Out-of-Body Experiences, A Soul’s Journey to Meet Another Self

In this paper, I would like to write an anthropology of altered states of consciousness, namely to question of the dynamic and content – which makes subjectivity – of such experiences. To do this, I review narratives and perceptions of the body during spiritual experiences (ritual or spontaneous) such as: 1. possession and psychedelic trips, at Peru, Cusco region (in urban areas) and among Awajun, a Jivaro linguistic family; 2. Out-of-body experiences from “modernity” European. These experiences are characterized by the lucid feeling to see in a distance vision their body and its surroundings, which range from what I call another self or a subjectivity which feels itself as such. There is not denial and derealization, but recognition of the body, unlike psychopathological experiences in which the absence creates delusions. As consequence, the experiences are conceived as true by people. Furthermore, they allow a relationship characterized by a verbal exchange - possession or spiritual encounter – and the acquisition of knowledge that can be used for therapeutic purposes or witchcraft, divination and initiation.