Enlightenment explained by brain functioning

To go to the beginning of this blog and an introduction to the Lifewave cult click here.

When I wrote in a previous post that enlightenment 'can be better explained by brain functioning than by Hindu philosophy' I wasn't thinking that it would be possible to locate the specific areas of the brain responsible. Now it seems we might be able to do that.

There are different ways of imaging the brain. One way is to track blood flow. The more active the neurons in a particular area, the greater the blood flow. When someone meditates some areas of the brain become more active. For example, the prefrontal cortex - seat of attention - becomes more active in meditation.

There are a couple of areas of the brain can become less active in meditation. Both of them are towards the top and back of the brain, one in the left hemisphere and one in the right. These are the Orientation Association Areas. They process information about space and time, and the orientation of the body in space. They determine where the body ends and the rest of the world begins. Specifically, the left orientation area creates the sensation of a physically delimited body; the right orientation area creates the sense of the physical space in which the body exists.

Shutting down the right OAA produces a sense of absolute spacelessness and infinite time. Shutting down the left OAA produces a sense of limitless or extinguished self. Going beyond form is explained very nicely by the shutting down of the right OAA. Enlightenment is explained very nicely by the shutting down of the left OAA.

There will be some people who will say that what goes on in the brain is the result of changes on other levels of reality. Our mind exists on a higher level of reality. They will say that enlightenment cannot be explained by changes in brain functioning, but I would not agree with them.

another view

To go to the beginning of this blog and an introduction to the Lifewave cult click here.

When I was in Lifewave there was one way of looking at the Inner Light and Sound. It was regarded as an energy that was divine in origin. This is consistent with the Divine Light Mission, which John Yarr used to be part of. It is also consistent with the Radha Soami and Sant Mat traditions in India, of which Radha Soami Satsang Beas was just one example.

There is another way of looking at the Inner Light and Sound though. This view is found in other traditions. They don't see it as an energy - instead they see it as an aspect of the mind. I have scanned two pages of a book called 'Journey of Insight Meditation' by Eric Lerner. This book helped me to see that there are other ways of thinking about the Inner Light and Sound, which is why I have included it here.

I like the bit where he writes "When the mind is still, its nature is light". I know that many will resist this view, as I did to begin with. Lerner's explanation is more poetic than mungojelly's.

When I was in Lifewave I was told to take what they said to me at face value, not to try to work it out for myself. I was told this is beyond your mind. That seems to be common in cults, I was told that elsewhere, with people getting angry if I dared to suggest there might be something incomplete about their wonderful system.

Well, sod them. When I read the above two pages I knew that there are others who take a completely different view about what the Inner Light and Sound is. And it's a more sophisticated view, which allows for a more complete understanding of what it is and how to use it. I don't anymore have to put up with anyone telling me I'm not able to think for myself. It's not me who is stupid.