The School of Greatness The Neuroscience of Spiritual Awakening: How to Rewire Your Brain for Peace
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Oct 24, 2025 
Dr. Lisa Miller, a Columbia professor and clinical psychologist, discusses her transformative research on spirituality and mental health. She reveals that two-thirds of depression signals spiritual hunger rather than illness, and illustrates how existential pain can ignite personal awakening. Through her own journey with infertility, Lisa emphasizes finding guidance in synchronicities and the significance of three neural circuits in the awakened brain. She offers practical spiritual practices, inviting listeners to shift from ego-driven desires to embracing life’s profound signs.
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Depression As Spiritual Hunger
- Depression is often a developmental spiritual hunger rather than purely a medical illness.
- Dr. Lisa Miller says two-thirds of depression signals a call to expand spiritual awareness.
Practice To Open The Awakened Brain
- Use meditation, prayer, nature walks, or community to answer the spiritual call triggered by depression.
- Engage regular practice to awaken the brain rather than relying solely on strategy or medication.
Nature Plus Nurture For Spiritual Life
- Spiritual capacity is one-third innate and two-thirds shaped by environment and socialization.
- Parents, community, and early practices strongly influence whether the awakened brain is cultivated.
