We live in a very unique time in human history; we finally have the scientific instruments and understanding to explain what spiritual ancient teachings have been telling us for thousands of years. The concept of karma is a great example. Often, karma is described as “what goes around comes around”. On the other hand, quantum mechanics suggests that change is the never-ending process of cause and effect relationships creating more cause-and-effect relationships, an infinitum. (This is often referred to as the butterfly effect). The initial occurrence of an event, (such as a thought, feeling or traumatic event) both causes and is the result of ripples through time and space, and thereby continues to affect future events.
When you combine neuro-science with quantum physics, we realized that the world of spirituality is actually supported by scientific evidence..Many spiritual people talk about the human “aura”. The concept of aura pre-dates neuroscience by thousands of years. We currently know that the human body has an electromagnetic field of energy that is constantly changing by the second. Through Kirlian photography, we can actually see this electromagnetic field shifting and changing in real time. Scientific research shows us that having a person just think about their loved ones will cause drastic changes in this electromagnetic field. The ‘human electromagnetic field’ is the modern term we use to describe what was referred to as “aura” in antiquity. This is another example of how science can help us better understand spiritual concepts..The most important spiritual concept to me is that of interconnectivity, feeling connection with my life, the people in my life, and with nature. I have a unique journey in that I became interested and committed to learning about spiritual practices long before I ever picked up my first book on neuroscience or quantum mechanics. The more I learned from books and graduate schools about these disciplines, the more I experienced relief because everything I felt and experienced in my spiritual practices now had a solid foundation in science.
Religion dictates what is good and what is bad, what we should do and what we shouldn’t. Spirituality asks us to interrogate those beliefs: “Why do I do what I do? Who am I? What is my purpose?” It encourages us to look within ourselves for answers. After about four years of dedicating myself to spiritual practices,
I knew that they were working for me, and that I was feeling more connected, inside and out. My life looks so different than it did before I fully opened myself up. Neuroscience and quantum mechanics are truly a gift to all of us, as they serve as a means to explain to our logical mind how the spiritual concepts occur and why they have the impact that they do.
Why should we adopt a spiritual belief system in our lives? I can only speak from my own experience; incorporating spiritual beliefs in my life has allowed me to feel more joy, and establish healthy connections with people, nature, and situations. Before I had scientific studies under my belt, I still reaped the benefits of a well-implemented spiritual belief system. However, now that I walk with a PhD in clinical psychology with a specialization in neuropsychology, as well as nearly two decades of spiritual practices, I can tell you that I am greatly confident in these practices.
My wish for all of you is that neuroscience, quantum mechanics, and any other branches of science that are yet to be discovered, can serve as a bridge to help you cross over anything barricading you from discovering yourself. And that you too may walk with a content, open, and joyful heart.
By Dr. Jesse Hanson
Dr. Jesse Hanson holds both a PhD and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. He specializes in neuroscience, somatic (body-centered) psychology and holistic healing. Trained in EMDR and other forms of somatic therapies, Jesse helps clients release held trauma and negative emotions from the body and inspires them to create themselves anew. After more than ten years in the holistic health field and many years of working with a multi-faceted treatment team approach at Passages Malibu, Jesse brings his experience to the Helix Healthcare Group as clinical director of a holistic and integrative approach to treating addiction, trauma, and wellness.
