Book Notes # 1 – New Series – How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain

As I continue to expand my reach, I am starting a third series. In addition to my posts on Tanya and Likkutei Etzos (Rebbe Nachman’s Advice), this post marks the first of a series on notes from books I am reading. My goal is to use this space to engage with my reading on a deeper level and to share with my readership some interesting ideas to ponder. I am not sure as to the exact format of this new series, so stay tuned for my experimentation to see what works best for me.

The first book we will explore is How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain, by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman.

Chapter 1 – The Enlightenment of a Troubled Kid

The “it” – the transformation we seek – is what most people refer to as Enlightenment, with a big “E.” Eastern philosophy makes a big deal out big “E” Enlightenment, but in the West, philosophers talk about another form of enlightenment, a small “e” mini-experience that provides u with new insights about ourselves and the world.

p. 4

This is seemingly the thesis of the book, to look at the two types of Enlightenment as it relates to how we learn how to resee the world. Most of us wish we could see the world in a different way. The goal of this book is going to be to show how we know this is possibility from a neuroscience perspective. I think the neurological studies as related to spirituality, meaning and religion are wonderful enhancers to our understanding of how we people operate. For those who wonder if this removes the mystery, I think it goes back to a line I find myself saying time and again, just because we understand the science of something doesn’t remove the sense of the miracle of what we are witnessing.

However, before delving into the intricacies of our brain and the concept of experiencing enlightenment/Enlightenment, the author offers a few points about his journey into studying the science of the brain. For example, in describing a summer internship he participated in, he speaks the first time he had his brain imaged by an fMRI. While going through this exam, he describes having a series of small “e” enlightenment moments, of which one thought was:

no one can know for certain what is going in another person’s mind and brain… I realized we can never even fully know what is going on inside our own mind because there are just too many variables involved.

p. 9

Knowledge of others and of ourselves is naturally limited. In relation to the people around us, we can only know what they reveal to us. In terms of our own mind, it is almost impossible to hone in on every single thing we see, hear, and absorb every second. As such, the process to eureka moments requires discipline, dedication and an openness to experience the moment as a moment, not just as something contrived.

As he continued to describe his search for understanding these aha moments, the author describes what I would suggest was one of his most meaningful moments:

All I had ever wanted to do was eradicate doubt and I ended up finding out that the only certainty is Doubt.

p. 13

This point really drove home the message of this book as well as our general explorations in life. We work hard to try and make meaning out of the chaos we see in life, yet absolute confirmation of everything being for a reason and orderly is impossible. We will always remain with some level of doubt, at least as it pertains to “absolute” knowledge. The cover for this doubt is faith (something I have been exploring in many of my more recent posts, especially those pertaining to Rebbe Nachman’s distilled thoughts from Likkutei Etzot.

Our Brains are wired for Enlightenment

Another fundamental point the book explores is how our brain is wired to experience enlightenment.

Neurologically speaking, small enlightenment experiences appear to be associated with the most recently evolved structures in our brain, structures that help us find meaning and purpose in our lives. These same neurological circuits help us to regulate our emotions and to generate empathy and compassion toward others. In others word, neurological enlightenment – and in particular, our ability to observe ourselves as being separate from our daily thoughts and feelings – improves our inner state of well-being and our ability to cooperate with others without conflict.

p. 19

As we will discover, the physical structure that is our brain is designed to experience these moments. Does this take away from belief? For some, it plays into the hands of those who would suggest that claims of a higher being, divinity, etc are just the psychological trappings of our minds. Yet, I think we must be humble enough to go back to the words above about how their is only doubt. And in fact, chapter one ends on this note, for our authors are clear:

People may or may not actually be connected to God or the supernatural, but ultimately there is something very powerful going on inside the brain.

p. 25

This line for me is perhaps the most powerful in that it clearly states the flexibility of our different perspectives about science and religion/spirituality. As we continue to look at this book, chapter by chapter, I hope to go deeper into some of the arguments and points these authors make and see how we can get a better understanding of the partnership between mind and spirit.

Are you struggling with your spiritual growth? Faith? Feeling lost in the midst of the journey of life? Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com