Dear Bhagavatas:
Here is an interesting article "God in the brain" that appeared in another 
list. Forwarded FYI.
Moderator
===================================================
>From: Bhattathiri <mulavana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: spiritual-group@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: spiritual-group@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, indian_Heritage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [Spiritual-Group] God in the brain
>Date: 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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