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How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain: The New Science of Transformation
The bestselling authors of How God Changes Your Brain reveal the neurological underpinnings of enlightenment, offering unique strategies to help readers experience its many benefits.
In this original and groundbreaking book, Andrew Newberg, M.D., and Mark Robert Waldman turn their attention to the pinnacle of the human enlightenment. Through his brain- scan studies on Brazilian psychic mediums, Sufi mystics, Buddhist meditators, Franciscan nuns, Pentecostals, and participants in secular spirituality rituals, Newberg has discovered the specific neurological mechanisms associated with the enlightenment experience--and how we might activate those circuits in our own brains.
In his survey of more than one thousand people who have experienced enlightenment, Newberg has also discovered that in the aftermath they have had profound, positive life changes. Enlightenment offers us the possibility to become permanently less stress-prone, to break bad habits, to improve our collaboration and creativity skills, and to lead happier, more satisfying lives. Relaying the story of his own transformational experience as well as including the stories of others who try to describe an event that is truly indescribable, Newberg brings us a new paradigm for deep and lasting change.
In this original and groundbreaking book, Andrew Newberg, M.D., and Mark Robert Waldman turn their attention to the pinnacle of the human enlightenment. Through his brain- scan studies on Brazilian psychic mediums, Sufi mystics, Buddhist meditators, Franciscan nuns, Pentecostals, and participants in secular spirituality rituals, Newberg has discovered the specific neurological mechanisms associated with the enlightenment experience--and how we might activate those circuits in our own brains.
In his survey of more than one thousand people who have experienced enlightenment, Newberg has also discovered that in the aftermath they have had profound, positive life changes. Enlightenment offers us the possibility to become permanently less stress-prone, to break bad habits, to improve our collaboration and creativity skills, and to lead happier, more satisfying lives. Relaying the story of his own transformational experience as well as including the stories of others who try to describe an event that is truly indescribable, Newberg brings us a new paradigm for deep and lasting change.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2016
110 people are currently reading
1220 people want to read
About the author
Andrew B. Newberg
46 books182 followersDr. Andrew Newberg is Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Medical College. He is also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Nuclear Medicine. He is considered a pioneer in the neuroscientific study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field frequently referred to as – neurotheology. His work attempts to better understand the nature of religious and spiritual practices and experiences. This has been compiled into his latest book, Principles of Neurotheology, which reviews the important principles and foundations of neurotheology. Believing that it is important to keep science rigorous and religion religious, he has engaged the topic like few others. He has been fascinated by the implications of this research for the study of the mind, brain, consciousness, morality, theology, and philosophy. He has also been particularly interested in the relationship between the brain, religion, and health. His research has included brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and various trance states. He has also performed surveys of people's spiritual experiences and attitudes. Finally, he has evaluated the relationship between religious and spiritual phenomena and health. This includes a recent study on the effect of meditation on memory.
In his career, he has also actively pursued neuroimaging research projects on the study of aging and dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. He has also researched the neurophysiological correlates of acupuncture, meditation, and alternative therapies, and how brain function is associated with mystical and religious experiences. Dr. Newberg helped develop stress-management programs for the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems and received a Science and Religion Course Award from the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences for his program entitled "The Biology of Spirituality" in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania. He is currently teaching a course in the Department of Religious Studies entitled, “Science and the Sacred: An Introduction to Neurotheology.”
Dr. Newberg has published over 150 research articles, essays and book chapters, and is the co-author of the best selling books, Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief (Ballantine, 2001) and How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist (Ballantine, 2009). He has also published, Principles of Neurotheology (Ashgate, 2011) Why We Believe What We Believe (Ballantine, 2006), and The Mystical Mind (Fortress Press, 1999). He has presented his research throughout the world in both scientific and public forums. He appeared on Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, ABC's World News Tonight, National Public Radio, London Talk Radio and over fifteen nationally syndicated radio programs. His work has been featured in Time, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many other newspapers and magazines. An overview of his work can be viewed at on this site.
In his career, he has also actively pursued neuroimaging research projects on the study of aging and dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. He has also researched the neurophysiological correlates of acupuncture, meditation, and alternative therapies, and how brain function is associated with mystical and religious experiences. Dr. Newberg helped develop stress-management programs for the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems and received a Science and Religion Course Award from the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences for his program entitled "The Biology of Spirituality" in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania. He is currently teaching a course in the Department of Religious Studies entitled, “Science and the Sacred: An Introduction to Neurotheology.”
Dr. Newberg has published over 150 research articles, essays and book chapters, and is the co-author of the best selling books, Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief (Ballantine, 2001) and How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist (Ballantine, 2009). He has also published, Principles of Neurotheology (Ashgate, 2011) Why We Believe What We Believe (Ballantine, 2006), and The Mystical Mind (Fortress Press, 1999). He has presented his research throughout the world in both scientific and public forums. He appeared on Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, ABC's World News Tonight, National Public Radio, London Talk Radio and over fifteen nationally syndicated radio programs. His work has been featured in Time, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many other newspapers and magazines. An overview of his work can be viewed at on this site.
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October 5, 2016
At first, I thought this was a great book right up my street, but then it began to bother me that the authors hadn´t really defined “Enlightenment” to my satisfaction, and seemed to be using the word incorrectly. I couldn´t find a definition of “Enlightenment” with a capital “E” in any of my dictionaries either; The Oxford English dictionary merely states “knowledge and understanding”.
What I understand by Enlightenment is a certain highly advanced state of being, which happens at a certain point, or perhaps gradually, I wouldn´t know, where the enlightened master has special understanding and powers. On the net, I found the definition “ a final spiritual state marked by the absence of desire or suffering” (in Buddhism).This is the best I can find for my understanding of the term. When I think of Enlightenment I think of David R. Hawkins, who in his books has described to us the advanced spiritual states he experienced, and his special healing powers.
The authors of the present book talk merely of “big Es” and “little Es”. In the book, we are given examples of some of these experiences in the persons´ own words. In one account, God testified to the experiencer “that the Heavenly Father” does not exist”. How can God testify that He does not exist, or what is meant by the “Heavenly Father” if the two are not one and the same? Einstein had a special experience in connection with a book on Euclidean geometry. Most of these so-called “enlightenments” were absorbing to read, though one person´s account (by an atheist) was dismissive of the very existence of spiritual experiences.
Throughout the years, I myself have had many wonderful spiritual experiences, including one at age 14 that Susan Shumsky assures me was a unity consciousness experience, but I have never thought or felt that any of these had to do with Enlightenment, nor did they lead to it.
Perhaps it´s all a matter of the definition of “Enlightenment”. But I do feel that the authors´ use of the word is misleading, thus, in fact, the whole premise and title of the book may be misleading.
During a meditation, Andrew Newberg himself had an intense spiritual experience where he found himself immersed in a “sea of Infinite Doubt”. He had wanted to eradicate doubt but discovered that “the only certainty is Doubt”. But in this Infinite Sea, everything was unified and connected. It was the most comfortable and blissful experience had had ever had.
