How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality
PRXHow God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality
While religion and science often seem at odds, there’s one thing they can agree on: people who take part in spiritual practices tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. The big question is: Why? In How God Works, professor Dave DeSteno takes us on a journey to find out how spirituality impacts our minds and bodies, as well as the world in which we live.
He speaks to leading scientists and philosophers, religious thinkers, and thought leaders to explore what we can learn from the world’s faith traditions to help us meet some of life’s biggest challenges. Along the way, he’ll look at how we can adapt and use spiritual practices in our own lives, whatever our beliefs, including none at all.
It’s by working across the boundaries that usually divide us – science versus religion, one faith versus another – that we’ll find new ways to make life better for everyone.
David DeSteno
While religion and science often seem at odds, there’s one thing they can agree on: people who take part in spiritual practices tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. The big question is: Why? In How God Works, professor Dave DeSteno takes us on a journey to find out how spirituality impacts our minds and bodies, as well as the world in which we live.
He speaks to leading scientists and philosophers, religious thinkers, and thought leaders to explore what we can learn from the world’s faith traditions to help us meet some of life’s biggest challenges. Along the way, he’ll look at how we can adapt and use spiritual practices in our own lives, whatever our beliefs, including none at all.
It’s by working across the boundaries that usually divide us – science versus religion, one faith versus another – that we’ll find new ways to make life better for everyone.
David DeSteno
We spend about a third of our lives sleeping and yet the question of why we sleep and dream has remained a mystery for much of human existence. But recently scientists have developed the tools to begin to reveal some astonishing insights into lucid dreaming and its uses.
We will be back with our season finale of How God Works on January 25th. But until then, we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes from the archives.
These days, it feels like the end of the world is always just around the corner. From RaptureTok to climate doom and geopolitical upheaval, someone always seems to be predicting an impending apocalypse. But how does believing in The End affect how we are in the world?
When life feels uncertain, who do you turn to? Across cultures and throughout history, many of us have looked to people who seemed to have a special set of abilities and knowledge… shamans.
For most of human history, religion guided people’s choices about health and food. Then with the rise of modern nutritional science in the 19th century, people began to favor scientific advice over religious ideas about how to eat. But lately, a new generation of Christian diet influencers are putting the God back in nutritional guidance, sometimes at the expense of science altogether. And this messaging might not be creating healthier or holier people.
We often think of wisdom as something that comes with age, or as a gift reserved for a chosen few. But what if wisdom is more like a muscle… one that becomes stronger with practice?
If you want to grow spiritually, should you go to a monastery and withdraw from the world, or look for greater meaning, connection, and purpose in the loud messiness of life? Philosophers and spiritual thinkers have debated it for centuries, but perhaps finding the right balance is the answer.
We say friends are what make life worth living. But if that’s true, why are so many of us struggling to find and keep them these days? And what can we do to cultivate better friendships?
Join us for Season 9 of How God Works, starting next week!
A majority of people in the US believe that faith can heal. And while there isn’t any strong scientific data backing the idea of faith healing by divine intervention, there is a growing recognition that faith in the power of a person, religious ritual, or even medicine to heal can play a role in recovery via the placebo effect.
Data shows that for many people, happiness takes a big dip around 50. But aging doesn’t have to be a crisis if we can figure out how to embrace who we’re becoming rather than hanging on to who we used to be.
How God Works will be back with all new episodes this fall. In the meantime, we're taking the opportunity to share episodes from some of our favorite shows with you, our listeners.
How God Works will be back with all new episodes this fall. In the meantime, we're taking the opportunity to feature some episodes from some of our favorite podcasts.
In this conversation, recorded live at the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, Dave explores how sacred wisdom can still guide character, compassion, and community in a post-religious age with Krista Tippett, Father Greg Boyle, and Rabbi Shira Stutman.
Charismatic Christianity, for which speaking in tongues is a central practice, is one of the fastest growing Christian movements in modern history.
What is prayer? And why do it? People pray for all kinds of reasons, and in all kinds of ways: alone, together, aloud, in silence, from memory, or from instinct. But whatever form it takes, there’s a reason prayer has been part of just about every spiritual tradition out there: its effects run deep.
There's a lot of talk these days about a crisis of masculinity. But is it a genuine problem or just another culture war talking point?
