In this heartwarming collection of original short stories, author, physician, and psychotherapist Mark Sicherman introduces us to endearing characters transformed forever by their experiences with serious illness.Although they all revolve around painful situations, the stories in this anthology abound with encouraging and inspiring lessons on the gifts of love, spiritual faith, and a positive attitude. Sicherman draws on more than thirty years of experience as a practitioner of mind-body medicine to demonstrate the power that every individual has within to treat and heal even the most serious illness.From the title story of a doctor powerless to help his comatose sister to the tale of romantic memories that rejuvenate an old man"s will to live, each vignette in Levels of Consciousness describes the ways in which different people cope with illness and pain. Whether it"s a young boy learning about courage in his first trip to camp or a woman finding out that angels truly do exist as she passes on to the next world, the message is one of hope and peace for anyone interested in how human beings experience-and ultimately transcend-the darker corners of life"s journey.