New Book Explores Shared Mystical Experiences in Religions

THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS by Philip T. Nicholson

UNITED STATES, April 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new book has been released that dives into a profound exploration of spirituality and the universal quest for enlightenment. In THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS, author Philip T. Nicholson explores the visions that unite world religions, fostering a deeper understanding of the shared human yearning for meaning and connection.

Nicholson’s journey began one night as he lay in bed trying to meditate himself to sleep when he says something strange happened in what he was seeing. It says it was a bizarre sequence of colorful rings and orbs, diffuse heat lightning, twinkling points of light and exploding ray bursts, accompanied by ecstatic sensations and buzzing noises.

Suffice it to say, Nicholson was simultaneously fascinated and terrified. For weeks afterward, the world was bathed in wonder, coated in a layer of meaning and connection.

But as his curiosity got the best of him, he began to wonder — what exactly happened inside his head that night?

THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS is Nicholson’s play-by-play examination of his experience through the lenses of neuroscience, anthropology, scripture, history and psychology.

Following on the work in his 2009 book, MEDITATION & LIGHT VISIONS: A NEUROLOGICAL ANALYSIS, Nicholson digs deeper into the conditions that appear to trigger and intensify the mystic visions found across world religions.

Through meticulous research, Nicholson delves into the heart of diverse belief systems, unraveling the threads that connect humanity's spiritual tapestry. From ancient wisdom to modern interpretations, this enlightening book navigates the landscapes of major world religions, revealing the common essence that unites them all — the inner light that guides seekers on their spiritual path.

Whether readers are true believers or skeptics, there’s much food for thought in this transformative odyssey.

Visit his website, www.theinnerlightandworldreligions.com, to watch video simulations of the visual components of his experience. Also see www.religiousvisionsoflight.com.

THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS is already receiving praise from esteemed members of the academic community.

“This book will be a welcome addition to the ongoing studies of the emergence and development of ancient and current religions.” — Dr. Michael Witzel, Ph.D., Wales Professor of Sanskrit Studies, Harvard University, President of The International Association for the Study of Comparative Mythology, and author of Origins of the World’s Mythologies (Oxford University Press, 2012)

THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS is available on Amazon and other popular retail outlets where books are sold.

AUTHOR BIO
Author Philip T. Nicholson is a professional medical writer whose research on the neural correlates of meditation-induced light visions has been published in academic journals and medical journals, including JOURNAL OF NEUROPSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, MEDICAL HYPOTHESES, THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES, and The Proceedings of 2006 Harvard-Peking University Conference on Comparative Mythology. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton (A.B. Philosophy), studied at Stanford Law School (J.D. in Law and Psychiatry), then, after his military service as a Judge Advocate stationed at USAF Headquarters in the Pentagon, he enrolled in a master’s degree program at the Harvard School of Public Health (M.S.P.H.).

Nicholson’s earlier book, MEDITATION & LIGHT VISIONS: A NEUROLOGICAL ANALYSIS (2009), presents a detailed technical explanation of how brain mechanisms related to slow wave sleep are responsible for generating the shapes, colors, movements, and timing intervals of the clear light visions that appear during “empty-mind” prayer and meditation. His latest book, THE INNER LIGHT AND WORLD RELIGIONS, demonstrates that these meditation-induced light visions have a universal distribution and that they've helped shape the evolution of the world’s major religions.

Philip Nicholson
Philip Nicholson, Author
philipnicholson@comcast.net