Touching the Transcendent

We’ve all heard of spiritual experiences — moments of feeling intense awe and deep love and connection. People who’ve had them — and it’s a lot more than you might think — see them as some of the most profound moments of their lives. Moments that change them for the better in enduring ways.

But what’s going on in our brains when these experiences happen? Do you even need religious beliefs to have them? And, if you’re so inclined, how might you start?

David Yaden is Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Find out more about his research here.

Robert Forman is a former Professor of Religion and author of many books about spirituality. Find out more about his work here.