The Enchanted LoomTeasing sturdy threads from

neuroscience masterworks

Teasing 10 threads from Newberg &Waldman’s…

Thread 1:

The human brain seems to have difficulty separating fantasy from fact. It sees things that are not there, and it sometimes doesn’t see things that are there.

(pg. 5)

Thread 2:

Research suggests that when it comes to God, there are few “true believers,” for even the most devoted believers expressed some doubts about the validity of their spiritual beliefs.(pg. 10)

Thread 3:

Religious and spiritual contemplation strengthens a unique neural circuit that specifically enhances social awareness and empathy while sub- duing destructive feelings and emotions.(pg. 14)

Thread 4:

Loss of self-consciousness enhances one’s intention to reach for specific goals. It also improves one’s ability to perform a variety of tasks with greater pleasure.(pg. 29)

Thread 5:

Truly religious and spiritual experiences are unique, at least when it comes to our ability to put them into words. The one common denominator is the positive effect on a person’s life.(pg. 72)

Thread 6:

Yes and No are processed emotionally, and in different areas of the brain. It takes the brain longer to respond to No, which suggests that it does not take kindly to being inter- rupted.(pg. 84)

Thread 7:

Research continues to demonstrate that all human beings develop multiple images of God, many of which are mostly hidden from consciousness.

(pg. 99)

Thread 8:

The cultural evolution of God follows the neurological evolution of the brain. Images of a wrathful God are tied to the oldest struc- tures. Images of a mystical and compassionate God are tied to the newer structures.(pg. 123)

Thread 9:

All forms of optimism are associated with a less realistic view of the world. But then again, so is pessimism. As such, a healthy dollup of reality- testing should be added to our recipe for health.(pg. 169)

Thread 10:

We each experience love in surprisingly different ways.

(pg. 123)

Image Credits:

Title Page: http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/23193-personality-traits-brain-scans

Slide 3 - http://http://www.deviantart.com/art/Pareidolia-366953592

Slide 12 - http://bit.ly/1WopDI4

Slide 2 - http://www.nourfoundation.com/photo-gallery.html; http://bit.ly/1LbcU7n

Slide 6 - https://www.crowdact.com/beta4/search/cat/231

Slide 5 - http://www.jean-dibner.com/sculpture/contemplation.php

Slide 11 - https://twitter.com/hnshah/status/625925544652095490

Slide 10 - https://beautifulobjectsfromtibet.wordpress.com/tag/mask/

Slide 14 - http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/23193-personality-traits-brain-scans

Slide 9 - http://www.create-games.com/forum_post.asp?id=291510

Slide 8 - http://goodpixgallery.com/yes-no-maybe-photos/

Slide 7 - http://theconversation.com/death-isnt-scary-if-youve-had-a-near-death-experience-32557

Slide 4 - http://www.exploringlifesmysteries.com/category/mysteries/philosophy/

Mark Brady, PhDTheEnchantedLoom@gmail.com

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