"There are moments when the world seems to fall away: the hush of a forest after rain, the sweep of a symphony, the infinite sprawl of stars overhead. Poets call it awe. Mystics call it transcendence. Neuroscience, at last, is beginning to map what happens in the brain. To explore this, researchers from UCLA studied nine healthy adults using a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner."
"The results revealed striking contrasts. Meditation ignited networks tied to recognition, sensation, and memory, weaving perception and self-awareness together. Nature quieted the brain, dialing down stress circuits while sharpening the visual cortex. Art provoked interest and stimulation but engaged fewer systems overall. Together, the three conditions offered a rare glimpse into how the brain enters states that blur the line between body, mind, and world."
Nine healthy adults underwent functional MRI while immersed in AI-generated art, sweeping nature scenes, and cosmic imagery meant to prompt meditation on "universal connectedness." Meditation activated networks tied to recognition, sensation, and memory, integrating perception with self-awareness. Nature reduced activity in stress-, emotion-, and executive-control-related areas while increasing visual-cortex processing, consistent with stress reduction theory. AI-generated art provoked curiosity and stimulation but engaged fewer neural systems overall. The three experiences produced distinct neural patterns that overlap with moments of awe and transcendence, suggesting that such experiences may help the brain reset and support mental health.
Read at Psychology Today
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