Talk and Workshop Research Charts by PMH Atwater

___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #1 IN SEARCH OF A COMMON CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING NEAR-DEATH STATES ©1998 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) Prototype suggested by others in the field of near-death studies: I. Context of experience: either A or B must be met - A. Symptoms or signs suggesting serious medical illness or injury; OR, B. Experiencer's expectation of imminent death. II. Content of experience: either A or B or C must be met - A. Out-of-body experience with visualization of the physical body from another location; OR, B. Encounter with an identified deceased person; OR, C. At least two of the following features: 1. Sudden strong emotional change; 2. General sense of being out-of-body (without neces- sarily visualizing it); 3. Encounter with an apparently nonphysical entity (other than an identified deceased person); 4. Greatly enhanced cognition (thoughts very clear, ra- pid, hyperlucid); 5. Life review; 6. Encounter with an anomalous brilliant light. ___________________________________________________________________________ Prototype suggested by near-death research of P.M.H.Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) : I. Context of experience: either A or B must be met - A. Symptoms or signs suggesting serious medical illness or injury, or physiological crisis/accident of some kind; OR, B. Experiencer's expectation or sense of imminent death. II. Content of experience: an intense awareness, sense, or experi- ence of "otherworldliness" - whether pleasant or unpleasant, strange or ecstatic. Episode can be brief and consist of only one or two elements, or can be more involved, even lengthy, and consist of multiple elements. Elements commonly experienced are: * Visualizing or experiencing being apart from the physical body, perhaps with the ability to change locations. * Greatly enhanced cognition (thoughts very clear, rapid, and hyperlucid). * A darkness or light that is perceived as alive and intelli- gent and powerful. * Sensations of movement and/or a sense of presence (hyper- alert faculties). * Sudden overwhelming floods of emotion or feelings. * Encounter with an identified deceased person or animal, or an encounter with an apparently nonphysical entity. * Life review (like a movie or in segments, or a reliving). * Information can be imparted, perhaps dialogue. III. Typical to the experience: a. Near-death states can occur to anyone at any time, including newborns and infants, and remain vivid and coherent life- long (unless societal or family pressure weakens memory clusters - repression more common with child experiencers than with teenagers or adults). b. Children's episodes are usually brief and encompass few elements. The closer the child is to puberty, the greater the possibility of longer, more complicated scenarios. c. The pattern of psychological and physiological aftereffects seems more dependent on the intensity of the experience, than on any particular imagery or length of exposure to darkness or light. d. Attitudes and feelings significant others display after the experiencer revives directly influence how readily he or she can integrate the experience. Episode content is sec- ondary to that initial climate of interest or disinterest. ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #2 ©1998 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) Excerpt from "CHILDREN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM," Three Rivers Press (an imprint of Harmony Books), New York City Experiencers of near-death and near-death-like states have described the "light" they encountered in terms suggestive that there may be three very different types of light existent beyond conscious awareness and the realms of earthlife: THE THREE TYPES OF SUBJECTIVE LIGHT _______________________________________________________________ Type Color Function _______________________________________________________________ Primary Light Colorless A pulsating presence or luminosity usually perceived as frighteningly awesome, a piercing power, raw essence; the origin of all origins. Dark Light Pure black A shimmering peaceful depth yet often usually perceived as "The with velvety Darkness That Knows," a source tinges of source of strength and knowing, dark purple sanctuary; the womb of creation. Bright Light The range of A brilliant radiance usually yellow-gold- perceived as an almost blinding white hues glow that emanates unconditional love, a warm inviting intelligence, union; the activity of Truth. _______________________________________________________________ Each of these three lights is consistently referred to,
regardless of person, age, or background, as more real than
manifest light on earth and more powerful than any source
humankind could harness - including the sun's rays and
"zero-point" energy (the "stuff" of the universe; untapped
electromagnetic energy).
Symbolically: Primary - God Light, Dark - Mother Light, Bright - Father Light. ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #3 ©2006 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) Statistics based on the research of P.M.H. Atwater, includes four
major types of near-death scenarios and percentage of occurrence
with 3,000 adult experiencers of near-death states, and 277 child experiencers.

1. Initial Experience sometimes referred to as the “non-experience” (an awakening). Involves only one…maybe two or three…elements, such as a loving nothingness, the living dark, a friendly voice, a brief out-of-body experience, or a manifestation of some type. Usually experienced by those who seem to need the least amount of evidence for proof of survival, or who need the least amount of shakeup in their lives at that point in time. Often, this becomes a “seed” experience or an introduction to other ways of perceiving and recognizing reality. Rarely is any other element present.

