I've always been curious about religious experiences from the world's cultures. At the same time, I've never been a religious person. Philosophical and spiritually minded, yes - but not religious. So upon reading about various studies in which researches using electrodes to stimulate various points in the brain caused people to have religious and out-of-body experiences, it reinforced something I've long believed - that religious experiences were rooted in the neuroanatomy of the brain itself. Just as people can have very powerful near-death experiences when the brain experiences hypoxia (lack of oxygen), religious experiences can be explained by the structure of our minds.
So it was wonderful to find this talk from a neuroanatomist who experienced a stroke. She talks about how both hemispheres of the brain work and the profound sense of peace and oneness with the universe she experienced as the chatter from her left hemisphere ceased. The talk is fascinating, funny and inspiring. Whether you are religious, agnostic or atheist, there is something to be gained from viewing it.
For more information, here are some links about her life, her book, etc.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/when-a-brain-scientist-suffers-a-stroke/?scp=1-b&sq=jill+bolte&st=nyt
http://www.drjilltaylor.com/index.html
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