Can Spirituality be understood as a science ? A conversation with Marc

Marc and I exploring the beauty of Ella, Sri Lanka

@namastecharly @mamirrick

These days, we tend to separate spirituality from science. Some believe only in what can be proven, a kind of objective truth that can be measured and explained, while others acknowledge science, but believe that in order to elevate ourselves spiritually, we must commit to a religion, a belief, a practice, or something similar. Spirituality is deeply personal, yet without it, we cannot truly connect with others on a deeper level. In this interview, I speak with Marc about spirituality and whether it can be explained through science. Rather than dividing science and spirituality, let’s try to bring them together. After all, we are all beings of consciousness, and I believe we all have, in some way, a sense of spirituality.

I met Marc in Sri Lanka. His open and engaging energy toward others piqued my curiosity. In a world where we often try to fit into groups to secretly feel accepted and understood, I found that Marc radiated authenticity, untouched by the judgment of others. He was present, without needing to prove his worth to those around him.

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C : Hello Marc, my first question is: can you present yourself the way you want?
M : I am Marc, and I always feel like I am a human being. We don’t think about it much, we think we are “persons” but for me, we are human beings: the human part and the spiritual or energetic part. I try to improve in that way, to better understand both my human side and my spiritual side, and to merge them into the person I am meant to be.

C : What is, for you, the conscious state? How do we explain consciousness?
M : Consciousness is a concentration of energy. If we think in terms of light, when the concentration of energy increases, the light increases. So, this light in our brain is consciousness. And when we have more light, we can see more. It’s like a lamp: when the light increases, we can see the room better. So, in terms of consciousness, it’s the same: we see reality more clearly when we concentrate more energy. When we talk about the soul, the soul is that energy. What the ego does is split that energy. The ego distributes it into different areas. For example, we think about our job, then our family, then money, then our football team, then our political views. If we look closely, we’ll see that we’re splitting reality in many directions. Consciousness is the opposite: it’s about recovering that dispersed energy and bringing it back together. The process is about not letting ourselves be scattered in those boxes. When our energy is more concentrated, we have more light, and therefore more consciousness - it’s natural. And with a bit of patience, we begin to see with more awareness the things around us, and how we feel. It’s a kind of magic.

C : Would you say that people who have more consciousness are more spiritual?
M : People with more consciousness can see reality more clearly, and in that way, they can better understand their spirituality, but not always. Sometimes they are just more aware of other things, like politics, art, or other forms of knowledge. Consciousness is a tool that helps us understand ourselves better and that’s the path of spirituality.

C : What is spirituality to you?
M : Spirituality is the process we go through to understand our purpose: who we are, what we are here to do, how we feel. If we use our consciousness for this, we begin to see more clearly our connections, our emotions, the direction of our heart, our purpose.

C : How can this be related to science?
M : It relates to science in the sense that everything happens in the brain first, and then it connectsto the rest of the body and energy system. For example, neurology studies different types of brain waves. In that way, science is evolving, just like we are, toward higher consciousness. At some point, it will become clearer that when we create healthier brain waves or improve how our brain functions, these connections make us more conscious. Then we are able to connect more deeply to our feelings and to our ultimate purpose. That’s the connection: if science can understand how we concentrate more energy, we become more conscious, and we can follow our true path.

C : So everything starts in the brain?
M : In that case, yes. As humans, our first challenge is learning how to live in society, which shapes how our brains work. To elevate ourselves spiritually, we first need to unblock or reprogram those social patterns. We need to change how we see reality. Because for most of us, we see the world the way society wants us to. But that’s not science. We have to better understand why we do what we do, and why we think the way we think. Then we can develop our consciousness, and then our spirituality.

C : You mention society. From your point of view, what prevents most people from freeing themselves from their ego and becoming more conscious?
M : Society has both a positive and negative influence on us. The positive side is that it’s a huge system that allows people to work together. We go to school, and some of us learn medicine, others become engineers, musicians, and so on. That structure makes society function. But the downside is that when we live that way, we often live for society, not for our own spirituality. In that sense, we are shaping a person who fits into the system, not the human being we are meant to be. We become the version of ourselves that society wants - a constructed character, an artificial identity called the ego. To realize this, we have to take a step back and slowly start changing direction. Instead of trying to fit into society, we need to try to be ourselves, which is very difficult. The process is hard, especially at the beginning. In conclusion, society encourages us to have a family, a job, to earn money, to have a partner and all of that is fine. But in terms of spirituality, we don’t have to want any of this. In spirituality, our purpose is to find our path.

C: Would you say that if everyone were highly conscious, we could still live and work in a society?
M: No. If we are truly conscious, there is no society, at least not in the way we know it. Society exists to replace certain capacities that we no longer access naturally. If we were all conscious, we would live together in harmony, without the need for politics, without the need for money, without the need to have a family in the traditional sense, or to have a job just to survive. Society structures people in a specific way, but when we are conscious, we don’t need that structure. And if we don’t need it, then society, as it is, no longer has a role.

