The out-of-body experience (OBE) isn’t anything new, it's been reported throughout all of human history, in vastly distinct cultures. Although these cultures interpreted in their own unique way, giving it different names—the basic experience is strikingly similar.
Australian Aborigines (~65,000 ya)
In his book, “Aboriginal Men of High Degree,” Dr. Adolphus Peter Elkin, an anthropologist from Sydney University—based on fieldwork experience in several parts of Australia—reports that Australian Aboriginal shamans (karadji), also known as “clever men,” or “medicine men,” have a secret tradition of training to develop and utilize “occult” “super-sensory” powers.
“They also possess, in many cases, occult powers: they can commune with the dead [mediumship]; they see spirits fly through the air and do the same themselves [out-of-body experience]; they go up to the sky; they practice telepathy and mass hypnotism; and they gain knowledge by psychic means of what occurs at a distance [extrasensory perception]. Such are the claims and beliefs.” - Dr. Adolphus Peter Elkin (Elkin, 1994, p. xxv)
One of these “occult powers,” sounds strikingly similar to OBEs. These shamans claim that while their physical body is falling asleep, or in a trance, they’re able to “hum” or “think” their spirit out, then have it travel to distant locations in order to perceive what's occurring there. This “spirit” is even said to “travel through the air on a cord (projected from their own bodies).” Which sounds like the modern-day “line of life.” Fascinatingly, they also claim to use this spirit to help their tribe, by gaining information about distant locations.
“In many tribes, especially in southeast Australia, medicine men “can fly” through space and see what is occurring elsewhere. They might produce magical cord or familiars and travel on or in them, or they might pass through the air with-out such accessories. Normally, however, their bodies do not take part in these journeys; only their spirits do. Indeed, their bodies are sometimes asleep . . . Among the Wiradjuri (New South Wales), when the doctor lay down to rest, he would send his familiars (assistant totem) to other camps, irrespective of distance, to gain information of advantage to his own group. To do this, he would have to sing or “hum” or “think” his spirit out. He would often do this as he was dropping off to sleep. It has to be remembered that the distinction between the mind of the spirit-familiar and of the medicine man was only logical. The mind of one was the mind of the other. The spirit-familiar was an externalization of the man’s spirit.” - Dr. Adolphus Peter Elkin (Australian Anthropologist, “Aboriginal Men of High Degree.”)
Keep in mind that Australian Aboriginal tribes are literally the oldest continuing human culture, going back 70,000 yrs. So, if this “secret tradition” goes back even 1/4 of that time, then “out-of-body experience” has more than just DEEP historical roots! They’re much older than recorded history! (recorded history begins ~5,000 yrs ago in Sumeria & Egypt).
Ancient Egyptians (~4,500 ya)
The Egyptians had the concept of “ka,” a “double of the body” that has all the same attributes of the physical body, but which separates from the body at death, hovers about the tomb, and can even exist in the Egyptian after-life realms. One big difference though is this “spiritual double” is believed to require food—that’s why the Egyptians left offerings for it inside their tombs.
Hinduism (~2,500 ya)
The Hindus have the idea of various bodies—such as the “gross body” (physical body) and the “subtle body” (astral body) called “Sukshma Sarira.” This subtle body is said to be similar to the physical body, in that it has limbs and sense organs—although it is made of a more subtle energy. This subtle body also separates from the gross body upon death, and allows the soul to transmigrate across realms for reincarnation.
“Just as a caterpillar, having reached the end of one blade of grass, draws itself together and reaches out for the next, so does the Self, having discarded the body, draw itself together and move on to the next." - The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.3)
Buddhism (~2,200 ya)
The Theravada Buddhists describe a “mind-made-body” (mano-maya kāya), which can be created after attaining the fourth state of meditative absorption in Buddhism (the fourth jhana). Although its interpretations vary, this body is described as being made from the mind, but having “form” like the physical body, and even limbs and functioning senses.
“With mind integrated, purified and cleansed, unblemished, corruptionless, malleable, workable, firm, and steadfast, he turns his thought and applies it to the magical creation of a mind-made body . . another body, possessing form, mind-made, complete in limbs and with functioning senses.” - Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of Contemplative Life DN. i. 77
The way this “mind-made body” comes out of the physical body is compared to a sword being pulled from its sheath, or a reed of grass pulled from its outer casing. Although interpretations vary, this “mind-made-body” might refer to the astral body, since a couple verses after its mention, the text says one gains “supernormal powers,” like flying, moving through solid matter such as “walls,” and “mountains,” and inside “the earth,” as well as traveling to “the sun and moon.” It is also said this body can travel to and influence the after-life realms.
“He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds [some of Buddhist after-life realms].” - Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life
Furthermore, some of these Buddhist after-life realms also mirror those reported in OBEs. For example, the “realm of hungry ghosts” (peta loka) mirrors the frequently reported “lower astral plane,” which is full of people that recently died, but who are still too attached to the physical plane. So, they roam around it, usually searching for their old physical pleasures and old life (eg. drugs, sex, one’s old work and family.)
Sources
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Pallis, C.A. (2025, May 1). death. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/death. Accessed May 2, 2025.
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Malaspinas, AS., Westaway, M., Muller, C. et al. (2016). A genomic history of Aboriginal Australia. Nature 538, 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18299.
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Steiger, B., & Steiger, S. H. (Eds.). (2003). Extrasensory perception (ESP) researchers. In The Gale encyclopedia of the unusual and unexplained (Vol. 3). Gale. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://omnilogos.com/extrasensory-perception-esp-researchers/.