Mind & Body

This category contains articles that treat consciousness in relation to the body. Major topics covered include healing and psychotherapy; dreams and dreaming; and out-of-body experiences, end-of-life experiences, and near-death experiences, all of which suggest that consciousness may have an existence independent of the physical body.

Altered States of Consciousness

Altered States of Consciousness and Psi

Altered states of consciousness have long been known to be associated with psi experiences.


William Bengston

American sociologist and practitioner of ‘energy healing’ (1950–2025) who engaged in successful laboratory tests.

photo of Alex Malarkey

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven (recanted NDE)

Best-selling American book describing the near-death experience of a 6-year-old child.

photograph of painting by Gabriel von Max, the Seeress of Prevorst (1892)

Ernesto Bozzano’s ‘Phénomènes Psychiques au Moment de la Mort’ (Psychic Phenomena at the Moment of Death)

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photo of Morton Prince

Christine Beauchamp

Noted case of dissociative identity (multiple personality) disorder reported by American psychologist Morton Prince in 1906.

clinical parapsychology 2

Clinical Parapsychology

Therapeutic approach that aims to provide support for people disturbed by anomalous event experiences.

crookall

Robert Crookall

English geologist (1890-1981) who promoted out-of-body experiences as evidence of ‘astral projection’ and postmortem survival.

Obstetrician Florence Elizabeth Barrett, whose observations of dying women seeing visions were recorded by her husband William Barrett

Deathbed Visions Research

Describes research into the phenomenon of deathbed visions by psi investigators Karlis Osis and Erlendur Haraldsson.

Distressing near-death experiences

Distressing Near-Death Experience

Although most reported near-death experiences (NDEs) are pleasant, almost one in five are disturbing.

photograph: laboratory mice are sometimes used to study the effect of distant mental interactions with living organisms

Healing at a Distance (DMILS Research)

Since the 1980s, parapsychologists have studied distant mental interactions with living systems (DMILS).

Illustration from The Phenomena of Astral Projection by Muldoon & Carrington (1951)

Does Something Leave the Body? (OBE Historical Perspectives)

Discusses early ‘projection’ theories of the out-of-body experience.

image of young girl with divided personality

Doris Fischer

Notable early twentieth century American case of dissociative identity disorder, reported in detail by Walter Franklin Prince, who helped cure her.

Dreams and ESP

Dream ESP Reports (list)

Summaries of reports, surveys and analyses of dream ESP in the SPR archives from 1889 to 1998.

Asclepieion at Epidaurus, which contains inscribed descriptions of cures attributed to the healing powers of Apollo and Asclepius.

Dream Incubation

Dream incubation is the modern term applied to dreaming for purposes of problem solving, healing and divination.

Dreams and ESP

Dreams and ESP

Describes the study of psi in dreams, notably of telepathic interactions and precognition of future events.


Eben Alexander

Near-death experience described by an American neurosurgeon that attracted media attention and controversy.

Harry Edwards2

Harry Edwards

Celebrated British spiritual healer of the mid-twentieth century, who engaged in vigorous controversy with religious and medical critics.

photo of Allan L Botkin

Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) Therapy

Therapy thought to bring relief by facilitating visions of deceased loved ones.

photograph of Bernadette Soubirous

Lourdes Cures

Healing powers attributed to the shrine of Lourdes are said to have brought about cures for many debilitating diseases.

lucid dreaming

Lucid Dreaming

This article surveys research on dreams in which the dreamer is aware of being in a dream and sometimes can control the dream.

Maimonides Medical Centre, New York

Maimonides Dream Telepathy Research

This article describes ESP dreaming experiments carried out in a New York sleep laboratory.

detail from Paradise: Ascent of the Blessed, by Hieronymus Bosch

Medieval Near-Death Experiences

Accounts of visionary episodes found in Medieval writings are both similar to and different from modern NDE accounts.

sylvan muldoon

Sylvan Muldoon

American man (1903–1969) who wrote about his out-of-body experiences, which occurred throughout his life, and which he was able to control.

Tunnel in Near-Death Experience

Near-Death Experience (Overview)

Anomalous mental events reported by people who have survived a near-fatal accident or illness.

Pam Reynolds

Near-Death Experiences – Paranormal Aspects

List of NDEs with confirmed clairvoyance and other paranormality.

The French philosopher Émile Boirac was a leading representative of the neo-mesmeric movement

Neo-Mesmeric Movement

Modern version of early hypnotism, or animal magnetism, which attributed trance states to physical agents.

out-of-body experience

Out-of-Body Experience (OBE)

Reviews research on OBEs, the sense of having separated from the body and of viewing it from the outside.

photograph of Pam Reynolds

Pam Reynolds (Near-Death Experience)

This near-death experience of an American woman is regarded as especially significant..

photograph of Sylvan Muldoon, author of books on 'astral projection'

The Phenomena of Astral Projection (1951)

Classic study of OBEs, described in the context of the occult idea of 'astral projection'.


Phenomena Related to Danger, Death, and Bereavement

Anomalous mental phenomena may be triggered by emotional crises.

spiritual healing

Psi Healing Research

This article assesses the quality and outcomes of research into various forms of complementary and alternative medicine.

psychedelic 2

Psychedelics and Psi

A gradual easing of restrictions means that psi research with psychedelics, once prevalent, could soon resume.

photograph of Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalysis and Psi

Psychoanalysts often report instances of telepathy and precognition occurring between patient and practitioner.

image of black crystal ball

Psychomanteum (Mirror-Gazing)

Describes explorations by Raymond Moody with a mirror-gazing technique for therapeutic purposes.

St. Joseph of Cupertino is lifted in flight at the sight of the Basilica of Loreto, by Ludovico Mazzanti  (detail)

Religious Levitation

Reports of individuals being seen, spontaneously and involuntarily, to rise into the air and remain suspended

photograph of James Hyslop (1854-1920), one of the first to refer to spirit obsession in a therapeutic context

Spirit Release Therapy

This article describes a clinical treatment used with patients who appear to be ‘possessed’ by harmful spirit entities.

Alzheimer's patient

Terminal Lucidity

Persons with long-term dementia and other severe neurological disorders may return to mental clarity shortly before they die.

still image of Puck frrom the 2017 TV film A Midsummer's Nightmare

Thoughtforms

Describes the concept of an entity created directly and exclusively by the mind, whether unconsciously or consciously.

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