The two are not incompatible

I know there are many people who believe (or maybe they’ve just been told and don’t question) that science and spirituality are mutually exclusive, but there are also many who feel otherwise and I’m most definitely in the latter camp. I agree that science and religion/spirituality answer different questions and that the two complement each other, but I think the two are more entwined than any of us can hope to understand in a single lifetime. Obviously it’s up to each individual to decide for themselves, but I personally have found that science actually aids me in my spiritual life. I’ve always had more than a passing interest in quantum physics. Not enough to want to become a scientist, but more than an idle curiosity. Since I work with the energies of crystals and herbs, I’ve often contemplated the mechanism as to how we are able to identify the differences in their energies. If we think of things on an atomic (or quantum) level it makes sense (at least to me) that we would be able, in some way, to discern one from another. At their core, both plants and crystals are made up of atoms just as humans and animals are. And if the only real difference in how a particular plant or stone is different from its cousins is that its atomic structure is ordered differently, doesn’t it follow that we, on our own atomic level, would be able to detect those differences in some manner, whether or not we’re aware of it? If we accept this as a possibility, there is still the issue of how we are able to interpret these energies, and even why some people have an easier time with it than others do. A few years ago I read The Field by Lynn McTaggart. This book is basically a collection of “stories” about a series of little known scientific findings that deal with the background energies in the known Universe. Ms McTaggart used to be an investigative reporter so she’s done a heck of a lot of research, and I found her writing style to be fairly easy to read. The book is written for lay-people, but I think it helps to have a little background in physics … I’ve had several college courses on physics and quantum theory is an interest of mine, yet there were times where I had trouble wrapping my brain around some of the concepts discussed. (Don’t let that dissuade you from reading it though, it’s fascinating stuff) The main theme of the book is what some physicists call the “Zero Point Field”. This field basically is everywhere. Classical physicists know it exists, but they factor it out of their equations … quantum physicists don’t really want to believe it has any relevance to their research. (I’m generalizing and paraphrasing here so no yelling if you’re a physicist who doesn’t fall into either of these categories!) It’s really too bad they feel that way, because this could be one of the missing links with regard to defining a unified field theory. This field is basically pure energy, but it has the ability to react with other energies and transmit them, as well as retaining a “memory” of them. It can be a tad confusing, but from physics we know that particles of energy sometimes act like a particle and sometimes act like a wave. Recent research (since the late 1960’s or so) has shown that the energy particles in this field also have a “memory” of where they’ve been and what they’ve interacted with. McTaggart describes some of the experiments and devices created to measure the tiny fluctuations in this field and each recounting shows that it can be acted upon by any person. What I thought was especially interesting is that the energies at sacred sites (the Pyramids of Egypt and Devil’s Tower in Wyoming were among those tested) either directly affect this field, or amplify our interaction with it … rituals, plays, and even conferences will give a greater reaction during their most interesting or emotional segments … business meetings on the other hand, showed no effect (can we all say boooring?!). Measurements taken during major world events (JFK Jr’s death, the OJ Simpson trial verdict, 9/11, etc) have shown a marked increase in activity which indicated to the researchers that a large number of people reacting at the same time are able to affect this field significantly. I was entertained that there were even some studies done with seeds, water, and people’s energies. In one study, a group of seeds were divided in two subsets, both soaked in salt water (which retards the plant growth). One subset was given to an energy healer to “help” the seeds resist the effects of the salt water. It’s no surprise to me that her seeds grew into larger plants than those left on their own in the salt water. What’s cool is that they decided to test the water after the healer was done and found that she had been able to change the molecular makeup of the water using her focused energy. OK, so why do I think this is important? Because basically everything is energy, including our thought patterns. She takes a while to get there, but McTaggart does raise the supposition that our brains do not actually store memories … the field stores them for us and our brains are the retrieval mechanism. So if we interact with this field on a subconscious level and use it to connect with memories, each other, crystals, plants, animals, you name it, then what if we hone our abilities to actively use it on a conscious level? In my mind, this is the perfect explanation (or at least as close as science can get) for how willful thinking and energy healing works. I also believe it may be how we are able to interact with the astral planes and the Divine. (I use “Divine” as an all- encompassing term so feel free to substitute whatever deity you worship) I find that by relating everything back to an atomic (or even a quantum) level I’m able to more easily connect with all the energies in the Universe, including any deity I interact with. And while there are plenty of times that I’m too preoccupied with my daily life to pay attention to the different energies, it’s nice to know that those energies are still present and all I need to do is find a moment to relax and feel for them and they’re all there, just waiting for me to pay attention again. And isn’t this really the essence of faith and spirituality? Yes, perhaps it’s a bit simplistic, but whether you believe in one god or many, or even none, these entities do exist on some level, and they too are energy. There are plenty of things in our lives that science cannot explain, at least not yet. And it may never be able to explain everything. Personally I hope it doesn’t … there is something awe inspiring about contemplating what’s out there, either in our physical dimensions or in other dimensions (or possibly other universes) that we can’t directly experience. I’m OK with that. I don’t need to directly experience everything I believe in. And as the saying goes, it’s the journey that matters not the destination. Personally, I’m enjoying the ride.