Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of research in nuclear medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and coauthor of Why God Won't Go Away, is one of the world's foremost experts in the study of mystical states and the mind. His research seeks to uncover the physical correlates—if any actually exist—between spiritual experiences and measurable changes within the brain itself. Employing an arsenal of advanced imaging technologies, Dr. Newberg maps the changing neurological landscape of his test subjects while they engage in prayer, meditation, and other religious and spiritual activities.

Dr. Newberg's goal is not simply to find quantifiable counterparts to subjective experience. He recognizes that science alone may not be able to answer questions such as: Does the experience of emptiness produce an observable effect in the brain? If it does, does some particular area of the brain “house” this profound meditative experience? What are the implications for how we think about consciousness and the mind if the ecstatic realization of God doesn't stem from the brain at all? Dr. Newberg himself acknowledges that “individuals have that kind of experience where they go outside of the brain to take a glimpse of ultimate reality.”

In this intriguing interview with WIE senior editor Craig Hamilton, Dr. Newberg discusses the results of his research and speaks about why he advocates a more integrated approach to the study and pursuit of science and spirituality.

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