Religion and neuroscience – The Economic Times

It is no longer considered unscientific for scientists also to study matters related to faith, religion and spirituality. Nature magazine reports that around 85% of the world’s population identifies as religious. These beliefs are said to improve ‘health and well-being, social cohesion, empathetic and altruistic behaviour’. Conversely, beliefs are also known to cause ‘amplified conflict, polarisation and oppression’.

Spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation, chanting and prayer are known to impact neural activity in positive ways, including helping in pain and addiction management. Consumption of psychedelic drugs, magic mushrooms and engaging in virtual reality may all impact neural activity in similar ways to that of spiritual practitioners. But while spiritual practices have no harmful side effects and the positive takeouts are more long-lasting, substance use and reliance on virtual reality may produce harmful side effects, and their shelf life in the brain expires the moment the chemical effect wanes.

Interestingly, the Mind and Life Institute, set up by HH The Dalai Lama in 1991, seeks to bring about collaborative research and discussion on the links between spiritual practices and brain function. For scientists to dismiss spiritual tools or for believers to scoff at science is no longer an acceptable or rational position. There needs to be a meeting ground for common benefit.