What happens when we die?
A number of recent scientific studies carried out by independent researchers have demonstrated that 10-20 per cent of people who go through cardiac arrest and clinical death report lucid, well structured thought processes, reasoning, memories and sometimes detailed recall of events during their encounter with death.
Here is more on the World's Largest-Ever Study of Near Death Experiences. This is interesting stuff:
“Contrary to popular perception,” Dr Parnia explains, “death is not a specific moment. It is a process that begins when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working and the brain ceases functioning – a medical condition termed cardiac arrest, which from a biological viewpoint is synonymous with clinical death.
“During a cardiac arrest, all three criteria of death are present. There then follows a period of time, which may last from a few seconds to an hour or more, in which emergency medical efforts may succeed in restarting the heart and reversing the dying process. What people experience during this period of cardiac arrest provides a unique window of understanding into what we are all likely to experience during the dying process.”
During the AWARE study, doctors will use sophisticated technology to study the brain and consciousness during cardiac arrest. At the same time, they will test the validity of out of body experiences and claims of being able to ‘see’ and ‘hear’ during cardiac arrest.
It''s a soul thing.
I just read a medical article from US News & World Report entitled, "Near-Death Experiences: What Really Happens?" Essentially scientists want "to study what really happens to the brain and consciousness when someone is on the verge of dying," since they have observed that "many reports of near-death experiences sound the same: a welcoming white light and a replay of memories."
"Previous research suggests about 10 to 20 percent of people who live through cardiac arrest report lucid, well-structured thought processes, reasoning, memories and sometimes detailed recall of events during their encounter with death."
The scientists "want to find out what happens to the brain when a person's body has started to shut down, whether it is possible for people to see and hear during cardiac arrest, and what's going on during out of body experiences."
"The launch of the AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation) study was announced at an international symposium at the United Nations Sept. 11."
You know, I think most people would find all this well and good -- but I find it to be, well, actually kind of embarrassing. These smart scientists are up there in front of an international audience of other intelligent UN officials announcing this new research project -- whose answer is so simple and obvious from a spiritual perspective. AWARE researchers, I'll save you a lot of time and expense -- it's a soul thing. It's a person's soul, not their brain, that carries their consciousness. And it's the soul that has the out of body experiences. And it's the soul that holds the memories. You know why? Hold on to your socks -- because we come back and reincarnate again and again. Yes, it's true. And so we need those memories because they are our lessons on this extended journey called Life. I know that most people in the Western hemisphere think we have this one chance at life and then it's over, but that's just not the case. We get to come back again and again and again and again….until we finally figure out why we are here -- which is exactly what we teach at the Centers of Light.
Link to It's a Soul Thing Blog/Centers of Light: http://sites.google.com/a/centersoflight.org/milwaukee/our-community-blog/its-a-soul-thing
Read the full article here: http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/medical-science/2008/09/12/near-death-experiences-what-really-happens.html