Ever felt your sense of self completely dissolve? That moment when the boundaries between "you" and "everything else" suddenly fade away, leaving nothing but pure awareness and connection?

Maybe it struck during deep meditation. Perhaps while gazing at stars from a mountaintop. Or during a carefully guided psychedelic journey that launched your consciousness into uncharted territory.

These experiences aren't just subjective feelings or hallucinations. They're rooted in measurable biological changes happening right inside your brain. The mind-blowing part? Scientists are now identifying the exact neurochemical processes that spiritual traditions have been inducing for thousands of years.

A recent survey from Johns Hopkins found that 75% of respondents rated their mystical experiences among the five most meaningful events of their lives – ranking them alongside childbirth and marriage. Yet most people hide these experiences, afraid they'll be dismissed as "woo-woo" or indicators of mental instability.

This is where science enters the conversation with a revolutionary perspective: these experiences correlate with specific, measurable changes in brain function. The default mode network temporarily deactivates. Neuroplasticity increases. Neurotransmitter production shifts dramatically. And brain regions that normally don't communicate suddenly engage in cross-talk.

What we're discovering is nothing short of remarkable – these neurobiological changes don't just create fleeting experiences. They can rewire neural pathways and create lasting positive changes in outlook, behavior, and emotional well-being.

I've spent years exploring the intersection of neuroscience and mystical states, diving into both scientific journals and firsthand experiences. What I've found is that understanding the biology doesn't diminish the magic – it enhances it.

Because when you understand what's happening in your brain during these transcendent moments, you gain something invaluable: agency. The ability to access these states more readily, integrate them more effectively, and use them as catalysts for genuine transformation.

Let's explore what science is revealing about the most profound experiences human consciousness can generate.

Measuring The Mystical

Our culture has long maintained an artificial divide between science and spirituality. We're taught that one deals with objective facts, the other with subjective beliefs. One belongs in laboratories, the other in temples and churches.

This division has created a false choice: embrace science and dismiss spiritual experiences as "just chemical reactions in the brain," or embrace spirituality and ignore the biological processes involved.

Both approaches miss something essential.

Dr. Andrew Newberg, pioneer of neurotheology, has consistently maintained that identifying the neurological basis for spiritual experiences doesn't diminish their meaning or significance. His research suggests that understanding the brain mechanisms behind these experiences can actually enhance our appreciation of their power and importance in human life.

Think of it this way: knowing how a symphony orchestra creates music – understanding the physics of sound waves, the mechanics of instruments, the mathematics of harmonics – doesn't make Beethoven's 9th any less beautiful or moving. If anything, it adds layers of appreciation.

The same applies to mystical experiences. Understanding their neurobiological basis doesn't reduce them to "mere biology" – it gives us a deeper appreciation for the incredible capacity of human consciousness.

So what exactly happens in your brain during these states?

Let's start with the centerpiece of the mystical experience: ego dissolution. That sense that the "you" that you normally identify with has disappeared.

Neuroscientists have traced this to deactivation of the Default Mode Network (DMN) – a collection of brain regions that maintains your sense of self, autobiographical thinking, and the boundary between "me" and "not me." When the DMN temporarily goes offline, that boundary dissolves.

Brain imaging studies have confirmed this deactivation across various mystical states – whether induced by psilocybin, LSD, deep meditation, or breathwork. The correlation is remarkably consistent.

But that's just the beginning of the neurobiological cascade.

As the DMN deactivates, brain regions that don't normally communicate begin forming temporary connections. This increased neural cross-talk, called "entropy" in neuroscience, allows for novel connections and insights that aren't available during normal consciousness.

Imagine your brain's typical neural pathways as highways. Information usually travels along the same well-worn routes. But during mystical states, these highways temporarily close, and thousands of side streets open up instead. Information flows in entirely new patterns, creating what researchers call a "more primitive" but more interconnected state of consciousness.

This is accompanied by a neurochemical symphony:

• Serotonin receptors (particularly 5-HT2A) activate in novel patterns, especially in psychedelic-induced states

• Dopamine surges in both meditation and psychedelic experiences, creating feelings of bliss and euphoria

• Glutamate excitatory transmission increases, facilitating neuroplasticity

• Endogenous DMT (dimethyltryptamine) may be released during certain practices like holotropic breathwork

• Anandamide (the "bliss molecule") levels increase, similar to the "runner's high" but more profound

• Gamma brain wave activity synchronizes across brain regions, creating a state of unified consciousness

These aren't subjective claims – they're findings from studies using EEG, fMRI, and other neuroimaging technologies.

My own journey into this research began unexpectedly. I'd been struggling with severe anxiety, my mind constantly racing with worst-case scenarios and catastrophic thinking. My thoughts felt like a prison I couldn't escape. Then, I had my first encounter with psilocybin mushrooms – and everything changed.

For several hours, my sense of being a separate self completely dissolved. There was awareness, but no "me" being aware. Just pure experience without an experiencer. The boundaries between myself and everything else vanished. When I returned to normal consciousness, something fundamental had shifted. The world hadn't changed, but my relationship to it had.

