The Science Of Spiritual Experiences: How To Rewire Your Brain For More Happiness & Purpose

Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist and medical doctor, has devoted extensive research to understanding how the brain processes spiritual and religious experiences through advanced brain imaging techniques.

Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Newberg has studied how spiritual and religious practices impact brain function and activity.

Newberg has been scanning the brains of individuals during meditation, prayer, and other religious and spiritual practices for about 30 years, seeking to explore the connections between neuroscience and spirituality. His work has used MRI and PET scans to observe neural patterns and activity during such experiences. He aims to understand the biological mechanisms of spiritual experiences and how they affect the brain and body.

Newberg uses advanced brain imaging techniques like MRI and PET scans to observe neural patterns during meditation, prayer, and other spiritual practices.

During some spiritual practices, such as meditation where a person can remain still, MRI scans monitor the brain during the activity. For more active practices, Newberg uses nuclear medicine techniques involving radioactive tracers to observe blood flow or neurotransmitter activity. This method captures a snapshot of the brain's state during peak spiritual experiences by scanning individuals shortly after they engage in the practice.

His research has identified key brain regions and neurotransmitter systems that become activated or deactivated during spiritual experiences.

Newberg’s research has shown that spiritual and religious experiences involve a network of brain structures with specific activity patterns that facilitate these experiences. Through his studies, he has observed changes in regions such as the thalamus, which is vital for connecting different brain parts and processing sensory information, as well as in neurotransmitter systems. After intense spiritual retreats, participants showed increased sensitivity to neurotransmitters like serotonin and [restricted term], which influence mood and euphoria.

Certain brain regions like the parietal lobe show reduced activity during deep meditative states, contributing to feelings of unity and oneness.

The parietal lobe normally helps maintain our sense of self and spatial awareness, so its reduced activity can lead to a blurred boundary between the self and the external world.

Dr. Newberg has found that during deep meditation or prayer, there is a decrease in activity in the parietal lobe. This region is responsible for creating a sense of self and spatial representation. When the parietal lobe's activity decreases, it resul ...

Andrew Newberg and Mel Robbins explore the ways engaging in spiritual or religious practices can have a substantial impact on overall well-being, including mental and physical health.

Engaging in spiritual or religious practices has been shown to provide significant mental and physical health benefits.

Andrew Newberg emphasizes that engaging with one's spiritual side has measurable effects on biology and psychology, touching upon the whole person.

Spiritual practices can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by balancing neurotransmitter systems and calming brain activity.

Newberg explains that spiritual practices can lead to increased sensitivity to [restricted term], which can create a more positive outlook on life and potentially reduce negative feelings like stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, Newberg discusses changes in the brain that impact neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, hinting at how spiritual practices might balance these systems and benefit mental health.

Regular spiritual engagement also improves immune function, cardiovascular health, and other physiological measures by positively impacting the autonomic nervous system.

The physiological connections extend to improvements in immune system function and the body's ability to combat diseases, with Newberg noting the benefits for the heart, lungs, and autonomic nervous system. The practice of spirituality, he suggests, helps to manage stress better, which could translate into reduced risks of cancer and heart disease.

Spirituality and religion provide a sense of meaning, purpose, and optimism that can have far-reaching impacts on wellbeing.

Robbins shares a personal story about her sister-in-law contemplating a return to church when feeling unfulfilled by other aspects of her life. She recollects feeling more connected and fulfilled when attending church regularly.

Studies have found that people who report positive spiritual experiences often exhibit greater life satisfaction, stronger social connections, and mo ...

Andrew Newberg engages in a nuanced discussion about the notions of spirituality and religiosity, emphasizing the unique interpretations and overlapping areas of these concepts among individuals.

While spirituality and religiosity overlap, they are not exactly the same

Spirituality and religiosity each aim to connect with something beyond the self, but they aren't the same. Newberg explains that religiosity is typically associated with being part of a religious tradition or group with defined beliefs and practices. In contrast, spirituality is more about an individual's personal connection to something greater than themselves. People may identify as religious and spiritual, embracing both personal and communal beliefs and experiences; however, there is an increasing number who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, abstaining from traditional religious institutions.

Some individuals identify as spiritual but not religious, while others consider themselves both spiritual and religious.

Newberg uses both terms together to be inclusive, acknowledging that experiences can be characterized as religious by some and spiritual by others. The distinctions between the two are often fluid and can accommodate spiritual practices within religious frameworks or vice versa.

The distinctions between the two are often fluid

Andrew Newberg highlights the fluidity of the terms by mentioning the personal nature of spirituality and how it can manifest through various connections, be they supernatural, such as God or universal consciousness, or natural connections like humanity or the cosmos.

Newberg emphasizes the importance of each individual defining their own terms and understanding of spirituality based on their unique experiences and beliefs.

Newberg emphasizes the value of defining spirituality and religiousness on one's own terms, inviting listeners to break out of echo chambers and to consider a wide range of personal experiences and stories. He points out t ...

Dr. Andrew Newberg, a leading researcher in the field of spirituality and the brain, offers practical advice on how individuals can infuse more spiritual elements into their daily lives, fostering feelings of connection and meaning.

Newberg encourages people to be intentional and patient in exploring spiritual practices that resonate with them, whether that's meditation, prayer, time in nature, or other activities.

Newberg suggests that individuals should first consider what they are truly seeking, such as a reduction in anxiety or a feeling of connection to humanity. By writing down these goals, people can research and find practices that align with their aspirations. Exploring well-known approaches is advisable, especially if there is a strong religious background. For those without such a background, trying practices like mindfulness or yoga can be beneficial.

Persistence and patience are necessary as the path is not straight and often involves zigzagging. Dr. Newberg's own spiritual practice arises out of a contemplative process he continues to this day. He advises pushing oneself, seeking connection to something greater, and being intentional in selecting spiritual practices that resonate with their personal paths, whether through religious rituals or everyday routines that create feelings of unity and transformation.

Finding rituals, routines, or experiences that create feelings of unity, intensity, clarity, surrender, and transformation can help activate the brain's neurological systems associated with spiritual engagement.

Newberg speaks of multiple ways to achieve a sense of connection and enlightenment, just as hikers might reach the top of a mountain via different paths. He uses the analogy to emphasize that beauty can be found in every step of the journey. Incorporating repeated meditation, prayer, or engagement with nature or humanity can be paths toward this sense of connection.

Small, everyday experiences can also cultivate spiritual awareness and connection, such as appreciating a beautiful sunrise, listening to uplifting music, or simply being present in the moment.

Mel Robbins extends Newberg's concepts to simpler, everyday experiences that might elicit feelings of connection and appreciation, reinforcing the significance of presence in daily life. Newberg and Robbins talk about the experience of being in nature and how engaging in creative or traditionally spiritual practices can make life more spiritual.

Robbins explains her own ritual of lighting incense every morning and how th ...