Of Sapiens and Spirituality
Yes this is about Yuval Noah Harari’s acclaimed work ‘Sapiens.’ The book has been around for some time now and has already accumulated heaps of praise and viewpoints.
Though the book is a history of humankind, the running themes in the book struck me as self actualization frameworks found across several spiritual teachings. The book looks at the big picture of human history. I found the insights to be just as relevant to individual lives. The book presents a bird eye view of the journey of our species. And what can be more spiritual than becoming a detached observer to all events? The book helps the reader reflect on the non permanence of everything we collectively or individually believe in. It takes us through the interesting ride of how history can only be predicted in retrospect. I believe that is true for individual lives as well. For me this book comes to the same conclusions about collective human existence as the exploration of spirituality teaches about individual ‘beingness.’
Religion is about believing. It is about expressing beliefs. Spirituality is about exploring what to believe. It is about self actualization. It is about discovering one’s core beliefs. Here I summarize some of the insights from the book that made me ponder over self actualization through spirituality.
- Everything is a story: In Sapiens, the writer points out that freedom, human rights, companies, countries and religions exist only in collective human imagination. All of these are mere concepts that were created by our species. These are all stories that we believe in. The power of the human race to believe in stories has led to large-scale collaboration.
For me this insight was akin to the first step towards mindfulness- Acceptance. Seeing things as they are. Spiritual teachings nudge us towards being mindful of what is and becoming a detached observer of the same. Human rights, religion, countries, definitions of freedom exist because of humans. These are identities that we created for ourselves. This is a very powerful realization. It frees us to appreciate alternate ways of existing. The same is true at an individual level. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions exist because we create them. ‘I am therefore I think.’ (not the other way round as by Rene Descartes). This understanding frees us to challenge our mental blocks, to create our own patterns of ‘being.’
2. History can not be predicted: Yuval Noah Harari dexterously explains how myriad forces have shaped the history of our species. Along with several examples, he has pointed to the rise of the internet which was completely unexpected at the time. Collective human history has been shaped by very many factors which seem obvious in retrospect but were not at all obvious at the time.
In my tryst with spirituality, I found this to be the foundational theme for letting go. Just like history, an individual can only piece together her life looking backwards. (Steve Jobs and Connect the Dots). A million different things make us who we are. Each situation, each phase of life can be perceived and actioned upon in myriad ways. The same situation can mould people differently. It is calming to understand that the actions that appear obvious in retrospect might not have been obvious at the time. It is an understanding that helps us to forgive and let go.
3. Was evolution worth it? Multiple times in the book, the writer argues that our species has continued to move in a direction that can’t necessarily be termed as ‘progress.’ The Agricultural Revolution led us to live permanently in close quarters. This, in turn, led to easier spread of diseases, a less nutritious diet and more work than ever before. All the productivity enhancing innovations leave us with more time eventually leading us to do more work!! Is this really ‘progress?’ The book points out as to how our biological evolution is far far slower than the pace we are creating for ourselves. Our physiology may or may not be equipped to handle the lifestyle we are creating for ourselves. The world would have us believe in a definition of ‘comfort’ which might not be good for us.
This made me think of another tenet in the realm of spiritual exploration. After becoming a detached observer and letting go of the past, the spiritual explorer needs to critically examine her own purpose of ‘being.’ This is working in as opposed to conforming to the external markers of success that the world would have us believe. As the spiritual teachers would have us understand; a vehicle can attain fast speeds only if it is designed to sustain that kind of rigor. A lot of spiritual teachings, frameworks for self-actualization focus on preparing our mind and body for all challenges. It is all about discovering and unlocking the power within us. Our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing is the platform which needs to be taken care of. That, in turn, will help us run at desired speeds.
4. What do you want to want: Towards the end, the writer tries to explore the meaning of life. The book extrapolates a future from the past and present. The writer argues that unless we are clear on what we want, the world will keep us engaged for its benefit. With the evolving technology, the world will very deftly tell us what we should want. Hence, the future of the species is dependent on individuals looking past the obvious and deciding their desires for themselves.
For me, this is the culmination of all spiritual teachings. Getting clarity on what one wants. Defining one’s purpose in great detail. Working in should result in better understanding of oneself. An unwavering sense of self. Understanding oneself leads to understanding where one wants to go. Working on one’s well being prepares us to move forward on that journey.
The book is one breathtaking account of all of human history sprinkled with insights about the human condition. It is a captivating read that leaves the reader thinking about what it all means and where we are headed. The book ends by raising very powerful questions that many disciplines ranging from physics to philosophy have tried to answer. Looking at the entirety and solving for an individual has been the core of all spiritual learnings that I have explored so far. This made me see the book in a different light. Whatever might be the lens, the book will definitely make one eager to explore.
