TRANSCENDENT CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH- Near-Death vs. Spiritual Contemplative Experiences
Robert Hesse, PhD, Adjunct Professor & Faculty, University of St. Thomas & Institute for Spirituality and Health
About 200 years ago medicine started to separate from religion and become more secular. This was contrary to the non-dualistic teachings of most of the theistic religions especially the Abrahamic faiths. That non-dualism was grounded in the belief that God & man, body & soul, and faith & science where meant for each other. Faith and science, in the context of this conference is medicine & religion (M&R), which are meant to be non-contradictory with each other. Consistent with the conference’s theme, it can be said that the frontier of M&R’s current movement toward future reunion, lies in medicine’s cutting-edge research on consciousness. For the approximate 87% of the population that believes in God and an afterlife, the transcendent state of consciousness between this world and the next, is of great importance and interest. Two such transcendent states of consciousness, are near-death experiences (NDE) and spiritual contemplative experiences (SCE) a.k.a. mystical experiences. This presentation will report the results of the recent, groundbreaking research, showing a significant correlation between NDE and SCE, both in neuroscience and religion.
Consistent with religious beliefs, both NDE and SCE have similar four main attributes, namely: cognitive timelessness, affective peace, transcendent oneness, and paranormal out-of-body. This was measured by the commonly accepted, self-administered, Greyson scale. SCE has been reported for Centuries, up to today, by all faiths, including the Abrahamic contemplatives: Jewish Kabbalists, Christian Mystics, and Muslim Sufis. Consistent with their religious beliefs, there was significant neuro-correlation between remembering NDE and SCE. This was demonstrated by quantitative electroencephalogram tomography (QEEGt) brain scans using the Loreta method, which is most applicable for the pathophysiological brain mechanisms involved in NDE and SCE. QEEGt combines the best of EEG temporal and fMRI spatial, accuracy and precision. This was applied across gamma, alpha, and delta frequencies including the frontal lobes. This study used an interfaith-acceptable, theistic-based, methodology for concentrative prayer, which can lead to SCE. The results of this study hold promise for contemplative prayer in the theistic, non-dualistic, physical-spiritual healing of patients, culminating in better palliative care to reduce fear of death.
Consistent with religious beliefs, both NDE and SCE have similar four main attributes, namely: cognitive timelessness, affective peace, transcendent oneness, and paranormal out-of-body. This was measured by the commonly accepted, self-administered, Greyson scale. SCE has been reported for Centuries, up to today, by all faiths, including the Abrahamic contemplatives: Jewish Kabbalists, Christian Mystics, and Muslim Sufis. Consistent with their religious beliefs, there was significant neuro-correlation between remembering NDE and SCE. This was demonstrated by quantitative electroencephalogram tomography (QEEGt) brain scans using the Loreta method, which is most applicable for the pathophysiological brain mechanisms involved in NDE and SCE. QEEGt combines the best of EEG temporal and fMRI spatial, accuracy and precision. This was applied across gamma, alpha, and delta frequencies including the frontal lobes. This study used an interfaith-acceptable, theistic-based, methodology for concentrative prayer, which can lead to SCE. The results of this study hold promise for contemplative prayer in the theistic, non-dualistic, physical-spiritual healing of patients, culminating in better palliative care to reduce fear of death.