Exploring the Modern Fascination with Spiritual Energy
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Chapter 1: The Rise of Spiritual Energy Beliefs
Recent surveys indicate that approximately 40% of Americans subscribe to the idea of "spiritual energy." As traditional religious practices wane, new age ideologies are experiencing a revival.
Sometimes, this concept of spiritual energy is linked to wellness practices like acupuncture. Other instances associate it with psychic abilities, such as foresight or long-distance communication.
This notion of spiritual energy has deep historical roots, appearing in numerous cultures worldwide. Alongside deities and spirits, energy—whether referred to as the soul, qi, prana, or elan vital—stands as one of humanity's most prevalent supernatural beliefs. However, unless we are prepared to accept all related folk beliefs as true, we should scrutinize the idea of spiritual energy with the same skepticism we apply to its less trendy counterparts.
As we don our anthropological lenses, let's delve into the historical and psychological aspects of "energy."
As a former Catholic, I learned that during Communion, the priest changes bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. This transformation, known as transubstantiation, is rooted in Aristotle's concept of "substance," the essential quality that defines an object, distinct from its observable traits, or "accidents."
For those puzzled about how Catholics can believe that bread and wine can literally become flesh and blood, the answer lies in their belief that the substances have been altered, while the accidents remain unchanged.
Aristotle's philosophical framework predates the scientific revolution, so he may not have fully grasped that substances are not empirically observable, unlike accidents. Philosophers after him valued metaphysics for its intuitive appeal.
Philosopher A.J. Ayer cautioned against confusing language with reality, stating that just because we label something with a single term, it does not mean it corresponds to a simple entity.
Even as society has largely moved away from believing in a Platonic ideal for objects like chairs, one distinction remained compelling: the divide between living and non-living entities.
Renaissance thinkers introduced scientific principles like inertia and gravitation, providing superior explanations for motion compared to Aristotle’s intuitive theories. However, their empirical advancements did not diminish their belief in a divine creator of all living beings.
When Darwin proposed that modern species could evolve from simpler forms, many who did not outright reject his ideas still believed that evolution required a divine spark to animate lifeless matter. The boundary between life and non-life was seen as crucial, with scientists hopeful that they would eventually uncover its nature.
With the advent of electromagnetism, a new potential source for the soul and spiritual energy emerged. Practices like mesmerism briefly captivated public interest. Yet, as understanding of electromagnetism progressed, the space for supernatural concepts within scientific frameworks diminished.
In the twentieth century, quantum mechanics, with its perplexing uncertainties and "spooky" connections, reignited interest in spiritual energy, much like the "God of the gaps" concept that suggests divine intervention exists where scientific understanding is lacking.
Despite the retreat of such beliefs, faith in spiritual energy endures. Many individuals attribute health improvements to spiritual practices or rely on psychics for guidance. Conversations often reveal personal experiences of perceived psychic connections, such as thinking of someone only to receive a call from them.
Pointing to confirmation bias alone does not sway opinions. Discussing how we selectively remember instances that affirm our beliefs, while disregarding failed experiences, rarely changes minds.
A more fruitful approach may involve exploring why supernatural concepts like spiritual energy maintain such psychological appeal. Research indicates that when humans craft myths about hybrid beings, they tend to merge creatures or objects that are closely related in nature. Thus, tales of talking wolves are more prevalent than those of talking tools.
A similar dynamic is at play with spiritual energy. Although New Age beliefs may borrow from modern scientific concepts, they remain anchored in universal human concerns. Just as folklore personifies natural phenomena to create engaging narratives, New Age beliefs personify complex scientific ideas, rendering them accessible and relatable to the general public.