Neurotheology 1 - “God and the Brain”, is a lecture about the Persinger “God Helmet” (actually the Koren Helmet) and the 8 Coil Shakti by neuroscientist and author Todd Murphy. It covers visions of God, Near-Death Experiences, and other themes in neurotheology, the field that integrates neuroscience and spirituality. This is the first of six lectures on Spirituality and the Brain by the inventor of the 8 Coil Shakti and the Shiva Neural Stimulation system, which duplicates the procedures used in the God Helmet experiments. He has been a member of Laurentian University’s Behavioral Neuroscience research group, under the direction of Dr. M. A. Persinger, since 1998.

Nov. 8th 2013 - Todd Murphy’s book “Sacred Pathways: The Brain’s Role in Religious and Mystic Experiences” (foreword by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama) is now available. It has a more in-depth discussion of the brain’s role in the experience of God than this video lecture. Here is the URL:

Note that the closed captions are suggested for all viewers.

There has been some debate around the God Helmet, with critics saying that its effects are due to suggestibility and that its magnetic fields are not strong enough to reach the brain. A recent study tells us that this isn’t true.