The authors establish that spiritual experiences (I won´t call them “enlightenments”) relate to specific neurological events that can permanently change the structure and functioning of the brain. “ --- there is something very powerful going on inside the brain.”
What they term “Enlightenment” “ appears to involve a sudden shift of consciousness that temporarily interrupts the way the brain normally responds to the world.”
The chapter entitled “What is Enlightenment?” is excellent; spiritual experiences of Tolstoy and Richard Bucke are described and William James´”Varieties of Religious Experience” (my favourite book in my adolescent years) is referred to. Bucke identified common elements of the “cosmic consciousness” process, which included:
- A subjective experience of inner light”
- A deepening of moral or spiritual values
- An increased sense of intellectual illumination
- A feeling of immortality or eternity¨
- A loss of the fear of death
- A loss of the sense of sin or guilt
- An instantaneous awakening
- A lasting transformation of personality
The authors´ foremost interest is, of course, the effect of spiritual experiences on the brain. They studied a group of Pentecostals who engaged in “speaking in tongues”. First they began to sing and dance as gospel music was played. This was associated with “increased frontal lobe activity”, but when they began to speak in tongues, “activity suddenly dropped in the frontal lobe”. When this happened, “they immediately felt an intense sense of unity” with something beyond themselves – the Holy Spirit”, surrendered themselves to the experience and felt transformed and healed.
They also found a drop in frontal lobe activity when they examined Sufi practitioners engaging in “Dhikr” – a powerful chanting and movement meditation.
Decreases in parietal lobe activity can also allow a person to have intense feelings of unity consciousness. In brain-scan studies of various spiritual practitioners, changes in the thalamus were also seen during specific practices like prayer and meditation, together with long-term changes in the function of the thalamus in people performing contemplative practices over many years.
There is a chapter entitled “Channelling ´supernatural entities´” where we are told about mediums communicating with the dead. I do not deem the phrase “supernatural entities” appropriate in this context; What do they mean by “supernatural”? “Entities” is also a strange way to describe spirits of the dead.
I didn't see the relevance of communication with the dead in a book purporting to be about enlightenment, but it turned out that the brains of these mediums showed a dramatic decrease in frontal lobe activity, similar to that observed in the Pentecostals when speaking in tongues.
In the latter part of the book, we are given various techniques for preparing for, or provoking, “Enlightenment”.
In conclusion, I would state that I found this to be an absolutely worthwhile, inspiring and very readable book about spiritual experiences; I just didn´t agree with the authors´ use of the word “enlightenment”. I would highly recommend the book.
P.S. I also think the authors should have talked to a few enlightened masters and studied their brains.
What I understand by Enlightenment is a certain highly advanced state of being, which happens at a certain point, or perhaps gradually, I wouldn´t know, where the enlightened master has special understanding and powers. On the net, I found the definition “ a final spiritual state marked by the absence of desire or suffering” (in Buddhism).This is the best I can find for my understanding of the term. When I think of Enlightenment I think of David R. Hawkins, who in his books has described to us the advanced spiritual states he experienced, and his special healing powers.
The authors of the present book talk merely of “big Es” and “little Es”. In the book, we are given examples of some of these experiences in the persons´ own words. In one account, God testified to the experiencer “that the Heavenly Father” does not exist”. How can God testify that He does not exist, or what is meant by the “Heavenly Father” if the two are not one and the same? Einstein had a special experience in connection with a book on Euclidean geometry. Most of these so-called “enlightenments” were absorbing to read, though one person´s account (by an atheist) was dismissive of the very existence of spiritual experiences.
Throughout the years, I myself have had many wonderful spiritual experiences, including one at age 14 that Susan Shumsky assures me was a unity consciousness experience, but I have never thought or felt that any of these had to do with Enlightenment, nor did they lead to it.
Perhaps it´s all a matter of the definition of “Enlightenment”. But I do feel that the authors´ use of the word is misleading, thus, in fact, the whole premise and title of the book may be misleading.
During a meditation, Andrew Newberg himself had an intense spiritual experience where he found himself immersed in a “sea of Infinite Doubt”. He had wanted to eradicate doubt but discovered that “the only certainty is Doubt”. But in this Infinite Sea, everything was unified and connected. It was the most comfortable and blissful experience had had ever had.
The authors establish that spiritual experiences (I won´t call them “enlightenments”) relate to specific neurological events that can permanently change the structure and functioning of the brain. “ --- there is something very powerful going on inside the brain.”
What they term “Enlightenment” “ appears to involve a sudden shift of consciousness that temporarily interrupts the way the brain normally responds to the world.”
The chapter entitled “What is Enlightenment?” is excellent; spiritual experiences of Tolstoy and Richard Bucke are described and William James´”Varieties of Religious Experience” (my favourite book in my adolescent years) is referred to. Bucke identified common elements of the “cosmic consciousness” process, which included:
- A subjective experience of inner light”
- A deepening of moral or spiritual values
- An increased sense of intellectual illumination
- A feeling of immortality or eternity¨
- A loss of the fear of death
- A loss of the sense of sin or guilt
- An instantaneous awakening
- A lasting transformation of personality
The authors´ foremost interest is, of course, the effect of spiritual experiences on the brain. They studied a group of Pentecostals who engaged in “speaking in tongues”. First they began to sing and dance as gospel music was played. This was associated with “increased frontal lobe activity”, but when they began to speak in tongues, “activity suddenly dropped in the frontal lobe”. When this happened, “they immediately felt an intense sense of unity” with something beyond themselves – the Holy Spirit”, surrendered themselves to the experience and felt transformed and healed.
They also found a drop in frontal lobe activity when they examined Sufi practitioners engaging in “Dhikr” – a powerful chanting and movement meditation.
Decreases in parietal lobe activity can also allow a person to have intense feelings of unity consciousness. In brain-scan studies of various spiritual practitioners, changes in the thalamus were also seen during specific practices like prayer and meditation, together with long-term changes in the function of the thalamus in people performing contemplative practices over many years.
There is a chapter entitled “Channelling ´supernatural entities´” where we are told about mediums communicating with the dead. I do not deem the phrase “supernatural entities” appropriate in this context; What do they mean by “supernatural”? “Entities” is also a strange way to describe spirits of the dead.
I didn't see the relevance of communication with the dead in a book purporting to be about enlightenment, but it turned out that the brains of these mediums showed a dramatic decrease in frontal lobe activity, similar to that observed in the Pentecostals when speaking in tongues.
In the latter part of the book, we are given various techniques for preparing for, or provoking, “Enlightenment”.
In conclusion, I would state that I found this to be an absolutely worthwhile, inspiring and very readable book about spiritual experiences; I just didn´t agree with the authors´ use of the word “enlightenment”. I would highly recommend the book.
P.S. I also think the authors should have talked to a few enlightened masters and studied their brains.
