Dr. Bruce Greyson

And, you know, I was taught in college and medical school that the same thing. The mind is just what the brain does. The way digestion is what the stomach does. but we know how the stomach digests food. We have no idea how the chemical and electrical changes in the brain can produce a thought or a feeling. We know what parts of the brain may be associated with different things.

And, you know, I was taught in college and medical school that the same thing. The mind is just what the brain does. The way digestion is what the stomach does. but we know how the stomach digests food. We have no idea how the chemical and electrical changes in the brain can produce a thought or a feeling. We know what parts of the brain may be associated with different things.

We have no idea how that happens. So one idea is that the brain doesn't cause our thoughts. It sort of receives them the way a radio may receive radio waves and translate them into sounds we hear. This is not a new idea. Hippocrates said this 2000 years ago, that the brain is the messenger of the mind. And it's been repeated throughout the centuries.

We have no idea how that happens. So one idea is that the brain doesn't cause our thoughts. It sort of receives them the way a radio may receive radio waves and translate them into sounds we hear. This is not a new idea. Hippocrates said this 2000 years ago, that the brain is the messenger of the mind. And it's been repeated throughout the centuries.

We have no idea how that happens. So one idea is that the brain doesn't cause our thoughts. It sort of receives them the way a radio may receive radio waves and translate them into sounds we hear. This is not a new idea. Hippocrates said this 2000 years ago, that the brain is the messenger of the mind. And it's been repeated throughout the centuries.

based on what technology was available at the time. When prisms first came out in the Middle Ages, people talked about the prism being like the brain filtering out the light and breaking it into different parts. In the 19th century, when everything was run by steam engines, they talk about the brain being the reducing valve that takes all the energy and filters it out.

based on what technology was available at the time. When prisms first came out in the Middle Ages, people talked about the prism being like the brain filtering out the light and breaking it into different parts. In the 19th century, when everything was run by steam engines, they talk about the brain being the reducing valve that takes all the energy and filters it out.

based on what technology was available at the time. When prisms first came out in the Middle Ages, people talked about the prism being like the brain filtering out the light and breaking it into different parts. In the 19th century, when everything was run by steam engines, they talk about the brain being the reducing valve that takes all the energy and filters it out.

We tend to use the filter model now, where there's all this consciousness, And the brain filters out the stuff that's, quote, irrelevant or irrelevant and just lets in the important stuff. What's important? Well, the brain, like the rest of us, evolved to survive in the physical world. So you need to be able to find food and shelter and a mate and avoid predators.

We tend to use the filter model now, where there's all this consciousness, And the brain filters out the stuff that's, quote, irrelevant or irrelevant and just lets in the important stuff. What's important? Well, the brain, like the rest of us, evolved to survive in the physical world. So you need to be able to find food and shelter and a mate and avoid predators.

We tend to use the filter model now, where there's all this consciousness, And the brain filters out the stuff that's, quote, irrelevant or irrelevant and just lets in the important stuff. What's important? Well, the brain, like the rest of us, evolved to survive in the physical world. So you need to be able to find food and shelter and a mate and avoid predators.

And you don't need to talk to deceased loved ones to do that or see God. You just need to be aware of the physical surroundings. So your brain filters out all that, quote, irrelevant stuff and just lets in the important things.

And you don't need to talk to deceased loved ones to do that or see God. You just need to be aware of the physical surroundings. So your brain filters out all that, quote, irrelevant stuff and just lets in the important things.

And you don't need to talk to deceased loved ones to do that or see God. You just need to be aware of the physical surroundings. So your brain filters out all that, quote, irrelevant stuff and just lets in the important things.

And in situations like near-death experiences, and there are others as well, where the brain starts shutting down or at least is impaired, that filtering mechanism starts to weaken and other types of consciousness come in. Now, there's various types of evidence for that from other experiences as well. And there is some research being done now on what parts of the brain

And in situations like near-death experiences, and there are others as well, where the brain starts shutting down or at least is impaired, that filtering mechanism starts to weaken and other types of consciousness come in. Now, there's various types of evidence for that from other experiences as well. And there is some research being done now on what parts of the brain

And in situations like near-death experiences, and there are others as well, where the brain starts shutting down or at least is impaired, that filtering mechanism starts to weaken and other types of consciousness come in. Now, there's various types of evidence for that from other experiences as well. And there is some research being done now on what parts of the brain

may do this filtering process. And one is the default mode network, which kind of determines what you're going to pay attention to. For example, people listening to us now, they will ramp up the auditory input to their brain and down the visual input, because that's not as important. There's also a thalamocortical loop, which takes input and

may do this filtering process. And one is the default mode network, which kind of determines what you're going to pay attention to. For example, people listening to us now, they will ramp up the auditory input to their brain and down the visual input, because that's not as important. There's also a thalamocortical loop, which takes input and

may do this filtering process. And one is the default mode network, which kind of determines what you're going to pay attention to. For example, people listening to us now, they will ramp up the auditory input to their brain and down the visual input, because that's not as important. There's also a thalamocortical loop, which takes input and