Mystical Brain

This short documentary reveals the exploratory work of a team from the University of Montreal who seek to understand the states of grace experienced by mystics and those who meditate. Filmmaker Isabelle Raynauld offers up scientific research that suggests that mystical ecstasy is a transformative experience and could contribute to people's psychic and physical health, treat depression and speed up the healing process when combined with conventional medicine. In French with English subtitles.

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Comments

  • prophetjohn

    “Perhaps the reason why the MRI failed to pin-point any single zone of the brain is that the soul does not respond-to or is sited within the matter itself. I wonder however, if there might have been any anomalies present in the fluid that contains the brain, namely sited between the two frontal lobes in the longitudinal fissure. (Something that the scans may have recorded, but that the team may have dismissed or simply not noticed at all since this is outside of the areas that they were studying). My point being that if the soul communicates with the brain in any physical way at all; (as opposed to a metaphysical communion) then that communication must be electrical - however, electrical activity need not necessarily be via the nerve network, might there be some form of electrical induction present that has not previously been noticed. Perhaps they should dig out their data and take another look. .... Thank you.” — prophetjohn, 12 Jan 2013

  • JohnCandido

    “Extremely interesting documentary! It would be fascinating if the NFB could revisit this issue with the latest results of science in around ten years time. All science relating to the examination of either consciousness or meditation must be subject to the most rigorous experimental methodology, if it is going to be of any real use.” — JohnCandido, 9 May 2012

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Film Credits

direction
Isabelle Raynauld
research
Isabelle Raynauld
script
Isabelle Raynauld
cinematography
Peter Krieger
sound
Christian Bouchard
Richard Lavoie
picture editing
Dominique Sicotte
sound editing
Denis Saindon
original music
Luc Sicard
participation
Mario Beauregard
Vincent Paquette
Daniel C. Dennett
Maria Regina De Albuquerque Melo
Esther M. Sternberg
Gilles Bédard
Richard J. Davidson
William Grassie
Susan Klunder
Antoine Lutz
Andrew Newberg
Michael A. Persinger
Matthieu Ricard
Linda Saint-Pierre
Jeffrey Schwartz
Philippe Tremblay
Wolfgang Achtner
Michael J. Anderle
Vanessa Anseloni
Peatra Babe
Nicolescu Basarab
Andrea Dinndorf
Neil Fournier
Carollyn Hurst
Sybille Lepper
Johanne Lévesque
Zachary Moran
Gabriella Musaccha
Clayton Naff
Jack Nitschhe
Marc Pouliot
Manon Robert
Thoudam D Singh
John Teske
Alex Thomas
Mlle Tourbe
foley
Vital Millette
re-recording
Luc Léger
archival research
Claire Bourbonnais
Elizabeth Klinck
consultant
Michel Seymour
Bernard Brais
production
Colette Loumède

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