6.2. Seeing & Hearing Stuff

When someone claims to hear the Holy Spirit, the dead speaking, or see an angel, the terms 'hear' and 'see' often reflect a misunderstanding of their actual experience. In many cases, sudden knowledge, images, or sounds arise from two distinct brain states: one focused on sensing danger and another shaped by trained neural associations that connect feelings to sensations labeled as seeing, hearing, or knowing. These labels, however, often misrepresent what is genuinely perceived.

For example, many people who report seeing ghosts or spirits describe them in black and white, not full color. This is because the right prefrontal cortex often projects these impressions onto the mental 'canvas' of the left brain in a simplified, muscular movement without actual color. Similarly, when asked about the type of sound they 'hear,' individuals often struggle to clarify because what they experience isn't true auditory input but rather a thought or impression they label as 'hearing.' Digging deeper frequently reveals vague or abstract descriptions.

This confusion is compounded by the widespread use of terms like 'supernatural,' 'psychic,' 'soul reading,' or, in entertainment contexts, labels such as 'mentalism,' 'hypnosis.' These terms carry mystical or dramatic connotations that can obscure the natural cognitive and psychological mechanisms underlying these experiences.