January 17, 2016
Throughout history many individuals have reported having a profound transformative experience. While the specifics of each experience vary widely, they all share certain characteristics: oneness, clarity, intensity, surrender, and permanent change in some core aspect of their lives. What is going on here? Are these God’s chosen people, stoners, lunatics, mystics, senile people, flower children, geniuses, or ordinary people? The authors describe the phenomenon of enlightenment in a wide variety of forms, endeavor to examine the science of enlightenment, and then describe how you can attain enlightenment.
To inform their research, the authors used an on-line survey to collect personal descriptions of more than two thousand spiritual experiences. These experiences span a range from the big “E” Enlightenment experiences where a person’s entire worldview permanently changes and suffering is replaced by peace and happiness to the more common little “e” enlightenment experiences—that “aha!” moment—that provides new insight, clarity, and perspective about our world.
“The ability to experience enlightenment, big or small, appears to be ‘wired’ into our brain and consciousness.” Furthermore, subjects typically report, “a new sense of meaning and purpose in his life, feels differently about his job and relationships, and no longer fears failure or even death.” Can the existence of such transformations be scientifically verified?
Author Andrew Newburg is a medical doctor and neuroscientist. He uses fMRI and single proton emission computed tomography (SPECT) to generate brain-scans of subjects before and after various enlightenment experiences. I am not qualified to personally read, interpret, or validate the various brain-scans appearing in the book. I did, however, sample several of the cited references and verify they are peer-reviewed, published scientific reports describing well designed experiments.
Brain scans taken during or immediately after an enlightenment experience show a decrease in activity in the parietal lobe. This section of the brain is associated with a loss of the sense of self and a blurring of lines between the self and the rest of the world. This may explain why people who describe their enlightenment experience using statements such as “the sense of unity was awesome” claim a deep connection to the world or universe. At the same time, scans also show a decrease in frontal lobe activity. This may affect feelings of intensity, calm, surrender, and joy.
The unique signature of enlightenment seems to be elevated activity in both the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain, followed by a sudden and dramatic decrease in activities in these areas. This transformation is accomplished by shifting among various states of human awareness in particular ways. To introduce language useful in describing these various mental states, chapter 5 describes the six-level “spectrum of human awareness”. Each of the six levels, ranging from “instinctual awareness” through “transformational awareness” is associated with activity in different regions of the brain. I would have liked to see this model reconciled with the well accepted “System 1” and “System 2” models of Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow.
I particularly appreciate the pan-spiritual approach of the book. The authors are respectful, open-minded, and conscientious as they investigate and connect a variety of disciplines that are traditionally considered to be disparate and even irreconcilable. They study a wide variety of religious practices, mystical traditions, drug effects, and secular activities to determine the broad extent and the common elements of enlightenment. This broad evidence-driven approach leads to scientifically relevant hypothesis, analysis, and conclusions that reveal a unifying model of enlightenment. None-the-less, this is a thinly researched field of study, and their pioneering work has to be considered as tentative.
The authors project their enthusiasm by stating: “When you get right down to it, Enlightenment is the implicit goal of every mystical tradition in the world: to fully surrender oneself to the unity of God, consciousness, truth, or whatever principle is core to the religious or spiritual philosophy.” They go on to state: “This is the ultimate message of the book—Enlightenment is for anyone.” This brings us to part 3 of the book, entitled “Moving Toward Enlightenment,” where they present a variety of specific techniques that anyone can follow to prepare for, and perhaps attain an enlightenment experience. The most powerful technique they have studied is the Sufi ritual of Dhikr. They present several variations of this ritual, modified to accommodate a variety of religious or secular preferences.
Unfortunately, they do not discuss the efficacy of these techniques. We do not learn how often the conscientious practice of these techniques results in an enlightenment experience. My perfunctory attempts to follow the techniques have not yet brought me to the “aha!” moment of new insights.
This is a well-written, well-researched, and well-presented book on an unusual topic. They survey a wide variety of experiences and work to identify common characteristics of enlightenment. They apply a rigorous scientific approach to study some of the most elusive, subjective, and ephemeral human experiences. Bravo to their efforts to bridge the chasm that so often keeps apart our spiritual and scientific realms.
To inform their research, the authors used an on-line survey to collect personal descriptions of more than two thousand spiritual experiences. These experiences span a range from the big “E” Enlightenment experiences where a person’s entire worldview permanently changes and suffering is replaced by peace and happiness to the more common little “e” enlightenment experiences—that “aha!” moment—that provides new insight, clarity, and perspective about our world.
“The ability to experience enlightenment, big or small, appears to be ‘wired’ into our brain and consciousness.” Furthermore, subjects typically report, “a new sense of meaning and purpose in his life, feels differently about his job and relationships, and no longer fears failure or even death.” Can the existence of such transformations be scientifically verified?
Author Andrew Newburg is a medical doctor and neuroscientist. He uses fMRI and single proton emission computed tomography (SPECT) to generate brain-scans of subjects before and after various enlightenment experiences. I am not qualified to personally read, interpret, or validate the various brain-scans appearing in the book. I did, however, sample several of the cited references and verify they are peer-reviewed, published scientific reports describing well designed experiments.
Brain scans taken during or immediately after an enlightenment experience show a decrease in activity in the parietal lobe. This section of the brain is associated with a loss of the sense of self and a blurring of lines between the self and the rest of the world. This may explain why people who describe their enlightenment experience using statements such as “the sense of unity was awesome” claim a deep connection to the world or universe. At the same time, scans also show a decrease in frontal lobe activity. This may affect feelings of intensity, calm, surrender, and joy.
The unique signature of enlightenment seems to be elevated activity in both the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain, followed by a sudden and dramatic decrease in activities in these areas. This transformation is accomplished by shifting among various states of human awareness in particular ways. To introduce language useful in describing these various mental states, chapter 5 describes the six-level “spectrum of human awareness”. Each of the six levels, ranging from “instinctual awareness” through “transformational awareness” is associated with activity in different regions of the brain. I would have liked to see this model reconciled with the well accepted “System 1” and “System 2” models of Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow.
I particularly appreciate the pan-spiritual approach of the book. The authors are respectful, open-minded, and conscientious as they investigate and connect a variety of disciplines that are traditionally considered to be disparate and even irreconcilable. They study a wide variety of religious practices, mystical traditions, drug effects, and secular activities to determine the broad extent and the common elements of enlightenment. This broad evidence-driven approach leads to scientifically relevant hypothesis, analysis, and conclusions that reveal a unifying model of enlightenment. None-the-less, this is a thinly researched field of study, and their pioneering work has to be considered as tentative.
The authors project their enthusiasm by stating: “When you get right down to it, Enlightenment is the implicit goal of every mystical tradition in the world: to fully surrender oneself to the unity of God, consciousness, truth, or whatever principle is core to the religious or spiritual philosophy.” They go on to state: “This is the ultimate message of the book—Enlightenment is for anyone.” This brings us to part 3 of the book, entitled “Moving Toward Enlightenment,” where they present a variety of specific techniques that anyone can follow to prepare for, and perhaps attain an enlightenment experience. The most powerful technique they have studied is the Sufi ritual of Dhikr. They present several variations of this ritual, modified to accommodate a variety of religious or secular preferences.