    Incident
    rate:     76% with child experiencers

                     20%
    with adult experiencers

2. Unpleasant and/or Hell-Like Experience sometimes referred to as “distressing” (inner cleansing and self-confrontational). Encounter with a threatening void, stark limbo, or hellish purgatory, or scenes of a startling and unexpected indifference (like being shunned), even “hauntings” from one’s own past. Scenarios usually experienced by those who seem to have deeply suppressed or repressed guilt, fear, and anger, and/or those who expect some kind of punishment or discomfort after death. Life reviews common. Some have life previews.

Incident rate: 3% with child experiencers

15% with adult experiencers

3. Pleasant and/or Heaven-Like Experience sometimes referred to as radiant” (reassurance and self-validation). Heaven-like scenarios of loving family reunions with those who have died previously, reassuring religious figures or light beings, validation that life counts, affirmative and inspiring dialogue. Scenarios usually experienced by those who most need to know how loved they are and how important life is and how every effort has a purpose in the overall scheme of things. Life reviews common. Some have life previews.

Incident rate: 19% with child experiencers

47% with adult experiencers

4. Transcendent Experience sometimes referred to as “collective universality” (expansive revelations, alternate realities). Exposure to otherworldly dimensions and scenes beyond the individual’s frame of reference; sometimes includes revelations of greater truths. Seldom personal in content. Scenarios usually experienced by those who are ready for a “mind stretching” challenge and/or individuals who are more apt to use (to whatever degree) the truths that are revealed to them. Life reviews rare. Collective previews common (the world’s future, evolutionary changes, etc.).

Incident rate: 2% with child experiencers

18% with adult experiencers

____________________________________________________________________________ Chart #4 ©1996 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) A transformation of consciousness is more than just a change of atti- tude. By combining three ongoing research projects of mine, I can now state and with confidence, that a transformation of consciousness engenders structural and chemical changes in the brain that affect experiencers both psychologically and physiologically. Five books of mine speak to this, and there is now movement within clinical research settings to test the perva- siveness of such aftereffects. More research is needed and encouraged. A transformation of consciousness, what I call a brain shift, can re- sult from any manner of otherworldly occurrences. I would include here those of a more turbulent nature, such as: religious conversions, near- death episodes, kundalini breakthroughs, shamanistic rituals, sudden spir- itual transformations, certain types of head trauma or having been hit by lightning. I would also include those more tranquil in how they're experi- enced: from the slow, steady application of spiritual disciplines, mindful- ness techniques, meditation, vision quests, or because, in a prayerful state of mind, an individual simply desires to become a better person. Aftereffects from a brain shift are universally similar, regardless of what type of otherworldly occurrence is involved; and you can use the near- death experience as a model to identify the pattern: MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS DISPLAYED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH A BRAIN SHIFT Physiological Changes in thought-processing (switch from sequential/selective thinking to clustered thinking and an acceptance of ambiguity), insatiable curiosity, heightened intelligence, more creative and inventive, unusual sensitivity to light and sound, substan- tially more or less energy (even energy surges, ofttimes more sexual), reversal of body clock, lower blood pressure, acceler- ated metabolic and substance absorption rates (decreased toler- ance of pharmaceuticals and chemically treated products), elec- trical sensitivity, synesthesia (multiple sensing), increased allergies or sensitivities, a preference for more vegetables and grains (less of meat), physically younger looking (before and after photos can differ). Psychological Loss of the fear of death, more spiritual/less religious, ab- stract easily, philosophical, can go through bouts of depres- sion, disregard for time, more generous and charitable, form ex- pansive concepts of love while at the same time challenged to initiate and maintain satisfying relationships, "inner child" issues exaggerate, less competitive, convinced of a life pur- pose, rejection of previous limitations and norms, heightened sensations of taste-touch-texture-smell, increased psychic abil- ity and future memory episodes, charismatic, childlike sense of wonder and joy, less stressed, more detached and objective (dis- sociation), "merge" easily (absorption), hunger for knowledge and learning. Note: Characteristics can be positive or negative, depending on how applied. With my research of near-death experiencers, I found the spread of impact that appeared to occur to be as fol- lows (1994 figures) - 21% claimed no discernible changes after- ward, 60% reported significant changes, and 19% said changes were so radical they felt as if they had become another person. Based on my previous investigations of spiritual awakenings/en- lightenment done in the 1960s and '70s, these percentages seem to fit across the board with the universal experience of a brain shift, no matter how caused. (For more information about the methodology I used to conduct over 3,000 interview sessions with near-death experiencers, 700 of them indepth, refer to Appendix II in "BEYOND THE LIGHT.") Considering the scope of aftereffects, it could well be that as the brain is restructured from the impact of the otherworldly experience, neural pathways are "rewired" or somehow rerouted or maybe revitalized. How the brain alters, though, suggests that we may be programmed as a species to ever evolve and that we possess the apparatus we need, which, when trig- gered, will advance that growth. Brain shifts, partial or radical, are accelerating in number, global- ly. High technology and new resuscitation techniques are returning more people to life who would have died previously - and many of these people re- port having had a near-death experience, especially children. No longer re- legated to the fringes of society, such otherworldly journeys are now com- monplace. Thus, it behooves all of us to recognize this, and seek to under-
stand the mechanism which seems to cause such episodes - plus the pattern of aftereffects and what is implied by them. ____________________________________________________________________________ P.M.H.Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) - Her books that address the topic of brain shift: "COMING BACK TO LIFE" (now in paperback, Ballantine Books, New York City, 1989); "BEYOND THE LIGHT" (also out now in paperback, Avon Books, New York City, 1995); "FUTURE MEMORY" (reissued as a soft cover by Hampton Roads Publishing, Charlottesville, VA 1999); "CHILDREN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM" (a soft cover through Three Rivers Press, New York City, 1999), and "THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO NEAR-DEATH EXPERI- ENCES (a soft cover from Macmillan, New York City, 2lly). She has also written "THE MAGICAL LANGUAGE OF RUNES" and "GODDESS RUNES," along with four other self-published books - check her website for more information. Business address and website address on front sheet of this flier. ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #5 ©1998 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.)

