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Division of Perceptual Studies

Public Lectures and Appearances by DOPS Faculty Researchers

Public Lectures, Presentations, and Special Appearances by DOPS Faculty Researchers

Please contact us at DOPS@virginia.edu if your academic institution, interest group or professional research organization would like to invite the faculty individually or collectively, to speak about their research.

Upcoming Special Events:

 

  • This event has been cancelled by the conference organizers.

October 21-25, 2020, San Jose, CA: Dr. Jim Tucker will present at the Science and Non-duality Conference, Hayes Mansion, San Jose California 200 Edenvale Ave, San Jose, CA 95136.

Consider attending the Science and Nonduality Conference (SAND) for a 5-day immersive experience with leading scientists, philosophers, artists and spiritual teachers.  The theme of this year’s gathering is centered around the Exploration of Birth and Death.   Register for the conference.

     Recent and Past Special Events:

Past Events 2020:

  • June, 13th, 2020, Webinar 4:30-6:00 EST. Dr. Bruce Greyson presented for the Seattle IANDS Anniversary Celebration. 

Bruce Greyson, M.D., is the Chester Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia.  He co-founded the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS), and served for many years on the Board of Directors, as IANDS’ President, Director of Research, and for 25 years, Editor of the Journal of Near-Death Studies. Bruce’s research has focused on the aftereffects of near-death experiences, and has resulted in more than 100 publications in academic medical journals.

He is the co-editor of The Near-Death Experience: Problems, Prospects, Perspectives (1984) and of The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences (2009), and author of After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal About Life and Beyond (scheduled for release March, 2021).

  • April 18, 2020, Princeton, New Jersey: Dr. Jim Tucker had intended to present a review of his research into children who remember previous lives at the International Consciousness Research Laboratories (ICRL) MEET-UP. 

This event will be rescheduled.  It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For more information please contact: International Consciousness Research Laboratories (ICRL)

Email: info@icrl.org

  • This event was cancelled due to the COVID-19  pandemic.

April 1 – 4, 2020, Porto, Portugal: Kim Penberthy PhD, was to present at the 13th BIAL FOUNDATION Symposium: “Behind and Beyond the Brain, The Mystery of Time”.

A description of Dr. Penberthy’s poster presentation for BIAL Grant Holders: 

In her poster presentation, Dr. Penberthy would have been presenting from her recently completely research project: “Meditators and Nonmeditators: A Descriptive Analysis Over Time with a Focus on Unusual and Extraordinary Experiences”.

This research project explores the impact of meditation upon extraordinary experiences. The abstract can be found below:

Background: Some research indicates that meditation increases mindfulness as well as paranormal experiences of precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, and synchronicities. There is limited knowledge about the frequency or impact of these experiences in meditators and the general population.
Aims: Aims were to assess frequency and impact of self-reported mindfulness, paranormal experiences and performance on psi tasks in two groups over time.
Method: We explored frequency of mindfulness, psi, and extraordinary experiences and abilities in those enrolled in a meditation program and those not meditating and the impact of such experiences or abilities.
Results: 118 participants completed the study. Those who engaged in a meditation practice (and scored higher on the mindfulness variables) reported higher levels of paranormal experiences (M = 1.48, SD = .18) than the control group (M = 1.81, SD = .15, p < .001). Additionally, the meditation group reported higher levels of meaning attributed to those experiences (M = 78.10, SD = 17.04) than the control group (M = 64.89, SD = 25.40, p = .002) at the end of the study.
Conclusions: The non-randomly selected group that received training in meditation demonstrated increased mindfulness scores over time and their mindfulness levels appears to be positively associated with higher levels of reported paranormal experiences both before and after the intervention, when compared to the control group. Performance on psi tasks did not improve in either group over time and these tasks may not be sensitive enough to detect significant changes.

 

Dr. Jim Tucker offered this free, online presentation as part of the AZIRE ParaMOOC lecture series.

“Survival of Death and Parapsychology” is the theme and focus of this year’s lecture series.  Students who enroll in the free online ParaMOOC course will have access to the course materials and the recordings of the live sessions at least until April of 2020. All of the substantive lectures will be published to the Parapsychology Foundation’s YouTube channel.

For information about how to register for the free PARAMOOC classes, please click here .

If you have questions, please contact the ParaMOOC organizer, Nancy Zingrone PhD, at nancy@theazire.org .