Unfortunately, they do not discuss the efficacy of these techniques. We do not learn how often the conscientious practice of these techniques results in an enlightenment experience. My perfunctory attempts to follow the techniques have not yet brought me to the “aha!” moment of new insights.
This is a well-written, well-researched, and well-presented book on an unusual topic. They survey a wide variety of experiences and work to identify common characteristics of enlightenment. They apply a rigorous scientific approach to study some of the most elusive, subjective, and ephemeral human experiences. Bravo to their efforts to bridge the chasm that so often keeps apart our spiritual and scientific realms.
May 23, 2017
This book busted me over the head with some profound food for thought. I’d been skeptical of the notion of Enlightenment. [Note: the authors distinguish big-E Enlightenment as a permanent and substantial brain change, in contrast to the little-e enlightenment which is just a momentary epiphanies or insight—a number of which may precede the big-E Enlightenment.] It’s not that I disbelieved that some people had life-changing and / or perspective-changing experiences, but rather that such events represented permanent change. My skepticism was influenced by the many gurus who have been said to be Enlightened, but who behaved to all appearances like petty, materialistic douche-bags. It’s not that I couldn’t believe that these teachers achieved some momentary heightened state of consciousness during their youth, but—if they had—they clearly couldn’t maintain it under the pressure of being idolized. I’d, therefore, come to think that life is a perpetual struggle to try to be a better version of oneself, and backsliding can and will happen at any moment. This book, however, suggests there is a possibility for permanent brain changes. [Though Dalberg’s “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” seems to still apply.]
Andrew Newberg is a neuroscientist who has made a career out of conducting brain imaging studies of people engaged in various spiritual, religious, and meditative activities. His co-author is a psychologist, Mark Robert Waldman, who works on applying neuroscientific understanding to positive psychology. In this book, the two examine what Enlightenment is from a neuroscientific standpoint and then try to cull the common features across a population of cases of Enlightenment / enlightenment. Discovering the common elements of Enlightenment is no easy task. While it seems everybody is theoretically capable of achieving Enlightenment, it also seems that the experience is different for everybody and the collection of systems (religious, spiritual, and secular) by which it’s pursued is vast. However, the authors present a five-step outline by which readers can prime themselves to achieve Enlightenment, and it can be personalized depending upon one’s beliefs (or lack thereof—Enlightenment occurs among agnostics and atheists as well as religious practitioners) and background.
The book consists of 12 chapters divided among three parts. Part I (Ch. 1 to 5) lays the groundwork for readers to understand what Enlightenment is, how it feels, how it’s experienced between people with radically varying belief (and disbelief) structures, and it presents a model of human awareness that is crucial to the later discussion. Part II (Ch. 6 to 9) considers what happens in the brain during various practices by which individuals advance towards Enlightenment. Concepts like unity, surrender, and belief are explored in detail. Part III (Ch. 10 to 12) describes the process by which readers can pursue Enlightenment for themselves. If one is inclined to chart one’s own path, versus adopting an existing program, one has all the insight and tools to begin constructing one’s personal method by the time this section is complete.
The book has graphics as necessary (e.g. brain diagrams) that largely consist of line diagrams. There is an appendix that consolidates tools and resources, and the book is annotated by chapter.
I found this book to be both interesting and potentially beneficial to readers who take it beyond a popular science book and into the realm of self-help. The authors do a great job of navigating the waters between religion and science. Obviously, they are scientists and are agnostic about that which cannot be proven, but they don’t question other people’s beliefs and--if anything--error on the side of being open-minded. Still, I suspect that there will be religious types offended by the very notion that all humans are biologically primed to achieve this heightened state. It should be pointed out that the book could be supremely useful for such individuals because it points out the need to engage in exercises to challenge one’s most closely held beliefs. (Those with less mental flexibility and capacity for tolerance seem to be less likely to achieve Enlightenment.)
I’d recommend this book for anyone trying to figure out how to be the ultimate version of oneself.
Andrew Newberg is a neuroscientist who has made a career out of conducting brain imaging studies of people engaged in various spiritual, religious, and meditative activities. His co-author is a psychologist, Mark Robert Waldman, who works on applying neuroscientific understanding to positive psychology. In this book, the two examine what Enlightenment is from a neuroscientific standpoint and then try to cull the common features across a population of cases of Enlightenment / enlightenment. Discovering the common elements of Enlightenment is no easy task. While it seems everybody is theoretically capable of achieving Enlightenment, it also seems that the experience is different for everybody and the collection of systems (religious, spiritual, and secular) by which it’s pursued is vast. However, the authors present a five-step outline by which readers can prime themselves to achieve Enlightenment, and it can be personalized depending upon one’s beliefs (or lack thereof—Enlightenment occurs among agnostics and atheists as well as religious practitioners) and background.
The book consists of 12 chapters divided among three parts. Part I (Ch. 1 to 5) lays the groundwork for readers to understand what Enlightenment is, how it feels, how it’s experienced between people with radically varying belief (and disbelief) structures, and it presents a model of human awareness that is crucial to the later discussion. Part II (Ch. 6 to 9) considers what happens in the brain during various practices by which individuals advance towards Enlightenment. Concepts like unity, surrender, and belief are explored in detail. Part III (Ch. 10 to 12) describes the process by which readers can pursue Enlightenment for themselves. If one is inclined to chart one’s own path, versus adopting an existing program, one has all the insight and tools to begin constructing one’s personal method by the time this section is complete.
The book has graphics as necessary (e.g. brain diagrams) that largely consist of line diagrams. There is an appendix that consolidates tools and resources, and the book is annotated by chapter.
I found this book to be both interesting and potentially beneficial to readers who take it beyond a popular science book and into the realm of self-help. The authors do a great job of navigating the waters between religion and science. Obviously, they are scientists and are agnostic about that which cannot be proven, but they don’t question other people’s beliefs and--if anything--error on the side of being open-minded. Still, I suspect that there will be religious types offended by the very notion that all humans are biologically primed to achieve this heightened state. It should be pointed out that the book could be supremely useful for such individuals because it points out the need to engage in exercises to challenge one’s most closely held beliefs. (Those with less mental flexibility and capacity for tolerance seem to be less likely to achieve Enlightenment.)
I’d recommend this book for anyone trying to figure out how to be the ultimate version of oneself.
Read
December 13, 2021What a big disappointment from his earlier works. He has left the realm of science and has entered the realm of spirit ism.
December 19, 2022
Inspiring.
February 19, 2016
I received a copy of How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain through Goodreads Giveaways.
I entered to win this book because I'm currently researching and learning about Enlightenment. I started out thinking what it seems most people believe: Enlightenment is a Buddhism thing, and not accepted or understood by those who don't practice Buddhism.