When you’re a teenager, you’re kind of between two worlds. You’re leaving the comforts and carefree days of childhood behind and stepping into the challenges and responsibilities adulthood brings. But when exactly should you make that change?
For centuries, Western science and philosophy have struggled to explain what consciousness is and where it comes from. What if the answer to both those questions is: everything?
People find faith or change faiths for many reasons: marriage, raising a family, dealing with grief or crisis. But sometimes it happens the other way around… faith finds you.
Many would agree there are few things better than sharing a delicious meal with the people you love, which is one reason why breaking bread together is a cornerstone of religions the world over. But so too is the opposite - going without food.
We often think of belief as a religious or cultural idea that is a hallmark of modern humans. But what if the early sparks of belief burned in our ancestors’ minds long before modern humans walked the earth?
When it comes to finding happiness, many religions see marriage as the gold standard: a path to love, stability, and fulfillment. But is that really true? And if so, why are marriage rates plummeting in so many parts of the world?
Join us for Season 8 of How God Works, starting next week!
It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states. That’s why spiritual traditions the world over incorporate it as a practice to help heal body and mind and walk the path towards peace.
Hate and prejudice based on ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation are all too common in our world. But are we doomed to be this way? Or is it possible to create a world where cooperation and peace are the norm?
Artificial Intelligence, and its possible applications to religion, have been in the news a lot lately, so while we're busy working on Season 8, we thought we'd share this episode from 2022 with you.
This is an episode of the How to Be a Better Human podcast in which Dave talks about his research exploring questions of faith, his findings, and why we shouldn’t leave spiritual wisdom behind, even in the age of science.
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. But all too often, the darker, colder days of winter, and even the stress of preparing for the holidays themselves, can lead people to feel something else: rushed, stressed, lonely, or even hopeless. How can you make sure this year is bright?
Surveys show feelings of sadness and despair peaked in 2023. So as we look to the new year, it’s understandable why any of us might be feeling pessimistic, even hopeless. But these feelings aren’t written in stone.
Lots of religions embrace the idea of hell – a place of eternal punishment for wrong doers. But where did that idea come from? How has it changed through time? And how does a belief in it (or not) affect us while we’re alive?
People have been having Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) all over the world for as long as we can look back into history. And the strange thing is… these experiences seem to have a lot in common. Why? Is it a look into the afterlife? Is it just our neurons firing in weird ways as the brain dies?
There’s no question we’re living in difficult times that lead many of us to adopt a cynical outlook. But while cynicism might feel smart, science shows it’s corrosive not only to our own wellbeing, but to society as a whole.
What if the secret to success lies in doing less, not more?
For many people, the word “sin” is associated with harsh judgment and shame. Or, it’s used to talk about guilty pleasures like consuming decadent desserts... But is this concept as harmful or outdated as it seems?
Season 7 of How God Works is starting next week!
Have you ever heard a voice, seen an image, or felt a presence around you that you couldn’t explain? If you have, you’re not alone.
Embracing the Last Transition
Why Chemicals Need Rituals
Time with family, friends and loved ones is supposed to be at the center of the holiday season … but in our screen-dominated world, how many of us can say that’s still true?
Hey Listeners, we want to hear from you!
Anger, loneliness, and despair are hitting record levels in the US. Our social and political fabrics are fraying. Is the turn away from religion in the US part of the problem?
Science and religion can often seem at loggerheads. But does it have to be that way?
When it comes to how we treat other animals, humanity’s track record is spotty at best. Has it always been that way? And how do the beliefs we hold about animals shape how we treat them? Are they really as different from us as Western culture has long suggested?
Do you feel connected to nature’s rhythms and the peace that they provide? Are cooking, crafting, or other small daily rituals a form of spell work or spirituality for you? If you’re a witch, the answers are a definite yes.
On this episode, we ask: What’s it like to be a member of a tiny religion in a world dominated by “Big God”?
Religion is often about powerful beings coming down from the skies and humans yearning to go up to join them. Does that mean we can swap aliens in for God? More and more people seem to think so.
What makes a trip a pilgrimage? And why have people from across the globe made these treks for millennia?
Is religion a source of conflict, or a way to end it?
Season 6 of How God Works is starting next week!
Hey How God Works listeners! While we’re hard at work on Season 6, we’d like to invite you to check out No Small Endeavor, a podcast that explores what it means to live a good life, hosted by professor of theology and ethics Lee C. Camp.