NOTE: * Child experiencers in my study who turned to alcohol for solace (1/3),
began drinking during this phase.
** Child experiencers who attempted suicide (21%), did so in this phase.
__________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________ Chart #6 ©1999 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) TIPS ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR WITH CHILD EXPERIENCERS Supportive parents, although important, are not enough. Child experiencers need more than that - they need freedom "with a fence around it" so they can safely test the multiple realities they know exist. With this in mind, here are some suggestions for parents: * Sleep patterns for the young abruptly change afterwards - less nap time, increased flow states, and restlessness. Some may fear sleep and suffer nightmares; others seem exhausted on waking, as if they had "toured the universe" or attended some type of school while asleep. Reliving the episode in the dreamstate is commonplace. Encourage the child to share this. Listen. * Love changes for child experiencers. It is normal for them to lose the parent/child bonding. That doesn't mean they cease to be loving and thoughtful, but it does mean they tend to act more distant than before. The child switches gears and begins to mature faster; becomes independent. Interests change. * After their experience, most kids have a marked decrease in their ability to express themselves and socialize. Since language is the most critical skill anyone has, stimulate the child's speech with your own. Promote dialogue with question/answer games, group storytelling, reading out loud, speaking on "pretend" microphones. Encourage the child to participate in community projects as a volunteer. * Writing and drawing are just as important as dialogue. Ask the child to make a special book about his or her near-death experience. Have lots of paper handy for pages that cover: newspaper account of death event (if any), drawings of each aspect of near-death experience, description of what happened, information about dreams afterward, sketches of any "beings" that continue to appear, poems, ideas, thoughts, and extra room to record more things later on. Choose a title; bind the book with ribbon. A project such as this validates the near-death episode - as well as the child's feelings. The parent should keep a journal of the whole affair, too. This helps to restimulate parent/child bonding, and can serve as an invaluable resource once the child matures. Child experiencers tend to withdraw; can even reject hugs and cuddles. Recenter them in their bodies through touch - pat their shoulder when you pass by, touch their hand if you speak to them, nudge a knee from time to time, rub their back. Smile. Teach them to pat and nudge YOU like you do for them. Pets are wonderful for touch therapy, as are plants. Bake cookies that the child can help prepare, then turn him or her loose shaping the cookies hy hand into imaginative designs. Do food sculptures (inspirations in books like "PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, " Joost Elffers. New York City; Stewart Tabori & Chang, 1997). * Speaking of food, watch the sugar levels. Child experiencers are more sensitive than the average child to chemicals and excessive sweets, especially refined sugars and "replacement" products. Practice good nutrition; use veggies and fruit for snacks. Full-spectrum lights are preferred to florescent; avoid over-exposure to electrical items (es- pecialy electric blankets); cottons usually work best for clothes and bedding. At meals, have a burning candle for a centerpiece, and say the type of Grace where each person in turn can offer his or her own prayer. Flowers put children at ease. Let them pick and arrange the flowers. Be careful of too much exposure to bright sun (mid-after- noon), and music turned too high (loud sounds are often painful to them). Recheck former medication as it may now be too potent. * Ideally, child experiencers and adult experiencers should get together once in awhile, for each can help the other. Adults can provide that special atmosphere for "talking about it" amongst fellow experiencers, socializing within a peer group. Children can inspire confidence and stability in adults, as kids are much more understanding and open than their elders. Above all, parents who were experiencers when young should be encouraged to speak of their episode and what they went through in front of their child experiencer (most don't). Such a sharing has a positive "ripple effect" for years afterward. By joining IANDS, child and adult experiencers can avail themselves of many opportunities to share and learn. If under eighteen, must have paren- taI permission. Contact: International Association For Near-Death Studies
2741 Campus Walk Avenue, #500 Durham, NC 27705-8878 (919) 383-7940 voice/fax;
website - www.iands.org These Tips are excerpted f "CHILDREN OF THE NEW MILLEN- NIUM," (published by Three Rivers Press, New York City, 1999). These "missing" Appendices cover: TIPS FOR THE "CHILD" IN ALL OF US, Tips on Counseling and Therapy Tips on Education, Music, and The Arts Tips on Being in Spirit Tips on Coping with Spirit Tips on Soulmaking RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Includes questionnaire used in study RESOURCE SECTION/BIBLIOGRAPHY Cost: $10 if downloaded from Atwater website (pay with a "paypal"). $15 if printed copy obtained from author: 8 1/2 x 11, 125 pages, 3-hole punched left. Add $3 s/h U.S., or $4.50 Canada, or $9. other countries. Address of author on flip side, upper left. US dollars only; check or money order. Will not be In stores. _____________________________________________________________________________ Chart #7 ©1998 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) It is possible to extend and broaden our five faculties of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, to embrace psychic dimensions (beyond reliance on physical forms) and collective/spiritual realms (grander realities, the larger view). The following chart clarifies what I mean by faculty extensions. Notice what happens to intuition and percep- tion once our faculties extend and broaden: FACULTY EXTENSIONS _______________________________________________________ Physical Collective and/or Faculty Psychic Extension Spiritual Extension

