RELIGIOUS AND MYSTICAL STATES: A NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL MODEL

TLDR

The background reviews fundamental brain organization principles, such as hemisphericity, sensory receptive areas, motor analogues, prefrontosensorial polarity, and limbic integration into cortical activity. The paper addresses confusion in categorizing mystical states and argues that studying their neuropsychological substrate is essential to deepen understanding and resolve scholarly ambiguity. The model attributes mystical states to differential stimulation and deafferentation of tertiary sensory association areas combined with specific limbic stimulation patterns. Abstract.

Abstract

Abstract. This paper first considers the current confusion in categorizing and even describing mystical states, including experiences of God, the Void, and lesser religious experiences. The paper presents the necessity of studying the neuropsychological substrate of such experiences both to understand them in greater depth and to help resolve scholarly confusion in this area. As a prelude to presenting a neuropsychological model, the basic principles of brain organization are reviewed, including hemispheri‐city; primary, secondary, and tertiary sensory receptive areas; their motor analogues; prefrontosensorial polarity; and the integration of limbic functioning into cortical activity. A neuropsychological model for mystical states is then presented in terms of differential stimulation and deafferentation of various tertiary sensory association areas, along with integration of various patterns of limbic stimulation.