Spirituality and Wellbeing

From a religious and spiritual standpoint, the universe was created for the emancipation of the soul.  Central to achieving this purpose is commitment to faith in the divine, and the pursuit of inner transformation to realise the Ultimate Reality, often described as salvation, moksha, closeness to God or nirvana.

For many living in the modern world however, a far greater portion of time is taken up by the pursuit of material success.  This can include money, fame, sex, body image.  Or it may be pursuit of career advancement, education, or the perfect family.  There is nothing wrong with pursuing worldly desires, and it is important to meet needs and aspirations.  However, the problem arises when money, land, status, sex or body image become objects of worship.  Many may spend decades working long hours to maintain this cycle without any reflection.    

We seldom stop and ask: Who am I? What is the nature of self? What is the nature of God? Am I merely this mind and body?  How often do we stop and reflect on the nature and cause of the phenomenal world? We seldom engage in any meaningful self-inquiry.  In fact, most of us remain identified as caterpillars (i.e. attached to the physical body) that never transform into butterflies (i.e. awakened spirit).  

Science, Religion and Spirituality

According to Dr. Gasser Hathout, we are hardwired for spiritual experience.  In his lecture series about religion, spirituality and wellbeing, he highlights scientific studies that show how brain networks collaborate to facilitate spiritual experience.  Research has found that connecting with the divine through regular prayer can:

• Stimulate the dopaminergic reward system
• Positively rewire the brain
• Increase activity in the frontal lobes that concerned with focused attention
• Strengthen social awareness, empathy and compassion
• Increase resiliency
• Enhance happiness
• Increase hope, optimism, sense of meaning and purpose, self-esteem, sense of control, and positive character traits
• Reduce risk of heart disease and cancer
• Increase cellular immunity
• And reduce risk of premature mortality

Grasping onto Impermanence 

All of the physical world, including our bodies, is constantly changing and will eventually perish.  Some scientists have predicted that at some point even the sun will expand into a red giant, engulfing the planets, including the earth.  All of the material world consists of particles moving in space, which arise and dissolve trillions of times per second.  Our bodies, homes, land, nature, planet earth, are masses of these particles that give the appearance of permanent form.  Yet, we live our lives grasping to matter as though it will remain forever.  When the change inevitably occurs – such as separation from people, places or objects – where there is craving and attachment to the form, suffering inevitably occurs.  Furthermore, attachment to impermanent form fuels existential distress, driving people toward alcohol, drugs, sex and other temporary hedonic pleasures, which can deepen despair.  

Final Thoughts 

The ancients taught that we are not the body, not even the mind, and that worshiping the ephemeral is bound to result in suffering. The purpose of religious spiritual practice is to help us  realise this and evolve spiritually.  Science has shown that investing in regular prayer, meditation and other forms of spiritual practice, not only improves spiritual wellbeing, it can also promote both psychological and physical health.  

On the spiritual path, suffering, especially that which arises from the cessation of that which we are attached to, is inevitable because it helps emancipate the soul from the bondages of the conditioned world.  However, once firmly established in regular spiritual practice, what was once thought to be suffering can become an opportunity for growth, and ultimately, to awaken.  

Wishing you health and happiness.  

Sadaf  

🙂