science and spirituality
I’m often asked how I reconcile science with spirituality.
The truth is, I’ve never felt they were in conflict.
I’m endlessly fascinated by neuroscience, psychology and human behaviour. At the same time, I’ve experienced enough in my own life to know that not everything meaningful can yet be measured.
To me, science and spirituality don’t compete with one another. They illuminate different aspects of the same reality.
“Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone!”
– Abdu’l-Bahá
a butterfly needs two wings
To fly, a bird needs both wings. Lean too heavily on one and we risk either superstition or materialism.
The more I study developments in neuroscience, psychology and the science of human flourishing, the more I recognise echoes of principles that have been described in spiritual traditions for centuries.
That doesn’t mean science has explained everything.
Far from it.
There is still so much that lies beyond our current understanding.
I’ve experienced this over and over again: an innate inner knowing that defies logic; asking for a sign and receiving it; the extraordinary coherence that emerges when people meditate together; the deeply mystical experiences that unfold in The Field.
They’re real.
They’re meaningful.
And while science may one day explain them more fully, for now they invite us to remain open.
Sometimes, they ask us to have just a little faith.
Dr. Wayne Dyer’s Butterfly
I could tell you a thousand stories of seemingly impossible things that have happened in my own life.
But I’d rather introduce you to one of my favourite stories, told by Dr. Wayne Dyer.
If you’ve never heard him describe the butterfly that appeared after he asked for a sign — the same butterfly that later became the cover of one of his books — it’s well worth watching. (video linked at the end of the page).
It’s a beautiful reminder that life is often more mysterious than we allow ourselves to believe.
Ironically, that story became part of one of my own.
my Butterfly
Recently I was sitting in my parents’ garden, unusually stressed after finding myself in a difficult situation.
Out of nowhere, Wayne’s butterfly story came into my mind.
I smiled and thought,
“What if I asked for a sign?”
I decided to be specific.
“I’d like a butterfly to land in my hand.”
I held my palm out in front of me and looked at it.
Almost immediately, another voice appeared.
“What if one actually did land, Elisa? Would you believe then?”
The sceptical part of me still thought it was too ridiculous to take seriously.
About a minute later, a butterfly landed in my hand.
I almost burst into tears.
It stayed there for a couple of minutes before flying away.
Then, almost playfully, it came back twice more, landing in my hand each time before disappearing again.
The Skeptic Remained
Here’s the interesting part.
The sceptic didn’t disappear.
I don’t mind that she’s there.
Ten minutes later I stood up to leave and thought,
“What if I asked for the butterfly again?”
So I did.
I put my hand out.
Nothing happened.
I looked around.
There wasn’t a single butterfly anywhere to be seen.
I smiled to myself.
Then, just as I took one last look around the garden, something caught the corner of my eye.
I lifted my arm.
There, quietly resting on the sleeve of my dress, was the butterfly.
Not in my hand this time.
Just… waiting.
Science and Faith
People sometimes ask whether I believe in science or spirituality.
For me, it’s never been a choice.
Science helps us understand more about the extraordinary world we inhabit.
Spirituality helps us experience it.
One seeks to explain.
The other invites us to participate.
The two have never felt in conflict.
Perhaps one day science will fully explain intuition, synchronicity, collective consciousness and experiences like these.
Perhaps it won’t.
Either way, I don’t feel the need to force an explanation.
Some things ask us not to abandon reason…
…but simply to remain open.
I hope you’ll watch Wayne’s story below.
And perhaps, the next time life feels uncertain, you’ll be just a little more willing to ask for a sign.
You never know what might be waiting.
