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captures the electromagnetic waves coming from the spirit world. Once the waves reach the pineal gland, they bounce off the brain sand, sequestering the electromagnetic field and transmitting the information to the cerebral cortex for the interpretation of the Dr Kenneth Ring, then based at the University of Connecticut, and Sharon Cooper, then a PhD candidate from the University of New York, performed a two-year study of near-death experiences in the blind, with amazing results. These were published in their book Mindsight (1999), which provided strong evidence from 31 blind people who describe the experience of seeing for the first time in their lives, giving details of medical procedures on the operating table, for instance. Jeffrey Long, MD, an oncologist, directs the Near Death Experience Research Foundation (see website: http://www.nderf.org), which has collected more than 2,500 case studies worldwide of people who have had near-death experiences. Because Dr Long applies the scientific method in his research, we decided to contact him to find out more about his work. In our email interview with him in August 2011, he stated: "My area of expertise is in near-death experiences. NDEs provide, in my opinion, the strongest scientific evidence of life after death." In his book Evidence of the Afterlife. The Science of Near- Death Experiences (2010), Dr Long gives a summary of the nine lines of evidence that point to the reality of NDEs and their consistent message of an afterlife: 1. Crystal Clear Consciousness. The level of consciousness and alertness during near-death experiences is usually even greater than that experienced in everyday life, even though NDEs generally occur when a person is unconscious or clinically dead. This high level of consciousness while physically unconscious is medically inexplicable. Additionally, the elements in NDEs generally follow the same consistent and logical order in all age groups and message. In October 2010 in Valencia, Spain, I (Martfnez) conducted an interview with Dr Sérgio Felipe de Oliveira, who showed images from his magnetic resonance experiments and pointed out these differences in the level of brain sand in the pineal gland that are related to extrasensory abilities. Research into Near-Death Experiences near-death experiences. Because Dr Long applies the At King's College London there is a revolution going _ scientific method in his research, we decided to contact on in the world of thanatology, the scientific study of | him to find out more about his work. In our email death. The researcher, Peter Fenwick, MD, is performing interview with him in August 2011, he stated: "My area detailed experiments on the phenomenon that takes of expertise is in near-death experiences. NDEs provide, place between the 24 and 48 hours before and after in my opinion, the strongest scientific evidence of life death and also at the moment of death. He after death." concentrates on visions from people who were lying in In his book Evidence of the Afterlife. The Science of Near- bed and spoke with deceased family members who — Death Experiences (2010), Dr Long gives a summary of the came to receive them. He also investigates nine lines of evidence that point to the reality of NDEs coincidences involving deceased people who contacted and their consistent message of an afterlife: someone just to tell them that he/she has died. In 1. Crystal Clear Consciousness. The level of addition, he studies family members who saw shadows consciousness and alertness during near-death around the bed of the deceased and observed that the experiences is usually even greater than that room became a lot of brighter at the time of the person's experienced in everyday life, even though NDEs death. These occurrences happen in a very high generally occur when a person is unconscious or percentage of cases, he concludes. Dr Fenwick also clinically dead. This high level of consciousness while insists that the soul is different from the brain. physically unconscious is medically inexplicable. The term near-death experience (NDE) refers to a broad _ Additionally, the elements in NDEs generally follow the range of experiences associated with impending death. | same consistent and logical order in all age groups and These can encompass multiple possible sensations — including: detachment from the body; feelings of levitation, extreme fear, total serenity, security, warmth or absolute dissolution; and the presence of light. These phenomena are usually reported after an individual has been pronounced clinically dead and then comes back o life. These experiences suggest he existence of life after death. Since psychologist Raymond Moody, Jr, MD, wrote his book Life After Life (1975) and Elisabeth Kiibler- Ross, MD (the now-deceased eminent researcher who received a score of honorary doctorates from universities around the world) compiled hundreds of stunning testimonies and wrote some of the Dr Peter Fenwick is a neuropsychologist and neurophysiologist at King’s College . London and a consultant at the Institute of Psychiatry and the Maudsley Hospital. most powerful books concerning He is known for his studies of end-of-life phenomena, and is recognised as an NDEs, scientists have become very authority on the relationship between the mind and the brain. He and his wife attracted to this phenomenon. Elizabeth Fenwick are the co-authors of The Art of Dying(2008). or the APRIL - MAY 2012 NEXUS ¢ 43 www.nexusmagazine.com