Malvern U3A

GRP CONS1 Consciousness Discussion

Consciousness Discussion

Status: Active - Open to new members

We meet on the 2nd Tuesday from 14.30-16.30.

Venue: Malvern Cube Community Centre - WR14 2YH - Click here for further details

Inactive: Bank Holidays.

This is a group discussing consciousness and near-death experiences. I hope that the group will provide a forum where people can talk about their experiences and their beliefs to an accepting audience.

  • In September we meet on the 9th in the Orange room. We shall focus on Near Death Experiences. Please watch Pim van Lommel's interview on Thanatos TV called "Yes, There is Consciousness After Death!" found at:  https://youtu.be/pVlgzjpTwxo?si=lGM1s9UKhNJz55rM

References for Consciousness Studies

Please note that these references are not a reading list.  Just dip in according to your interests and preferences.

Links 

Interview with David Lorimer about Near Death Experiences.  

https://youtu.be/kLZdq7PcusM?si=Yv6PNSuSdFvgga4Z

Books

Consciousness Beyond Life by Dr Pim van Lommel

Life after Life by Dr Raymond Moody (The original book on Near-death experiences)

On Death and Dying by Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 

At Heaven’s Door by William J. Peters (About Shared Death Experiences)

The Art of Dying by Peter Fenwick and Elizabeth Fenwick

Book suggestions from Tim Naylor:

The Feeling of Life Itself (why consciousness is widespread but can’t be computed) by Christof Koch.  MIT Press

Living on Earth (Life, consciousness and the making of the natural world) by Peter Godfrey-Smith.  William Collins

Metazoa: Animal Minds and the birth of Consciousness. By Peter Godfrey-Smith.  William Collins

Irreducible ( Consciousness, life, computers and human nature) by Federico Faggin.  Essentia, Winchester UK

Being You: A New Science of Consciousness is a 2021 book by neuroscientist Anil Seth published by Faber and Faber

Web sites

Shared Death Experiences - www.shared crossing.com

William Peters launched the Shared Crossing Project in 2011, documenting and exploring the experiences of people during the death of a loved one.

New Thinking Allowed - www.newthinkingallowed.org

Psychologist Jeffrey Mishlove interviews many guests about the leading edge of knowledge. 

YouTube Videos

Anthony Chene productions have many interviews with people about their near-death experiences and the efftects on their life. The questions appear as text on the screen so the only voice you hear is that of the interviewee.

Jeffrey Mishlove conducts many in person (or over the internet) interviews. His channel, New Thinking Allowed, features content about philosophy, psychology, science and spirituality - with an emphasis on parapsychology.

Addition 10th June 2025

Dr Mayim Bialik interviews Dr Bruce Greyson:

https://youtu.be/94DiIktpYV8?si=IO7zLdP91i7ozfPF

Dr Bruce Greyson again, in discussion with a Buddhist, Polly Young Eisendrath.

https://youtu.be/fnG0oQ0Q0C0?si=BalfgyTS2CGHgtj8

Watching the above was the homework for July 8th.

Additions 5th August

Alan has suggested a trilogy of books by Peter Godfrey-Smith, ending wiith "Living on Earth"

Keith Parsons has produced a series of videos, this is a link to the first one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5RpbveVC_4&list=PLLB-82YMhiPFPKSm2Ke69aK0DKTftpvo0&index=1&t=69s

I was impressed by another YouTube interview. This one ends with a discussion of 'hellish' NDEs and what to do if you get one.  About 10% of NDE reporters mention one of these and they do not reflect the sort of life that has been led.  

https://youtu.be/m-9o5aFAqrI?si=YkM-kiJwc-H4cwCA

Keith has provided these links to articles at The Conversation:

https://theconversation.com/science-as-we-know-it-cant-explain-consciousness-but-a-revolution-is-coming-126143

https://theconversation.com/spiritual-science-how-a-new-perspective-on-consciousness-could-help-us-understand-ourselves-116451

https://theconversation.com/what-if-consciousness-is-not-what-drives-the-human-mind-86785

https://theconversation.com/consciousness-why-a-leading-theory-has-been-branded-pseudoscience-214214

https://theconversation.com/consciousness-how-the-brain-chemical-dopamine-plays-a-key-role-new-research-165498

https://theconversation.com/topics/consciousness-1923

https://theconversation.com/nobody-knows-how-consciousness-works-but-top-researchers-are-fighting-over-which-theories-are-really-science-214074

https://theconversation.com/how-consciousness-may-rely-on-brain-cells-acting-collectively-new-psychedelics-research-on-rats-211685

https://theconversation.com/how-does-consciousness-work-duelling-scientists-tested-two-big-theories-but-found-no-winner-255610

https://theconversation.com/the-mystery-of-consciousness-shows-there-may-be-a-limit-to-what-science-alone-can-achieve-225034

 


Group Leaders

To contact any of the group leaders shown below simply click on their name.
Leader: Shabra Dowson