Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships

I did not really know what to expect when I opened Curt Thompson’s book, Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising connections between neuroscience and spiritual practices that can transform your life and relationships. I had never seen those categories paired with each other before, but I had recently attended a lecture given by Dr. Thompson, and he had greatly broadened my perspective on the importance of deep person-to-person connection. The book begins with a story of Curt seeing his aged mother in a hospital room, weak and listless. For those of us who have lost a parent, that roil of complicated emotions is easy to remember. But Curt had an unexpected, deep and profound encounter with his mother that started the course of this book. He felt seen and known, and realized in those moments how strengthening and encouraging that was, even in the face of approaching grief. I rarely read introductions, but this one was gripping, and at its end come questions we all have asked ourselves at some point in life. • "In a world that is more connected than ever before, why do I so often feel so alone? • Why do I find it so hard to change? • Why can't I get past my past? • Since my emotions often seem to get me in trouble, do they have any value? • Why can't I just go it alone? • Why do I so often “lose it” with other people? • How does Jesus make a way for me to be freed from the grip of sin here and now―not just in the new heaven and earth? • What does it really look like when we live in community as the body of Christ?" (Curt Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul, xviii) By God’s Deliberate Design Each chapter brings in a part of the answer, beginning with the way our human brains are constructed, the chemical pathways and electrical synapses that define our emotions and thoughts. As I read through the neuroscience of the mind, I had a sudden jolt of realization: the Bible was not simply theologizing when God said it was not good for the human to be alone. It turns out no human brain can develop properly without the help of another human brain. This is by God’s deliberate design. In order for each one of us to learn and grow in a healthy way, we must be raised up by others whose minds are attuned with ours. It is not only a matter of theology or social theory, it is a matter of biology, of neuroscience. It is a physical fact of life. By God’s design, even in paradise, even in perfect relationship with God and earth, even in a state of spiritual wholeness and blessing, no human being can remain indefinitely alone. We need each other. Attunement Dr. Thompson gives nine aspects of an emotionally healthy person who is able to "1. regulate responses to emotional triggers. 2. connect with another’s mind with interest and without judgment. 3. perceive and experience a vibrant and dynamic emotional life, running the spectrum of emotions, without being overwhelmed. 4. demonstrate restraint, allowing time to consider both consequences and alternatives, before choosing a course of action. 5. feel another’s feelings with them, without being consumed by those feelings. This ability includes sensitivity of and awareness to not only the other’s nonverbal cues, but also sensitivity to one’s own inner response to that person. 6. contextualize and integrate memories with current circumstances, and connect these insights to potential future situations. This is what is often termed “making sense” of one’s story. 7. calm one’s fears, preventing fear from controlling actions and thoughts. 8. intuitively understand people and situations from a holistic analysis of all available data. 9. consider and act upon the welfare of others as well as oneself." (Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul, 161-162, as taken from The Mindful Brain, by Dan Siegel, MD) All of these are learned as our minds develop with the help of another mind. If we miss out on this development growing up, we still have opportunities as an adult with others who are attuned to us by seeing us, knowing us, accepting us, and loving us. Coming to understand attunement made me think me of John’s Gospel, describing Jesus’s unwillingness to entrust Himself to anyone because He knew people’s hearts. (John 2:24) Jesus showed His attunement in His individual approach to people, rather than using a generic formula of healing and teaching, or of guiding someone to a “Sinner’s Prayer.” Each conversation and interaction was both tailored to the occasion and to the person. Examples include Jesus’ miracle of wine at a wedding (John 2), talking theology with Nicodemus (John 3), asking for water of the woman at the well (John 4), and referencing Abraham with the teachers and scribes (John 8). However, Jesus’s reluctance to entrust Himself, to receive others into His own inner world, was proven justified by the rejection of those who should have been in the best position to be attuned with Him: • The religious leaders and teachers. (“You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” John 8:19, NRSV) • Jesus’s own followers. (“Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe...many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” John 6:64, 66) • Jesus’ own disciples. (“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?’” John 14:9, NRSV) Being a man, a human being, Jesus needed to receive attunement from at least a few selected few people, and the Gospels do describe those relationships, many of them women—Jesus’s mother, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Martha and Mary from Bethany and their brother Lazarus, His disciples James, John, and Peter, and a few others. That is part of Jesus’s example of living fully in shalom, in all health and goodness. Rupture and Repair With impeccable timing, this book moves from theory to story, and from technical truths to profound spiritual truths. In Thompson’s chapters on the rupture of sin and the repair of the resurrection, he talks about sin in one of the more approachable ways I have ever seen. The Serpent playing on the woman’s fears, gaslighting her by questioning her memory, so that her emotional distress began to reshape her experience of her own memory and of her relationship with God. "This subtle emotional manipulation is certainly evil at work, insinuating itself into our thinking, into our feelings, shaming us, stripping us of our dignity. Through the ploys of deception and condescension, the crafty Serpent played upon the woman’s fears, then gave her a false rationale for all the feelings he had stirred up in her— “'That feeling you’re feeling? That sense of being unimportant, dismissed, disregarded, inadequate, inferior? I’ll tell you what that’s about, Eve. That’s God revealing his true regard for you. He’s dismissing you.” (Curt Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul, 211) How often have we attached rationales to our feelings that are completely untrue, but the feel true in the moment? And then we just adopt them as true, without looking back. Chapter 12, “The Repair of the Resurrection,” Thompson begins with God’s “relentless, dangerous, and immeasurably joyful love,” and moves from there to what Jesus has done and is still doing for us. The power of confession with someone who is attuned to us, the startling process of being seen, known, loved, forgiven, and yes, cleansed, our minds literally healed from the trauma of sin, is breathtaking. "The Brain on Love, Mercy, and Justice" Thompson concludes his book with a discussion on the mind and community, what it means for us to live in community in attunement with other minds who are committed to living in the epic narrative described in the Bible in the spirit of 1 Corinthians 13 love. "I suggest that the path to developing such love includes • the process of being known; • the experience of felling felt; • the encounter of being validated but never coddled; • being cared for but not overwhelmed or patronized; • being fully understood while called into proper risk-taking adventure; • being healed and awakened to growth, compassion, and responsibility." (Curt Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul, 249)

