Show Notes
In this clip from our longer conversation, I speak with neuroscientist Dr Andrew Newberg, author of How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain, about a powerful Kensho experience I had about a year ago. I describe a two‑week period of bliss, emptiness of self, and a felt oneness with everything – followed by a lasting shift in how “Simon” shows up: far less identification with the personal story, and a difficulty travelling into past and future through the mind in the old way. My question to Andrew is simple: What actually happened to my brain? Andrew shares what decades of research into spiritual experiences reveal about: The difference between a moment of enlightenment and living from an enlightened perspective Why powerful awakening experiences often create lasting changes in identity, beliefs, and behaviour The five core elements commonly reported in enlightenment and Kensho experiences How states of oneness and non‑separation relate to the parietal lobe and our sense of self The role of the thalamus and wider brain networks in “rewiring” our perception of reality Why unusual sensations in the body (including in the head) are often part of these shifts
THE SHIFT HAPPENS RETREAT WITH SIMON & ALEX (October 3rd in London): https://shift-happens-retreat.subscribepage.io/
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THE SHIFT HAPPENS RETREAT WITH SIMON & ALEX (October 3rd in London): https://shift-happens-retreat.subscribepage.io/