Sister Bernardette Moriau’s “Spontaneous” Healing: Some Perspectives of the Psychology of Consciousness

This article aims to approach the“spontaneous healing”of Sister Bernardette Moriau from the view point of transpersonal psychology or psychology of consciousness and also to compare it with the“spiritual awakening”of the philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.Thus,within this scope of investigation,this article will refer to the so-called“modified states of consciousness”characteristic of these transcendental experiences,which are promoted by prayer and meditation,leading to“heat release”and“muscle relaxation”.These two cases of studies are part of the so-called“manifestations of the sacred”in the reality of contemporary society,which are studied by the Transcendence Neurology.This might contribute to a deeper knowledge of the role and place of ourselves in the Universe.

Biophotonic Activity and Transmission Mediated by Mutual Actions of Neurotransmitters are Involved in the Origin and Altered States of Consciousness

Dear Editor Despite remarkable advances in our understanding of brain functions,the neural substrates and correlates of consciousness remain unclear[1].It has been argued that classical physics is intrinsically incapable of explaining the holistic aspects of consciousness.

“Altered States of Consciousness”and The Mind-Body Problem

This paper offers a critical examination of“neurophysicalism”,namely the thesis that phenomenal consciousness is nothing over and above neural states(processes)in the brain,in light of empirical researches on some“altered states of consciousness”(lucid dreaming and mystical experiences).By probing the implication of“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world,it is argued that“neurophysicalism”is committed to the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”to the effect that the structural features of any state(process)of phenomenal consciousness are isomorphic to the physical structural features of the corresponding“neural correlate”of that state(process)of consciousness.However,in the case of lucid dreaming and mystical experiences,the principle of“psycho-neural isomorphism”does not hold true,which implies that there is a structural mismatch between the phenomenal structure and the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”.The phenomenal structure of lucid dreaming is characterized by features that are unconstant,bizarre,and uncertain,whereas the“neural correlates”of lucid dreaming possess physical structure that is deterministic(with low entropy).In the case of mystical experiences,although the phenomenal structure is characterized by strong realness and constancy,the physical structure of the corresponding“neural correlates”is chaotic and disordered(with high entropy).The phenomenon of structural mismatch challenges“neurophysicalism”in the empirical world.Some possible objections from“neurophysicalists”are examined,including“neural misrepresentation”,“errors of introspective reports”,and“neural correlates not being detected”,none of which withstands scrutiny.The author concludes by proposing an alternative metaphysics for consciousness that takes the brain to be a“valve”“filtering”and constraining unbound consciousness.