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So much of the world around us is undetectable by human senses. We see only a narrow slice of the light spectrum. Our hearing? Just a small band of sound. Many animals perceive far more than we do.

But through technology, we’ve learned to harness parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can’t see or hear. With the right tools, we translate those invisible waves into everyday essentials: radio, television, cell phones, GPS. We never perceive the waves directly, but we trust they exist. How else would our devices work?

That same logic might apply to the spiritual realm. Maybe it’s all around us, but we lack an internal “device” to perceive it.

Some scientists and philosophers are now exploring the idea that our brains function more like filters than receivers of truth — tuning out much of reality so we can focus on just what we need to survive.

In this view, the brain isn’t the pinnacle of evolution, but a narrow-band radio picking up only essential stations: eat, sleep, find shelter, get along with others. Everything else — including potentially vast spiritual dimensions of the universe — gets screened out.

This theory finds support in some surprising places. Studies of brainwaves in people undergoing psychedelic experiences, for example, show not the hyperactivity most scientists expected, but rather a quiescent brain almost bereft of electrical impulses.

Many people on a “trip” see vivid colors, hear music, feel as if they’re floating through space, merging with the universe, and accessing deep truths they can’t quite explain later. And these rich experiences inexplicably arise when their brain’s usual electrical activity seems to fade away.

Could it be that when our brains — designed to pick up only a narrow sliver of reality — quiet down, we become more open to other spiritual, emotional or intuitive frequencies? Maybe what we call a mystical experience is just the widening of our perceptual bandwidth.

This might explain why belief in a spiritual realm remains strong among American adults. According to the Pew Research Center’s 2024 Religious Landscape Study, roughly eight in 10 — including many who identify as religiously unaffiliated — believe there is something spiritual beyond the physical world.

Around 83% say they believe in God or a universal spirit, and 86% overall (including 74% of those under 30) believe humans have a soul or spirit.

Throughout most of history, belief in unseen realms was nearly universal. But it’s somewhat surprising to see such beliefs holding steady today.

Maybe it’s less surprising to find this among older adults, since it is said that, as we age, people tend to become more religious or spiritual. That observation is often attributed to older people contemplating the end of life.

But maybe it’s not just fear of death that draws us toward spirituality. As we slow down or leave behind high-pressure lifestyles, released from the need to focus our brains on raising children and making a living, maybe we naturally begin to tune into different frequencies.

Are you finding yourself more spiritual than you used to be? Are there moments when you feel connected to something larger — even if you can’t quite name it?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your reflections with us by mail, email or through our website. I look forward to tuning in, and to sharing your experiences with other readers.