I have heard stories of people who have had near-death experiences going through out-of-body experiences (OBEs) simultaneously and although it's inconceivable in my mind, since I cannot imagine how that would work, except when it's being reenacted or visualized on film or the screen.
Oftentimes, we imagine some immaterial part of ourselves, the soul, coming out of the physical body and becoming separate for a time, giving it the ability to perceive the surrounding area as if from a third-person perspective. And, usually, these types of experiences are described as somewhat spiritual, both in the literal and the metaphorical sense, in that, people who have gone through them have reported to have undergone changes in their outlook in life or even worldview.
A team of researchers, led by neuroscientist Marine Weiler from the University of Virginia, have looked into studies regarding OBEs, and have gathered that many people who have had OBEs have an increased sense of empathy toward others, which can be connected to this process of ego dissolution or ego death, in which a person's sense of self gives way to a feeling of interconnectedness with others, and in particular, those around them.
I would imagine that anybody who has had a near-death experience would definitely consider that a life-changing experience, as they would feel that they had been given a second chance at life. But perhaps the added bonus of having an out-of-body experience in that moment might have given them a profound realization of how precious life is, and being able to look at other people without their being conscious of one's presence, thereby shedding the pretenses and showing their vulnerability must have been an eye-opener for these people.
In any case, the researchers conducting the survey suggested that the reason why people are experiencing increased levels of empathy after going through OBEs might be due to the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) in the brain which helps us in information processing and perception.
The researchers also point out the fact that the TPJ is tied to the ego as this part also handles the processing of self-reflection and internal narratives about ourselves, which can get disrupted when a person is having an OBE. For future research, the team wants to explore OBEs either by using virtual reality or having participants who can induce OBEs on demand, so that they can find out methods on how to enhance empathy.
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