C: Today, people who follow religion, astrology, numerology, Buddhism, Taoism, and many other paths often consider themselves spiritual. Do we need these things to be spiritual?
M: I think it’s normal when we look at the evolution of humanity. Human beings, step by step, have developed tools to try to understand themselves better. But not in a holistic way, not globally. We’ve developed in different areas: religion, politics, sociology, psychology, and more. But in spirituality, everything is interconnected. Everything is the same at its core.It’s normal that many people who are religious use religion as a way to try to understand themselves. And it’s normal that they feel spiritual, because at some level, it helps. It can guide us, give us faith, and open doors. But when we talk about real spirituality, we don’t need religion. We don’t need to be a particular kind of person. What we need is to understand life in abstract terms, in conscious terms. And when we start to understand life like that, we begin to understand our feelings. In that process, there is no belief. There is only what we feel, or what we don’t feel. We just need to follow that path. That’s all.

C: What are some tools we can use to elevate ourselves to a higher state of consciousness? Today we have therapy, yoga, chanting, the arts… Are those paths to higher consciousness?
M: It’s not really about how to increase our consciousness. It’s about how we allow our body and our energy to evolve naturally. Because our brain, our body, and our energy are already trying to reach a higher state of consciousness. The problem is, we block it.
So for me, the focus isn’t on doing more, it’s on not blocking what’s already trying to happen.

C: How do we stop blocking it? With fewer distractions?
M: Yes, with fewer distractions, for example. But also by stepping outside of rigid structures. Don’t limit yourself to one person all your life, or stay in the same house, city, or job forever. We need to think more abstractly. For instance, if we work in medicine, we shouldn’t see ourselves as “a doctor.” We are human beings working in the medical field. It’s about openness, about seeing things in our life from different angles and letting go of fixed identities.

C: So do you believe that when people identify too strongly with a job, a name, or a position, they put themselves in a cage and can’t evolve anymore?
M: Yes.

C: So what do we need to do?
M: We have to stay curious. We need to keep our energy moving.

C: But what can we really do, you know? Some people feel stuck in unfulfilling lives. And even when they try to take action to understand or change something, they end up feeling even more blocked or lost.
M: In my view, when it comes to society, it's not about what we have to do, it’s about what we don’t have to do. People in society are constantly doing things that naturally block their consciousness. So they feel like they're more conscious than they actually are, but they don’t see it, because they’re always in the same loop: working Monday to Friday, going out with friends on Friday, spending time with family on Saturday, and with their children on Sunday. With all that, there’s no time or space to let consciousness expand.

For me, the point is to create time, time to process what’s happening in your life, time to understand yourself better, to feel what you want to do each day without planning it in advance. If you have a free Saturday, tell yourself: I’ll wake up and see what I feel like doing. At the beginning, we need to intentionally create this space. That’s how we begin to increase our consciousness, by reflecting and observing.

C: Can people increase their consciousness without developing a sort of spiritual ego? I’ve noticed that people on a spiritual path sometimes start believing they’re better because they’re “more conscious.”
M: That’s true. It’s all a trap. Many people believe they’re becoming more conscious, but they’re not. That’s why it’s important on this path not to label yourself. Anyone can be spiritual. What matters is not using spirituality as a way to validate yourself socially, like a personal brand or marketing tool. We need to stay grounded in the present moment, continuously reflecting on what’s really happening right now. To explain how I see myself: I view myself as an experience. We often say life is an experience, but what if we saw ourselves as an experience of life? I’m not just “Marc”, Marc is an experience. Can we see ourselves not as fixed identities, but as evolving, living experiences?

C: Well, I let these question there for us to reflect. You said that once we increase our consciousness, we find our purpose. Can you elaborate?
M: Yes. When you give yourself space: mental, emotional, physical - you begin to feel more clearly. From there, you can act from that feeling, not just to fill a void. For me, life is a game. The game is to feel, then act on that feeling. Not to become “more conscious” as a goal. That’s the ego talking. The goal is to play, feel, act, learn, integrate. And then repeat. It’s not about reaching a higher level; it’s about moving through life with awareness. That’s where happiness and purpose emerge.

C: So, what’s the purpose of life?
M: It’s both individual and universal. For me, it’s simple: to follow what I feel. It’s letting the heart lead and letting the mind serve that. Right now, people aren’t feeling, they’re distracted. Their minds serve the ego, not the heart. If they stop their routines, they get anxious. They grab their phone. They don’t sit with themselves. The purpose is to let ourselves feel. Once we feel, we need a clear mind, ideally a conscious one, to help make those feelings real. For example, if you feel called to travel but your mind is full of fear, you won’t act. So we work on our mind to support what we feel. We face our fears.

