This work breaks new ground by assembling in one volume diverse information about nine frequently experienced, altered states of awareness. Many of these states, such as those involving near-death and out-of-body experiences, have gained increased attention in recent years. Other states are more commonplace, such as sleepwalking, amnesia, anesthesia, or deja vu. All altered states may be disruptive to society, as they tend to interfere with the social roles of individuals. If the shared assumptions upon which society operates are too frequently flaunted as a result of such states, chaos...