Scientists at the University of Southampton conducted a four-year study of more than 2,000 patients who had suffered cardiac arrests in different hospitals in the US, UK and Austria. The study concluded:
· 40% of patients recalled awareness while they were clinically dead
· One in five o f the above group felt they had a unusual sense of peacefulness
· One-third stated that they felt that time either sped up or slowed down
· Several patients recalled seeing a bright or golden light
· 13% felt separated from their bodies
· 13% felt their senses were heightened
· One man recalled leaving his body entirely, watching his resuscitation from the corner of the room. He was 'dead' for three minutes yet managed to recount detailed actions of the nursing staff and the sound of the machines.
The study was led by Dr. Sam Parnia, a world-renowned expert on the study of the human mind and consciousness during clinical death, together with Dr Peter Fenwick and Professors Stephen Holgate and Robert Peveler of the University of Southampton. “The remarkable point about these experiences,” according to Dr. Parnia, “is that while studies of the brain during cardiac arrest have consistently shown that there is no measurable brain activity, these subjects have reported detailed perceptions that indicate the contrary—namely, a high level of consciousness in the absence of detectable brain activity. If we can objectively verify these claims, the results would bear profound implications not only for the scientific community, but for the way in which we understand and relate to life and death as a society.”
Dr Parnia further stated: 'Contrary to perception, death is not a specific moment but a potentially reversible process that occurs after any severe illness or accident causes the heart, lungs and brain to cease functioning.
'If attempts are made to reverse this process, it is referred to as 'cardiac arrest'; however, if these attempts do not succeed it is called 'death.
'In this study we wanted to go beyond the emotionally charged yet poorly defined term of near death experiences to explore objectively what happens when we die.
'While it was not possible to absolutely prove the reality or meaning of patients’ experiences and claims of awareness, (due to the very low incidence - two per cent - of explicit recall of visual awareness or so called out of body experiences), it was impossible to disclaim them either and more work is needed in this area.
'Clearly, the recalled experience surrounding death now merits further genuine investigation without prejudice.'
Skeptics argue that emotions get in the way of facts when NDE patients report their experiences. The man who watched his own resuscitation in the University of Southampton study recalling specific events and timings, throw significant doubts on the skeptics argument. Science is always a work in progress and theories are continually changing. Many ancient philosophies have understood a lot more about levels of consciousness and science is now starting to concur with some of the ancient findings through researching areas like NDE.