The brain is the biological structure inside the skull that includes neurons, neurotransmitters and electrical connections to brain systems. The brain also produces electrical and hormonal connections to the sensory organs and the rest of the body.

The mind consists of thoughts, feelings, experiences and other intangible qualities related to the biological processes of the brain.

But where is the soul? Examining the brain structures may help answer that question.

The Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system connects the brain and the body. Two functions compose the autonomic nervous system: the arousal and calming actions.

The sympathetic nervous system turns on when something in our environment stimulates a reaction to flee or fight. Profound spiritual experiences may also activate the sympathetic nervous system producing a rapid heart beat, shallow breathing, flushing, swooning and even fainting. Stigmata may be the result of an overpowering spiritual awe stimulating the sympathetic nervous system.

The parasympathetic system calms us down slowing the heart rate and relaxing the muscles. Our breathing slows and deepens. We flow serenely into a tranquil state of mind and body. An overpowering spiritual encounter can activate the parasympathetic system producing a feeling of blissfulness and ecstasy.

The Limbic System

The autonomic nervous system is regulated by the limbic system—the emotional center of the brain. Several different structures comprise the the limbic system. Frightening or pleasurable events cause the amygdala to release dopamine. The hippocampus helps regulate our emotional responses and writes memories into our brain. The hypothalamus regulates our hormonal system and causes the autonomic nervous system to turn on or off.

The amygdala and hypothalamus effect our mind and body when we have spiritual experiences. The hippocampus helps incorporate spiritual and religious memories making these experiences part of who we are as human beings.

Four Lobes of the Brain

The brain attempts to create a coherent response to the millions of pieces of information we receive hourly. What we see, hear, smell, taste, feel and experience combined with our genetic programming formulates our belief system. The four lobes of the brain combine our nature and our nurture into a comprehensive whole that makes us who we are.

The Occipital Lobe

Lines, shapes and colors stimulates the optic nerve via the eyes. This visual information travels to the occipital lobe in the back of the brain where neurons construct a vivid picture from the optic stimulation. Additional neurons in return carry these visual messages to other parts of the brain influencing our thoughts, feelings and memories.

The Frontal Lobe

The front part of the brain is the attention area where cognitive processes control behavior. Cognition includes attention control, inhibitory control, planning, reasoning and problem solving.

The frontal lobe enables us to distinguish between right and wrong and to consider the nature and existence of reality. Intellectual and theological reasoning resides in the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe

Cognitive functioning gradually develops and changes across the lifespan and can be improved by experience and knowledge. Likewise, cognition can be adversely affected by drugs/alcohol, attention deficit disorder and a number of other central nervous system disorders. Negative experiences and stimuli can also adversely influence cognition.

The Temporal Lobe

Located on the bottom sides of the brain, the temporal lobe is involved in auditory percepion and for processing information into meaningful units such as speech and words. The tempral lobe also processes and stores memories visual information and interprets smells and sounds. The fronatl gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus work together to organize abstract informationBecause the temporal lobe is also associated with the interpretation of abstract ideas spiritula feelings could also be processed here.

The Parietal Lobe

Positioned above the temporal lobe and behind the frontal lobe the parietal lobe integrates sensory information interprets spatial position. The inputs from the skin–touch, pain and temperature–are processed here. This area is relevant to spiritual experiences. With prayer some feel a sense of spacelessness and timelessness and often lose their sense of self.

Spiritual Brains Differ From Nonbelievers

Several studies have revealed that people who have prayed for many years have increased activity and have more brain tissue in their frontal lobes when compared with people who do not meditate or pray.

Various experiments have show that thinking about God activates the same parts of the brain as thinking about a friend or an object such as a football or a house. Prayer activates the same area in the frontal-temporal lobe as does talking to a friend.These findings suggest that to a spiritual person God is just as real as a friend or an object.

A study showed that believers when compared with skeptics saw more words and faces on a screen when there were none. In contrast, skeptics missed seeing words and faces that were actually there.

Furthermore, when skeptics were given the drug L-dopa that increases brain dopamine, they interpreted scrambled patterns as words and faces just as often as religious people did. This experiment confirms findings that suggest the spiritual brain has higher levels of dopamine, a hormone associated with increased attention and motivation.

Located in the frontal cortex and limbic area the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in error detection, conflict resolution and emotional modulation. When a mistake or an anxiety-producing event occurs is made the ACC begins firing.

A study found that the stronger a belief in God, the less the ACC fired in response to the their own errors. Simply believing in the existence of God resulted in less ACC activity when compared to skeptics. In addition some evidence indicates believers make less conflict errors than nonbelievers. Certainly believers are much less anxious and feel less stressed when thy make mistakes.

Conclusion

The soul then may consist of a higher level of mind function inspired by God and mediated by the combined systems of the brain and the neurochemical and hormonal connections to the rest of the body. This thought is pure conjecture, but is worth contemplating.