"The brain is our most glorious organ. To survey the majesty of all human accomplishments is to survey the brain's majesty. Beethoven's symphonies, Shakespeare's plays, Plato's philosophy, Einstein's scientific insights — the brain dazzles us with its capacity and power," writes Kevin Nelson, a world-renowned neurologist with more than three decades of experience examining the processes of spiritual sensation. He is professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky. Nelson has done intensive and wide-ranging studies of near-death experiences and their connection with low blood flow to the eyes, fight-or-flight reactions, and the onset of REM consciousness.
In this ambitious work, the author examines the borderland between consciousness and non-consciousness. His studies have led him to conclude that our spirituality may have a physical brain origin and that it may be as much a part of our biological nature as our sex drive or survival instinct. Nelson presents some fascinating material on hearts and dreams; the unitary consciousness of mysticism; the works of Plotinus, Meister Eckhart, and Saint Teresa of Avila; the role of serotonin in spiritual experience; seizures and fear;, and various disorders of divinity. Perhaps the most extraordinary finding is Nelson's discovery that animals may be capable of spiritual experiences since they share with us the same primate areas of the brain: "It is fitting that our most enduring transcendental moments engage parts of our brains that we share with mammals, reptiles, and birds."
