spirituality = nervous system or endocrine system?

[mike 134]

Hi people,

 

I used to think that all things "spiritual" were caused only by the central and peripheral nervous systems. For instance, various nerve bundles and their branches are responsible for "channels", nerve plexi (ie, celiac plexus, pelvic sacral plexus, etc) are responsible for the "chakras", and various parts of the brain, when stimulated, give rise to altered states of consciousness such as lucid dreams and god-identity.

 

But then I noticed that the major endocrine glands are all lined up along the center of the body, corresponding in location precisely to the "chakras":

 

 

Apparently I'm far from the first to notice this connection, because if you google endocrine and chakra or kundalini you'll get some results, although they are mostly speculations from unqualified dabblers. However, I did some investigation and found that the pineal gland, which some people think correspond to either the "third eye" or the "crown", has a large concentration of endogenous DMT. This substance when administered exogenously produces altered states of consciousness like the ones I mentioned above. Further, a key enzyme responsible for DMT synthesis is found in the pineal:

http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/~cozzi/Indolethylamine%20N-methyltransferase%20expression%20in%20primate%20nervous%20tissue.pdf

 

So what is the scientific explanation of spirituality???? Is it the nervous system? Or the endocrine system? Or is it wrong to think of it as a dichotomy in the first place, given the very close connection between the two systems?

Edited August 9, 2013 by mike 134

[teknix]

Good job, I would give you 90% if I were your teacher.

 

-10% for not including solar plexus and sympathetic nervous system.

[Protector]

I would give it a zero for not understanding what spirituality means

If the topic was chakras then it would be fine

[teknix]

If it only applies to the concept of chakras you would be right.

 

Getting in touch with the "heart" for instance, is a big part of many spiritual traditions and non-traditional spirituality.

Edited August 9, 2013 by teknix

[mike 134]

-10% for not including solar plexus and sympathetic nervous system.

 

 

errr... the celiac plexus is the solar plexus. So I'm at 5% eh???

[teknix]

#5 in the map you presented should be labeled at the bottom of the ribcage/sternum as the solar plexus then heart/cardiac plexus would be 4.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2013 by teknix

[teknix]

You're hardly the first to notice it, but you are on the right track, which is better than 90% of the "spiritualists" that I've met.

[teknix]

You are probably right, I generally choose to be biased in favor of the empirical and objective ways of explaining it over tradition and beliefs.

Edited August 10, 2013 by teknix

[mike 134]

You know what I just realized? All the visceral (not in the head) endocrine organs I mentioned above are innervated by CN X, even the reproductive ones, as suggested by this paper that I mentioned in another thread:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15451368 (argues for the existence of vagal innervation of female pelvic organs).

 

So you can't split the two. Dunno what the hell I was thinking earlier.

 

 

You are probably right, I generally choose to be biased in favor of the empirical and objective ways of explaining it over tradition and beliefs.

 

Yeah same here. Some of the mystical explanations floating around here make absolutely no sense to me. But unfortunately most scientific explanations put forward to explain spirituality are speculations that are unverified by experiment, and oftentimes written by unqualified people. LIke this person who wrote this article on chakras and endocrine glands..

 

http://www.psi-researchcentre.co.uk/article_2.html

 

She has a PhD.... in parapsychology.

Edited August 10, 2013 by mike 134

[松永道]

What "system" is not part of "spirituality?"

 

Pay attention to e v e r y t h i n g .

Yea!

 

Keep in mind that modern biomedical systems are divided on the basis of material differences. Spirituality - whatever that means - is undifferentiated. It's an experience. It uses all of the systems because life uses all of the systems.

 

It's a little like asking which part of the car makes it move. Is it the wheels? The axles? The engine? The gas? The driver? How and why each system makes the car move is a more interesting question.

[MERCELESS ONE]

wow, i like where this is going:) the whole body is used when developing the spirit. from the marrow of the bones to the secretions of the glands thats why health is so important. with the body functioning properly the body can let the spirit radiare. but its true potential can only be unlocked by the mind...but thats a topic for another time...

[Seeker of Wisdom]

The question isn't 'how does the body cause spirituality?', but 'how does our spiritual state at the end of one life determine what body we get in the next?'.

 

The body definitely has relevance, there are correlations, but not everything is an emergent property of matter and energy. I see matter/energy and mind/consciousness as different but linked things.

 

Spirituality wouldn't evolve, because it encourages contentment, and by contrast evolution would encourage stocking up on resources and mating with everyone.

 

I'm not getting into a materialism vs. dialectical monism debate, because I just don't see a reason to waste time and energy arguing on the internet, but I wanted to suggest a different viewpoint.

[MERCELESS ONE]

The question isn't 'how does the body cause spirituality?', but 'how does our spiritual state at the end of one life determine what body we get in the next?'.

 

The body definitely has relevance, there are correlations, but not everything is an emergent property of matter and energy. I see matter/energy and mind/consciousness as different but linked things.

 

Spirituality wouldn't evolve, because it encourages contentment, and by contrast evolution would encourage stocking up on resources and mating with everyone.

 

I'm not getting into a materialism vs. dialectical monism debate, because I just don't see a reason to waste time and energy arguing on the internet, but I wanted to suggest a different viewpoint.

one who knows alittle somthing;) that view point isnt talked about much, few may know of it. for those who may not know there are 3 parts that make up the human being mind body and spirit. with interlinking meshes inbetween. as was said "not everything is an emergent property of matter" this is why the spirit and mind is least under stood of our sciences. its judged on our understanding of matter and not energy and consiousness, which affects matter...

[MERCELESS ONE]

The question isn't 'how does the body cause spirituality?', but 'how does our spiritual state at the end of one life determine what body we get in the next?'.

 

The body definitely has relevance, there are correlations, but not everything is an emergent property of matter and energy. I see matter/energy and mind/consciousness as different but linked things.

 

Spirituality wouldn't evolve, because it encourages contentment, and by contrast evolution would encourage stocking up on resources and mating with everyone.

 

I'm not getting into a materialism vs. dialectical monism debate, because I just don't see a reason to waste time and energy arguing on the internet, but I wanted to suggest a different viewpoint.

and the next body we get in the next cycle is determened by what you master here in this life .ie. spiritual and energetic information. its perfection of being, perfection of consiousness equals perfection of being...