I felt communion, peace, openness to experience.... [There was] an awareness and responsiveness to God's presence around me, and a feeling of centering, quieting and nothingness [as well as] moments of fullness of the presence of God...permeating my being." Sister Celeste, a Franciscan monk, gave this account of how she felt during a 45-minute prayer.

"There was a feeling of energy centered within me...going out to infinite space and returning.... There was a relaxing of the...mind, and an intense feeling of love. I felt a profound letting go of the boundaries around me, and a connection with some kind of energy and state of being that had a quality of clarity, transparency and joy." This is how a scientist described the moment of peak transcendence while practicing Tibetan Buddhist meditation.

Both of these accounts are considered "spiritual experiences" because they transport the individual into a euphoric state that transcends the boundaries of normal human experience.

Both accounts have another thing in common. They were part of a scientific study in a new science called "neurotheology," which examines religious experiences in the context of neurobiology. New research technology allows scientists to document and observe the effects of "spiritual" experiences on different areas of the brain.

Researchers explain the need for certain parts of the brain to become deactivated in order to achieve this transcendental state. Intense concentration on an isolated object or thought, or repetitive events such as chanting can accomplish this effect. Rituals tend to focus the mind and block out sensory perceptions, resulting in a disconnection of the orientation area of the brain that conveys a sense of time and space.

The result is similar to a hypnotic state, in which the person loses his or her awareness of self and physical reality. The person has temporarily lost control of his or her senses. Scientists term this "dissociation." The affected areas of the brain show up on brain scans as darkness similar to rolling blackouts in California, in the words of one researcher.

Scientific testing has indeed documented the validity of paranormal experiences. But science cannot determine the source of these phenomena.

Many assume that any supernatural experience is of God. But as one scientist explains, "Spiritual experiences are...consistent across cultures...times...and faiths." So the Bible warns, "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1).

How do these accounts measure up to scriptural standards? Regarding spiritual gifts the Bible says, "the spirits of prophets are under the prophets' control" (1 Corinthians 14:32, New American version).

The Scriptures offer accounts of visions and dreams that God imparted to His prophets. The New Testament also describes many instances of individuals afflicted by demons, resulting in loss of control of their mind and faculties. So all supernatural experiences are not of God. Good and evil exist in the spirit realm.

Our mind is our most precious possession. We should be wary of surrendering control to anyone or anything. Instead, each human being should seek to know God through His revelation, the Holy Bible, and submit ourselves to His rulership over our lives.