"To perform this crucial function, it must first generate a clear, consistent cognition of the physical limits of the self. In simple terms, it must draw a sharp distinction between the individual and everything else; to sort out the you from the infinite not-you that makes up the rest of the universe." When this area is damaged by trauma or stroke, patients have difficulty maneuvering in physical space; when it is extra active, it seems to be a source of an inexplicable feeling of connection to all creation. A meditator describes the ineffable state in terms that are typical: "There's a sense of timelessness and infinity. It feels like I am part of everyone and everything in existence."
This is positive evidence that the experience of "being with God" is entirely self-generated, something that I've speculated on since I was a small child - and first encountered people talking about the experience of God. I experienced a sensation of being connected to the world around me (during sleep hallucination seizures, and to a much lesser extent meditation), but have never felt connected to an intelligent being. I wish that more people would see the rational perspective of the shenanigans their brains are capable of.
3 comments:
Don't be one-sided though. I mean, to Christians, God is much more than something to pray to, he/she (What is God?) is something that is used to bring people together, to explain what cannot be explained, and to help people deal with pain and suffering. Christians -unlike you or me- see God, they hear God, and they feel God. And not only through prayer, but also through togetherness, and hope.
Nicely put Mar. What I find interesting is that when something is happening in the brain that science can not explain that they say "it is all in your head". For example, if someone pokes you in the foot with a hot poker while scanning the brain- you would probably see an area of the brain light up in response to that outside stimuli. When meditating or even praying, it is an exercise in quieting the mind. Once you quiet the mind it opens you up to a different plane. This plane is outside of oneself even if it can not exactly be measured yet, it of course would and does stimulate the brain. Everyone who I know that does either meditation or prayer agree that your own acting is to quite the mind, and then the stimuli happens from God or oneness that they feel. You also get answers as well. It would be interesting to see one of these brain scans- I'll bet at the beginning there is very little activity- the stillness. Then, an active state after that.
The reason God won't go away is because if you seek him, you will find him. He exists in many forms.
The thing about the scans is that the activity doesn't spike, and doesn't quiet. That area of the brain works constantly - but when it stops receiving outside stimulus (the conscious quieting), it still receives internal stimulus. God is in the mind. What would be interesting is if this effect could be replicated artificially - though we are a long way from there.
This also suggests that the mind can be trained to produce this effect at will (there have been studies of buddhist monks that show the mind can be trained in such a way).
Mar, you say that Christians see, hear, and feel God. But the mind is optimized to recognize patterns, and can find meaning in meaninglessness (i.e. inkblot tests). Isn't it possible that God is the explanation our brains come up with to patch together random (noise) internal and external stimuli?
What about those of us who do not experience God? We are potentially a control group. Why don't we experience God? That's the question that needs to be asked.
Post a Comment