The Physiological Effects Upon the Brain and Body During Processes of Spirituality

Humans are spiritual beings even when wisdom and evidence points in another direction humans believe in a higher power. However, as researchers look for answers and they find new questions. Opening a Pandora's box spirituality and religiosity create questions that open up vast amounts of discussion on cognitive ability and spirituality. Finally, neurobiologists and neuropsychologist are researching and looking at spirituality and meditation to determine answers to questions about brain activities during spiritual processes. Through the use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI,s), these researchers are looking at the physiological effects upon the brain and body during processes of spirituality. Nevertheless , researchers are trying to understand the religious and spiritual phenomenon's and the actions that occur in the mind and the body during these spiritual processes.

In the beginning ancestral myths passed from generation to generation they recognized forces that controlled nature. Since the beginning of human existence man has sung and danced and passed down their beliefs to others of their group through oral tradition. As man progressed they wrote down there sacred text and attempted to answer life's ultimate questions. “Where are we? Why are we here?

What does it all mean? What if anything are we suppose to do?”(Smith, 1994).

However, science and technology came along and also attempted to ask the ultimate questions. ``Through systematic modalities they changed how the world was viewed. This systematic use of experiments and data collection, scientist looked for empirical answers in which to base their theories. However, most of the first methods of data collection were based on quantitat...

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...d spiritus meaning breath. The spiritual realm deals with the perceived

eternal realities regarding man's ultimate nature, in contrast to what is temporal

or worldly. Religions are organized belief systems promulgated and sustained by

human institutions, ethnic groups, tribe or culture and involves definite rules

of behavior, rituals and practices” (http://msmonograph.org/articles.asp?=0973-1229).

Attempting to find a focal point on spirituality science began attempting to try to explain religious and spiritual phenomena through neuroscience. Researchers using brain scans of various types are examining spiritual activities within the brain such as meditation and prayer. Using EEG, PET, MRI and other brain scans researchers have just scratched the surface of spirituality. All experiences both in our mind and in the concrete reality exists in our brain.