I wanted to understand what had happened. Not to explain it away, but to more fully comprehend it. That led me down the rabbit hole of neuroscience research.

What fascinated me most was discovering I could access similar states through other means. Over time, I developed meditation and breathwork practices that could induce comparable mystical experiences – different in certain qualities, but sharing that same core dissolution of self and sense of profound connection.

What I discovered was that these experiences weren't unique or magical in the supernatural sense. They were magical in a more profound way – they represented a natural capacity of human consciousness that has been documented across cultures and throughout history.

The Tibetan Buddhist monks who spend decades in meditation, the Sufi mystics whirling into states of ecstatic unity, the shamans using plant medicines, the Hindu yogis practicing pranayama – they've all been activating the same neurobiological mechanisms. They just described them in the language of their cultural and spiritual traditions.

Understanding this doesn't devalue their wisdom. It validates it. These traditions discovered reliable methods for inducing profound states of consciousness through careful observation and practice, without MRI machines or neuroscience degrees.

Today, we have the unprecedented opportunity to combine ancient wisdom with modern science – to approach mystical states with both reverence for their subjective significance and understanding of their biological foundations.

This brings us to the most exciting part – how you can intentionally access these states through multiple pathways.

Engineering Your Mystical Experience

Here's where the real power of understanding the neuroscience comes in. When you know what's happening biologically, you gain access to multiple pathways for creating similar states.

Ancient traditions discovered these pathways through thousands of years of experimentation. Today, we can approach them with both scientific understanding and traditional wisdom, creating a truly integrated approach to consciousness exploration.

Let's explore five evidence-based approaches to inducing mystical states, each with its own biological mechanism and practical application.

1. Brain Wave Modulation Through Meditation

Your brain constantly generates electrical activity in the form of brain waves, ranging from slow delta waves during deep sleep to fast gamma waves during peak awareness and insight.

Mystical states are associated with specific patterns of brain wave activity:

• Increased gamma synchronization (30-100 Hz): Associated with feelings of unity and boundlessness

• Theta waves (4-8 Hz): Common during deep meditation and visionary states

• Alpha waves (8-12 Hz): Present during relaxed awareness and flow states

Different meditation practices target different brain wave patterns. For example:

• Focused attention meditation (like traditional mindfulness) initially increases beta waves, then theta as you go deeper

• Open awareness practices (like non-dual meditation) increase alpha and gamma synchronization

• Transcendental Meditation produces coherent alpha waves across brain regions

Instead of viewing meditation as just "calming the mind," you can approach it as "training your brain to produce specific wave patterns." This shift in perspective makes meditation a more precise and effective tool.

Practical steps:

Begin with focused attention meditation (5-10 minutes daily) to build your basic meditation muscle. Focus on your breath, returning attention whenever it wanders.

After establishing this foundation (usually 2-3 weeks of consistent practice), experiment with open awareness practices where you observe all experiences without attachment.

For a technological boost, consider EEG biofeedback devices like Muse that can help you identify when you're producing desired brain wave patterns.

The key insight here is consistency over intensity. Ten minutes daily will create more lasting changes in your brain than a single hour-long session once a week.

2. Breath as Biochemical Controller

Your breath might be the most powerful tool you have for altering your brain chemistry on demand. Every aspect of your breathing – rate, depth, rhythm, whether through nose or mouth – directly impacts your nervous system and brain function.

The science here is fascinating:

• Controlled hyperventilation (as in Holotropic Breathwork or Wim Hof method) temporarily decreases CO₂ levels, increases blood pH, and can induce profound altered states

• Slow, deep breathing activates the vagus nerve, releasing acetylcholine and shifting from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance

• Breath retention after exhale increases CO₂, which can trigger the release of endogenous DMT and other neurochemicals

• Rhythmic breathing synchronizes neural oscillations across brain regions

These biochemical changes can induce states remarkably similar to both deep meditation and psychedelic experiences.

Practical steps:

Start with the physiological sigh: two short inhales through the nose followed by a long exhale through the mouth. Just three repetitions can noticeably shift your nervous system state.

For deeper exploration, try box breathing: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Practice for 5 minutes daily.

When you're ready for more intensive practice, explore the Wim Hof method: 30-40 deep breaths followed by breath retention and a short recovery breath hold. Always practice this sitting or lying down, never near water.

Many breathwork practitioners report similar experiences during intensive sessions: tingling sensations that spread throughout the body, followed by electric-like vibrations, and eventually a shift where bodily boundaries seem to dissolve. These brief episodes of expanded awareness—often lasting just minutes—can profoundly alter one's understanding of consciousness and the connection between breath and mind.

3. Sound and Rhythm as Neural Entrainment

Sound isn't just something you passively receive – it actively changes your brain state through a process called neural entrainment. This occurs when your brain synchronizes its electrical activity with external rhythmic stimuli.

