Recently the Grammy-winning artist SZA went on a silent retreat in India, diving into self-reflection practices led by the Indian guru Sadhguru. She meditated, practiced yoga, wore a bindi and even participated in ceremonies for Hindu deities, all traditions deeply rooted in Hinduism. But when someone asked her which religion she practices, she shut them down, saying, “None of this is Hinduism lol,” and later added, “This is all just science.”
As someone who adores her and her music, her comments struck me hard.
On one hand, I get it. There is often a division in how people view science and spirituality because they seem to exist in two separate worlds. As someone who has been skeptical of their own religion, I see how hard it can be to get over that hurdle.
As college students, we are constantly exploring new ideas and ways of thinking. We are told to think critically and question everything. In a world that sometimes feels fragmented — science versus spirituality or tradition versus modernity — Hinduism teaches us that these worlds can coexist.
As young adults trying to navigate our place in a world that is constantly shifting, it is crucial for us to educate ourselves on the intersections of historical wisdom and modern knowledge. Hinduism should be a point of discussion for it has been lost in translation — literally.
Hinduism, especially in the West, has often been misunderstood. During the colonial era, much of its rich philosophy was misinterpreted. Deities, meant to represent universal principles, were reduced to mere mythology. The spiritual practices we associate with Hinduism were separated into a separate category, rather than what we might consider “real” science.
Hinduism is not merely about prayer or rituals. It is about understanding the universe, and it turns out that it has a lot more in common with modern science than we might realize.
Take Shiva and Parvati, for instance. These are not just gods of love and destruction, they represent fundamental forces that shape our world. Shiva is a symbol of pure consciousness and a deep state of awareness, while Parvati represents matter, the physical world that we experience and interact with daily.
Their cosmic relationship speaks to a balance that goes beyond spirituality. Together, they mirror the fundamental duality of consciousness and material reality. And this striking parallel is shown through the classical dance interpretation, The Cosmic Dance of Shiva. This dance represents how Shiva animated the entire universe with depictions of the five principles of energy: creation, preservation, destruction, illusion and emancipation. Modern physicists have drawn parallels between this and the balance of subatomic particles, as noted by physicist Fritjof Capra in his book “The Tao of Physics.”
When navigating the complexities of college life, we often feel the pressure to compartmentalize. We strive to balance our academic ambitions with our personal growth, to navigate mental and physical well-being amidst the chaos of our lives. The “Bhagavad Gita” is a Hindu scripture focused on balance and interconnectedness that offers a framework that can help us manage this. It teaches us that science, like spirituality, is not just about facts or rituals; it is about understanding the forces at play in our lives and finding harmony between them.
A powerful example of this principle is Ayurvedic medicine, a holistic healing system that has been practiced for thousands of years.
Yoga, an integral part of Ayurveda, is a known practice rooted in Hindu tradition and was shown to reduce stress, improve focus and strengthen one’s mind-body connection. Similarly, meditation has been scientifically proven to lower cortisol levels, promote emotional well-being and even rewire the brain for greater resilience. Turmeric, a staple in Ayurvedic healing, has been scientifically proven to have anti-inflammatory properties.
These are not just spiritual remedies but practices grounded in a deep understanding of the human body. Many people take part in these practices even if they do not directly practice Hinduism, which is entirely okay, but it is important for us to speak about where these practices have come from.
Western education has often overlooked teaching non-European discoveries, treating their findings as mere faith, rather than an evolving framework for understanding the world. Science, at its core, is about understanding the universe and how to better the human body, and Hinduism has been embracing that for centuries.
I am grateful that someone like SZA is shedding light on practices that have guided her growth, as it opens the door for others to explore their paths of self-discovery. But true growth comes not just from practices, but from understanding. When we recognize where these traditions come from, meaning the philosophy, history and wisdom that shaped them, we engage with them more deeply and authentically.
So SZA was partially right. Her growth in India can be explained by science, but Hinduism is part of that science.