Experience description:

I was about midway through a two week leave from Iraq. My best friend and myself, whom I consider my brother, were outside of his apartment, hiding from the rain. We started a conversation taking the things I had learned since I had joined the military and the things he had learned since I had left, and we were comparing notes. I started getting into my zone where I'm describing everything going on and we decided to go for a walk. we walked and talked for about 10 hours straight with me telling him things and him helping me to lead my thoughts through their usual jumble that he helps me with. By about 7 in the morning we had walked all over the township and had found ourselves outside of the town elementary school where we sat under a pavilion to rest for a bit. The conversation was coming to a lull and he was telling me how thankful he was to have someone in his life that he could talk to like this because no one else understood the things we talk about, and as he was telling me I felt my eyesight rise out of myself, he was still looking straight ahead but he was looking at my chest and then at my stomach. I thought my entire body was hovering about 2 feet in the air, and then when I realized what was actually happening I came back into my body very quickly, I guess I had been holding my breath because I started breathing very heavily and he asked me what was wrong. I explained what had happened and he told me to never forget it.

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No      

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          No      

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           fully awake, after spiritually venting for many hours, I felt very clean on the inside of myself, very much more open and aware and compassionate than usual.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   no, I really thought my actual body had lifted up

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes     it was just my vision, but there was no recognition of it until I realized what was going on

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            it didn't change until I realized what was happening

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           no

LOCATION DESCRIPTION:  Did you recognize any familiar locations or any locations from familiar religious teachings or encounter any locations inhabited by incredible or amazing creatures?    No           

Did you see a light?           No      

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No      

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state? No      

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes     I heard my friend talking the whole time, I could recall everything he said while it was happening

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?          Yes     the only thing that really changed was my line of sight, it was much higher than my eyes actually were, otherwise I still heard, but didn't pay attention to the other senses

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No      

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    No      

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             No       if I hadn't realized what was happening I don't know how far I could've gotten from my body

Did you become aware of future events?       No      

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       Yes     the realization of what was happening, I felt as though no attachment to the physical, it was all an illusion, it only had purpose in relation to actions and choices and the relationships with others. love, happiness, acceptance and trust

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         No      

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes     that my soul could separate from my body if I no longer felt a need for it, but I need it to do what I am meant to do in life

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       I told some people at work, and I was mocked, but I understood that if I HEARD someone say a thing like that it would be hard to believe also, in our society u have to experience it yourself to believe it

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         Yes     just no more spiritual experiences, or miracles, or mental anomalies, don't know what they were, but they are gone since the OBE

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     my best friend told me to cherish it, but not to worship it, my mother believed me, she said it happened to her at my birth, and everyone else mocks me

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  amusement, wonderment, spiritual cleanliness, connection, love, purpose

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      best-being shown more of the amazing things we are capable of as sentient creatures