For hundreds of years the Western world has believed that humans--indeed all living things--consist of more than pure biology. Not mere physical bodies, humans possess something else that helps to define them. In this collection of new essays scientists, psychologists, theoretical physicists and other experts in the mind-body connection explore the nature of consciousness and its future as a new paradigm in science.

With contributions covering near death experiences, the concept of "free will," conscious spacetime, DNA consciousness, the role of consciousness in the evolution of life, quantum theory and the non-local universe, the scientific basis of love, and the principles and applications of self-hypnosis, this volume clarifies the meaning of consciousness and establishes a model for further exploration into a burgeoning realm of scientific study.