The Mystical Mind

by Eugene G. D'Aquili and Andrew B. Newberg

Book Overview

How does the mind experience the sacred? What biological mechanisms are involved in mystical states and trances? Is there a neurological basis for patterns in comparative religions? Does religion have an evolutionary function? This pathbreaking work by two leading medical researchers explores the neurophysiology of religious experience. Building on an explanation of the basic structure of the brain, the authors focus on parts most relevant to human...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0800631633
• ISBN13: 9780800631635
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Best Scientific Explanation

The best explanation of mystical phenomenon I have ever seen. It places mysticism within the grasp of science. Excellent approach of how mind processes information and what changes take place during meditation.

Nystical Mind

This is a must read for anyone wishing to de-mystify the mystical mind. Based on solid and recognized science the authors reveal how the brain works, from a neuro-biological perspective, to enable mystical experience. The reader will come away with a refreshed grasp of the possibility available to all of seeing the world through different eyes. What ran the risk of being seen as hocus-pocus is now validated as a legitimate and cherished art/science. The partner-book which rounds out this view is:Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief

The Neuropsychology of Mysticism

The Mystical Mind may be viewed as a modern version of William James' Varieties of Religious Experience. Andrew Newberg (who completed this volume after the death of co-author Eugene Aquili) has a unique background to warrant such a lofty comparison. He is a physician and a scholar with expertise in research methods, neuropsychology, comparative religions, and philosophy. Though the approach of neuropsychology dominates this work, Newberg moves seamlessly to other models as the focus and purpose of analysis requires. He utilizes this broad range of conceptual tools to examine the continuum of mystical phenomenon, from the creation of myth to the sense of peace related to the performance of rituals to the profound mystical state of Absolute Unitary Being (AUB). The book is divided into three sections. The first provides an overview of the central nervous system and cognitive functions. In the second section, a neuropsychological model for understanding the continuum of religious and mystical experiences is presented. Finally, the third section suggests how a theology based on neurology (neurotheology) can serve as both a meta-theology (i.e. a basis of understanding the entire range of world religions and theologies) and a mega-theology (i.e. a basis for developing a universal theology). The author presents compelling evidence that everything that we know or experience is dependent upon and mediated by the brain. In particular, he relies on the study of patients with strokes and brain tumors, who loose function in the areas predicted by neuropsychology. It is also validated by the experiences that are generated through electrical stimulation of specific areas of the brain and by imaging data of patients and monks in deep meditation. Because of this intimate connection between the brain and the mind Newberg adopts the term brain/mind. This term reflects the reality that the brain and the mind must be viewed as a single, inseparable totality and that a focus on one or the other reflects the manner of observation rather than a difference in that which is being observed. This integrated concept of brain/mind is also central to the metaphysics he takes up in the final section. In the second section of the book, Newberg applies the neuropsychological model he has developed to the religious phenomenon of myth, ritual, liturgy, near-death experiences, and mystical experiences. In the interest of brevity, I will restrict this review to his discussion of mystical experiences. When one examines descriptions of the most profound mystical experiences (AUB) across time and cultures, one is struck with their general similarity and one significant difference. Mystics universally indicate that these experiences are beyond words, space, time, all dualities (including self-other), and are characterized by a profound sense of absolute unity and oneness. It is viewed as more vivid and "real" than our ordinary consciousness and has the power to tr

Heavy Reading--Excellent Results

The text of this book is difficult to work through. It is not designed for the light reader or the quick student. Taking twice as long to read this book was a drain, but the payoff was excellent. He does not simply give facts, but works to tie them together into a specific working hypothesis, which is yet to be proven. Yet he has asked the correct questions and cannot be faulted in not having all the answers.Highly recommended.

An Innovative Model to Integrate Theology and Science

The reader is initially introduced to archetypal and mythical concepts of good and evil, the fall and resurrection, and the theosophical concept of God. The authors describe the development of religion and the role of ritual. They try to develop the argument for a universal "metatheology" which crosses the boundary between religion and science. The book takes a cognitive approach, using process theory to describe domains of experience. Neurobiological and anatomical correlates are emphasized by quoting recent evidence from functional imaging (such as photon emission tomographic scans). The authors designate this approach as "neurotheology" which "refers to the study of theology from a neuropsychological perspective".The reader is introduced to basic neuroanatomy and the functions of the brain. The authors then describe their own categorization of domains of experience, termed "cognitive operators". These include locations in the brain which deliver the experience of wholeness, in contrast to other sites which deliver the experience of the parts. They introduce the concept of "spiritual intelligence" , which is the integrating and transcending function of the cognitive operators. This process creates transformation or a reframing of the gestalt or world view. Myth is discussed as a transcendent cognitive process which can explain reality and catalyze transformative integration of multivalent experiences. In a nut shell, the neurobiological basis of spiritual experience may provide the physical explanation for personal evolution and adaptation to life crises and change. Ritual may entrain the cognitive operators to process new information and allow integration to occur. The authors discuss the salient experiences of "absolute unitary being" and the "near death experience" to illustrate the neurobiology of transformative experience.The authors conclude with a summary of their philosophy of a "metatheology and megatheology". Their emphasis is on the brain as a neurophysiological processing system of spiritual experience. This neurological function can be accessed through the rituals of religious practice, such as liturgy. They conclude that their scientific viewpoint should transcend the boundaries of religious organization "without violating their essential doctrines".The book attempts to integrate spiritual experience and religious philosophy with neurobiological process theory. It is not comprehensive in its discussion of current theories of consciousness, neuroscience or process theory, but does provide a useful introduction of these concepts. It is a complex book which may be a challenge to both theologians and medical scientists. Despite the emphasis on neurobiology, it is not atheistic in its approach, but provides some evidence that the experience of Spirit has a neurobiological correlate. Since our current Western culture emphasizes the objective evidence of science, this book may encourage some agnost