In 1955 a law was passed in India to prevent Yogi known as a sadhu, from burying themselves in the ground alive. This intervention came about after a number of sadhu, who upon retrieval, had been found to be largely eaten by white ants while in the earth.
You see the sadhu had the ability to put themselves into a death-like state and then return to life non the worse for wear, at a later time. During this exercise they would be buried in the ground just like a corpse and would leave instruction as to when they should be exumed from their grave so that they may re-awaken.
There are few notable stories of people known to have accomplished the feat of being buried for a lengthy time and returned with no ill effect. This is sometimes refered to as 'suspended animation'. One such fellow lived in the 1800s and went by the name of Haridas and was witnessed by a government minister called Raja Dhyan Singh in one of his demonstrations. The minister brought Haridas to the attention of the Mahrarja of Lahore who, intrigued by the story demanded a demonstration himself. Haridas obliged. The Maharaja had a grave of stone made for the event, put his personal seal on the linen bag which enclosd Haridas body and placed him in padlocked chest. As further measures to counteract any trickery once buried the Maharja planted barley over the top of the grave and assigned a company of 4 soldiers to gaurd the grave day and night.
Haridas was to be buried for ten months and his internment and exumation was witnessed also by the French General Ventura and Captain Wade. Also present at the preparations before the burial and at the grave side were several British Officers, the British political agent at Lodhiana and the principle Sihk chiefs.
On examination by doctors before his burial it was discovered Haridas had cut the tissue under his tongue. This was so that it could be flung back into the throat to plug the wind pipe. Haridas would also plug his ears and nostrels for the procedure. This blocking of the ears and airways was to prevent any bacteria entering the body that might infect the internal organs during the ten months underground. It also shows that evidently there would be no breathing taking place during the suspended animation.
Despite the Maharajas precautions so far he ordered that Haridas be exumed three times during the ten month period so that he may see that he was in fact in the grave and he was each time, his still body displaying no sign of decomposing.
On his final unearthing Haridas was again examined by doctors who found no sign of life apart from a warmth about the head, but no pulse. Haridas' servants then performed their process of revival which included a hot bath and anointing of the eyes and tongue. Haridas slowly came to consciousness and recognised those present. This feat made Haridas a rich man thanks to the Maharaja's appreciation.
Another tale of intrigue is of the sadhu who was discovered by construction workers in the 17th century. While digging a drainage ditch they disturbed his grave and brought him upto the surface after noticing that he was fully preserved although obviously in a grave of some age. Once sunlight hit his body the sadu stirred into life. After a few moments the sadhu was conscious and declared he had been buried for 100 years. Now there's one way to time travel.
For your piece of mind I should say that no one prone to sleep paralysis is likley to fall into 'suspended animation' unwittingly. It takes the sadhu decades of training to be able to accomplish this state.