As this book shows, Enlightenment goes far beyond Buddhism. It suggest there are two forms of Enlightenment, and after reading what they are and what they mean, I have to agree. One of the most profound experiences of my life is something I never considered more than a lesson in love, but after reading How Enlightenment changes your brain, I reexamined that experience and see it differently now.
This is what happened: On Christmas Eve 2013, my husband Sean and I found ourselves driving nearly 100mph down a dark highway at 5am(don't do that, I definitely don't recommend or condone it). We were rushing our cat Diesel to the emergency vet. Diesel was dying, and we didn't have much time. We didn't know what was wrong, just that with every second that went by, Diesel was closer and closer to crossing the Rainbow Bridge.
We got the vet and I ran inside with Diesel in the cat crate. Triage took him away from me while I screamed and cried. After pacing outside and smoking more cigarettes than I care to admit, a nurse took us to a private room. The vet came in and told us that Diesel had to go to surgery immediately to fix his bladder and kidneys. I had about two minutes to say goodbye to my beautiful long-haired Siamese cat who had been through hell and back with me.
As I walked back to Diesel's cage, my mind raced. Diesel is a twin. He and his brother Rhett and moved across the country with me, twice. We'd gone through a painful divorce together. No matter what, my twins were there. Now, I may be saying goodbye to Diesel and there was nothing I could do but put my faith in God and the medical team that would be working on him. I wasn't ready for this. I will never be ready for it.
I got to Diesel's cage and opened the door. He was in pain, I could see it. His eyes have two shades of blue in them; one is a dark blue and the other is a light blue. I looked at him and have never seen the blue shine so brightly. Sean was with me - Diesel is his Little Man, and they're very close. But that morning, Diesel never stopped staring at me. I never could explain what passed between this cat and I, but it was so powerful. There was love and understanding. I could feel Diesel telling me he loves me, asking me to be strong and to hold on. His eyes told me that he would be okay, I would see him in a few hours.
The vet already told me that Diesel had less than a 5% chance of surviving surgery. He has a kidney disease that's extremely rare and only shows up when it's too late. Cats just don't survive this surgery when they have this disease. I knew that when I was staring at Diesel, and he seemed to as well. Looking at him, I felt a warmth come over me and was at peace. Diesel was telling me that he'd make it, not to worry because he's a fighter. I hugged and kissed him as I said goodbye and could feel love radiating off of him and onto me. I could feel his soul assuring me that I'd see him soon, that his heart would be beating and he'd come home again with me.
Sean and I spent Christmas Day at the vet with Diesel. He was in a bigger crate, hooked up to machines with four different tubes running into his body. I'm a very small person, and I fit into the cage with him. I laid in there holding Diesel while he slept and purred, and I could feel the fabric of my soul sewing together with his. As Diesel slept, Sean and I just looked at each other. We can't have kids, so these cats are our kids. As much as Diesel is Sean's Little Man, he left us be, and I ended up laying in the cage for hours, holding my cat, praying to God, staring at my future husband and feeling myself go through a change.
It's 2016 now, and that experience is one of the most painful I've ever had. Rhett and Diesel are everything to me, and I knew the moment I got them in 2009 that as soon as one goes, the other won't be far behind. Diesel not only survived his surgery, he came home two days early and has had no complications since. He's a special needs cat now, but it's all worth it. Rhett somehow got connected with Diesel and I. There are no words for this connection, I've tried and just don't have them. People who see the three of us together have said, "it's like you and those cats are one soul", "you three are connected, I can feel it", and "it's obvious you were made for each other."
Every now and then, Diesel and I share a look that goes beyond human and cat. We are deeply connected. I always believed there was much more to animal consciousness than we've discovered, and that first moment with Diesel was my 'aha' moment. That forever changed me, and I look at him and his brother differently now, as I do our other four cats and all animals. I love all six of my cats, but the connection is different with the other three than it is with Rhett and Diesel - Sean and I actually have two sets of twins, so it's not a twin thing. It's deeper than that.
How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain helped me realize just what happened that day with Diesel. I learned what was happening to my brain and my being all at once. It was great to read the history of Enlightenment through different religions and non-religions, and read stories of people who have had these experiences.
This book has different exercises in it that you can do that go along with reaching Enlightenment. You'll learn the two forms of Enlightenment, how to meditate properly and just what is happening to your brain during various things.
If you're interested in Enlightenment, think it may have happened to you, or just want to learn more, this book is perfect for you. It's written so everyone can read and understand it. Background is given so you won't be lost or in the dark - you will understand what is being said, even from a neurological standpoint. You may even realize you've had an 'aha' moment in your life and begin to look at your personal experiences differently.
I entered to win this book because I'm currently researching and learning about Enlightenment. I started out thinking what it seems most people believe: Enlightenment is a Buddhism thing, and not accepted or understood by those who don't practice Buddhism.
As this book shows, Enlightenment goes far beyond Buddhism. It suggest there are two forms of Enlightenment, and after reading what they are and what they mean, I have to agree. One of the most profound experiences of my life is something I never considered more than a lesson in love, but after reading How Enlightenment changes your brain, I reexamined that experience and see it differently now.
This is what happened: On Christmas Eve 2013, my husband Sean and I found ourselves driving nearly 100mph down a dark highway at 5am(don't do that, I definitely don't recommend or condone it). We were rushing our cat Diesel to the emergency vet. Diesel was dying, and we didn't have much time. We didn't know what was wrong, just that with every second that went by, Diesel was closer and closer to crossing the Rainbow Bridge.
We got the vet and I ran inside with Diesel in the cat crate. Triage took him away from me while I screamed and cried. After pacing outside and smoking more cigarettes than I care to admit, a nurse took us to a private room. The vet came in and told us that Diesel had to go to surgery immediately to fix his bladder and kidneys. I had about two minutes to say goodbye to my beautiful long-haired Siamese cat who had been through hell and back with me.
As I walked back to Diesel's cage, my mind raced. Diesel is a twin. He and his brother Rhett and moved across the country with me, twice. We'd gone through a painful divorce together. No matter what, my twins were there. Now, I may be saying goodbye to Diesel and there was nothing I could do but put my faith in God and the medical team that would be working on him. I wasn't ready for this. I will never be ready for it.
I got to Diesel's cage and opened the door. He was in pain, I could see it. His eyes have two shades of blue in them; one is a dark blue and the other is a light blue. I looked at him and have never seen the blue shine so brightly. Sean was with me - Diesel is his Little Man, and they're very close. But that morning, Diesel never stopped staring at me. I never could explain what passed between this cat and I, but it was so powerful. There was love and understanding. I could feel Diesel telling me he loves me, asking me to be strong and to hold on. His eyes told me that he would be okay, I would see him in a few hours.
