My spiritual awakening | Dr. James Cooke

Science & Spiritual Awakening:
Certain spiritual insights into the nature of reality fit perfectly with our scientific understanding of the world.  Understanding the nature of perception is the key to appreciating this. As a neuroscientist and expert on perception, I hope to lay out a scientific picture of reality in which spiritual experience can be appreciated and understood in all its profundity.  I cover the possibility of spiritual awakening, enlightenment and self-transcendence through meditation, mindfulness, yoga and psychedelics as well as related topics such as mental health and wellbeing.
#spirituality #awakening #meditation

Dr. James Cooke:
Neuroscientist, writer & speaker, focusing on perception, meditation, psychedelics, mental health and wellbeing.
PhD in Neuroscience, Oxford University
MSc in Neuroscience, Oxford University
MA in Experimental Psychology, Oxford University

[jesperburns]

Just leaving a comment to trigger the YT algorithm, carry on.

[BobCampbell]

Very similar to my experience. It was my 66th birthday. I was home alone reading a book when it felt like a heavy blanket was rolled over my body. I felt a great peace come over me. I stood up to look out the window, and in that instance I recognized what now seems so obvious. It's all one thing happening. I am simply a part of it, not at all separate from what is happening. I felt acceptance of what is. I laughed and cried for hours because it was so obvious, there is neither good or bad, and when I thought of judgment, I laughed even harder, because there is no separation from what I had judged. How had I never recognized it before. I did not speak of it for several weeks, and when I do, my words feel useless.

[harrybellingham]

we are something the universe is doing

[xavierduran]

I had that spiritual awakening after a nap, fall of 2016. Couldn't believe anything, no more of that christian fairytale. I became fully immersed in the true reality. Unfortunately for me I did not experience serenity like you did... I developed extreme panic that has crippled me for the past four years. Therapy helped suppress the pain and anger for having to accept mortality, but with a loved one dying, it's back in full force. One way or another I will have to accept this reality. I don't know how, but your videos might help since that moment of awakening is something we have in common.

[lifeschoolmongolia]

As someone who studied psychology and cognitive neuroscience and have gone through awakening experiences, I empathise with you a lot. Thank you for the videos. :)

[apexnine]

I consider this brave of you to lay this down for us in such a personal manner. Thank you, again.

[Lemarcus]

Had an accidental Kundalini Awakening in my 40s. After growing up Gay in Fundamentalist Christianity with a fear of Hellish Torture, then having existential crises from thinking that there was nothingness, my Awakening was a literal Godsend 🙏. Your Awakening came quite young.

[redberries]

I had some trepidation before clicking the thumbnail, accounts of spiritual awakenings can be cringe-worthy, but this was fine. He made a lot of sense and it was easy listening. I'd like to emphasise the part when he said that his moment of realisation was a common event in other people's accounts; I think I remember Ekhart Tolle describing something very similar in a movement from extreme mental stress to peace, the same arc is part of the Zen tradition in the use of Koans [he mentioned this] to bring about the same result. In the East I believe these ideas/states are accepted as normal [I hope that's true?] and in the West we struggle to believe they even exist, and that's a shame.

[paulgoddard]

I love that your worldview is essentially modern (with hugs to Buddhism). 13 is crazy young. I had a similar experience to yours at 20 where everything just stopped: mental, emotional, motivational levels all gone. Physical senses left on auto and just meandering around the room I was in. Precipitated by years of martial arts training and then getting married while reuniting with my biological father on the honeymoon after 15 years separation: popped me like a top. 20 years of integration before I felt the pressure of unpacking subside. Became atheist-ish along the way as far as interpretations. You might appreciate my little quip for the super-natural... I call it the soon-to-be-natural.

During my breaking-open even the label of existence vanished. No unity or separation. After minutes of conscious nothingness I watched/felt energies start to activate from my occipital, to parietal, to frontal cortex and I witnessed myself say out loud: it is. And there was no ego doing it. Just raw sentience, vocalizing recognition of being on its own.

The complete cessation of all reflection made it obvious to me that many differing interpretations could all point toward this perspective, the freedom of this made it obvious to simply choose whatever's best without getting stuck on tradition. I think with the help of art for the feels and embodied expression, and naturalistic views, a completely modern account can be had. Sounds like we're both oriented towards it. Bravo, thanks for the vids!

[leandrosilvagoncalves]

What an insight. When I was around 12 I started doubting my Catholic upbringing. ... I'd never thought it had a correlation with the delevopment of my frontal lobe. I suffered so much due to that internal fight between blind faith and science. I've never had a spiritual awakening though you got a new subscriber

[hansenmarc]

Fascinating. Robert Sapolsky had a very similar experience, immediately followed by the realization that free will was an illusion.

[Castaneda.Luis.A]

I'm here to join the Gang. GANG GANG!

[geofftayloruk]

This has similarities with Eckharte Tolle's account of his own awakening. Thanks for sharing...

[michellemouton]

Hey James I found your video very insightful. It's interesting how the Power Of Now works and affects people in different ways. I had a similar experience when I was a child, yet with a different outcome.

I'm not catholic but yes I bombarded my priests with questions about the Bible. I later did not attend church anymore and it was the one thing that saved my faith. There was no more influence of other people's perspective of who God is and what I must do to go to heaven. I read my Bible and discovered my own path and relationships with God.

When I feel overwhelmed I go outside at night and just look at the stars and it calms me in such a profound way, I think that silence, and to live in the now is His way of telling me 'just be'. I am no less then the bright star, and not much more then a dying tree. I believe God is a mystery and we discover Him through science and the wonder of the life force of nature.
I don't believe He is a God that sits on a throne and anticipate our next wrong move in life to punish us, but that He is here with us and lives in everything, supernaturally but in everything natural.

That is just my thoughts and experience, and my mantra in life is 'just be'. Great video, I will sure listen to more.

[Tdtsnowflake]

...it's useful otherwise you would forget to eat...that was golden:)
So it's like this reality is tricking your brain to stay alert and connected to it

[KS-kozl]

Thank you for sharing. Very interesting story. I went through somewhat similar. As a child raised in a strict Muslim environment, all of a sudden something just snapped. I because an atheist.

I love your channel.

[faridabedrabbo]

Hi Dr. James! great content!! best regards FROM LIMA PERU!!

[adamgorelick]

It's impressive that Dr. Cooke experienced Satori at such a young age. There is a reason that it's called "awakening." The egoic dream woven of conditioned thought and self containment is, to varying degrees, a horror show for everyone. The state of the planet certainly conveys this madness. "The earth died screaming while I lay dreaming."

[johnpaulirvine]

I love you, man....seriously, as a spiritual seeker while I'm listening to you I'm also listening to Dhamika's album 'In Control' and it is such beautiful music and the perfect (imho) accompaniment to your beautiful words.... looking forward to checking out your other videos... blessings!

[tomero]

Wow! Thank you very much for everything you do! Spread knowledge and truth!