Religion and the Brain

Out-of-body experiences, such as meditation, can now be linked to specific parts of the brain, according to a Gale database article titled "Neurotheology."

Scientist Michael Persinger hypothesized that electrical impulses in the temporal lobe caused by epilepsies would produce mystical experiences. To test this theory, he placed helmets on participants that let off a slight electrical charge. Participants described having supernatural and divine experiences.

Persinger suggests that these religious experiences are triggered by anxiety, personal crisis, lack of oxygen, low blood sugar and fatigue.

Why the left temporal lobe? This area of the brain is thought to “maintain our sense of self”

The power of rituals: Many cultures participate in religious ceremonies characterized by drumming, dancing, incantations, etc…

Intense sensory stimulation + powerful emotions = sends brain into “hyperdrive”

What happens in hyperdrive? The hippocampus stops the flow of signals between neurons (much like during the sensation of fear). Certain regions of the brain no longer receive input from neurons. One of these areas is the orientation area. The brain no longer receives sensory input. The body can no longer detect “where the self leaves off and the world begins”.

All very interesting. Of course, as the author says, it is up for you to decide whether our brains are responsible for the idea of some higher power, or whether some higher power is responsible for the wiring of our brains.