The neuroscience:

• Rhythmic sound at 4-7 Hz entrains the brain to theta waves associated with hypnagogic and mystical states

• Binaural beats create an auditory illusion that promotes cross-hemisphere coherence

• Resonant frequencies of singing bowls and gongs physically affect brain tissues through vibration

• Chanting creates both entrainment and changes in CO₂ levels similar to breathwork

Indigenous traditions worldwide have used drumming, singing, and chanting to induce non-ordinary states for thousands of years. The consistent finding across cultures is a rhythm of 4-7 beats per second – precisely the frequency that induces theta brain waves.

Practical steps:

Explore binaural beats designed for meditation (you'll need stereo headphones). Look for tracks in the theta range (4-7 Hz) for deeper states.

For a self-generated approach, try humming or toning a single note for 5-10 minutes. Focus on feeling the vibration in your chest and head.

My personal favourite is OM chanting. There's something profoundly resonant about this ancient sound that creates vibrations you can feel throughout your entire body. To combine this with breath, practice "box breathing with OM" – inhale for 4 counts, tone "OM" for 4 counts, rest for 4 counts, repeat.

4. The Psychedelic Pathway

Psychedelics offer perhaps the most direct route to mystical states, though they come with legal considerations in many places. Their mechanism of action is increasingly well understood:

• Classic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, DMT) work primarily by activating 5-HT2A serotonin receptors

• This activation leads to temporary disruption of the Default Mode Network

• Glutamate release increases, promoting neuroplasticity and new neural connections

• Brain regions that don't normally communicate begin sharing information

• The result is a temporary state of increased entropy (disorder) that allows novel patterns to form

The research on psychedelic-induced mystical experiences is remarkable, particularly from institutions like Johns Hopkins:

• 83% of participants in psilocybin studies reported improved life satisfaction and well-being 14 months after their experience

• 67% rated their psychedelic experience among the five most meaningful experiences of their lives

• A single psilocybin session resulted in significant long-term increases in the personality domain of openness

Key considerations:

Set and setting are crucial – your mindset and physical environment dramatically impact the experience. Create a safe, comfortable space with supportive people.

Intention matters. Approaching these substances with clear, meaningful intention leads to more beneficial experiences than recreational use.

Integration is essential. The experience itself is just the beginning – how you make sense of it and incorporate insights determines its lasting value.

I approach this topic with both fascination about the research and caution about encouraging anyone to do anything illegal. If you're interested in this pathway, research clinical trials or legal retreats in countries where these substances are permitted for ceremonial use.

One research participant at Johns Hopkins described their psilocybin experience: "I was everything and everyone, all at once. Not just connected to things, but actually being them. The feeling that I, as we define ourselves as separate individuals, did not exist. I was simply a part of the universe looking at itself."

My guide - The Macrodose Manual - is a great resource to help you prepare for a psychedelic journey.

Download it here for free.

5. Integration For Meaning-Making

The least discussed but perhaps most important aspect of mystical experiences is integration – the process of incorporating insights into your everyday life. This too has a biological basis:

• Neuroplasticity remains elevated for days to weeks after mystical experiences

• New neural pathways form based on how you direct your attention during this period

• Protein synthesis for long-term memory formation happens during sleep after significant experiences

• Narrative creation activates the hippocampus and helps consolidate experiential memories

Without intentional integration, even the most profound experiences can fade like dreams upon waking.

Practical steps:

Journal within 24 hours of any significant experience, capturing as many details as possible. The act of articulating forces your brain to form clearer memory structures.

Create a simple daily practice that reconnects you to the core insights from your experience. This might be a meditation, a mantra, or a visualization.

Find a community (in-person or online) where you can discuss your experiences. Social reinforcement strengthens neural pathways.

Apply insights to daily decisions. Ask yourself regularly: "How would I approach this situation given what I experienced during my mystical state?"

The Converging Paths

What's most fascinating about these different approaches is that they all lead to remarkably similar experiences. Whether through meditation, breathwork, sound, or psychedelics, people report the same core features:

• Dissolution of the sense of a separate self

• Transcendence of time and space

• Profound sense of connectedness

• Ineffability (difficulty describing the experience in words)

• Noetic quality (sense of gaining direct knowledge about reality)

• Positive mood and reduced fear of death

This convergence suggests something fundamental about consciousness itself – that these states aren't just subjective experiences but represent an intrinsic potential of the human mind.

The biochemistry of awe isn't just about understanding what happens when your reality dissolves. It's about recognizing that the dissolution reveals something that was always there beneath the surface of ordinary awareness.

This is where science and spirituality truly meet – not in conflict but in complementary understanding of the same phenomenon. The spiritual traditions tell us what these experiences mean and how to interpret them. Science tells us how they happen and how to reliably induce them.

When we integrate both perspectives, we gain a more complete understanding than either alone can provide.

We're at the beginning of a renaissance in consciousness exploration, where ancient wisdom and modern science are finally coming together to help us understand the full spectrum of human awareness.

The mystical experience isn't just for monks, shamans, or psychonauts. It's a natural capacity of your consciousness – one that can be cultivated, understood, and integrated into a life of greater meaning, connection, and joy.

Your brain already contains all the necessary biochemistry for profound states of awe and transcendence. Understanding the science just gives you more pathways to access what's already within you.

The question isn't whether you can experience these states.

The question is: which path will you take to explore them?

-Darren