Our Minds in Search for God

The mind interprets the world for us, gives it meaning. To a depressed person the sight of a glowing Tahitian sunset mirrors his sadness, while to someone else the same signals to the retina may invoke wonder and joy. The brain is recording the sunset, but only the mind can experience it.

As we search for God, we want our interpretations to rise even higher than our minds can take us, so that we might understand birth and death, good and evil, heaven and hell. When this understanding extends to spirit, two invisible fields, mind and soul, need to be connected if we are to have any confidence in them.

God requires the most delicate response of the mind. If the mind is troubled or unrefined, the journey back to God cannot be successfully made. Many factors come into play here, but in terms of the mind/brain connection, Valerie Hunt, a researcher with degrees in both psychology and physiology, has made some important connections.

After hooking subjects up to EEGs, she determined that certain brain wave patterns can be associated with higher spiritual experiences. This finding extends earlier research which established that going into deep meditation alters the patterns of alpha waves in the brain, along with heartbeat, respiration, and blood pressure.

But Dr. Hunt was further interested in why people do not have spiritual experiences. In doing so, she took the step of supposing that we should all be naturally connected to the totality of the mind’s field of energy and information, just as we are all connected to the parts that involve thinking. It is a simple but profound assumption.

Adapted from How To Know God, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2000).

Read more: Spirit, Deepak Chopra's Tips, mind, soul, spiritual

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Past Member .

10:06PM PST on Nov 17, 2011

I remember, many years ago, I decided to go look for God. I gave away my possessions and went out to be homeless and search for God.

I have been quite adventurous and unreasonable in the past; sometimes still am. ROFLOL

All my needs were provided. I became a volunteer with Saint Vincent De Paul.

Most important, as I reflected on my experience I realized God had held my hand and walked with me all the way.

send a green star

Dot A.

11:54AM PST on Nov 14, 2011

(con't)

Is this the world of today?

11:52AM PST on Nov 14, 2011

Hi my Friend: Becky Y.
Nov 13, 2011 5:01 PM
------
"... I do not need quotes from the Bible..."
************************************************

Hi again my friend, as I hear your commitment to love in all you do.

I did refer to the wise words that have been included in Scripture, but not to sound harsh, but to just say that we can be disappointed by another human being, and I think everyone has had such an experience.

It's quite a taboo in our modern culture to refer to anything of Scripture it seems. The greatest social error one can make in our society today is to refer to Jesus, for any reason, for any example, for any discription of human lessons in unselfish love.

Almost any thing, person or example is easily accepted but Scripture and Jesus.

Yes, love is as common as grass, and yet, when people talk it is becoming a blunder to mention anything from this resource.

There are many wonderful things that are written about in this compilation of human stories, yet, it appears that we want to toss it all out,...

Love still remains common as grass.

I am a trusting soul. I let truth unfold. Is it that we are to choose 'either' - 'or' regarding how we select examples to share, and if we are on Deepak's page we are not to mention another framework of thought? I am asking because I find that so restricting,... and wonder if that is what our modern readers of today tolerate. Nothing of Scripture is deemed worthy?

Is this the world of

Victor M.

11:25AM PST on Nov 14, 2011

god is a myth

Beverly G.

7:01PM PST on Nov 13, 2011

thkd u

Mac C.

5:09PM PST on Nov 13, 2011

thank you.

Becky Y.

5:01PM PST on Nov 13, 2011

I was reading the title of this article and it struck me that it should read, "Our minds in Search OF God" not "FOR" God. I think the very essence of believing is to have faith... I, for one, do not need to understand everything...I have faith that there is a creator because we are all here. I have faith and do not need clarification on all aspects of it nor do I need proof. I do not need quotes from the Bible nor do I need any of those religious things that so many cling to for their belief in a God. That we have life on this beautiful planet....that waves rush in and make sand, that the sun sets and produces glorious sunsets, that their is moonlight, trees, flowers...and all that is here....the miracle of birth....I have all I need to know that my faith does not need an understanding of these things....my faith supplies what I need.

Gerald M.

1:33PM PST on Nov 13, 2011

"One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye." St. Exupery, from, 'The little Prince'.

I'm fairly confident you'll agree with that, Colin Barnes.......

Colin B.

5:40AM PST on Nov 13, 2011

try and think from the heart

jude T.

12:03PM PST on Nov 12, 2011

Cool.....just like in the film Avita when they are all connected...mind and spirit....plugged in to the main frame :)