How do mystical states shape our brain and transform who we are? Can scientific insight deepen—not diminish—our sense of the sacred?

Dr. Patrick McNamara is a professor of psychology at Northcentral University and holds appointments in neurology at both the University of Minnesota and Boston University School of Medicine. He is the founding editor of Religion, Brain & Behavior and co-founder of the Institute for the Biocultural Study of Religion. His work pioneers the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality, offering scientific insight into dreams, religious belief, and the mystical dimensions of human experience.

In this fascinating episode, we explore what happens in the brain during religious and mystical experiences, why spiritual phenomena may be universal to human consciousness, and how dreams and altered states can influence creativity, healing, and personal transformation. Dr. McNamara shares the scientific challenges and breakthroughs in researching religion as a biological and psychological process. We examine how rituals, supernatural beliefs, and group identity are neurologically mediated, and what this tells us about our need for meaning and transcendence.

This conversation offers a rare blend of scientific rigor and spiritual depth. It pushes the boundaries of how religion is perceived—not as dogma, but as a deeply human quest encoded into our biology. For educators, seekers, and scientists alike, this episode is an invitation to rethink how we study and speak about belief.