Fwd: God in the brain

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GoddessDurga, Srinath Ram Atreya

<srinath_atreya> wrote:

 

 

Ram Anbil <Ramanbil@h...> wrote:Srirangasri

"Ram Anbil"

Sun, 02 May 2004 12:13:32 +0000

FW: [spiritual-Group] God in the brain

 

Dear Bhagavatas:

Here is an interesting article "God in the brain" that appeared in

another

list. Forwarded FYI.

Moderator

===================================================

 

 

 

>Bhattathiri

>spiritual-group

>spiritual-group, indian_Heritage

>[spiritual-Group] God in the brain

>Wed, 28 Apr 2004 21:26:56 +0530

>

>God in the brain

>In a research using single photon emission computed tomography

(SPECT), Dr

>Andrew Newberg of University of Pennsylvania traced spiritual

experiences

>to the way our brains are wired. He studied meditating Buddhist

monks and

>Franciscan nuns in deep prayer. Though both groups described their

>experiences differently in religious terms, the scans showed similar

>activity in their brains.

>

>Non-meditative brain

>The grey matter is generally active throughout, especially in the

>posterior, superior parietal lobe-which controls one's relationship

with

>the physical world-but a little less in the prefrontal cortex.

>

>Meditative brain

>At the peak of meditation, when the individual merges with the

universe,

>the brain's posterior, superior parietal lobe becomes inactive

because it

>is deprived of sensory data.

>The prefrontal cortex becomes extra-active; it helps the person to

>concentrate, and goads him to attain the high.

>

>Power of mantras

>Repetitive rhythms such as mantras create a sense of tranquility by

>triggering the hypothalamus.

>

>Epilepsy and spirituality

>Some patients with seizures in the limbic system-hippocampus,

amygdala,

>septum, anterior thalamic nuclei, mammillary bodies and cingulate

>cortex-have been found to 'experience God' or feel a sense of

>enlightenment.

>

>The limbic system deals with emotions and informations derived from

events.

>Prof. V.S. Ramachandran, director of The Center for Brain and

Cognition at

>University of California (San Diego), in his book Phantoms in the

Brain,

>says that repeated bursts of nerve impulses in the limbic system may

>permanently open new pathways in a process called kindling, which

might

>permanently alter the individual's emotional life.

>

>the week.com

 

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R.Srinath

 

srinath_atreya

 

 

 

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