Surveys show feelings of sadness and despair peaked in 2023. So as we look to the new year, it's understandable why any of us might be feeling pessimistic, even hopeless. But these feelings aren't written in stone. We always have a choice. It's in these darkest of times, when all feels lost, that hope helps us find our way...not just to heal ourselves, but also the world around us.
When it comes to treating addiction, twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are some of the most often used in the US. But while twelve-step programs have several components, one of the most central is surrendering control to a higher power. But how important is that idea? Does relying on a divine influence help or hurt? And might there be other routes to recovery?
For most of the past 200 years, religion and psychiatry didn’t get along too well. Or so the story goes. But if you go back far enough, the two have more in common than you might think.
It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states.
We’ve all heard of spiritual experiences – moments of feeling intense awe and deep love and connection. People who’ve had them – and it’s a lot more than you might think – see them as some of the most profound moments of their lives.
Today we’re featuring an episode from the new PRX podcast Mother is a Question.
Around the world, gender diversity isn't the exception; it's fairly common. It’s also not a new invention.
Christianity and Judaism have had long standing theological concerns with LGBTQ+ issues. BUT from the Vatican to certain Jewish denominations, there are movements afoot to be more open, tolerant, and accepting.
When’s the last time you actually heard silence? We’re flooded with noise everyday, so much so that we don’t even realize it. And it's not just bad for our ears, it's not great for our health or wellbeing either. We’ll take a look at how noise (and its absence) affect the workings of our mind and our emotions.
How God Works is coming back to your feed on September 24th! Tune in this season as we tackle topics like the value of silence, how different faiths view gender and sexuality, the power of mystical experience and connecting to the breath, and much more.
Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing.
The lights are dimmed, candles are lit, bodies begin to sway together as the voice from the stage says a spirit-lifting, soul-stirring affirmation…and then screams “Now sprint for 10!”.
It's not news that the US is becoming more secular. People have been drifting away from religion for decades, and that trend is accelerating right now in people under 40. But there is a small but growing trend in those same generations of people who are seeking just the opposite.
For decades, studies from around the globe showed that happiness followed a U-shaped curve across the lifespan. For many people, the teens and twenties were some of the happiest and most carefree times of life — a period to be enjoyed before happiness began to drop and hit its low point around 50. BUT, over the past 10 years, a seismic change has taken place. The front end of the happiness curve collapsed, meaning that teens and twenties are now the most unhappy time of life.
Hate and prejudice based on ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation are all too common in our world. But are we doomed to be this way? Or is it possible to create a world where cooperation and peace are the norm?
On this episode we’ll take a look at what’s going on in our brains and bodies when we sing sacred songs together... or listen to jazz. And why from Jewish nigunim to John Coltrane, music can deepen our connection with the divine, each other, and even with ourselves.
What do we get out of making things with our hands?
When it comes to protecting the environment and addressing climate change, religion has had mixed results. Why is that?
Awe fills us with wonder -- we feel small in the face of things that seem vast, inspiring, almost beyond comprehension. So it makes sense that spiritual experiences often inspire awe. But new science is showing it can also work the other way around.
Season 4 is coming on Sunday, April 2!
While we’re working on Season 4, we wanted to share a special episode from another podcast we love, The Happiness Lab.
What do we owe future humans? In principle, it seems obvious that we should do what we can to make life better for the generations that follow, just as our ancestors did for us. But while most of us agree that doing this is the right thing, it can be hard to put into practice while also avoiding some of the pitfalls that often afflict growing philosophies like effective altruism and longtermism.
Sooner or later, most of us experience grief from losing someone we love. It’s always painful, and sometimes even debilitating. But there is plenty we can do to help ourselves and others be resilient.
If you ask people what they think about religion, you often get one of two answers: Religion is the source of war, violence, abuse, and hypocrisy OR a route to love, kindness, tolerance, and mercy.
Time with family, friends and loved ones is supposed to be at the center of the holiday season… but in our screen-dominated world, how many of us can say that’s still true?
‘Tis the season for giving and…forgiving. But while forgiveness is something to which we often aspire, it can be harder than it seems at times.
Join us for the very first How God Works live event this Wednesday, December 7th at 7:30pm, at The Greene Space in New York.