Past Events 2019:

  • November 15, 2019, Atlanta, GA: Marieta Pehlivanova PhD, presented at the American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences, (ACISTE) 2019 Conference.

During the Main Session, Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD presented: ” Support Needs and Outcomes for Near-Death Experiencers”.  Her presentation was based on the preliminary data based on the study described below.

*Investigation of Therapeutic Outcomes in Near-Death Experiencers, IRB-SBS Protocol #2377

Dr. Pehlivanova is currently collecting data for this study related to her talk this past November. She encourages your participation if you belong to one of the two groups described below:

Group 1) Call for mental health professionals or counselors who have worked with near-death experiencers. If you are interested in enrolling in the mental health professionals part of this research study, please follow this link to the online questionnaire.

Group 2) Call for people 18 and older who have had a near-death experience for this part of the study. If you are interested in enrolling in the near-death experiencer part of this research study, please follow this link to the online questionnaire.

 

  • October 22, 2019, Glenmore Country Club, Keswick, VA: Marieta Pehlivanova, Ph.D. gave a talk about near-death experiences at the fall quarterly luncheon of the Charlottesville Newcomers Club.

Marieta started the talk with a brief history of DOPS and why the work we do is unique and important. The bulk of the talk was about near-death experiences, including typical elements of these experiences, documented near-death experiences in the experiencers’ words, research on the qualities and consistency of these memories, and the effects on individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and values. The talk was followed by a lively and engaged Q&A session.

 

  • October 13-18, 2019, Eretria-Evia island, Greece.  Dr. Jim B. Tucker, M.D. presented his research in two related lectures at this conference: EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF THEOSOPHY: REINCARNATION, SCIENCE AND THE ANCIENT WISDOM TRADITION

 -CHILDREN’S MEMORIES OF PREVIOUS LIVES

 -ΒIRTHMARKS AND PAST-LIFE MEMORIES

Dr. Jim B. Tucker is the director of the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia,  where he is continuing the work of Ian Stevenson on children who report memories of previous lives. He is the author of two books that together have been translated into twenty languages, Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children’s Memories of Previous Lives (2005) and New York Times bestseller, Return to Life: Extraordinary Cases of Children Who Remember Past Lives (2013).

 

  • September 20, 2019, Glade Spring Resort, Daniels, WV:  Ed Kelly , Ph.D., gave a dinner talk to over a hundred members of  Spilman, Thomas & Battle, a multi-state law firm headquartered in Charleston WV, at their biannual retreat.

Between the social hour and dinner,  Ed described the history of UVA DOPS,  who we are and what kinds of research we do. His talk emphasized why we believe this research to be so important in its current intellectual and cultural context. Ed was invited to speak to this group partly due to the fact that a number of senior members of this firm hold undergraduate and/or graduate or law degrees from UVA.

 

  • September 4, 2019,  6:30-7:30 pm, Crozet, VA: Dr. Jim Tucker presented his research at the Crozet Library-“Remembering Past Lives”. 

How could a two-year-old in Louisiana remember being a World War II pilot shot down over the Pacific? Or a boy in Oklahoma recall being a Hollywood extra?  Dr. Jim Tucker discussed his work studying children’s memories of previous lives, and he gave an overview of this fifty-year world-wide research project begun by Dr. Ian Stevenson at UVA.  During his presentation, Dr. Tucker focused on the details of recent American cases.

 

  • August 29, 2019,  King of Prussia, PA: Dr. Bruce Greyson-Keynote Speaker, 2019 IANDS Conference

2019 THEME – REVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCES: The Power of Love and Consciousness:

Dr. Bruce Greyson presented: “Expanding the Science of Consciousness by Expanding the Consciousness of Scientists”, as the Keynote address.

Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) and other Spiritually Transformative Experiences (STEs) often initiate profound changes in the experiencer’s consciousness and life direction. This includes increased spiritual awareness resulting in positive change within their lives based on altruistic values and priorities. They act with loving compassion building a greater sense of brotherhood. Collectively the experiencers and research findings provide us the information needed for a cross-cultural revolution toward love and consciousness-based living, and a possible change in humanity at this time in history.

 

  • July 13, 2019, 10:00 am-3:00 pm, Boston, MA: UVA DOPS Faculty Panel- “Mind Beyond Brain-Emerging Evidence for Life After Life”. The DOPS researchers presented their research in which they are tackling the most important scientific question of all –What is mind and does it survive bodily death?

