Other writings
(updated 9/27/09)

A slide presentation overview of our current theory of the self-conscious mind, presented at the 2009 IANDS Conference in San Diego, CA, October 16-17. Color slides (PDF, 10.7 MB, 19 slides) and hand outs (PDF, 5 MB, 10 pages).

A slide presentation summarizing our current theory of the self-conscious mind, presented at the local IANDS NDE support group and revised on April 18, 2009. (PDF, 17.4 MB, 44 slides)

• Slides 1-11: what are NDEs, continuity of consciousness in cardiac arrest, veridical perceptions in NDE-OBE, phenomenology of NDE-OBE, physical interaction in NDE-OBE, what is consciousness

• Slides 12-16: what do NDEs tell us about consciousness, evidence from NDEs, mind and body, mind versus body, union of mind and body

• Slides 17-28: seven principles of mind-brain operation: 

1. Brain electrical activity gives rise to consciousness
2. There is a process of “coming to awareness”
3. The mind follows the neural structures of the body
4. The “mind structure” maps to brain structures and functions
5. Cognitive function depends on brain structure
6. The mind plays an active role in brain development
7. Memory resides in the mind, not the brain

• Slide   29: a new paradigm with explanatory and predictive power

• Slides 30-32: explanation: Libet's paradox of delayed awareness of willed action

• Slides 33-42: prediction: new phantom limb phenomena (3 short video clips accompany this section). 

1. Slide 37: "Structure of the phantom fingers" (streaming video, 3 MB, 1'43)
2. Slide 39: "Phantom limb interaction 1" (streaming video, 2.2 MB, 1'46)
3. Slide 40: "Phantom limb interaction 2" (streaming video, 3.8 MB, 1'49)

PLEASE NOTE: These videos are copyrighted and are presented here to assist other researchers to analyze our research and provide comments. The videos and photographs are not to be copied, saved or republished without express written permission of the authors.

• Slide  43: summary: the self-conscious mind

• Slide  44: future work

Robert G. Mays, B.Sc., and Suzanne B. Mays

Regarding the AWARE study (AWAreness during REsuscitation) which will examine prospectively 1,500 survivors of cardiac arrest across 25 participating hospitals in Europe and North America for 36 to 60 months. The study organizers expect as many as 300 of the cardiac arrest survivors to report a near-death experience (NDE), of whom perhaps 30 to 60 patients will also report an out-of-body experience (OBE) with perceptions of the physical surroundings. We recommend that:

• the study include collection and detailed verification of all NDE OBE perceptions, using a prescribed investigative protocol (1) to establish where the patient was “located” in the room, how long the patient was “present” and where the patient’s “attention” was focused during the resuscitation, (2) to record and verify all aspects of  the patient’s perceptions during the OBE portion in detail, especially purely visual, idiosyncratic perceptions, including the hidden images, (3) to collect independent detailed accounts from other relevant witnesses, and (4) to collect ancillary evidence from NDErs and witnesses.

• the study focus verification on any idiosyncratic, purely visual perceptions that were out of the patient’s physical line of sight, but include all perceptions during the NDE OBE, since verified details of the perceived events of the resuscitation will help to establish when the perceptions occurred, which cannot be done from isolated reports of perceptions. This information can then be correlated with other information about the patient’s physiological condition.

(PDF, 49K, 4 pages)

These slides were presented to the staff of the Division of Perceptual Studies of the University of Virginia, Bruce Greyson, Division Director, on April 22, 2008. (PDF, 2.4 MB, 28 pages).

Robert G. Mays, B.Sc., and Suzanne B. Mays