Definition of spirituality
I was asked at dinner last night my definition of spirituality. I said I didn’t know what the word could mean.
The response was, “Anything not explained within one’s framework of understanding of how the world works.”
I said, “That implies that for most people, microwave ovens would be spiritual, as most people lack the knowledge of math and physics to necessary to understand what a magnetron is.” A person from the stone age would have considered it magical, and here, it is clearly a manifestation of ignorance.
Spirituality is either magic or it is ignorance of how the world works. We know that ignorance exists; about magic we are less certain. Instead of assuming magic, why not assume ignorance? Why not assume that whatever would fall into the spirituality category today could be subsumed by science tomorrow?
For example, imagine a compass on a table. Suddenly, the needle starts moving. Is it magic? Are spirits attempting to communicate with us? Or is it an invisible force emanating in another dimension? If there were a magnet held above the compass, it would indeed be an invisible force emanating from another dimension (the third dimension).
Light can apparently act as particles or as waves, depending on whether its path is “observed.” Is that supernatural? ‘Cause that don’t sound natural to me!
Einstein literally referred to quantum entanglement as “spooky action at a distance.”
What if there are events happening in adjacent dimensions that we dimly perceive only in alternate states of mind? Imagine that science ultimately decides that “dark matter” is really just ordinary matter in an adjacent dimension. That would open the door to the possibility of other neighbouring phenomena having an effect on our reality.
Regarding the supernatural, I think that ignorance is the best presumption. After all, what is supernatural is only supernatural before we expand our notion of what is natural.
The presumption of ignorance is the one that impels us to improve our state. We are driven to investigate, to explore, to learn. The assumption of magic, on the other hand, encourages passivity. We are there merely spectators of phenomena orchestrated by others for their own purposes.
I think humanity would be a more laudable species if it understood the power of ignorance and never, never transmuted the latter into anything more flattering.