See/Sight See without use of eyes; Vision research term - "clair- voyance."
Hear/Sound Hear without presence of Music sound; research term - "clairaudience."
Feel/Touch Feel, or have an effect on Art an object, without touch- ing; research term - "psychokinesis."
Taste/ Flavor without use of Discernment Flavor tastebuds; research term - "clairgustation."
Smell/ Odor without use of nose; Integrity Scent research term - "clair- olfaction.
Sense/ Aware without or in advance Grace Intuition of recognition; research term - "clairsentience."
Perceive/ Apprehend without or in Knowing Perception advance of physical stimuli; research term - "precognition." ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #8 ©1998 P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) Confident, enthusiastic people, child or adult, rarely have any problem with the manifestation of spirit beings. It is wise, however, to have some way to discriminate between those beings who are basically helpful and sup- portive (like a Guide or Guardian Angel), and those who seek to confuse or possess (like a mixed-up or angry disincarnate). Hesitation is healthy, especially if "channeling" is involved (where voices or thoughts other than your own seek attention or try to express themselves through you). "Gifts of the spirit" are not always what they seem, neither are they necessarily posi- tive. The following chart highlights the real source of power behind spirit manifestations, and gives you comparisons to use as an aid in cross-checking motive: SUBJECTIVE VOICES/VISITORS DISCERNING THEIR TRUE SOURCE _________________________________________________________________ LESSER MIND GREATER MIND _________________________________________________________________ The Voice of Ego The Voice of Spirit Personality Level Soul Level _________________________________________________________________ flatters informs commands suggests demands guides tests nudges chooses for you leaves choice to you imprisons empowers promotes dependency promotes independence intrudes respects pushes supports excludes includes is status oriented is free and open insists on obedience encourages growth and development often claims ultimate recognizes a greater power authority or God offers shortcuts offers integration seeks personal affirms Divine Order along gratification with the good of the whole ________________________________________________________________ Excerpted from "GODDESS RUNES," published by Avon Books, New York City, 1996. ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #9 From: Beyond the Light (Avon Books, New York City, 1994)
PHYSIOLOGICAL AFTEREFFECTS OF NEAR-DEATH STATES:
Most Common (between 80 to 95%) – more sensitive to light, especially sun-
light, and to sound (tastes in music change); look younger/act younger/more
playful (with adults) – look older/act and seem more mature (with children);
substantial change in energy levels (can have energy surges); changes in
thought processing (switch from sequential/selective thinking to clustered/
abstracting, with an acceptance of ambiguity); insatiable curiosity; lower
blood pressure; bright skin and eyes; reversal of brain hemisphere dominance
commonplace; heal quicker.
Quite Common (50 to 79%) – reversal of body clock, electrical sensitivity,
heightened intelligence, metabolic changes (doesn't take as long to process
food, bowel movements can increase); assimilate substances into blood-
stream quicker (takes less of something for full effect); loss of pharmaceutical
tolerance (many turn to alternative/complimentary healing modalities);
heightened response to taste/touch/texture/smell/pressure; more creative
and inventive; synesthesia (multiple sensing); increased allergies; preference
for more vegetables, less meat (with adults) – more meat, less vegetables
(with children); latent talents surface; indications of brain structure/function
changes (also to nervous and digestive systems, skin sensitivity).
PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTEREFFECTS OF NEAR-DEATH STATES:
Most Common (between 80 to 99%) – loss of the fear of death; become more
spiritual/less religious; more generous and charitable; handle stress easier;
philosophical; more open and accepting of the new and different; disregard
for time and schedules; regard things as new even when they're not (boredom
levels decrease); form expansive concepts of love while at the same
time challenged to initiate and maintain satisfying relationships; become
psychic/intuitive; know things (closer connection to Deity/God, prayerful);
deal with bouts of depression; less competitive.
Quite Common (50 to 79%) – displays of psychic phenomena; vivid dreams and
visions; "inner child" issues exaggerate; convinced of life purpose/mission;
rejection of previous limitations/norms; episodes of future knowing common;
more detached and objective (dissociation); "merge" easily (absorption);
hunger for knowledge; difficulty communicating and with language; can go
through deep periods of depression and feelings of alienation from others;
synchronicity commonplace; more or less sexual; less desire for possessions
and money; service oriented; healing ability; attract animals (good with
plants); aware of invisible energy fields/auras; preference for open doors
and open windows/shades; drawn to crystals; laugh more; adults lighter
afterwards – children wiser, more serious, bonding to parents lessens.
Figures based on sessions with 3,000 plus adult and 277 child experiencers ___________________________________________________________________________ Chart #10

