The Practical Neuroscience of The Practical Neuroscience of Forgiveness: Insights for Forgiveness: Insights for

Pastoral and Spiritual CarePastoral and Spiritual Care

Dr. Kirk A. Bingaman, PhDDr. Kirk A. Bingaman, PhDAssoc. Professor of Pastoral Assoc. Professor of Pastoral

Care/CounselingCare/CounselingGraduate School of Religion & Religious Graduate School of Religion & Religious

Ed.Ed.Fordham University Fordham University

Resculpting the Spiritual Resculpting the Spiritual BrainBrain

In the summer of 1999, a study In the summer of 1999, a study was conducted of a group of was conducted of a group of nuns who had been practicing nuns who had been practicing the Centering Prayer for a the Centering Prayer for a minimum of fifteen years. This minimum of fifteen years. This was the first brain-scan study of was the first brain-scan study of Christian contemplative Christian contemplative practitioners, and we practitioners, and we discovered that the neurological discovered that the neurological changes were significant and changes were significant and very different from how the very different from how the human brain normally human brain normally functions…frontal lobe activity functions…frontal lobe activity increases, limbic activity increases, limbic activity decreases, and the combination decreases, and the combination generates a peaceful state of generates a peaceful state of serenity and calm.serenity and calm.

Andrew Newberg, Andrew Newberg, University University of Pennsylvania of Pennsylvania

The Discovery of The Discovery of NeuroplastictyNeuroplasticty

We can alter not only We can alter not only the functioning but the functioning but also the structure of also the structure of the neural networks in the neural networks in our brains…as we our brains…as we forgive others, God, forgive others, God, and ourselves, we and ourselves, we make a minute but make a minute but long-term, possibly long-term, possibly permanent, change in permanent, change in our brains.our brains.

Bruce McEwen, Bruce McEwen, The The End of Stress as End of Stress as We We Know It Know It

Cultivating a Mindful Cultivating a Mindful AwarenessAwareness

. Being mindfully aware . Being mindfully aware by attending to our by attending to our here-and-now here-and-now experiences creates experiences creates scientifically recognized scientifically recognized enhancements in our enhancements in our physiology, our mental physiology, our mental functions, our functions, our interpersonal relations, interpersonal relations, and in our spiritual life. and in our spiritual life.

Daniel Siegel, Daniel Siegel, The The Mindful BrainMindful Brain

A Built-In Negativity BiasA Built-In Negativity Bias

Fear and pain blaze a trail Fear and pain blaze a trail through the brain and straight through the brain and straight to the physiological systems to the physiological systems that coordinate our response. that coordinate our response. More neural pathways go More neural pathways go from the fear and emotional from the fear and emotional centers to the “higher up” centers to the “higher up” regions, like the cortex, than regions, like the cortex, than come back down from the come back down from the lofty heights into the alert lofty heights into the alert center (amygdala). Messages center (amygdala). Messages of love, courage, hope and of love, courage, hope and forgiveness can also certainly forgiveness can also certainly influence the body, only not influence the body, only not with the same galvanic effect. with the same galvanic effect.

Bruce McEwen, Bruce McEwen, The The End of End of Stress as We Know ItStress as We Know It

Creating the Space of Creating the Space of Non-Judging ExperienceNon-Judging Experience

Without judgments, what Without judgments, what are we? Who are we? are we? Who are we? The benefit of The benefit of jettisoning judgments jettisoning judgments and infusing and infusing experience with the experience with the freedom of forgiveness freedom of forgiveness is that life becomes is that life becomes much more rewarding, much more rewarding, meaningful, and meaningful, and physiologically and physiologically and spiritually healthy.spiritually healthy.

Daniel Siegel, Daniel Siegel, The The Mindful Brain Mindful Brain

The Centrality of The Centrality of Contemplative Spiritual Contemplative Spiritual

Practice Practice The evidence from The evidence from

neuroscience reveals that neuroscience reveals that if we want to experience if we want to experience life in all its fullness, if we life in all its fullness, if we want to live into the want to live into the abundance of joy and abundance of joy and peace and love and peace and love and forgiveness, for ourselves forgiveness, for ourselves and for those in our care, and for those in our care, we will need to make we will need to make contemplative prayer and contemplative prayer and meditation central to the meditation central to the practice of pastoral practice of pastoral ministry and spiritual care. ministry and spiritual care.

ForgivenessForgiveness (CBS’ Sunday (CBS’ Sunday Morning: Morning: April 17, 2009) April 17, 2009)

Are people more apt to seek revenge or offer forgiveness when they've been wronged? Sunday Morning's Martha Teichner examines our capacity to forgive.

http://http://www.cbsnews.com/www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?video/watch/?id=4952646nid=4952646n