This event featured the groundbreaking research taking place at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS). The UVA DOPS research faculty  presented the prolific scope of the division’s over 50 years of documented studies related to consciousness and the possibility of its survival.The organizer invited UVA alumni, medical professionals, tech innovators, educators, philanthropists, fundraising professionals, and many others to gather for this ticketed symposium.

 

  • March 14th, 2019, 6:00-7:30 pm, Vail, CO. Dr. Jim Tucker presented: “Life Before Life: Extraordinary Cases of Children Who Remember Past Lives”, at the Vail Symposium. This program explored the various features of this worldwide phenomenon., Dr. Tucker described numerous cases from our research collection. Common features in the cases include a child talking about a past life at a very early age; behaviors that appear connected to that life, such as phobias related to the mode of death and sometimes birthmarks or birth defects that correspond to wounds the previous person suffered. The presentation included a review of the research and the details of recent American cases.

 

 

Past Events 2018 :

Dr. Kim Penberthy participated in a collaborative panel presentation titled: “Off the Cushion and into the Streets: Diversity and Inclusion in Contemplative Science.” Dr. Penberthy co-presented with Martin Davidson of the UVA Darden School of Business,  Michael Swanberg of UVA Public Health, and Dallas Ducar of  the UVA School of Nursing.

  • October 27th, 2018, 10:00-11 am, UVA Alumni Hall, Charlottesville VA. 

Dr. Jim Tucker presented “Children’s Memories of Previous Lives”.

Dr. Tucker presented his research of recent American cases of children who remember previous lives to a group of UVA alumni.

 

“Life After Death? A panel discussion with the Research Faculty of the Division of Perceptual Studies at University of Virginia, moderated by John Cleese.”

UVA DOPS faculty panel with John Cleese, April 12th 2018

UVA DOPS faculty panel with John Cleese 

On April 12th 2018, legendary actor, writer and comedian John Cleese, friend and supporter of the research being done at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, acted as moderator in a 90 minute discussion of an overview of the scope of the research being done at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies.

In this panel discussion the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies research faculty convened to present an overview of the research to which they have dedicated their academic careers. The DOPS panel presenters were: director of UVA DOPS, Jim Tucker, MD; Ed Kelly, PhD; Emily Kelly, PhD; Bruce Greyson, MD; and  Kim Penberthy, PhD. Click here to see the video of this event.

John Cleese, generous friend and supporter of our research, did a benefit performance for DOPS!

John Cleese, Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA,  April 11th, 2018

This was a special appearance by the legendary John Cleese in a solo performance as part of the 7th annual Tom Tom Founders Festival, 2018.

The proceeds from the performance benefitted UVA Division of Perceptual Studies research efforts. The faculty and staff here at UVA DOPS are most grateful to all who came out to support us!

All of us here at UVA DOPS extend our heartfelt gratitude to the inimitable Mr. John Cleese for his generous support of the research being done at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies!

 

Kim Penberthy, Bruce Greyson, Jim Tucker, and Ed Kelly-UVA Medical Center Hour, Feb. 22, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The DOPS research faculty had the opportunity to present at the UVA School of Medicine Medical Center Hour , February 2017, to commemorate 50 years of research into the question of post-mortem survival of consciousness.

Click  on the photo or here to view the video of the UVA DOPS faculty present their research at the UVA Medical Center Hour-Is there Life after Death? Fifty Years of Research at UVA

To view a curated collection of other lectures by the DOPS research faculty, please see our UVA Division of Perceptual Studies YouTube Channel.

 

Past Events 2017 :

  • November 30, 2017 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Radio Interview NPR-The State of Things – North Carolina Public radio, WUNC.  Dr. Bruce Greyson discussed his research into Near Death Experiences on the The State of Things – North Carolina Public radio, WUNC.  WUNC is North Carolina’s premiere public radio talk show and is broadcasted on 17 stations across the state. This program is heard by more than 410,000 listeners each week. Click here to the link to the Podcast of this informative recent interview.

 

 

  • August 19, 2017, 10:00 am, Richmond VA. Central Virginia IONS Community, Dr. Jim Tucker presented his research on “Children Who Report Past-life Memories”.

 

 

  • June 26th, 2017, 7:00-8:30 pm, Sherwood, MD, “Sherwood Seminar”. Members of the DOPS Faculty  presented their research on post mortem survival of consciousness.