When the actual wiring of the brain is
determined and synapse formation
increases 20-fold; utilizes twice the
energy of an adult brain.

Time of temporal lobe development;
explore and experiment with possible
roles, future patterns, and continuity
of environment.

Cross-over time between adherence
to values of friends, family, and the
pressures of the workplace – and the
urge to establish self as an indepen-
dent and mature ego; social crisis.

_______________________________________________________
Note: Other clusters not as tight with mature adults, but did notice
slight clusterings around the ages of 39, 49, and 59. Kids data based
on 1997 analysis; adults, on 1994 analysis. Asterisks with children
show where the largest clusters were with the near-death research I
conducted; same is true with adults. Strongest evidence for genius
with experiencers was from birth to 15 months. Most alien, fairy,
and monster sightings with typical children usually occur between 3
to 5 years of age (same timeframe for most NDE reports from kids).

This chart appears in several books, among them Children of the New Millennium
(Three Rivers Press, NYC 1999); and Children's Near-Death Experiences and the
Evolution of Humankind (Inner Traditions, Rochester, VT 2003).

The following charts are given away at Dr. Atwater's talks and workshops. Please download as they appear (with copyright credits).

1. Common Criteria for NDEs

2. Three Types of Subjective Light

3. Four Types of NDEs

4. Major Characteristics of a Brain Shift

5. Phases of Integration

6. Tips on What to Look for with Child Experiencers

7. Faculty Extensions

8. Subjective Voices (Voice of Ego, Voice of Spirit)

9. The Pattern of Physiological and Psychological Aftereffects