Work is becoming a “religion” for many people these days. It’s worship of the efficient, productive, and almighty dollar. But that doesn’t make people very happy. And organizations filled with miserable employees aren’t ideal for making the world a better place either. Can anything be done to fix it?
Can you pray with a robot? Will people worship AI like a god? It's not science fiction. It's starting to happen now. But what does it mean if robots become priests, or AIs start offering ethical advice? And how do we know when to trust them?
Have you ever heard a voice, seen an image, or felt a presence around you that you couldn’t explain? If you have, you’re not alone.
Join us for the very first How God Works live event on Wednesday, December 7 at The Greene Space in New York.
Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing.
How God Works will be back with Season 3 starting October 16th.
As a society that fears death, we tend to avoid the subject. But the key to having a positive end-of-life experience might come in doing just the opposite.
Sooner or later, most of us experience grief from losing someone we love. It’s always painful, and sometimes even debilitating. But there is plenty we can do to help ourselves and others be resilient.
Data shows that for many people, happiness takes a big dip around 50. But aging doesn’t have to be a crisis if we can figure out how to embrace who we’re becoming rather than hanging on to who we used to be.
To hear Hollywood tell it, good sex is a clothes-ripping race to the finish line, often between people who barely know each other. But the version we’re getting from movies and pop culture isn’t what it takes to build real intimacy, trust, and connection in the long term.
The definition of a “good” marriage has changed drastically over time and today it seems our expectations for our partner are higher than ever. We want a best friend, intellectual equal, lover, and for many, a sensational co-parent who can also touch our soul. Which is a lot of pressure to put on one person!
When you're a teenager, you're kind of between two worlds. You're leaving the comforts and carefree days of childhood behind and stepping into the challenges and responsibilities adulthood brings. But when exactly should you make that change?
Do children need religion to grow into ethical, caring adults? Sixty-five percent of Americans think so, but the relationship between religion and morality is a nuanced one.
For all the joys a new child brings, it can also be a trying time filled with stresses, worries, and for some, depression. Long before new parents turned to books and blogs for advice, they turned to traditional practices and community for support.
By this time every year, more than 25% of resolutions have already been broken. In this bonus episode, Dave will share three tips to get you back on track.
Whether through painful public rituals or private sacrifices, suffering plays a role in many faiths.
December concludes a season of gifts for many. And while it's undeniably enjoyable to get gifts, it’s not what brings us the most happiness.
A majority of people in the US believe that faith can heal. And while there isn’t any strong scientific data backing the idea of faith healing by divine intervention, there is a growing recognition that faith in the power of a person, religious ritual, or even medicine to heal can play a role in recovery via the placebo effect.
For centuries, Central and South American cultures have used psychedelics to induce mystical states. And while in the US they’ve mostly been used as recreational drugs, interest in their power to offer a rapid route to transcendence has recently been growing.
Most people think gratitude is an emotion about the past. But in reality, it’s all about the future.
COVID-19 has led to what’s being called The Great Resignation. People are leaving their jobs in record numbers, many to find more meaning in life or to spend more time with family and friends. As it turns out, realizing that death might not be as far off as it usually seems just might have something to do with that.
We all value kindness. But showing it isn’t always easy. Buddhists recognized this problem long ago and developed what may be the world’s first and best tool for cultivating compassion: meditation.
Research shows that spiritual practices tend to make people happier and healthier. The question is: Why?
Coming October 3 from PRX Productions.
Dream Yoga
December 14, 202539min 11sec
We spend about a third of our lives sleeping and yet the question of why we sleep and dream has remained a mystery for much of human existence. But recently scientists have developed the tools to begin to reveal some astonishing insights into lucid dreaming and its uses.
In this episode, we'll talk to neuroscientist Ken Paller about the science of Lucid dreaming. Whether it's something any of us can learn to do and what benefits it might offer.
And while the science of lucid dreaming and its possible uses is still in its infancy, Tibetan Buddhists found ways to master it centuries ago using a practice they call Dream Yoga.
We'll talk with Geshe Thabkhe, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, about how members of his tradition have long been using this technique to enhance their spiritual lives, and how he and other monks are now working with Western scientists like Ken Paller and neuroscientist Robin Nusslock to research this special type of dream state and whether people in the outside world can influence or even communicate with them while they're dreaming.
Robin Nusslock, PhD is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University.
Ken Paller is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Cognitive Neuroscience program at Northwestern University. You can find out more about his work on his website.