Dr. Patrick McNamara: Enhance Creativity and Life with REM Sleep, Psychedelics, and Spirituality

Experible with Krati Mehra

In the latest episode, thanks to our guest expert, Dr. Patrick McNamara, we get to learn more about our brain's capabilities and how we can channel them to live more creative, productive, and healthy lives.

Despite all the available information and resources on the subject, the human brain continues to be a mystery. Within its complex structure reside not only our thoughts and memories, but also the key to unlocking the potential of our true selves. We uncover some of those secrets in this episode.

The conversation is not limited to our brain’s functioning, we also discuss the impact spiritual experiences can have on our brain and personality and how psychedelics can help us amplify our creativity and cognitive abilities. To tune in, use the link in bio.

Dr. McNamara is a distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northcentral University. He also holds positions with the departments of Neurology at the University of Minnesota and Boston University School of Medicine. He is a founding editor of Religion, Brain & Behaviour, the flagship journal for the emerging field of neuroscience of religion. He is also a co-founder of the Institute for the Biocultural Study of Religion, which is a non-profit research institute dedicated to the study of the neurologic and evolutionary correlates of religious beliefs, behaviours, and practices. Dr. McNamara is also the editor of Where God and Science Meet and Science and World’s Religions, and the author of The Neuroscience of Religious Experience and numerous other publications on the neurology and psychology of religion.

Shownotes -

00:01:05 - Guest Introduction

00:03:30 - The mystery of REM sleep

00:07:35 - How to use REM sleep to be more creative?

00:11:55 - Effect of napping on brain volume and function

00:13:50 - Negative thoughts, nightmares, and creativity

00:18:45 - Understanding and using lucid dream states

00:21:15 - Implanting content into your dreams

00:23:00 - REM sleep, emotions, and behaviour

00:26:30 - REM sleep intruding into waking consciousness

00:35:00 - How religious experiences change us?

00:39:10 - The healthy way to approach religion

00:47:10 - Exploring psychedelics and how they can help us

00:59:10 - Creating a super intelligence

01:01:35 - Encountering a supernatural entity

Connect with Dr. McNamara -

Website - cognitiveneuroscienceofreligion.org

Dr. McNamara's Interviews - https://www.cognitiveneuroscienceofreligion.org/media/project-pi-media-interviews

Information on Dr. McNamara's books - https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/127260.Patrick_McNamara

Episode Transcript - https://www.kratimehra.com/patrick-mcnamara-enhance-creativity-rem-sleep-psychedelics/

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