In religious studies, the feeling of finding yourself in a divine presence is called experiencing the numen. Monte Python would explain this feeling as one's apprehension of the vastness of the universe and our small place within it:
Humanities and British humor aside, what does neuroscience say about the numen? Studies confirm several observations:
1) There is no single god spot in the brain.
2) The feeling of the numen can be induced through manipulation of one's brain ... (skip to 1:20).
3) The induction of the numen through manipulation shows only the locus of the feeling, not level of religiosity.
Given this locus of numenous perception, however, would it not be more parsimonious to attribute such a feeling in your life to a triggering of this locus rather than actual contact with the divine?
Interesting piece about experiencing the numen. It certainly contains real world validity considering religious beliefs, or lack thereof, influence personal decisions, government policies, and countless other situations that occur repeatedly throughout every day life. Also, the links and video are a nice touch that allow the reader to explore more in depth explanations of this post.
This piece definitely opens up the minds of the readers in order to think about religiosity in a more complex manner. Maybe religious experiences and beliefs do all relate back to certain centers the intricate, yet perplexing, human brain.