The vet already told me that Diesel had less than a 5% chance of surviving surgery. He has a kidney disease that's extremely rare and only shows up when it's too late. Cats just don't survive this surgery when they have this disease. I knew that when I was staring at Diesel, and he seemed to as well. Looking at him, I felt a warmth come over me and was at peace. Diesel was telling me that he'd make it, not to worry because he's a fighter. I hugged and kissed him as I said goodbye and could feel love radiating off of him and onto me. I could feel his soul assuring me that I'd see him soon, that his heart would be beating and he'd come home again with me.
Sean and I spent Christmas Day at the vet with Diesel. He was in a bigger crate, hooked up to machines with four different tubes running into his body. I'm a very small person, and I fit into the cage with him. I laid in there holding Diesel while he slept and purred, and I could feel the fabric of my soul sewing together with his. As Diesel slept, Sean and I just looked at each other. We can't have kids, so these cats are our kids. As much as Diesel is Sean's Little Man, he left us be, and I ended up laying in the cage for hours, holding my cat, praying to God, staring at my future husband and feeling myself go through a change.
It's 2016 now, and that experience is one of the most painful I've ever had. Rhett and Diesel are everything to me, and I knew the moment I got them in 2009 that as soon as one goes, the other won't be far behind. Diesel not only survived his surgery, he came home two days early and has had no complications since. He's a special needs cat now, but it's all worth it. Rhett somehow got connected with Diesel and I. There are no words for this connection, I've tried and just don't have them. People who see the three of us together have said, "it's like you and those cats are one soul", "you three are connected, I can feel it", and "it's obvious you were made for each other."
Every now and then, Diesel and I share a look that goes beyond human and cat. We are deeply connected. I always believed there was much more to animal consciousness than we've discovered, and that first moment with Diesel was my 'aha' moment. That forever changed me, and I look at him and his brother differently now, as I do our other four cats and all animals. I love all six of my cats, but the connection is different with the other three than it is with Rhett and Diesel - Sean and I actually have two sets of twins, so it's not a twin thing. It's deeper than that.
How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain helped me realize just what happened that day with Diesel. I learned what was happening to my brain and my being all at once. It was great to read the history of Enlightenment through different religions and non-religions, and read stories of people who have had these experiences.
This book has different exercises in it that you can do that go along with reaching Enlightenment. You'll learn the two forms of Enlightenment, how to meditate properly and just what is happening to your brain during various things.
If you're interested in Enlightenment, think it may have happened to you, or just want to learn more, this book is perfect for you. It's written so everyone can read and understand it. Background is given so you won't be lost or in the dark - you will understand what is being said, even from a neurological standpoint. You may even realize you've had an 'aha' moment in your life and begin to look at your personal experiences differently.
June 10, 2016
Goodreads.com review
==
This book is somehow repetitive and reads a bit dull — but it is actually refreshing!
There are so many self-help or meditation books that use engaging language and strong metaphors. Sometimes, they conceal weak research or lack of conceptual framework. Not here: the authors give us a material backed with substantial research. This is a valuable trade off, although it might turn off some readers.
Also, sometimes the book reiterates the same points over and over. Once you understand the brain patterns of Christian mistics, you will find them validated in brain scans of meditators, sufis, pentacostals, psychic mediums and atheists (many of these are separate chapters). However, while this is repetitive, it also indicates that this field of research is relatively young and that we are lacking tools and methodologies to go deeper. If we acknowledge this, than we can actually be very satisfied that the authors have tested their methodology in a variety of settings and groups.
Now to the content: the message is consistent: certain parts of brain deactivate when we enter into a state of enlightenment. In this stage, our brain rewires much faster, opening our mind instantly to new perspectives and spiritual and mental growth. These can be (obviously) life-changing experiences, and we should seek them out.
According to the authors, our body and mind are asking for this: hence the final section provides a set of exercises — ranging from mindfulness to automatic writing — to try entering these states more regularly.
Few things that stuck with me:
- enlightenment experiences across various cultures and religions are very similar
- the more we practice, the easier it is to enter an enlightened state
- the more radical our practice, the easier is to prime the brain. For example, authors advocator to try with dancing, hyperventilating and then staying still and observing. It reminded me of Osho: he liked to say that we are too much immersed in our thinking that we need to dramatically interrupt it. Osho recommended similar dancing and hyperventilation exercises. I personally never liked these kind of exercises, and find them too aggressive.
Overall an interesting book that approaches a sensitive topic through a scientific lense.
==
This book is somehow repetitive and reads a bit dull — but it is actually refreshing!
There are so many self-help or meditation books that use engaging language and strong metaphors. Sometimes, they conceal weak research or lack of conceptual framework. Not here: the authors give us a material backed with substantial research. This is a valuable trade off, although it might turn off some readers.
Also, sometimes the book reiterates the same points over and over. Once you understand the brain patterns of Christian mistics, you will find them validated in brain scans of meditators, sufis, pentacostals, psychic mediums and atheists (many of these are separate chapters). However, while this is repetitive, it also indicates that this field of research is relatively young and that we are lacking tools and methodologies to go deeper. If we acknowledge this, than we can actually be very satisfied that the authors have tested their methodology in a variety of settings and groups.
Now to the content: the message is consistent: certain parts of brain deactivate when we enter into a state of enlightenment. In this stage, our brain rewires much faster, opening our mind instantly to new perspectives and spiritual and mental growth. These can be (obviously) life-changing experiences, and we should seek them out.
According to the authors, our body and mind are asking for this: hence the final section provides a set of exercises — ranging from mindfulness to automatic writing — to try entering these states more regularly.
Few things that stuck with me:
- enlightenment experiences across various cultures and religions are very similar
- the more we practice, the easier it is to enter an enlightened state
- the more radical our practice, the easier is to prime the brain. For example, authors advocator to try with dancing, hyperventilating and then staying still and observing. It reminded me of Osho: he liked to say that we are too much immersed in our thinking that we need to dramatically interrupt it. Osho recommended similar dancing and hyperventilation exercises. I personally never liked these kind of exercises, and find them too aggressive.
Overall an interesting book that approaches a sensitive topic through a scientific lense.
August 18, 2021
This book takes a beautiful, well-balanced, and graceful tour through the variety of ways in which enlightenment can manifest. As a meditator, I was particularly appreciative of the equanimous approach the authors took when describing religious practices (e.g. prayer) and how they were in parallel, as opposed to juxtaposed, to other "spiritual" practices (e.g. breathwork). This book helps to remove the focus on the finger that is pointing to the sun and genuinely prepares you to embark on your own journey to enlightenment. As a neuroscientist, I also sincerely valued the depth with which they discussed the neural mechanisms supporting this phenomenon, drawing insights from inspired gospel-esque writing practices to psychedelic experiences. I have all the gratitude in the world for those who made this book possible and helped to disseminate it to a wider set of consciousnesses.
