From: Anders Sandberg (nv91-asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Sun Apr 13 1997 - 06:36:52 MDT
On Sat, 12 Apr 1997, Mike Rose wrote:
> Lilly suggests that the brain gets white noise and picks its own reality
> out of the noise. But how do NDEs and OOBEs produce this noise?
I have the impression that many NDEs are rather extreme brain-states, the
brain is very active and far from the normal attractors. When the neurons
start getting into trouble due to ischemia, hypoxia or poisons they don't
go quietly, they start firing and releasing neurotransmittors like mad; I
have seen some microdialysis curves from dying brains, and they are a
chemical circus (interesting enough they suggests that glutamate may not
be the main culprit of brain death, or that it is just a local factor).
So there is definitely enough noise in such states to trigger interesting
experiences (especially if the temporal lobe is involved).
OOBE's are different, at least in the beginning "looking down on my body"
stage (after that they can move towards the NDE stage). My personal theory
is that they are a form of dissociative reaction that we subconsciously
create to avoid pain or confusion, a kind of temporary MPD where the ego
is cut loose from the rest of the mind which is very busy. They can be
triggered through training and suggestion, although I suspect that there
is no firm border between them and hypnosis, visualisation and (lucid)
dreaming. A wild guess would be that they involve the parietal lobe.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension!
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