From the back cover: In Greek mythology, the river Styx represents the boundary between the land of the living and the land of the dead. In this book, leading experts in the field of near-death studies describe what people experience on the banks of this river. The authors teamed up to present innovative and cutting-edge research on a rich variety of end-of-life experiences, near-death experiences, coma experiences, and after-death communications. In addition to bearing enormous practical significance for healthcare, these interrelated experiences indicate that consciousness is more than a byproduct of brain chemistry. On the banks of the river Styx, consciousness may emerge from the dying brain like a phoenix, spreading its wings towards new horizons.