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The
Origins of Spirituality in Human Evolution. When
Humans acquired language, we began to think about death in some very new ways. This created a new feeling of being
threatened whose source lay in our own thoughts. People responded to this new threat by finding a sense of spirituality
that allowed us to come to terms with our mortality. 'Read me first.'
The 'Sensed Presence.' Understanding the feeling that there is someone behind you when you're actually
alone is an important starting point in this approach to neurotheology. 'Read me second.'
God The experience of God is one of the highest mystical states. There is a God to be experienced,
but that God appears through our brains. This article owes a debt to Michael Persinger's "Neuropsychological
Bases of God-Beliefs".
Evolution of God An article based on a lecture given in March 2005 at the Winchester "Art & Mind"
festival. Easier reading.
Shakti
Dr. Persinger's famous magnetic brain stimulation technology that induces spiritual experiences in the laboratory
is available in a PC-based version.
Out of Body Experiences
A recent study by Dr. Olaf Blanke has implicated the Angular Gyrus, (an area on the surface of the brain) in out
of body experiences. This article replies to that study to the effect that there are other areas in the brain that
may be involved. If researchers take Dr. Blanke's interpretation of his results at face value, they may miss other
avenues of inquiry.
Enlightenment This essay discusses what may
have happened to the Buddha's brain the night of his enlightenment.
Guided Spiritual Exercises from
Brain Science Simple guided imaginative exercises
that have immediate results for many people.
Darwinian Reincarnation The idea of rebirth takes an important step towards science when it is integrated
with Darwin's Theory. Learning from past lives confers an important advantage in complex cultures, and the human
death-process reflects this process. Nihongo
The Spiritual Personality.
Doing spiritual practice (or having a spiritual awakening), has an impact on the brain, the mind, and personality.
These changes happen are pretty easy to predict. The altered states of consciousness experienced through spirituality
create some interesting 'traits'.
Deja Vu The experience of deja vu is one of the most common spiritual experiences
known. That is, if you enjoy it. If you don't, its more a matter for the right kind of doctor than a temple. Deja
vu is a change in the perception of the present moment, and it can be used to enhance some kinds of meditation
practices, such as Zen.
The Neurology of Romantic Love. In many ways, romantic love looks similar to devotional religious feelings,
and its disappointments look very much like 'The Dark Night of the Soul'. Neuroscience for the hopeless romantic.
Stimulating My Brain As a Spiritual
Path Here's
my story, more or less. When its finished, you'll find that I accept many of the things that psychics, gurus, and
religions teach, but in very different forms.
Archetypes We might be more likely to see the archetypes in others than in ourselves.
Evolution may have provided us with some hard-wiring that allows us to see them in others, giving us an almost
instinctive feeling for how to relate with different types of people.
Sacred Lands A look at Harbin Hot Springs, a spiritual resort and retreat center in Northern California,
that's also in one of the most geologically active places in the world. Geomagnetic changes interact with magnetic
processes in the brain, producing 'power spots' where it takes extra awareness just to get by.
Consciousness. Where does the phenomena of conscious awareness come from? This hypothesis
suggests that consciousness functions to mediate states of consciousness. Simple answer for a vexing question.
Not easy reading.
Near-Death Experiences (NDEs)
in Thailand. The experience of dying is different
in different cultures, and Thai NDEs provide one of the best examples of culture-specific 'altered state' experiences
uncovered so far.
Thai Near-Death Experiences
in Context. This article discusses how Thai NDEs
make sense when looked at in terms of their cultural and religious context. An article accepted for publication
by the Journal of Near-Death studies was edited from this study.
Glasses for Enhanced Visual
Acuity. About a pair of glasses that induces a stunning
enhancement in vision. If you have ever had moments where you were seeing as though your eyes had been polished
from the inside, and wondered if it was possible to re-capture those moments, you should read this.
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