Mystical experiences were first
found to correlate with specific patterns of brain activity through the
study of patients with temporal lobe
epilepsy. The researcher Vilayanur
Ramachandran and his colleagues
investigated brain activity in these
patients, and found that many experienced bursts of activity in their
temporal lobe, referred to as microseizures. Patients who frequently
reported mystical experiences, or
who were known to express religious fanaticism, were more likely
to have these microseizures than
those that did not [1].
Taking this research one step further,
Michael Persinger designed a device
that would become popularly known
as the “God machine”. This simple
device – a series of small electromagnets attached to a motorcycle
helmet – delivers a weak electromagnetic field that can be used to
selectively activate distinct regions
of the brain. Persinger reported that
stimulation of the temporal lobe
elicited a mystical experience in
about 80% of subjects; stimulation
of the right temporal lobe tended to
elicit more pleasurable experiences
than stimulation of the left temporal
lobe.
6
Although some subjects failed to
have an experience when wearing
the helmet – most notably Richard
Dawkins, the self-proclaimed atheist – these observations suggest
that the large majority of subjects
tested had the innate neural wiring
necessary for them to have a mystical experience. This led Persinger
to suggest that an individual’s propensity to have mystical experiences depends on the lability of
their temporal lobe (i.e. how prone
it is to change). Individuals with a
high lability were seen to be more
likely to have microseizures, and
Dr. Persinger