The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies (UVA-DOPS) is the only university based research group devoted to the investigation of near-death experiences, children who remember previous lives, and other psychic phenomena. Celebrating our 50th anniversary of this research at UVA, faculty members from UVA-DOPS,  presented their work at the “Sherwood Seminar” to discuss their science-based research and the implications for mainstream science and society.

 

  • June 15, 2017, 12:00 pm, Roanoke, VA. Grand Rounds, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Dr. Jim Tucker  presented his research on “Children Who Report Memories of Previous Lives”.

 

 

  • June 9,  2017, 6:30 – 7:45 pm, Durham, NC.  The Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies 42nd Annual East Coast Conference,  “Aspects of Consciousness”.  Dr. Bruce Greyson presented a talk titled “The Science and Spirit of Near Death Experiences”.

 

 

  • March 22-23, 2017, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC. Beyond Being : Frontiers in Consciousness Research-Science, Spirituality and Wellness  Description: When our physical life ends, does our consciousness end as well? Leading researchers in the fields of consciousness and neurobiology explored narratives of past-life and near-death experiences. The profound long-term impacts of these experiences were discussed along with the emerging research into a post-mortem existence.

 –March 22, 6:30 pm: Broyhill Auditorium, Ferrell Hall, Wake Forest University

Panelists: Shamini Jain, PhD, and UVA DOPS researchers Kim Penberthy PhD and Ed Kelly PhD. Click here to watch the Video of this event on March 22nd, 2017.

-March 23, 6:30 pm: Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education, Wake Forest University

Keynote Speaker: Author and near-death experiencer Jeff Olsen

Panelists: Ulnike Wiesthaus, PhD, and UVA DOPS researchers Jim Tucker, MD and Bruce Greyson, MD (no video available at this time of the March 23rd presentations)

 

  • February 22, 2017, 12:30-1:30 pm, Medical Center Hour, Pinn Hall (formerly Jordan Hall) Auditorium, UVA School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA

(Video transcript)

 “Life After Death? 50 Years of Research at UVA”

This special presentation of the research being done at DOPS is free and open to the public. The DOPS faculty who will be presenting their research will be: Jim Tucker, on children who claim to recall past lives; Bruce Greyson, on near-death experiences; Kim Penberthy, on meditation and altered states; and Edward Kelly on implications of this research for the relationship of mind and brain.

Program Title: Parapsychology in Context – Towards a Personal Reconciliation of Science and Spirit.  The IONS 21st  Anniversary Program will feature a talk by Edward F. Kelly, Ph.D., author of numerous scholarly works such as Irreducible Mind and Beyond Physicalism and Professor of Research at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) in Charlottesville, VA.

  • January 10, 2017, 4:00-5:00 pm, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Leonard Sandridge Auditorium in McKim Hall, UVA School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA.

“Does the Mind Exist Without the Brain? 50 Years of Research at the Division of Perceptual Studies”

For this special Grand Rounds, the DOPS researchers presented their work to medical residents, faculty and staff in the department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences within the UVA School of Medicine. Dr. Jim Tucker presented on children who claim to recall past lives, Dr. Bruce Greyson presented on near-death experiences, and Dr. Kim Penberthy presented on meditation and altered states.

 

Past Events 2016 :

  • September 17th, 2016 Boston, MA. Special Public Lecture Event presented by UVA DOPS Researchers and Tracy Coen at the Museum of Science, Boston, MA. 

Do We Survive Death? A Look at the Evidence: UVA Division of Perceptual Studies faculty presented their research into the nature of human consciousness. For this special event, they offered insights into their investigations of near-death experiences, psi phenomena, and children who remember previous lives.

Check out our Facebook page for photos of this event and visit our Division of Perceptual Studies YouTube Channel to view the videos.

The videos of the researchers’ lectures from this special event, were made possible through the generous support of Tracy Coen of Boston.

Click on the links below to view the videos from this special public event:

Here is the video capturing the entire conference (2 hours and 3o minutes):  Do We Survive Death? A Look at the Evidence

Below are shorter videos of each speaker:

–Dr. Jim Tucker: Children Who Remember Previous Lives

In this video, Dr. Jim Tucker, author of Life Before Life and Return to Life and director of UVA The Division of Perceptual Studies, presents his research regarding small children who remember details of a previous life. He also offers some history regarding the founding of the Division of Perceptual Studies at UVA by Dr. Ian Stevenson.

