Many of us have questions, is it really important to visit temples? God is everywhere. Why can’t we simply offer prayers from any place? What is the point of visiting temples? In this article, I would answer the question with Neuroscience, and Physiology.
Table of Contents
Mind-Body Health Benefits of Worshipping in Temples
Mesocorticolimbic pathways of the brain process both the addiction as well as reward behaviors of humans. This section has a high amount of Dopamine receptors.
- Social Gathering stimulated the Neo-Cortex(including the prefrontal cortex). It releases dopamine. 30 Minutes of social interaction has the same effect as taking liters of Caffeine in a day. Dopamine.
- Temples adapt Fire(Yagnya, Lamps). When eyes see fire, the SCN master clock in the brain resets the Circadian clock and stimulates cellular Melatonin secretion.
- Melatonin drives the Anti-Oxidant network. Therefore, healing of the body increases severalfold. Melatonin in the evening results in better sleep.
- The primary auditory cortex is super sensitive to 432 Hz, the frequency to which temple bells are tuned. This increases the parasympathetic system and reduces heart rate and blood pressure(measure heart rate, visit the temple, come back take rest, measure heart rate, it will be 10% lower, same with BP).
- In females in particular PAC is super sensitive. PAC activation with 432, and dopamine overdrive during and after puberty ensures long hair growth, fewer acnes, and digestion improvement in females.
- God gives hope. When the brain doesn’t find answers to life’s problems, cortisol is released. Even if you believe in God, the brain doesn’t accept this. Exposure to belief in social settings elevates dopamine, which increases Neuroplasticity, and thus strengthens the belief. Due to more Neural areas, stress(Pressure/Area) gets reduced, reducing cortisol, and slowing aging.
- By seeing a Visual(God), Hearing Music, Touching(flower, etc), and smelling (Chandan), all senses are activated. In excess dopamine, this increases awareness. Awareness multifold increases immunity lowers impulsivity, bypasses Amygdala, and thus anxiety.
- Low Anxiety improves gut health. That improves Estrogen and T4 reabsorption.
- So, more youth, less stress, no impulsivity, strong hair, better sleep, good sex, better digestion, better immunity, controlled hypothyroidism, reduced hypertension, delayed menopause.
Reader Contribution
1. Sound of the Vedic mantra has a profound effect on the brain. Even a simple sound of “OM” when enchanted in a meditative way creates a frequency that helps relax brain muscles and pineal gland activation.
2. Sound of a conch shell is quite beneficial for the heart and respiratory system.
3. Smell of Chandan and Dhoop is an instant mood uplifter.
Conclusion
Any girl, who hasn’t had enough access to a temple in her growing(post-puberty) up year will observe hair fall, insomnia, and super stressful life. Simply because nothing else can supply the amount of dopamine and Estrogen a girl’s body needs from the age of 9-15.
We often base our judgments pretty much based on our thoughts, and believe that our understanding of the world is immensely superior. Often we misunderstand that we have not studied even a fraction of the science that was needed for the first temple architecture some 5000 years back.
Nobody has seen God. Nobody knows whether God is somewhere, or everywhere. However, everyone can experience psycho-physiological health changes after visiting the temple. Often after experiencing an autonomic balance and less stress after coming back from the temple, we feel peace. That is the reason, for ages people have been visiting the temples. Temples connect you with yourself better. And hence temples.
Disclaimer:
Anyone reading this, I am an atheist, Science has been my religion and God, since the day I remember. So, this message has nothing to do with my religious affinity.
