One Purpose
The relationship between science and spirituality is a topic that’s very uncommon due to the constant separation of these two ideologies. Scientists and spiritual leaders are often portrayed as going against one another, and science is commonly depicted to disprove certain spiritual ideas. It has become seemingly impossible to find any common ground between the two; however, when we take a closer look, it becomes clear that these two philosophies are a lot more related than we think them to be.
Initially, one may have very firm boundaries on what they believe science and spirituality are. Therefore, it’s essential to note the basic differences between the two. Science is the explanation of life and why things happen in the physical world. In science, there’s a certain humility, in a sense. Science says that whatever is visible is existent, whether you see it under a microscope or with a telescope. Upon combining two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen one can produce water no matter the circumstance. This solid principle doesn’t apply to spirituality. In spirituality, there isn’t necessarily a fair or absolute truth, and that’s what causes people to view the two as very separate things. However, if we look beyond our rigid perspectives, and think about why science or spirituality even exists, we can come to learn that a common purpose ties these “distinct” entities together. At their core, science, and spirituality serve as a way to answer our questions about life and how it works. While science is there to explain phenomena in the physical world, spirituality is the same explanation regarding the metaphysical world.
Without a doubt, science has a limitation. Despite all the studies and all the research that has occurred in the different branches of science, from biology to chemistry and physics, there is a limit to it all. The knowledge that scientists have gained through centuries of research is still not close to what else there is to learn about our world and life. Research and studies continue to take place, and will be never-ending because we will never be able to completely know and understand it all. When you come to that limit, then what is beyond that? That’s where spirituality plays a role. Beyond science, there’s the spiritual science. As humans, we are constantly searching for answers to our questions. Our minds are so “stubborn” and always want to know why something happens. And we’ve been like this since the beginning of time. For that reason, we developed science. To learn about diseases and how to cure them, there is medicine; to know about plants and their origin, there is botany; to learn about the physical phenomena that take place in our world, we have physics, and the list just goes on. However, our findings extend to only a certain limit. Even with all the knowledge that the world currently has is still not enough, and that’s because the rest of the answer lies in spirituality. The answers that humans search for about life, about why it was created, and about why we all exist, all lie in spirituality.
As a result of our everlasting curiosity, certain means of finding the truth were employed. Humans developed religion, belief systems, and spiritual practices to delve into this immaterial side of themselves. By stating this I mean no harm or disrespect to any religion, faith, or teaching. I simply point out the true essence behind these doctrines. To answer our questions, these bodies were formed and we were able to attain some sort of peace from the exasperating questions surrounding our lives.
There is so much more to learn and so much more to experience, thus these ideas continue to expand and develop every day. It’s essential that we keep in mind how our spiritual beliefs go along (in a great sense) with our scientific knowledge, and should always be tied back to our greater purpose. It’s easy to quickly judge, but taking a closer look always opens one’s eyes.
