Neuroscience: the brain on faith

Faith and spirituality are on the decline—but what does that mean for our happiness and sense of meaning?

In this episode of Office Hours, I approach that question not as a theologian, but as a social scientist. I explore a fundamental truth: human beings are wired to seek meaning beyond themselves. The problem today is that we're missing out on this essential part of human life.

I’ll share a three-part plan to help you transcend yourself—one that helps you manage anxiety and loneliness—and invite you to reflect more deeply on what you believe, and why it matters. And to learn more on this, check out my new book, The Meaning of Your Life (out March 31).

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Where to find Arthur Brooks: 

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) Why faith and spirituality matter for meaning

(03:00) Decline of traditional religiosity in the U.S.

(05:20) The rise of the “nones” and generational shifts

(07:45) Americans vs. other wealthy nations on religion

(09:30) Is society inevitably becoming secular?

(11:45) What brain science tells us about spirituality

(14:20) Spiritual experiences and reduced stress responses

(16:40) Mystical memory, theta waves, and altered states

(18:55) How spirituality protects against depression and anxiety

(21:10) Spirituality, loneliness, and social connection

(23:40) Make yourself smaller: why self-focus makes us miserable

(29:10) Why thinking less about yourself improves performance

(31:20) Transcendence across religions and philosophies

(34:00) Faith without conversion: meaning beyond belief

(36:10) How to explore faith (and my new book, The Meaning of Your Life)

(37:50) Q&A: loving someone who is depressed

(40:10) Q&A: missionaries vs. psychologists and happiness

(42:15) Q&A: grief, loss, and where to turn

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Referenced:

• The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Your-Life-Finding-Emptiness/dp/0593545427

• The Happiness Scale: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale 

• U.S. church membership falls below majority for first time: https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx 

• “Nones” on the rise: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise/ 

• More Americans say they’re spiritual, but not religious: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/09/06/more-americans-now-say-theyre-spiritual-but-not-religious/ 

• Awakened Brain: https://www.amazon.com/Awakened-Brain-Science-Spirituality-Inspired/dp/198485562X 

• EEG activity in Carmelite nuns during a mystical experience: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18721862/

• ...References continued at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