Friends Not Foes

Anymore, it feels like there’s more opposition than ever between the spiritual community and the scientific world. Since the pandemic, it seems like we’ve seen more people turn away from science, especially when it comes to vaccines and medicine. But science and spirituality used to be much more connected.

Long ago, healers, midwives, and holy folks were the first doctors and scientists in their communities. They didn’t necessarily call it science then, but they used the knowledge of nature—like herbalism and alchemy—to help people heal. Over time, science split off into its own more narrowly defined field, and spirituality did as well. But this doesn’t mean they can’t work together.

Not All Natural Products Are Safe

A lot of people in spiritual circles believe that if something is “natural,” it must be good for you. Concurrently, they also think that if something does NOT occur naturally in nature, it is bad for you. This is an “Appeal to Nature” fallacy and fallacies are arguments that feel logical but aren’t.

Natural things aren’t inherently good for you. Think about poisonous mushrooms, plants or dangerous molds—those come from nature, but they can make you very sick. Even essential oils, which are popular in spiritual practices, can be harmful, especially to pets and children even diffused in the air. They should never be ingested or applied undiluted to the skin. Several gemstones, metals and minerals are hazardous to touch or handle and many more are toxic to ingest by water or inhalation (such as by cutting them or through water infusions). Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s harmless. So, it’s important to do your research and be mindful of what you’re using.

That’s without mentioning allergies, viruses, or venoms nor that we’ve managed to create non-naturally occurring medicines to treat a great many of these things.

And remember, homeopathy (which often claims to use super-diluted substances) isn’t the same as natural medicine. Science shows it doesn’t really work in the way it promises, and it’s okay to question it.

How Science Can Help Spirituality

Science can’t always measure spiritual experiences. That doesn’t mean they don’t have value—it just means we don’t yet have the tools to study them in a lab. For example, practices like meditation or energy healing’s spiritual aspects are hard to prove with science, but they are proven to help people feel better. In this case, personal experience matters a lot. Meditation, in particular, is recommended frequently by health professionals as well as yoga for their health benefits.

As science continues to evolve, there’s hope that we’ll be able to understand these practices better. For now, though, we don’t have to choose between what science tells us and what we feel in our hearts. It’s okay to use both in your life. You can get vaccines and use crystal grids. You can undergo medical treatments, and use energy healing. You can perform spells and attend physical therapy. Some health insurance plans cover acupuncture!

The Internet and the Akashic Library

Theosophists had this idea of a giant repository of all the thoughts, words, notions, and ideas in the universe called the Akashic Library. The internet is like a giant library, filled with all the knowledge of the world—kind of like the Theosophist idea of the Akashic Library. But with so much information out there, it can be hard to tell what’s helpful and what’s not. The Theosophists believed that only a trained occultist could tell the difference between true experiences and dreams and illusions. Similarly, with the internet, we need to use critical thinking when we look for spiritual and scientific answers. Discernment is key.

Science and Spirituality Together

At the end of the day, science and spirituality can both help us lead happier, healthier lives. Whether it’s taking care of your body and soul with good medical advice or through spiritual practice, there’s no need to choose one over the other. A balanced life uses wisdom from both worlds. You don’t have to give up your spiritual beliefs to follow science or abandon scientific advice to honor your spirituality.

Let’s embrace both, use common sense, and remember that the goal is to live in a way that’s good for our health and well-being—and for the world around us. By combining science and spirituality, we get the best of both worlds.

(Adapted from the Gathering Crows Podcast “Science vs Spirituality”, you can listen here: https://www.crowsonglodge.com/science-vs-spirituality/)