C: What about people who feel stuck in a job they don’t like but need for money? They don’t know what else to do. Are they always going to feel blocked if they don’t understand the feeling underneath?

M: Yes, probably. Think of the brain like software, like an old, overloaded computer. If it’s too full of files and tasks, it runs slow or crashes. That’s what happens when we operate from outdated mental structures. People are blocked because they’re thinking from ego, not from life. A « job » doesn’t really exist, neither does « money » they’re human inventions. When you feel stuck in your job, it’s often life trying to tell you: This isn’t the path. But society, your ego, tells you it is. So you persist for the wrong reasons. That’s when you need to step back, create space, and accept change.

C: Once someone finds their purpose, can they still participate in society, have a job, friendships, etc… and increase their consciousness? Or do they have to leave it all behind?
M: You have to understand that what you experience in society reflects your current level of consciousness. If you’re still surrounded by the same job, friends, relationships, it’s a sign your consciousness is at that level. As your consciousness rises, you’ll naturally begin to separate from many societal norms - job, friends, even your home. Eventually, it becomes difficult to live in society. If you still fit in society, it likely means your ego is still operating. At a higher level of consciousness, your vibration changes, and society's structures don’t resonate anymore. You move from being a citizen to realizing you’re part of life itself. That shifts everything. So yes, at first you can participate in society. But as your awareness grows, your choices will shift. That’s why people should start by asking: How can I create more time, space, and energy to understand myself? The rest will unfold.

C: Many people are attached to roles that define them, their job, family position, relationships. Do you think we need to experience life without attachment?
M: That’s the challenge. People are raised to be attached. Even before a baby is born, we give it a name and a path. We trap them in a box before they’ve even discovered who they are. They grow up building an ego that fits school, family, friends. Then, later, it’s hard to break free because they’re attached to that identity.

C: So, when we grow up and realize that, we need to create detachment to truly discover who we are?
M: Exactly. The things we attach to: people, substances, distractions, family, partners,… they give us a false sense of safety and identity.

C: But can we still enjoy life without attachment?
M: Absolutely. When you understand life on a deeper level, you don’t need to cling. The brain wants to attach because it seeks safety. But when you have awareness, true understanding: you realize you’re never really alone. Life provides. And it will always bring the next feeling or experience you need.

C: To return to the main question: can we explain spirituality as a science? Do we need to understand the brain to elevate energy and increase consciousness?M: Yes. We need to understand the brain, mind, reality just like we study physics, psychology, philosophy. We must understand how not to feed the ego. When we decrease the ego, by being more generous, loving, accepting, we naturally increase consciousness. It’s like energy: the energy you don’t use for ego flows into your awareness. And the opposite is also true: if you don’t nurture your consciousness, that energy gets pulled into ego, safety, conformity.

C: The first step is identifying the ego, recognizing when it's driving our choices and choosing instead to follow the heart?
M: Yes, but in the beginning it’s hard to know what the heart is saying. So start by identifying ego in specific situations: job, partner, family. Name it. Then ask: Why is this ego? What’s it doing here? Ego is like a fixed character you play. For example, someone might think, I’m generous, but in spirituality, it’s not about always being generous. It’s about knowing when to be generous, when not, and even when to be a little selfish. The game is to experience differently. Make mistakes, learn from them, try again.

C: And how did you start this path?
M: At first, it just happened. But I made irrational decisions, and then I gave myself time to understand them. That gave me energy and clarity. When I was 23, I had three months where I didn’t work, I had no attachments, and I was in a different country. That freedom allowed me to see. And from there, I kept creating space for myself to process, reflect, and understand. I've been on this path for 13 years, and it’s brought me a lot of knowledge and awareness.

C: I think this conversation might be difficult for some people to fully relate. Is there a book you’d recommend?
M: The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. It’s simple and helpful. It teaches that everything happens in the present. It helps you see how society is always pushing us to stay busy. But when you take space, your feelings and thoughts start to emerge. At first, that might be painful. But if you’re patient, over time, you’ll begin to understand those feelings. Then, you can start living consciously.

C: You're traveling now, what can we wish for you in the coming months as you continue your journey?
M: Just this: reality is connected to consciousness. It always gives us what we need to evolve. I’m just flowing with life. That’s all.


We ended our deep and layered conversation with Marc on a simple but profound note: Life flows like the breath, through inhalation and exhalation. When we let go of control and surrender to that rhythm, we begin to truly live. Marc reminds us that raising our consciousness isn’t about chasing an ideal or escaping society, but about creating space, giving yourself time mentally and emotionally : to feel, reflect, and move with intention. Let’s stop doing and start being.

- namastecharly