December 21, 2017
Tips on being more open minded:
1. Identify your own beliefs. Recognize they are biased. 2, Become proficient in seeing different points of view. 3. Do not assume the other person will think or act like you. 4. Imagine that the current belief you are currently holding is wrong. Then develop a strategy to show how that could be true. 5. Try out the other person's beliefs by actually acting out the role. 6. Play devil's advocate by taking the minorities point of view. 7. Interact with others that do not come from the same background as you.
These are some quick notes that were major take away's from the book for me.
1. Identify your own beliefs. Recognize they are biased. 2, Become proficient in seeing different points of view. 3. Do not assume the other person will think or act like you. 4. Imagine that the current belief you are currently holding is wrong. Then develop a strategy to show how that could be true. 5. Try out the other person's beliefs by actually acting out the role. 6. Play devil's advocate by taking the minorities point of view. 7. Interact with others that do not come from the same background as you.
These are some quick notes that were major take away's from the book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2016
Gimme all yer spirituality books please and thank you
February 7, 2018
What a load of feel-good BS
This book is exactly what happens when a professor of integrative medicine and an MBA/theologian write a book together. Part one: popular version of their numerous “research articles” - predominantly about correlation of increase/decrease in parietal lone activity and “enlightenment”. The information contained could be gathered on a single page! Part two - same but with a ton of theology thrown in. Part three, at last, touches on the few promised “exercises”. None of the exercises have been actually tested, and all are old good meditation/breathing type. With a few weird ones like praying to Allah in Arabic thrown in - in my opinion, if one doesn’t believe in Allah, then chanting “Allah” has the same sound qualities (and brain impart) as “lala” or “Layla”!
This book is exactly what happens when a professor of integrative medicine and an MBA/theologian write a book together. Part one: popular version of their numerous “research articles” - predominantly about correlation of increase/decrease in parietal lone activity and “enlightenment”. The information contained could be gathered on a single page! Part two - same but with a ton of theology thrown in. Part three, at last, touches on the few promised “exercises”. None of the exercises have been actually tested, and all are old good meditation/breathing type. With a few weird ones like praying to Allah in Arabic thrown in - in my opinion, if one doesn’t believe in Allah, then chanting “Allah” has the same sound qualities (and brain impart) as “lala” or “Layla”!
August 22, 2017
I can honestly say that this book has been tedious to get through, and a huge disappointment. I would go so far as to say that it was physically painful to read. An example of what the modern popular science movement is churning out for yoga practitioners and new age remedies for malaise. I have a degree in Cognitive Neuroscience, and do practice yoga myself and occasionally meditation and I got a copy of this book to review through Meta-psychology Online Reviews.
All the more reasons why I found this book infuriating, I can only hope that it does not make it's way into Waterstone's 'Smart Thinking' section.
All the more reasons why I found this book infuriating, I can only hope that it does not make it's way into Waterstone's 'Smart Thinking' section.
September 20, 2021
Had the potential to be a great book but missed the mark in several sections. There remained in my mind an underlying conflict between everyone having an individual journey, whilst the book proposing a prescribed way forward. I felt like the author's ahah moment drew heavily on established philosophical concepts such as phenomenology, and neglected to mention or reference Husserl or Heidegger. Similarly I found the analysis and references seemed to lack when it came to philosophical, physiological, neurological or drug related claims. I still took a lot out of this book, and a comforting framework for exploring one's own consciousness and spirituality.
June 22, 2025
Interesting book quantifies various enlightenment states, (including drug induced and ancient tradition) alterations of consciousness both small and life-changing, and attempts to track brain changes in the frontal lobe & thalamus and explain how they occur. The best thing about this book is its absolutely open ended permission to believe nothing or eveything in whatever modality suits your personal flourishing best. The one thing it does decisively conclude is that enlightenment is objectively good for mood, future and all-around health.
March 3, 2025
this book was very informative I definitely feltI learnt alot which was my goal going into this book. I liked how it went through so many different religious practices to further expand my knowledge on others. the last few chapters shared lots of different methods you could use to practice enlightenment and I took a lot of new things to try for my spiritual path. think there might have been too many topics discussed in this book, which is my reason for 3 stars.
January 14, 2018
This book was a bit repetitive at times and the last part read more like a self help book than a scientific journal. Overall, the data and anecdotes we're interesting, but if you are looking for something filled with more scientific insight you'd probably be better off reading through the footnotes.
September 2, 2023
Good read. Who doesn't want to be enlightened?
The main thing I liked about it was that they say our brains are all capable of enlightenment and there is no single path to it, each person must find their own way. The authors go through the neuroscience of enlightenment and outline a few techniques to get there
The main thing I liked about it was that they say our brains are all capable of enlightenment and there is no single path to it, each person must find their own way. The authors go through the neuroscience of enlightenment and outline a few techniques to get there
March 15, 2018
ⓒ 2016. Interesting medical research which the authors say shows what is happening in the brain when people experience Enlightenment (or at least enlightenment with a lower case e). They also suggest exercises to assist one in preparing for and setting up enlightenments, large or small.
August 18, 2019
I was very interested in reading a book about brain function before, during, after "enlightenment" activities.While there was some of that, certainly more than in most such books, I was disappointed.
There was much more about the enlightenment and what it means to the authors than about brain function when people are having spiritual kind of experiences.
For my objectives I would give it 2 stars, but I am giving it 3 because for most people it might be interesting
There was much more about the enlightenment and what it means to the authors than about brain function when people are having spiritual kind of experiences.
For my objectives I would give it 2 stars, but I am giving it 3 because for most people it might be interesting
February 15, 2018
I appreciated the author's open-mindedness, but this is still very much materialist science.
April 2, 2018
It was really interesting - not my typical read but brought about interesting concepts and research- would recommend for those interested in the interaction of science and religion.
January 14, 2019
Interesting and insightful
April 3, 2020
good food for ... practise :)
also makes the whole thing more accessible to everybody
also makes the whole thing more accessible to everybody
March 23, 2022
I enjoyed learning about the measured responses in the brain. It provides a new perspective on how the brain can be influenced and conditioned.
January 12, 2023
Definitely a book to read and re-read and work slowly through. Lots of good stuff in here.
May 7, 2024
Surprising is no mention of nature as a transformative element.
September 20, 2022
Not his usual. Was disappointed.
December 23, 2019
Shows how meditation and other ritual practices activates different parts our brain. Very interesting read.
June 28, 2022
Interesting read.
Worth to give it a try.
