Transcendence
Scientists have recently begun using brain scanning technology to see
what is going on in people’s minds as they undergo “spiritual” experiences. Comparing
the brain activity of meditating Buddhist monks and praying Catholic nuns, both
show remarkably decreased activity in the orientation association area (OAA) of
their parietal lobes.[1]
This area is associated with orienting our minds with our physical bodies so
that we know where our bodies end and the external world begins.[2]
Thus, by shutting this area down, people lose their sense of self orientation and
their perception of time and space.[3]
This can account for the commonly cited experiences of feeling interconnected
with the universe and of time standing still.[4]
Scientists believe this effect occurs because the extreme concentration during
meditation and prayer reduces the demand on areas such as the parietal lobe,
thus cutting off their inputs.[5]
The God Helmet
Recall from my last post that damage to the temporal lobe sometimes
causes religious hallucinations as well as hyper-religious personality changes.
This has led many scientists to the conclusion that the temporal lobe plays a
major role in religious experiences.[6]
One scientist in particular, Stanley Koren of Laurentian University's
Neuroscience Department, built an apparatus, dubbed “The God Helmet,” which
uses magnetic fields to stimulate the temporal lobes.[7]
According to Dr Koren, “about 20 or so people have reported feeling the
presence of Christ or even seeing him in the chamber (the acoustic chamber
where the experimental sessions took place). Most of these individuals were
older and religious. One male, age about 35 years old (alleged atheist but
early childhood Roman Catholic), saw a clear apparition of Christ staring him
in the face.” Despite these experiences, “God Helmet” is a bit of a misnomer
since most do not have such detailed visions.[8]
However, 80% of those subjected to the apparatus do report feeling some sort of
presence.[9]
Religious Visions and Voices
Most believe that only crazy people hear voices or see entities that do
not belong in our physical world. However, if the individual is obviously not
crazy, then people are generally inclined to believe the visions/voices must be
the result of supernatural forces. What the general public does not understand
is that you do not need to be schizophrenic to experience hallucinations. Here
are just a few fun facts about the phenomenon:
- People with bipolar disorder and epilepsy experience hallucinations.[10][11]
- Hallucinations can be caused by fatigue, lack of sleep, intoxication, stress, sensory deprivation, medications, or fevers.[12][13]
- 80% of elderly widows and widowers experience grief hallucinations of their dead partner in which they can sense their presence, see, hear, and/or hold conversations with them.[14]
- Studies suggest that approximately 13 percent of people with no record of psychiatric problems report hearing voices at some point in their lives.[15]
Given the success of recent books such as Proof of Heaven and Heaven
is Real, it is apparent that the public is fascinated with the vivid and emotional
accounts of those who’ve had near death experiences (NDEs). For many theists,
they provide solid proof of an afterlife, God, and our immortal souls. However,
there is nothing about NDEs that cannot be explained by the natural functioning
of our brain. For example, author of Proof of Heaven, neurosurgeon Dr.
Eben Alexander, claimed his experiences occurred while his cerebral cortex was
completely shut down. However, professor of neurology Oliver Sacks claims it is
quite conceivable he could have had his NDE as he was beginning to regain
consciousness.[16]
On top of that, while Dr. Alexander subjectively felt his experiences lasted
several days, they could have easily occurred in less than a minute.[17]
There are those who may not be convinced with these explanations, and
point to research showing that NDEs can be even more vivid than real life.[18]
However, new research on rats may help to explain this phenomenon. In a study
published in August 2013, rats were shown to have activity akin to
consciousness in their visual cortices 30 seconds after their hearts stopped
from induced cardiac arrest.[19]
Rats also show this brain activity when asphyxiated with carbon monoxide, and
scientists believe it may be a mechanism the brain uses to rescue itself from a
sharp drop in glucose and oxygen.[20]
Another explanation for NDE vividness is their effect of eliciting strong
emotions. As sufferers of PTSD can attest, emotionally laden experiences tend
to lead to more vivid memories.[21]
Thus, multiple forces may be at work in the realism of near death experiences.
Out of Body Experiences
An out of body experience (OBE) is the sensation of floating above
one’s own body. OBEs can occur during near death experiences, cardiac arrest or
arrhythmias, a sudden lowering of blood pressure or blood sugar, moments of anxiety,
illness, difficult childbirth, narcolepsy, sleep paralysis, or even under high
G-forces.[22]
To many, this separation between body and mind is clear evidence of an
immaterial soul. However, scientists believe OBEs are merely a bodily illusion
arising from a temporary dissociation of visual and proprioceptive
representations.[23]
Studies have shown that they can be induced by stimulating the brain with
electricity, or by confusing the mind with virtual reality goggles.[24][25]
These studies have not convinced everyone that OBEs are purely brain-based. Sam
Parnia, the director of resuscitation research at the Stony Brook University
School of Medicine in New York, is one of them. He is a part of the AWARE
study, which is an international multi-year project focused on cardiac patients
who have NDEs.[26]
One aspect of the study entails hanging pictures from the ceilings of emergency
rooms to determine if those with OBEs can actually perceive them.[27]
If they could, this study would provide strong evidence for an immaterial soul.
So far, the results of this particular aspect of the AWARE study have not been
shared, despite it having started over 10 years ago.[28]
It’s no secret that hallucinogenic plants have been used for ages by
primitive cultures to bring about experiences with the “supernatural.”[29]
However, as most of us understand, drugs merely change the chemistry of our
brain. Specifically, hallucinogenic drugs tend to affect areas associated with
mood, consciousness, sensory perception, and awareness.[30]
It’s easy to dismiss the belief these drugs tap into the spiritual world as the
ignorance of primitives, or even New Age woo woo. However, in a study wherein
the active ingredient of “magic mushrooms” was administered to a group of
healthy adults, 94% claimed it was one of the top five most meaningful
experiences of their lives.[31]
Many recipients of the drug also showed long lasting psychological growth that
helped them find peace with their lives.[32]
These people knew they were receiving a drug that merely changed their brain
chemistry, but they still found the experience transformative.
Conclusion
Spiritual experiences may seem transcendent, vivid, transformative, and
revealing about the realm of the supernatural. However, science shows us these
experiences are merely the result of brain activity. Some may counter that science
only reveals how the physical body reacts to interactions with God and/or our
immaterial spirit. I’ve heard it argued that our capacity to have these
experiences was placed in us by God so that we could feel his presence. The
problem with this explanation is that it rests on a number of unsupported
assumptions about how the universe works. In addition, the idea that the
experiences are purely brain based is supported by the evidence and fits well
in our understanding of the physical world. Thus, the most probable explanation
is that there are no spirits involved in spirituality.
Resources:
Great article on neurology of spiritual experiences
Interesting article and video on hearing voices
Good Wikipedia article about hallucinations in the sane
Good article about drug induced spiritual experiences
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