Zen Masters and Mormons Help Scientists Look for God in the Brain
Scientists aren’t finding a single “God spot.” Instead, multiple regions of the brain light up during spiritual experiences. Transcendence isn’t a one-room apartment — it’s a mansion with many windows, each offering a glimpse of something bigger than yourself.
Brain scans reveal spirituality engages multiple regions, not just one magical hotspot
Spirituality is Everywhere
For decades, neuroscientists have been chasing the mythical God spot, as if one lonely patch of neurons could contain all human awe. Brick Johnstone and the University of Missouri team decided to play it smarter: the brain is not lazy. It engages many areas, working like an orchestra rather than a soloist. Each flash of transcendence, compassion, or cosmic connection is a collective neural act.
Spirituality isn’t a God spot. It’s a full-brain event lighting up awe, connection, and self-transcendence. #Neurodope #BrainScience share this
Multiple areas of the brain work together to create the experience of awe and connection
When Self Steps Aside
Turns out, the secret ingredient isn’t some magic hotspot — it’s letting go of the self. Decreased activity in the right hemisphere signals self-transcendence. Call it God, Nirvana, or cosmic awe — the brain doesn’t discriminate. It just shows you the exit from ego central. Even Led Zeppelin has a starring role: Johnstone confesses that Stairway to Heaven sends him straight into transcendence. Music, meditation, prayer — they all open the same doors.
Mapping the Devout
Meanwhile, at the University of Utah, researchers are recruiting young Latter-day Saints with mission experience to map spiritual brain activity. Scripture, music, videos, prayer — the experiment isn’t about converting anyone, it’s about understanding how structured spiritual practices fire up distributed neural networks. Religion is the No. 1 force in human social history, and the brain is the ultimate stage.
No single brain region holds the divine. Spirituality spreads across networks, proving we’re wired for awe. #Neuroscience #SpiritualExperience share this
Beyond One Spot
The take-home message? There is no God spot. Spirituality isn’t confined to one corner of the brain. The human mind is wired for awe, connection, and self-transcendence across a sprawling, dynamic network. One neuron alone can’t explain the divine, but the ensemble sure comes close.
From Led Zeppelin to Nirvana, the brain lights up multiple areas during transcendence. No soloists, just a neural symphony. #Neurodope #HumanMind share this
Exploring the known and the unknown with a beat writer’s eye for truth. –Chip Von Gunten
A quick overview of the topics covered in this article.
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