I came across this book and Dr. Thompson's work as I was seeking answers to questions of spiritual transformation. I've been in and around quite a few ministries focused on deliverance, inner healing, wholeness etc. Through 'Anatomy of the Soul' I see much more clearly how real change can occur. Some insights I highlighted: The ability to see, through technology and neuroscience, how various parts of out minds work is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to 30 or so years ago it just wasn't possible. Thompson's perspective and ability to see the thread between what we can now see and scripture is great. There is nothing "unChristian" or weak about paying attention to our own emotions, physical sensations and thoughts. Thompson calls this "paying attention to what we are paying attention to" and I find it is an incredibly beneficial practice which actually draws us closer to God. You cannot know God if you do not experience being known by him . The degree to which you know God is directly reflected in your experience of being known by him . And the degree that you are known by him will be reflected in the way in which you are known by other people . In other words , your relationship with God is a direct reflection of the depth of your relationship with others . Our brains are not "hard-wired" but rather have neuroplasticity- they can change and change throughout our lives. What's more, there is what Thompson calls a neuroplastic triad of activities (aerobic activity, focused attention exercises and novel learning experiences which can enhance desired change. The role of implicit memory is much larger than I knew. Once more, however, the meaning and impact of such memories can change and our lives can be improved. Dr. Thompson explains this with medical precision as well as Godly patience and empathy so that a layman like myself can understand it. Check this out "God does this with all of us . First he comes to our deserts and lonely mountains . He asks us questions , sometimes difficult ones that may initially drive us deep into the caves of our own minds , into the recesses of old neural pathways and ancient , repetitive memories . His probing may leave us exhausted , famished , and terrified . His queries may even elicit the very feelings we try so hard to avoid . Often the question is simply , What are you doing here ? He never asks with scorn or derision but always with hope and anticipation . He asks with the tone of a God who is eager for us to retrace our neural pathways , to eventually take a different route and create a new end to our story . To “ remember ” our future differently." That is a good word right there. I highly recommend this book

Intriguing Biblical insights mixed with brain science lessons in excellent layman's terms by Curt Thompson! Fascinating His creation of our brains, linking mind and body in ways I didn't know existed! It changed the way I pray for others and myself... more specifically-informed prayers released along with seeing God's-given answers for so many, including myself! This blend of the Christian spiritual practice of prayer, and applied anatomy allows more specific prayers to be released for the Almighty to be used in our lives...Now that I have had LongCOVID 2.5 years, I recognize the HUGE NEED for neuroplasticity in my OWN brain. I need to read it again!!! Hopefully, my mind will be able to absorb more and rekindle a true appreciation of just how magnificently & wonderfully we've been made in God's own image, and how He could redeem what has been taken. The fact that we can partner with the Holy Spirit in prayer is just that much sweeter!

Good book

I am not much of a reader, but this book is hard to put down. Iv is so interesting! I had so many 'aha' moments (eye opening) and I can really put a lot into practice in my own life. As a Christian this is a must-read-book. (If you do not believe in God, it is still interesting and eye opening, but you might not understand everything.) It will help you have a better understanding of yourself, so you can move on with a lot of old pains. It will also deepen your relationship with God! This man is a very smart man and connected a lot of dots many of us feel, but can't put to words. Thank you so incredibly much Mr. Thompson. For me and for many others, this is life changing, for a bright future. I understand a lot of things now. I am finally able to work on some stuff I never thought I could. Thank you again!

I couldn’t put this book down. I found it very interesting and immensely helpful. I have wondered, for some time, how the mind works. With some teaching in the church, I wondered if having therapy meant I was lacking in faith. The author showed me how they work together synergistically, using language that was easy to connect with. The author explains and gives examples of what can be done to realign our thinking toward truth and away from negative coping mechanisms formed early in life. As he explains it, it’s not easy but it is doable.

I enjoyed Curt's medical approach at the beginning of the book and give me some really new ways of looking at why I do some behaviors. His relating my brain functions to my spirituality was very helpful and encouraged me to look more into using the spiritual disciplines and how they actually do change the way I think and react to situations. Very helpful and well worth the time.