Our Ability to Connect with God: A Conversation with Dr. Andrew Newberg, Part 2 of 2

A pioneering figure of neurotheology, Dr. Newberg has published 12 books and 250 peer-reviewed articles, and book chapters. His research confirms that intense, long-term contemplation of God can permanently change those parts of the brain that control moods, the consciousness of self, and sensory perceptions of the world. It strengthens a specific neurological circuit that generates peacefulness, moral awareness, and compassion for others. Dr. Newberg’s amazing findings have been made to various media and TV programs, including a StarTalk show hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson and National Geographic’s famous show series, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.

“These are not experiences that are happening only to the Mother Theresa of the world and the Buddhas of the world. These are experiences that are happening to everyone.” In the book, How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain, coauthored by Dr. Newberg, he further demonstrates how Enlightenment is ready for everyone. He further listed five categories of enlightenment experiences, unity, intensity, surrender, clarity, and selflessness. “These are all the core elements of these experiences that ultimately lead to the transformation that changes the way that person is and how they are as a person.”

There is a visible difference between the brain of those who constantly contemplate on God and the brain of nonbelievers. And among the various individuals with faith, their sincerity and devotion made a significant difference in the results. “For those people who are deeply rooted in their religious tradition, they’re going to engage their brain in far more ways, and get all those different parts of the brain that we’ve been talking about, the frontal lobe, parietal lobes, the emotional centers of the brain, like the limbic system, are going to become far more active.”

“There is some evidence to point to that basically, if you are someone who is spiritual, you tend to look at the world more positively, you tend to look at the world in a certain way that confers a more optimistic outlook on things. And again, the data and the studies have shown that when people have that positive, optimistic outlook on life, they are going to do better both physically and mentally.”

“Religious and spiritual beliefs, in particular, seem to support the brain’s processes by not only helping us to answer some of those questions, but also providing what we call a mechanism of self-transcendence.”

“Religious and spiritual beliefs really provide, in many ways, an ultimate ability to transcend the self to get beyond the self, to connect with the universe, to connect with God, whatever a particular person’s beliefs are, in a way that we never have before.”