Finding our enlightened state | Andrew Newberg | TEDxPenn

How does the brain function during prayer, meditation, and trance states? Andrew Newberg has conducted hundreds of brain scans of people during these “enlightened” states and found unique patterns of brain activity. He has surveyed 2,000 people to find the essential elements of the enlightenment experience. With these findings, Andrew aims to help people find their own enlightenment, an experience that can radically change and improve your life.

Andrew is the Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been published in prestigious scientific journals including JAMA, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and Frontiers in Psychology, and featured in Newsweek, Time, and the New York Times. He has appeared on Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, as well as movies including Bill Maher’s “Religulous”; and “Awake: The Life of Yogananda.”

[TundraMan]

I found this because I’ve felt unmistakable eurekas and shifts in my mindset. I am remembering more of my childhood. I’m utilizing insights and I’m able to draw from my past to address major issues in my life. I am finding the words to fully articulate my emotions and values clearer and clearer everyday. I found philosophy and I’m finding my actions are aligning with my spiritual being. I see the world as it is in accordance to nature and I’ve been able to define my intrinsic values. Pretty much every part of my life has been improving and I am constantly trying to understand why or how this happened.

It’s like a little flame that gets a little bit brighter, as I try everyday to be the change in the world I want to see. It’s rewarding, I’m grateful for humanity, my life, my loved ones, and I’m aligning my career around my passions.

This all sounds a little woo-woo but it truly has changed my life. This has given me the strength to keep going, I’m facing my addictions, repairing and improving my relationships, instilling meaning, living my values. This mental state has not given me perfection. I still have biases I don’t recognize right away. I still have stubborn limiting beliefs. I still fail, I still disappoint, I still get anxiety. I still make assumptions and most of all I’m still wrong. I don’t know everything and I’m not intellectually gifted. But the difference is I can see when I’m being biased, I can see how I affect others and my environment, I see people as though I am them and could easily fall into the traps of life. I will not deny the unmistakable motivation, momentum and diligence to always transcend the pain of the human condition.

[ENOC]

It is just amazing that the science has free the path to enlightment to every body in all the world, and no matter what tradition or abscence of tradition people have, is just as if science has democratised the spiritual path to enlightment to all human beens.

[Joshua-dcbs]

It great to see the contemplative practises becoming more popular within the scientific community.

[HEAT]

Enlightenment, a process you can't explain by science, but this man did just that with brain scans for those people who only function with "logic", I say that bloody brilliant. Science is just a tool that explains the process. Although there is more to this topic, this video is a great intro to what is enlightenment, the awareness that we are all one, everything is connected.

[Tom-yedn]

I think enlightenment is just being in our natural state. Drop all goals and games, the mind relaxes and energy returns.

[tbraskey]

I loved this. I love Dr. Newberg's Video's. I am very spiritual. I have spoken in tongues, I do meditate & pray, but refuse to be any religion. I prefer to say I am mystic. I believe brain scan's are proof. Of, course...non educated people will argue this as they do everything.

[KoreanwithMissVicky]

Amen to all the things he's said.

[TaxemicFanatic]

It's just mind boggling how we as a species have developed consciousness and state of intelligence where we are able to actually look at our brains and understand such things.

[christopherhenley]

Discovery is in the experience. Experience is in the question. The juice is in knowing that we will always have more to adventure!

[braedenp]

The exciting part of this is that when we learn how these experiences happen we can replicate them much easier using better techniques and technologies. Imagine if everyone could experience enlightenment on some level and do so easily. I got a feeling the world would be a much different place.

[chevalierdeloccident]

I'm so happy to see this presentation.

[pavlos]

'Words can change your mind' is also a great book.

[researchfellow]

you should read his amazing book, HOW ENLIGHTENMENT CHANGES YOUR BRAIN, to get a comprehensive view of all the different levels of enlightnment:

[Honkytonkified]

Recovering alcoholics figure this out and they express it in different words. Page 86 to 88 in the big book briefly describes the ritual. I might be wrong, but I think religious hierarchies have hijacked this experience and claim it’s theirs somehow. AA proved that any man can do this. And the complete defeat that comes at the bottom of an alcoholic cycle can be turned into a life-changing experience.

[samhit]

But the important question is what makes the brain map change, meaning where does the root of memory and perception come from?
Can death be triggered in the same way, if so how?
Does non-local communication happen during prayers?
Are all processes brain phenomenon only?

[JamesCurtisOKC]

Thank God they included video of smashing a watermelon. I was having a difficult time grasping the concept until Gallagher got involved.

[svaroghtegreat]

Great speech indeed.
I was practicing meditation on daily basis and earned severe head pressure that remains in my head for almost a year. I have seen so many doctors but none was able to provide relief.
I find many people on internet that share same symptoms from meditation and it can last for years or even never to stop, my life is destroyed by this. Who knows what have I done to my brain. I warn all potential mediators to be cautions with practice or even better not to start at all.

[MO-fikp]

People are so afraid of science lol This is a good thing to understand so it can happen more. Don't be afraid, nobody is saying your experiences are meaningless. It takes the brain to understand them though. Scientists and Shamans and Buddhists would be better off if they worked together. They have things to gain from each other.

[thesciencemysteryoflove]

Depending on the context and depth of your definition, to love may be easier said than done.

[karinerizzardi]

Amazing this video. The great way to understand neurocience with teology together.