When we think of a force such as the quantum field, we don’t think of an omnipotent, personified being, we think of an abstract mass of crackling energy; a bubbling froth of excitable forces, where a myriad of particles might pop in and out of existence at any moment. Not an omnipotent God then. And yet, all of our physics, all our chemistry, every aspect of biology, everything we know in our universe, emanates from this pervasive fundamental energy field. It is literally the bringer of all things. Just like a God then.

Three thousand years ago, ancient Vedic peoples of the east thought of God as a mysterious, unknowable force that permeated all of reality. This God-like force was, and is, believed to be the cause of all things; an invisible, eternal, constant reality. Where physical things of this world are transient and fleeting (maya), the force, or Brahman, is permanent, certain and unchanging. It is believed that by abandoning the fleeting, capricious nature of material things in the world, and by connecting our minds through yoga and meditation, to the eternal Brahman, people can find spiritual peace and bliss. It is also believed that meditation, especially sonic meditation through chants and incantations, suspend the constant chattering noise of our consciousness mind and return us to the divine frequencies of the Brahman. 

Take control of your mind

In some senses, it doesn’t matter if you believe these things or not. The Vedic faith is enriched with many personified beings and Gods that aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. What matters is that the core beliefs and practices are sound, and based in scientific rigour. Taking control of your thoughts through meditation, and clearing your mind of the constant, senseless chatter of life can help enormously to centre and focus you mentally and emotionally. There have been numerous scientific studies to support this, some of which are here.

Detach from the struggle

Also, giving up your pointless pursuit of material possessions and constant striving for things that have no real value is liberating. In the west, we have been conditioned to think that ambition, goals and achievements are things worthy of our attention, but in reality few of them are. Living a good life, friendship, family, relationships, community, benevolence, personal growth and attending to our needs, these things matter. Status, title, money, possessions, do not. Detaching from this struggle to achieve superfluous stuff is empowering and leads to a more tranquil existence. Our goal should be to sustain our physical and emotional needs and then to take no more. 

Promote your spirit

Finally, we need to take care of our spirit. All of us have an inner energy, a bioelectric field, fuelled by our hearts and minds. It is a real, tangible, scientifically proven thing – not fiction or woo woo. Traditionally, this has been called the spirit, and religions all around the world describe it as the soul. Vedic people called this the atman, the divine, the ungraspable self which was both part of the Brahman and yet separate and distinct. Spiritual people talk often about promoting and centring the spirit, and there is something of real value in doing that. Ancient practices such as acupuncture, yoga, t’ai chi, aromatherapy, massage, mindfulness and ritual, have all evolved over centuries of practice as real, beneficial processes that can develop our sense of self. 

Live virtuously 

All religions and philosophical schools through history have expressed the importance of leading a virtuous life. It is a central principle of humanity and involves living in accordance with ethical principles, and practising personal qualities such as honesty, integrity, kindness, and courage. Living virtuously involves living to high moral standards, even in the face of adversity. If you practice a religion, these will come packaged up with your faith, but if you don’t then the Stoic school of Greek philosophy is a good place to start because they influenced many religions. Living virtuously brings enormous mental and physical rewards.

Engage with your environment 

Finally, there is significant physical and emotional benefit in us interacting with our natural environment. Getting out into green spaces boosts our mood, fills our lungs with good, clean air and gets us fit. The environment is not a separate place we should have to drive to, to visit. It should be something we immerse ourselves in, whether that is through keeping houseplants, tending a window garden or creating our own green spaces. Plants have energies and electrical fields too, and we absorb them and interact with them when we are near them. 

Firm foundations

The tenets of faith are built on firm foundations then. Foundations that help us lead more fulfilled, meaningful lives. They are embellished with all manner of personifications, deities, idols and images; some of which will resonate with you, others which won’t. They are like the herbs and spices which enrich the basic ingredients of faith to make them more palatable. We don’t need to put religious labels on these phenomena, but we can if it helps. Humans love story telling, and they love personifying things, but essentially, fundamentally, the basic ingredients of faith are not fairy tales, they are very real things. These ingredients are the same in every religion in every country around the world, and they are true for all life forms, not just humans. They are also true whether you have faith or not. The thing is the thing, whether you believe it is a something or a nothing. You might believe the quantum field is an impersonal, inanimate field of energy, or you may think of it as a God. It doesn’t matter. It is still doing what it does, making particles and bringing life to all things. In this way, an inanimate force can become a God. You simply have to believe it.