Spirituality News

July 19, 2024

Top Headlines

Mindfulness Training May Lead to Altered States of Consciousness

July 17, 2024 — Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity -- so-called altered states of consciousness -- according to a new ...

Psilocybin Generates Psychedelic Experience by Disrupting Brain Network

July 17, 2024 — Researchers report that psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, destabilizes a critical network of brain areas involved in introspective thinking. The findings provide a neurobiological explanation for the drug's mind-bending ...

Ultrasound Technology Can Be Used to Boost Mindfulness, Study Finds

July 11, 2024 — In a new study, researchers used low-intensity ultrasound technology to noninvasively alter a brain region associated with activities such as daydreaming, recalling memories and envisioning the ...

Psychedelic Drug-Induced Hyperconnectivity in the Brain Helps Clarify Altered Subjective Experiences

May 23, 2024 — A new study shows that the use of psilocybin, a compound found in the widely known 'magic mushrooms,' initiates a pattern of hyperconnectivity in the brain linked to the ego-modifying effects and ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:57pm EDT

How Stress Knocks out Your Cognitive Reserve

June 4, 2024 — While mentally stimulating activities and life experiences can improve cognition in memory clinic patients, stress undermines this beneficial ...

Yoga and Meditation-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Are Common in the General Population

May 20, 2024 — A new study finds that altered states of consciousness associated with yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and other practices are common, and mostly ...

New Study Reveals How Teens Thrive Online: Factors That Shape Digital Success Revealed

May 3, 2024 — A new study sheds light on the role that new and traditional media play in promoting and affecting character development, emotions, prosocial ...

In Psychedelic Therapy, Clinician-Patient Bond May Matter Most

Apr. 22, 2024 — Drug effects have dominated the national conversation about psychedelics for medical treatment, but a new study suggests that when it comes to reducing depression with psychedelic-assisted therapy, ...

Study Reveals How Humanity Could Unite to Address Global Challenges

Apr. 16, 2024 — New research has found that perceptions of globally shared life experiences and globally shared biology can strengthen psychological bonding with humanity at large, which can motivate prosocial ...

Mindfulness at Work Protects Against Stress and Burnout

Feb. 25, 2024 — A new study has revealed that employees who are more mindful in the digital workplace are better protected against stress, anxiety and overload. Researchers analyzed survey data from 142 ...

Relationships With Caring Adults Provide a Buffer Against Depression, Anxiety, Regardless of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Jan. 18, 2024 — A new study sought to identify factors that would bolster resilience for marginalized and minoritized youth, using data from the Boricua Youth Study, ...

Combine Mindfulness With Exercise for Mental Health Boost in 2024

Jan. 2, 2024 — New research shows how combining mindfulness with exercise boosts people's mental health and well-being and could help change exercise ...

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Future Mortality Risk

Dec. 19, 2023 — Groundbreaking research has shed new light on the link between childhood adversity and future risk of early ...

Meditation Training Can Support Wellbeing in Older Adults

Dec. 1, 2023 — Following an 18-month meditation program can improve the wellbeing of older adults, finds a new randomized controlled trial by an international ...

Earlier Headlines

Thinking About God Inspires Risk-Taking for Believers, Study Finds

Dec. 14, 2023 — Does thinking about faith make religious people more likely to take leaps? A new study says yes, finding that participants were more likely to take risks when thinking about God as a benevolent ...

Distinct Brain Activity Triggered by Memories of Trauma

Nov. 30, 2023 — It is well known that people who have lived through traumatic events like sexual assault, domestic abuse, or violent combat can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including ...

Simulating Cold Sensation Without Actual Cooling

Oct. 23, 2023 — The perception of persistent thermal sensations, such as changes in temperature, tends to gradually diminish in intensity as our bodies become accustomed to the temperature. This phenomenon leads to ...

Fresh Light Shed on Mystery of Infant Consciousness

Oct. 12, 2023 — There is evidence that some form of conscious experience is present by birth, and perhaps even in late pregnancy, an international team of researchers has ...

Awe-Inspiring Science Can Have a Positive Effect on Mental Wellbeing

Oct. 5, 2023 — Psychologists have revealed a profound connection between the spirituality of science and positive wellbeing, much like the benefits traditionally associated with ...

Being a Vegetarian May Be Partly in Your Genes

Oct. 4, 2023 — A person's genetic makeup plays a role in determining whether they can stick to a strict vegetarian diet, a new study has found. The findings open the door to further studies that could have ...

Curiosity About Religion Is Viewed as Morally Virtuous, New Research Finds

Sep. 21, 2023 — People from diverse religious backgrounds in the United States view curiosity about religion as morally virtuous, according to new research. Atheists also view this curiosity as moral, although less ...

Where Do We Feel Love?

Sep. 19, 2023 — New research sheds light on where and how we feel different kinds of ...

New Evidence Indicates Patients Recall Death Experiences After Cardiac Arrest

Sep. 14, 2023 — Up to an hour after their hearts had stopped, some patients revived by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) had clear memories afterward of experiencing death and had brain patterns while unconscious ...

Is Digital Media Use a Risk Factor for Psychosis in Young Adults?

Aug. 31, 2023 — A recent study of 425 Quebecers between the ages of 18 and 25 has found that young adults who have more frequent psychotic experiences also tend to spend more time using digital media. Interestingly, ...

Enter Sandman: Study Shows Dreams Spill Over Into the Workplace and Can Be Channeled for Productivity

Aug. 28, 2023 — Studies show that on any given morning, about 40 percent of the working population recalls its dreams. New research shows that when dreams are first recalled, people often draw connections between ...

How Psychedelic Drugs Affect a Rat's Brain

Aug. 9, 2023 — Researchers have developed a technique for simultaneously measuring electrical signals from 128 areas of the brain in awake rats. They have then used the information to measure what happens to the ...

Robot Preachers Get Less Respect, Fewer Donations

July 24, 2023 — As artificial intelligence expands across more professions, robot preachers and AI programs offer new means of sharing religious beliefs, but they may undermine credibility and reduce donations for ...

In-Person Mindfulness Courses Help Improve Mental Health for at Least Six Months

July 10, 2023 — In-person mindfulness courses help improve mental health for at least six months, study shows. Adults who voluntarily take part in mindfulness courses are less likely to experience symptoms of ...

Evidence of Conscious-Like Activity in the Dying Brain

May 1, 2023 — A new study provides early evidence of a surge of activity correlated with consciousness in the dying ...

Is There a Common Path to the Psychedelic Experience?

Apr. 25, 2023 — A study takes a closer look at the neurobiology of psychedelic experiences caused by nitrous oxide, ketamine and ...

Positive Experiences in Close Relationships Are Associated With Better Physical Health, New Research Suggests

Mar. 27, 2023 — Social relationships influence physical health, but questions remain about the nature of this connection. New research suggests that the way you feel about your close relationships may be affecting ...

Dizzy Apes Provide Clues on Human Need for Mind Altering Experiences

Mar. 13, 2023 — Great apes deliberately spin themselves in order make themselves dizzy -- findings which could provide clues about the role of altered mental states for origins of the human ...

Five Precepts of Buddhism May Be Linked to Lower Depression Risk

Nov. 30, 2022 — A new study suggests that people with high levels of neuroticism and stress may be at greater risk for depressive symptoms, but those links could be buffered for people who observe the five precepts ...

Is Ayahuasca Safe? New Study Tallies Adverse Events

Nov. 16, 2022 — There is a high rate of adverse physical effects and challenging psychological effects from using the plant-based psychoactive ayahuasca, though they are generally not severe, according to a new ...