The realities explored in science and spirituality are often assumed to be unrelated to one another. Both find their basis in a spirit of inquiry. Modern science is objective analysis, while spirituality is subjective understanding. Science explores the outer world with a series of questions beginning with the basic query, "What is this? What is this world all about?" while spirituality begins with the question, "Who am I?"
In the ancient world these two forms of knowledge were not in conflict but were understood to have a deep and subtle connection. Man's knowledge of himself complemented his understanding of the universe and formed the basis for a strong and healthy relationship to the creation in which he lived. It is the disconnect between these two types of knowledge that is causing many of the challenges that we face as a global community today.
Ancient wisdom describes human beings as having five layers of experience: the environment, the physical body, the mind, the intuition and our self or spirit.
Our connection with the environment is our first level of experience, and one of the most important. If our environment is clean and positive, it has a positive impact on all the other layers of our existence. As a result, they come into balance and we experience a greater sense of peace and connection within ourselves and with others around us.
An intimate relationship with the environment is built into the human psyche. Historically, nature, mountains, rivers, trees, the sun, the moon have always been honored in ancient cultures. It's only when we start moving away from our connection to nature and ourselves that we begin polluting and destroying the environment. We need to revive these attitudes that foster our connection with nature.
Today we live in a world where many have become greedy and want to make quick profits and achieve quick results. Their actions disrupt the ecological balance, and not only pollute the physical environment, but also stimulate negative emotions on a subtle level, within themselves and also in those around them. These negative energies expanded and compounded again and again are the root cause of much of the violence and misery in this world.
Most wars and conflicts are triggered by such feelings and result in damage to the environment, which then takes a long time to restore and repair. We need to attend to the human psyche, which is the root cause of pollution, both physical and emotional. If compassion and care are kindled within ourselves, they will form the basis for a deeper connection to, and care for, both others and the environment.
In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; only ashes from cremation were submerged in the river so that everything dissolved back into nature. We need to revive traditional practices of honoring and conserving nature.
Nature has its own means of balance. If you observe nature, you will see that the five elements that form its basis are opposed to each other. Water destroys fire, fire destroys air. Then there are so many species in nature -- the birds, reptiles, mammals -- and all these different species are hostile towards each other, yet nature balances them out. We need to learn from nature how to balance opposing forces, both within ourselves and in the world around us.
Above all, we need to be able to experience our world with an open mind that is free from stress, and from that place we need to create the means of protecting our beautiful planet Earth. For this to happen, human consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Spirituality, the experience of one's own nature deep within, provides the key to this vital relationship with oneself, with others and with our environment. This connection to our own essential nature eliminates negative emotions, elevates one's consciousness and creates a spirit of care and commitment for the whole planet.
What would help to elevate our consciousness and deepen our connection? Here are a few basic and effective pointers:
An invited contribution to the Ervin Laszlo Forum on Science and Spirituality.
Follow Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SriSriSpeaks
Bertrand Russell
~ Bertrand Russell
As an environmental scientist, I'm concerned that many religions and spiritualist movements appear to come from an anachronistic, essentialist, animist mindset that each species is immutable and that each individual within a species is an imperfect copy of a spirit essence. The science of population genetics makes complete mincemeat out of that philosophy.
The scientific concept of species is incredibly fluid and allows for massive genetic and morphological change throughout. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the term is meaningless. Nature is therefore not what it appears to be on the surface. Since this is the case, we cannot afford to be subjective about our relationship with, and effect on, nature. We have to study these things objectively, scientifically.
Removing personal opinion just leads one to interpret facts based upon their own presuppositions. Science is great, but not when it clouds your vision and forces you down a one-way path. You might be on that path. Best of luck.
I'm not sure that's really what this is about. There is a very rational connection to nature in that (deny it though we may) we absolutely rely on the sun and rain, the rivers, seas and soil for our very existence.
Then there is the more subjective side. Few would argue that a trip to the forest or the sea results in a sense of peace, reduction of stress and a general sense of connectedness that we feel intuitively rather than rationally. That's what I'm getting out of the phrase "subjective understanding."
True, standing amid the majesty of nature we may feel "its all connected" because it actually IS all connected - a fact supported by science. But you don't need to know about the food chain and the transfer of nitrogen to get that feeling.
These trees had just been chopped, their massive trunks were laying where they fell. I'm a confessed tree-hugger, but I've also done some logging in the Canadian Rockies. This scene felt like a violation, a massacre to cut these healthy beauties, full in their prime, growing as they were meant to. I climbed onto a large stump at least 4 feet across, so freshly cut that the sap was still seeping upwards. As I stood on the stump, looking at the now-silent remains, I felt a lightness in that space, and even though it was new to me, I instantly knew what it was. The roots still had their hold on the soil, the base of the tree was still living, and I was standing in the center of its energy. I stepped down and climbed back up and felt it again. I stood there a long time bathing in that pure life force.
There you can see natural selection at work which is way more awesome than that
six/24 hour day myth.