Chapter 6 - Faith Traditions, Spiritual Transcendence, and Selflessness

Abstract

Many religions teach that the human self is limited and that there are ways to overcome that limited self through transcendent experiences. This theme is found in many religions especially in the context of profound religious experiences that may be foundational to the theological framework of a faith tradition. In a statement attributed to the medieval founder of the Franciscans, St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), he indicates that “Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.” One question to ask is whether there is some form of common ground or connection that may help account for this type of potent religious and spiritual experience. Can the insights of diverse faith traditions be helpful in creating a fuller and more comprehensive understanding of spiritual transcendence that could inform the sciences in exploring the nature of these experiences? We believe that exploring experiences of selflessness from the perspective of different religions will shed new light on neuroscientific and neuropsychological research of spiritual transcendence. By integrating research from religious perspectives on transcendence with scientific insights into what happens in the brain during experiences of transcendence, we hope to create a deeper understanding of an essential part of our humanity, generating positive interactions between the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences to facilitate a higher level of interdisciplinary communication and integrative approaches to research.