Evolution and emotional embodiment

From Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience, 24 November 2009. From the section on embodiment and ritual practices:

"The insula and anterior cingulate cortex have been implicated in recent studies of ritual spiritual practices, including meditation , yoga and shamanism. [...] We suggest here that an evolutionary framework for such a neurological perspective on the human brain highlights a pre-existing primate neural system of emotional embodiment as a key element in human sociality [...] that act to maintain the cohesion of larger groups. In addition, it suggests that practices such as meditation, yoga, and shamanism are based on activating the neurological mechanisms associated with such positive social emotions. "