這是本蠻有趣的書。作者是腦神精科學家，因為經歷了一次震撼他本人的靈性開悟以後讓他決定要以他的專業和科學方式來對靈性覺悟的人群做實驗來證實這種經歷在人腦內有什麽變化。是幻覺還是真有其事？
1)什麼是靈性(心靈)開悟 (Enlightenment)？
書中有提到東方傳統、西方傳統、東和西方密學上， 還有心理學給予的解釋。大都離不開以下幾點：
- 看見(有時未必是肉眼)光，曙光
- 對於道德觀念和信念有更深刻的了解或被顛覆
- 無懼於死亡
- 屈服和寬恕罪惡和以往的執念
- 不知覺的頓悟
- 有脫胎換骨的感覺
2) 靈性開悟的感覺是如何的？
有五個要素：
- 感應到與天地合一或身心和宇宙合一😂 (unity or connectedness)
其實該是自己的靈魂歸回本身，不再總覺得人生是患得患失的。這個該是因人而異，我的感應是與大自然因此歸入森林我會很開心。
- 所經歷的感覺和感受都會很深刻但不會像以往有那歇斯底里般的想法和反應了。
- 對人事物有新的發現，看法和了解而且也越來越清晰。
- 不自覺的會放棄主導權和控制但不是無力感或懦弱而是選擇屈服。(這其實更是強大的表現。)
- 對以往的觀念和信念開始有了變化。比如曾經信有神靈但這一刻卻不相信了。
3) 人類的意識範圍
根據用了二十年以來腦神經科學對人腦研究的結果，發現人類擁有六個不同層次的意識形態。(我用自己明白的簡單翻譯字眼，請恕小女子無才)
最低層從一開始：
一) 原始意識
二) 慣性意識
三) 動機意識
四) 創意意識
五) 自省意識
六) 轉型意識
當人腦裡額葉(Frontal lobe)和頂葉(Parietal lobe)的意識模糊後，人就會進入無我境界。這也是為什麼很多靈感是在我們沒強烈意識下會爆跳出來的原因。換句話說，如果你有目標要達成，用著邏輯思維完成著每天的事務是沒辦法達到靈性開悟的。因為從腦電圖上看到有很活躍的腦電波在額葉和頂葉裡。這也表示“我”的意識很強烈，我們一般人每天都活在二到四的意識層次裡。
對於有靈性啟發的人他們的腦電波在額葉和頂葉不活躍也比較平靜，活躍幅度較小。這也很好解釋了為什麼時常有做冥想、沉思和禪修的人們比較容易達到靈性開悟。這靈性開悟不一定全都和宗教有關，我倒覺得這是個人成長的裡程碑。書裡也有講到各種宗教信仰以各自的儀式來達成靈性開悟。 有的用靈媒、禱告、藥物、幽靈、等等。科學家也拿來研究，重點是那靈媒或和另一個界接觸的人，他們的腦電圖顯示都是“我”的意識薄弱的時刻。(Selfless)
總算明白了這本書為什麼吸引我了嗎？😂 (因為我同時還看著其他書)
書裡有提到人類是可以學習如何步向靈性開發的路程的，關鍵是你要相信。我給一個總的概念：
積極地參與冥想、禱告或只出於要尋求更深層的意義(什麼都好)，擁有更多的疑問和懷疑都會引導你更正向和更容易開啟你步上靈性開悟的路程。
Worth to give it a try.
這是本蠻有趣的書。作者是腦神精科學家，因為經歷了一次震撼他本人的靈性開悟以後讓他決定要以他的專業和科學方式來對靈性覺悟的人群做實驗來證實這種經歷在人腦內有什麽變化。是幻覺還是真有其事？
1)什麼是靈性(心靈)開悟 (Enlightenment)？
書中有提到東方傳統、西方傳統、東和西方密學上， 還有心理學給予的解釋。大都離不開以下幾點：
- 看見(有時未必是肉眼)光，曙光
- 對於道德觀念和信念有更深刻的了解或被顛覆
- 無懼於死亡
- 屈服和寬恕罪惡和以往的執念
- 不知覺的頓悟
- 有脫胎換骨的感覺
2) 靈性開悟的感覺是如何的？
有五個要素：
- 感應到與天地合一或身心和宇宙合一😂 (unity or connectedness)
其實該是自己的靈魂歸回本身，不再總覺得人生是患得患失的。這個該是因人而異，我的感應是與大自然因此歸入森林我會很開心。
- 所經歷的感覺和感受都會很深刻但不會像以往有那歇斯底里般的想法和反應了。
- 對人事物有新的發現，看法和了解而且也越來越清晰。
- 不自覺的會放棄主導權和控制但不是無力感或懦弱而是選擇屈服。(這其實更是強大的表現。)
- 對以往的觀念和信念開始有了變化。比如曾經信有神靈但這一刻卻不相信了。
3) 人類的意識範圍
根據用了二十年以來腦神經科學對人腦研究的結果，發現人類擁有六個不同層次的意識形態。(我用自己明白的簡單翻譯字眼，請恕小女子無才)
最低層從一開始：
一) 原始意識
二) 慣性意識
三) 動機意識
四) 創意意識
五) 自省意識
六) 轉型意識
當人腦裡額葉(Frontal lobe)和頂葉(Parietal lobe)的意識模糊後，人就會進入無我境界。這也是為什麼很多靈感是在我們沒強烈意識下會爆跳出來的原因。換句話說，如果你有目標要達成，用著邏輯思維完成著每天的事務是沒辦法達到靈性開悟的。因為從腦電圖上看到有很活躍的腦電波在額葉和頂葉裡。這也表示“我”的意識很強烈，我們一般人每天都活在二到四的意識層次裡。
對於有靈性啟發的人他們的腦電波在額葉和頂葉不活躍也比較平靜，活躍幅度較小。這也很好解釋了為什麼時常有做冥想、沉思和禪修的人們比較容易達到靈性開悟。這靈性開悟不一定全都和宗教有關，我倒覺得這是個人成長的裡程碑。書裡也有講到各種宗教信仰以各自的儀式來達成靈性開悟。 有的用靈媒、禱告、藥物、幽靈、等等。科學家也拿來研究，重點是那靈媒或和另一個界接觸的人，他們的腦電圖顯示都是“我”的意識薄弱的時刻。(Selfless)
總算明白了這本書為什麼吸引我了嗎？😂 (因為我同時還看著其他書)
書裡有提到人類是可以學習如何步向靈性開發的路程的，關鍵是你要相信。我給一個總的概念：
積極地參與冥想、禱告或只出於要尋求更深層的意義(什麼都好)，擁有更多的疑問和懷疑都會引導你更正向和更容易開啟你步上靈性開悟的路程。
November 24, 2016
This book deals with a complex subject, but is written for a lay person to be able to read and easily comprehend. The first two sections define and describe enlightenment, both the small less impactful kind, and Enlightenment that changes one’s life, attitude, and outlook. The authors detail not just the activities that have brought about these transformations, but also give specific evidence of the changes in brain function, both temporary and permanent, from the numerous studies they have performed. I was particularly pleased with the nonjudgmental approach that was presented, as both religious and secular traditions across many religions and cultures were examined. The authors moved with ease from studies of practices such as speaking in tongues, meditation, chanting with body movements, or the dance of the dervishes of Islam, among others, and used subjects who had strong religious beliefs as well as those who had none. The brain information was detailed and convincing. In the last part of the book, information is presented to help those who wish to pursue enlightenment, big or small, with step by step outlined, and a variety of practices that can be utilized.
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