Integritus Prime

Recently, on Beyond Medicine: Behavior Doesn’t Lie, we spoke about the connections between spiritual beliefs, attitudes to science, and our behavior. Clearly, our behavior is governed at least to some extent by what we believe about a higher power, and what we think of science. For the full explanation we gave, check out the episode.

Here, we recap some important points that will help us align our spirituality with science:

1. Be self-aware: it is important to be aware of our own beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, and behavioral tendencies when it comes to our spirituality and attitude to science. Are we open to different spiritual perspectives and practices? Do we associate spirituality with organized religion? Do we understand that science is not something that is to be believed in, but to be understood and trusted as a method by which we can know something based on evidence? Do we know the difference between real science and junk science?
2. Be mindful of influencers: if we are aware of the forces influencing us, we may become more mindful of our blind spots and biases. For example, if we are influenced by religion, we may be skeptical of scientific findings that contradict our religion. Science may define sentient life differently than Christianity, for instance. If we are influenced by the alleged superiority of race or caste, we may be less open to scientific findings that contradict our notions of superiority. If we believe in the end of days as per the book of Revelation, we may not heed the scientific findings on anthropogenic climate change…the list goes on.
3. Connect our life to Nature: If we take the time to investigate the life support system we all have, we may find that we are dependent on nature for all we do and have. Nutritious and organic food comes from the soil and plants that grow in it; our air comes from the plants that breathe out oxygen; our water comes from aquifers and waterways; and our dwellings are made from materials we mine or log from the Earth’s ecosystems. Therefore, the Earth is our life support system, and as such, we are inextricably connected to, and part of, Nature.
4. Connect behavior to love: If we connect the dots and realize that we are supported by Nature, then we could also accept that our duty is to love and nurture life, not destroy it. This consciousness would reframe spirituality as love for all life, and a person with this consciousness may stop killing and eating animals, for instance, embracing a vegan lifestyle. Another outcome of this raised consciousness would be doing no harm to any living being to the extent possible – negating all wars, slaughter, and all other forms of prejudice and violence. Love would foster unity.
5. Be open to self-inquiry and change: In order to truly explore science and spirituality and their connections to our behavior, it is critical to undertake deep self-inquiry. It is difficult to change our beliefs and behavior, but it is possible with clarity of perception and persistence in our search for truth and meaning.

We are each responsible for our impact on the world – let’s make it a positive and nurturing impact. Share with us how your perspectives on science and spirituality have evolved over time and how they have changed your behavior.