Spirituality points found in the brain

What makes us feel spiritually? This could be quieting small areas in our brain, suggests a new study.

Area in question - the right parietal lobe - responsible for the definition of "Me," said Johnstone brick researchers at the University of Missouri. This is a self-criticism, he said, and leads us through the physical and social terrain constantly updated by our self-knowledge: my hand, my cocktail, my witty conversation skills, my new love interest ...

People with less active Me Defines more spiritual life, the study reported in the current edition Zygon.

Most previous research on neuro-spirituality is based on brain scans, and actively trained followers (ie, meditating monks, nuns pray) and has led to a broad and unclear results. (Is this part of the brain lighting in response to the verse or spiritual experience?)

Johnstone said Bret glass and colleagues turned to proven techniques for Neuroscience in the early days - the study of brain-injured patients. The researchers tested brain regions, which in previous studies with imaging tests every area of expertise - as the study on the performance of the ear with the hearing. They then sought correlations between brain regions and performance problems "on its own data spirituality.

Among the more of 26 spiritual issues, the researchers are not exactly a university right lobe functional, physical state, in May mentally translate such as decreased self-esteem and self-confidence to concentrate.

About the results indicate that the tenant core spiritual experience, selflessness, said John Stone, adding that he hopes the study helps people, about spirituality in more specific ways. "

Spiritual outlook have long been associated with better mental and physical health. These advantages, Johnstone speculated, May rose by less focused on themselves and on the other side - a natural consequence of turning up the volume on the Inter-DEFINER.

Besides the religious practice, behavior and other experiences, which are known, the Hush DEFINER from me. Appreciation of art or nature can be peaceful, Johnstone said, pointing out that people say that the "Lost" in a particularly beautiful song. Love, love and work, the boundaries of "Me," he said.

The biggest silencing of the Inter-DEFINER probably happened in the deepest state of meditation or prayer, said John Stone, when practitioners describe the feeling seamlessly with the entire universe.
This means that the highest point of spiritual experience appears when the "I" completely lost its definition.

"If you are in the Torah, the Old Testament, New Testament, the Koran, a lot of Sufi writings, Buddhist and Hindu scriptures, the scriptures, all the talk about selflessness," said Johnstone.