psi-related experiences such as telepathy, clairvoyance,
precognition, and psychokinesis. Although popular, these topics are based on ―personally
significant and usually compelling‖ experiences that are difficult to research. Psi phenomena
can be an intuitive impression, realistic as in dreams and visual imagery unrealistic as in
fantasy or hallucinatory, with feelings of anxiety, euphoria, or depression. Possible
contributing or causative factors for such experiences include high drive state dissociative
tendency mental disorder (brief psychosis, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) or schizotypal
personality temporal lobe activity meditative state and high hypnotizability. Psi
experiences can be positive cognitively and affectively, but they are also open to
misinterpretation by the subject and the researcher or therapist. And meta-analysis of data
has not been helpful.
Alien abduction experiences (AAE) are the subject of Chapter 8. While an AAE is a rare
individual experience, research on hundreds of cases suggests common elements such as
capture, examination, sometimes a UFO tour and communication involving spiritual topics
(theophany), and re-entry aftereffects. Also reported is a sense of missing time, slowed
response or partial paralysis, and even impregnation and alien births. The authors conclude
that AAEs are ―dynamic, elaborate involved experiences rich in contextual detail with
considerable perceptual, psychological, cognitive, and physical concomitants.‖ There are
also cross-cultural variables. Hypnosis and hypnagogic sleep research has duplicated many
AAE features. Researchers differ on their views of AAE susceptibility in fantasy-prone,
imaginative, hypnotizable, or mentally disturbed persons. There is insufficient evidence to
support any of the explanatory hypotheses for AAEs.
Chapter 9 examines past-life experiences (PLE), ―experiences or impressions of oneself … in
a previous time or life.‖ The focus in this chapter is on spontaneous and experimentally
induced PLEs, and the material omits those PLEs coincident with hypnosis that could involve
suggestion or cryptamnesia. PLEs occur more frequently in those who believe in
reincarnation. Most research is limited to one source (Stevenson), and independent
replication is needed to confirm any of several explanations, ranging from reincarnation to
ESP and socio-cultural interpretation. Interviewer effect, fantasy, chance, and
hypnotizability need to be further studied, and with a valid rating system.
Near-death experiences (NDEs), ―profound psychological events with transcendental and
mystical elements,‖ are the subject of Chapter 10. According to the material presented
here, many individuals who have had an NDE see a brilliant white light as if through a
tunnel. Others see and speak with deceased persons. These phenomena occur in about one-
third of near-death or severe stress situations. Such experiences often alter the ―experient‘s
attitudes, beliefs, and values.‖ Common aftereffects on those who have experienced NDEs
are increased spirituality, sense of mission or destiny, social concern, appreciation of life,
and a decrease in death anxiety and materialism. There are many explanations and no
dreaming is a cognitive skill, or a function of sensory and/or self-awareness in a highly
activated brain. Tibetan Buddhist dream theory is cited, in which the awake state is as
illusory as dreaming and is a way of attaining higher consciousness.
Chapter 6 reviews out-of-body experiences (OBEs), in which one perceives being outside of
the body. OBEs have been reported in fantasy-prone or imaginative people, schizophrenics,
the hypnotizable, as a side effect to street drugs, and in those with body-image distortion or
those who have experienced a traumatic childhood event. Most of the data from
parapsychology has been difficult to validate. Research done while individuals are
experiencing an OBE shows lower EEG frequency, suggesting low arousal, and high theta
and delta and low alpha levels, more like stage 3 sleep. Causation is not clear and might be
due to temporal lobe pathways, sensory-based reality perception, or somatic perception
based on attenuated sensorium.
Chapter 7 considers ESP and psi-related experiences such as telepathy, clairvoyance,
precognition, and psychokinesis. Although popular, these topics are based on ―personally
significant and usually compelling‖ experiences that are difficult to research. Psi phenomena
can be an intuitive impression, realistic as in dreams and visual imagery unrealistic as in
fantasy or hallucinatory, with feelings of anxiety, euphoria, or depression. Possible
contributing or causative factors for such experiences include high drive state dissociative
tendency mental disorder (brief psychosis, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) or schizotypal
personality temporal lobe activity meditative state and high hypnotizability. Psi
experiences can be positive cognitively and affectively, but they are also open to
misinterpretation by the subject and the researcher or therapist. And meta-analysis of data
has not been helpful.
Alien abduction experiences (AAE) are the subject of Chapter 8. While an AAE is a rare
individual experience, research on hundreds of cases suggests common elements such as
capture, examination, sometimes a UFO tour and communication involving spiritual topics
(theophany), and re-entry aftereffects. Also reported is a sense of missing time, slowed
response or partial paralysis, and even impregnation and alien births. The authors conclude
that AAEs are ―dynamic, elaborate involved experiences rich in contextual detail with
considerable perceptual, psychological, cognitive, and physical concomitants.‖ There are
also cross-cultural variables. Hypnosis and hypnagogic sleep research has duplicated many
AAE features. Researchers differ on their views of AAE susceptibility in fantasy-prone,
imaginative, hypnotizable, or mentally disturbed persons. There is insufficient evidence to
support any of the explanatory hypotheses for AAEs.
Chapter 9 examines past-life experiences (PLE), ―experiences or impressions of oneself … in
a previous time or life.‖ The focus in this chapter is on spontaneous and experimentally
induced PLEs, and the material omits those PLEs coincident with hypnosis that could involve
suggestion or cryptamnesia. PLEs occur more frequently in those who believe in
reincarnation. Most research is limited to one source (Stevenson), and independent
replication is needed to confirm any of several explanations, ranging from reincarnation to
ESP and socio-cultural interpretation. Interviewer effect, fantasy, chance, and
hypnotizability need to be further studied, and with a valid rating system.
Near-death experiences (NDEs), ―profound psychological events with transcendental and
mystical elements,‖ are the subject of Chapter 10. According to the material presented
here, many individuals who have had an NDE see a brilliant white light as if through a
tunnel. Others see and speak with deceased persons. These phenomena occur in about one-
third of near-death or severe stress situations. Such experiences often alter the ―experient‘s
attitudes, beliefs, and values.‖ Common aftereffects on those who have experienced NDEs
are increased spirituality, sense of mission or destiny, social concern, appreciation of life,
and a decrease in death anxiety and materialism. There are many explanations and no