–Dr. Bruce Greyson: Near-death Experiences-Jeff Olsen shares his personal NDE

Dr. Bruce Greyson presents his research into near-death experiences in this video. Dr. Greyson is a highly respected researcher of NDEs, co-author of The Handbook of Near-Death Experience: Thirty Years of Investigation , our former director here at DOPS and he is the co-founder of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). Additionally in this video, author Jeff Olsen relates his moving and profound near-death experience as a prelude to Dr. Greyson’s presentation.

–Dr. Kim Penberthy: Mindfulness and Altered States

In this video, Dr. Kim Penberthy, Chester F. Carlson Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, and the most recent addition to the research faculty at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, presents her research into mindfulness and altered states. Dr. Penberthy is interested in the relationship between mindfulness and other altered states of consciousness and the effects on our physiology.

–Dr. Edward F. Kelly:Consciousness is More than a Product of the Brain

In this video, Dr. Edward F. Kelly, author/editor of Irreducible Mind and Beyond Physicalism , and director of the Ray Westphal Neuro-imaging lab at UVA DOPS, is presenting his research and ideas regarding the implications of shifting the current scientific paradigm beyond the limitations of material science. In Dr. Kelly’s books, he carefully outlines  scientifically supported concepts related to the notion that consciousness is much more than a mere product of brain activity

  • March 17, 2016, Charlottesville, VA. Virginia Festival of the Book- UVA DOPS Researchers  presented at the 22nd annual Virginia Festival of the Book.

Topic of discussion: Body and Soul: Reconciling Science and Spirituality

Authors Bernard Beitman (Connecting with Coincidence), Michael Grosso (The Man who Could Fly), and Edward Kelly (Beyond Physicalism) discussed their provocative scholarly books exploring unusual phenomena and applying theories from psychological, religious, and scientific perspectives.

-Bernard D. Beitman, MD, (bernard.beitman@gmail.com) author of Connecting with Coincidence, is a visiting professor at the University of Virginia and the former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has edited two issues of Psychiatric Annals devoted to coincidence studies.

-Michael Grosso, (grosso.michael@gmail.com) author of The Man Who Could Fly, is a philosopher interested in altered states of consciousness and unusual psychophysical phenomena. A former university teacher, he is now an independent scholar and writer who researches human potential.

-Edward F. Kelly, (ek8b@virginia.edu) author of Beyond Physicalism, and is a member of the research faculty in the UVa’s Division of Perceptual Studies. He served previously as lead author of the book Irreducible Mind, and he is working on intensive psycho-physiological studies of psi and altered states of consciousness in exceptional subjects.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Bruce Greyson, (cbg4d@virginia.edu), Chester Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the UVa School of Medicine and Dr. Greyson is former director of the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies. Dr. Greyson is the co-editor of three books on near-death experiences and related phenomena including most recently, The Handbook of Near-Death Experience: Thirty Years of Investigation.

  • March 5th, 2016, New York, NY, 6:00-7:30.  Dr. Jim Tucker appeared with author Sharon Guskin at The Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011.  Can consciousness continue after the brain stops working? Author Sharon Guskin’s striking debut novel The Forgetting Time is inspired by the real-life work of Jim Tucker of the Division of Perceptual Studies at UVA. Dr. Tucker joined Ms. Guskin for a conversation about the probability of past lives and reincarnation. This event was sold out.

 

Past Events 2015 :

 

Past Events 2014 :

  • December 8-9, 2014, Dr. Jim Tucker travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to present his research into young children who report memories of previous lives at the Sociedade de Estudos Espiritualistas .
  • November 8th-9th, 2014, Dr. Jim Tucker presented his research in Durham, NC at the Forever Family Foundation’s 8th annual conference: The Science of Survival of Consciousness.
  • September 12-14th, 2014, Dr. Jim Tucker presented his research into cases of the reincarnation type at the Matter & Psyche Symposium, Joshua Tree, CA. Dr. Tucker gave a presentation as well as appeared on several discussion panels during the 3 day symposium.
  • July 28th, 2014, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Dr. Jim Tucker was interviewed on the radio program Virginia Insight hosted by Tom Graham on WMRA, a public radio station in Harrisonburg, VA. The interviews is archived and can be accessed via search on this link Virginia Insight
  • March 14th, 2014, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, New York Open Center, New York, NY.  Dr. Jim Tucker offered an evening lecture and book signing.   Return to Life: Reincarnation Research New Paradigms in Understanding Life, Death, and the Nature of Consciousness .
  • March 15th, 2014, at 4:00 pm, The Powerhouse Arena, Brooklyn, NY.  Dr. Jim Tucker gave a presentation and was available for book signing. Author Sharon Guskin also appeared on the program.
  • February 16, 2014, at 3:00 pm, Barnes & Noble Bookseller in Greensboro, NC, Dr. Jim Tucker will presented his new book, Return to Life at this book signing event.
  • January 16, 2014, at 6:00 pm, Barnes & Noble Bookseller in Charlottesville, VA, Dr. Jim Tucker presented his new book, Return to Life at this book signing event.

