Is our Brain the Source of our Life? Is Matter the Source of Mind/Spirit? A Contemplative Mysticism View

Many people want to reduce our life and consciousness to the physical brain today, but I think we can go much deeper to the Source of our Life and all things.

Dual-Aspect Monism, Neuroscience, and Mysticism

The mind-body problem has vexed philosophers and scientists for ages. How do these two relate? Mysticism may hold a key to penetrating the problem to its source.

The Nondual Scientific and Mystical Reality of our Self

Transcending dualism back to the nondual unity of the One, of the Singularity, is something which we may approach from scientific, philosophical, and mystical perspectives.

The Mysticism of the Hard Problem of Consciousness

The hard problem of consciousness may lead us to an irreducible mysticism in the nature of the mind and body, namely that they are two sides of the very same one thing.

Nihilism in the Light of Mystical Experience

Nihilism is a philosophy that says that life is meaningless. It says there is no objective meaning, intrinsic value, or purpose in life. What does mysticism and the mystical experience say about that?

Qualia, Consciousness, Christ, and Cosmos

What is qualia? What is the source of individual instances of subjective conscious experience, like seeing the redness of an apple? Where does the redness come from? I don't know, but here are some ideas. Energy in our environment impinges upon our sense organs causing a cascade of electrochemical reactions and nerve impulses that are [...]

Does Seeing God Cause Death to the Person?

Many ancient texts, including the Bible, note that seeing God brings death to the person. But then we also read of some who claim they saw God and lived to tell about it. What's going on? Which is it?

Our Minds Paint Our Pictures of God

"The [mystical] visions are not ends in themselves but means to an ineffable religious experience that exceeds normal concepts. They will be conditioned by the particular religious tradition of the mystic. A Jewish visionary will see visions of the seven heavens because his religious imagination is stocked with these particular symbols. Buddhists see various images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas; Christians visualize the Virgin Mary [or Jesus]. It is a mistake for the visionary to see these mental apparitions as objective or as anything more than a symbol of transcendence."

The Brain Science behind Meditation, a Book and Interview with Culadasa

Culadasa (John Yates), former neuroscientist who became a meditation master, is the author of an excellent recent book published about meditation, The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness.