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When Ramanujan said, “Through numbers God speaks to me,” it is only natural to wonder: what does a man who revels in the mechanisms of the universe and grapples with the truth have to do with gods and idols? Why would a young boy scribble calculus on the temple walls?

“An equation means nothing to me unless it expresses a thought of God.” How many scientists have found God in their quest to find meaning or the truth? Many have been led to self-discovery and self actualization as they tread the path of science. The more you unravel the answers to the world, the more you surrender to its mysteries.

“I live my life with the idea that the universe can be described by a set of physical laws that are quantifiable and knowable, and that they apply anywhere in the universe, and that’s an assumption,” said NASA astrophysicist Natalie Batalha.

Religion was a human assumption too, or perhaps an appropriation of innate human belief. The human endeavour to comprehend this world and their place in relation to the cosmic mystery we are engulfed in, has led to assumptions and then followed by their manifestations. But let’s be clear: spirituality begins where religion ends. While religion is an organized attempt to keep humans on track, spirituality is a way to stay grounded in a reality that is, unlike religion, not crippled by any historical or scientific context or revelation.

Humans have always found themselves lonely in the ever-encompassing universe and have fought tooth and nail with their consciousness for a sense of meaning and purpose. Science existed before humans comprehended it; before Darwin’s theory of evolution and Newton’s discovery of gravity, humans still managed to leave behind crumbs of their stories and proof of their existence. Over the years, humans have not only found a way to coexist with the universe’s unyielding nature but also to celebrate its idiosyncrasies.

Science fiction movies have spewed more philosophy and captured tales of human grit and spirit. Often, the lurking end-of-the-world scenarios in celluloid have brought forth the spectacle and strength of human belief and compassion, and we have created our best music amidst nature.

As the symphony of life surrounds us, we, as pattern-seeking beings, have learned to navigate between uncertainty and choice. This path often calls us to transcend self-interest and embrace a broader sense of otherness. Whether guided by the North Star or captivated by the Auroras it is the seamless blending of these experiences that brings us a deeper sense of vitality and connection to the world.