Art, Religion, Science, and The Tree of Life

Found the Tree of Life in Martinez, California!

Albert Einstein has said, “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.”

The relationship between religion and science, is easy to see, since the two are often seen as opposing sides- in the media, and in various online forums. With art thrown in, however, I can see people getting confused.

I look at Einstein’s quote like this: If humans were the tree- science would be the physical body, religion the mind, and art would be the soul.

Just as said, by a character in Terry Brooks’ novel, The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Antrax: “A man is three things: A mind to think, a body to act and a spirit to feel.”

(For more about Terry Brooks novels visit http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/.)

When I talk about religion here, I’m not talking about the kind where you go to mass, and read a bible, and are instructed to follow a set of ‘commandments.’

I don’t believe that’s the kind, Einstein, was referring to either.

I’m talking about spirituality- which isn’t exactly, the same as religion.

Merriam-Webster.com, defines religious as relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity, and spiritual as of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit.

Basically, religion, is devotion to a collective understanding, of ultimate truth and/or a deity. Spirituality is about a person’s spirit.

It’s the religious devotees, that are in conflict with science.

Both sides are driven by the subject of truth. The difference is, these religions are told their Bible is the truth, and don’t question it. Science is about discovering truth, through research and experimentation.

I stated, spirituality is about a person’s spirit.

For me, a person’s spirit is the part of us that ponders and wants to know- Why are we here? How did we get here?

In the beginning was the spirit, that asked the questions, and that spirit became a scientist, who decided to take charge, and find the answers.

That’s not to say, spiritualists simply pass the torch, and let the scientists ‘gather and conquer.’ The spiritualists, still have their own answers to seek.

While scientists are busy, finding the why and how, spiritualists are looking for the purpose.

What is our purpose for being here? What is the purpose of the Universe?

It’s like a cup of water. Scientists understand why the cup is able to hold the water. Knowing how and why it works, is all the scientists needs, and wants to know. The spiritualist wants to know, why the cup was meant to hold the water in the first place.

Where is the art, in all of this?

The art is the soul- it’s the feeling and heart behind all of this, that’s beyond thoughts and mechanics.

The scientists asks ‘how and why rainbows form,’ the spiritualists asks ‘what’s its purpose,’ and the art is the part of us that doesn’t care why, or what it’s for.

The art is the part beyond speech, when we’re swept away by the beauty of it all, and enjoy the moment. It’s the awe factor.

The art is what makes it all feel magical and precious- like when you’re lying in the grass, gazing up at the stars, in simple child-like wonder and amazement.

Imagine how dull, and robotic, everything would seem, without art?

What would our lives be if we never asked the questions?

Science, religion and art, are all branches of the same tree, because the tree is The Tree of Life, and Life wouldn’t be as it is without any of these aspects.