 

Past Events 2013 :

  • December 15th, 2013 at 2:00 p.m., Jim B. Tucker M.D. appeared at The Quest Bookshop , 619 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA to discuss his new book Return to Life . This event was free and open to the public.
  • June 12th, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., Charlottesville, VA The Rutherford Institute Summer Speaker Series, Guest Speaker: Dr. Jim Tucker, Bonner-Lowry Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia.  Dr. Tucker presented the research being done at DOPS regarding cases of the reincarnation type: LIFE BEFORE LIFE: CHILDREN’S REPORTS OF PAST-LIFE MEMORIES. For the past 6 consecutive years, Dr. Tucker has offered similar presentations regarding the cases of the reincarnation type to The Rutherford Institute Summer Speaker Series.

 

Past Events 2012 :

  • March 22nd, 2012, Virginia Festival of the Book event at the Jefferson Madison Regional Library, Dr. Bruce Greyson moderated a discussion of the Near Death Experience of Eben Alexander III, MD, author of Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife
  • February 18-19, 2012, Ligmincha Institute, Serenity Ridge Retreat Center in Nelson County, VA, New Dialogues Between Buddhism and Science This was a one and a half day conference with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and academic presenters associated with the University of Virginia, New York University, University of Texas Medical Center. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche also participated actively in the dialogue, as well and led group meditation practice at various points in the program.

Ed Kelly PhD, of DOPS, opened the discussion with a presentation titled “Framing the Dialogue”.  His presentation focused on the history of modern scientific research on meditation.

During this weekend event, researchers presented their work on the impact of contemplative meditation practice on behavior and the mind, as well as examined new areas of research to be explored between scientists and contemplatives.

 

Past Events 2011 :

In the interview, Dr. Tucker challenged the notion that consciousness is only the result of a functioning brain. He suggests that consciousness can be considered separately from the brain, which provides a basis for claims of reincarnation. He also discusses objections to reincarnation: the few persons who actually claim to remember a past life, the fragility of memories, the population explosion, the mind-body problem, fraud, and others. This was a live teleseminar.

 

Past Events 2010 :

  • October 2nd, 2010, Serenity Ridge Retreat Center in Nelson County, VA, New Directions in the Dialogue between Buddhism and Science This was a one-day workshop with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, founder and spiritual director of the Ligmincha Institute and the DOPS researchers. There was a guided meditations led by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in addition to presentations by the DOPS researchers.

Topics covered by the DOPS researchers included:

-Cases of the reincarnation type-Dr. Jim Tucker

-Post-mortem survival-Dr. Emily Williams Kelly

-Near-death experiences-Dr. Bruce Greyson

-Psychic powers or “siddhis”-Dr. Edward Kelly

-Impressions of a Westerner teaching neuroscience to Buddhist monks- Dr. David Presti visiting Neuroscientist from the University of California at Berkeley

Book Cover_Mind Brain and Beyond: Buddhism, Science, and teh ParanormalA book titled Mind Beyond Brain was created from this collaborative event and published in October of 2018. In Mind Beyond Brain, neuroscientist David E. Presti, together with the distinguished researchers at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, engage in the exploration of how evidence for phenomena—such as near-death experiences, apparent memories of past lives, apparitions, experiences associated with death, and other psi or paranormal phenomena, including telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition—can influence the Buddhism-science conversation. Presti describes the extensive but frequently unacknowledged history of scientific investigation into these phenomena, demonstrating its relevance to questions about consciousness and reality. These new perspectives offer significant challenges to dominant explanatory paradigms and raise the prospect that we may be poised for truly revolutionary developments in the scientific investigation of mind. Mind Beyond Brain represents the next level in the science and Buddhism dialogue.

 Purchase the book 

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