Spirituality in the Realm of the Microbes

Introduction

For humans, our fundamental form is predominately microbial in nature [1]. Microbial cells are our body’s slight majority and we carry an overwhelming majority of microbial genes [2,3]. This fact allows us to shift perspective from a pinnacled species that is sepa­rate from all other lifeforms on earth toward a distinctly grounded view that we as human holobionts are a microcosm of life on earth [1]. While a normal reaction to this 21st century change in under­standing that we are not alone within our own body could be hum­bling, it is also massively uplifting to know that we have functional capacities greater than the sum of the parts and, in many cases, be­yond our wildest dreams [4]. As human holobionts, when we honor, protect, and embrace our own body, we better connect with, benefit from, and honor life on earth.

This is a particularly important change in human understand­ing in part because how humans are viewed can fall into at least two different theological camps: the perfect single-species human or the intended multi-species human. The question within Chris­tian theology appears to be: which human version is in the image of God? In one camp, humans could be routinely demonized by reli­gious and other authorities when carrying a disease now known to occur as a result of infection (i.e., microbes as part of germ theory) [5]. Al-Attas Bradford [5] points out that demonizing microbes can provide religious comfort for this camp. Of course, the problem is that labeling humans with infections as having fallen from grace requires a lack of or incomplete recognition of current multi-spe­cies holobiont reality. As Al-Attas Bradford [5] points out, the single species camp perspective with demonized microbes is convenient because it avoids potentially reformative, science-meets-religion changes concerning the historical image of God. Such a convenient attitude of demonized microbes even prevailed during the recent Covid-19 pandemic [6-10]. But according to Al-Attas Bradford [5] there is also a second pro-microbial Christian theological camp. An alternative view of humanity is that everyone is filled with mi­crobes, in fact trillions of them, and that a holobiont-honored body connected with earth’s other holobionts and vast microbial popu­lations is quite acceptable. Of course, host resistance science sug­gests that holobionts with robust microbiomes are far more likely to avoid germ-produced infections through effective colonization resistance [11-13]. The question then is: will the ongoing micro­biome revolution help to move beyond a theological dogma where “germs” are evil and sanitizers are our savior?

In this mini-review article, we discuss a variety of recent per­spectives on various topics regarding humans with microbes (the human holobiont or human superorganisms) and focus on the spir­itual implications of being mainly-microbial holobionts living in the realm of microbes. We conclude with a view that increased mi­crobe-based holobiont functionality, spiritual awareness, and the pursuit of a seamlessly connected life are a core part of humanity.

Embracing and Utilizing the Cognitive, Quantum Nature of Our Microbes

Primarily during the past decade, several researchers de­scribed the remarkable functional capabilities of microbes such as bacteria. This was recently reviewed by us [4]. Bacteria and other microorganisms are sentient beings possessed with such traits as consciousness, cognition, memory, wired and wireless interking­dom connectivity, shape shifting, holding multiple quantum states, directed sensing and mobility, gene editing capabilities, and exqui­site energy collection, transfer, and production capabilities as well as being masters of environmental sensing and chemical recycling. They are a front-line sensing and defense network for earth as well as for the human body. We previously discussed that going inside via meditation and other contemplative practices can enable us to better connect with the Internet of Microbes via our own human microbiome [9]. This is not a new concept but rather can be traced back to ancient cultures and healing practices such as the Shaman­ic traditions of the Amerindians [14,15]. The fact that mindfulness meditation can produce a demonstrable shift in gut microbiome composition [16] reflects the power of our connection to our mi­crobes, and the fact that we are functionally and possibly spiritu­ally inseparable when whole. This raises the question how whole, human holobiont cognition, memories, communication, intuition, knowledge, and spiritual connection compares with that bounded by the limits of the previously-conceived, single-species human?

In fact, the idea of holobiont wholeness was presented by us in two early microbiome papers. The first paper argued that the best predictive biomarker surrounding birth (a biosemiotics indicator) of a baby’s future health trajectory was a measure of microbiome completeness [17]. A second paper introduced the concept that a lack of effective seeding of the microbiome at birth was the equiv­alent of a birth defect [18], although a potentially correctable birth defect. In light of recent findings about microbe capabilities, failure in microbiome completeness might be expected to affect not only human functionality and wellness but also spiritual connectivity and intuitiveness.

Table 1 illustrates the interconnectedness between human ho­lobiont existence, earth’s microbial populations and functions, and human holobiont spirituality [1,5,9,10,14,15,19-49] (Table 1).

Table 1 illustrates the important evolution of thinking con­cerning not only the fundamental and remarkable nature of mi­crobes, but also the emergence of a spiritual realization regarding the whole human. No longer will our microbes be excluded from theological considerations and spiritual contemplation. Instead, human holobionts in our full multi-species glory can even better walk the spiritual path in physical health and wellness and with full composite-mind contemplative awareness.

Table 1: Spirituality and Functionality Linked to the Microbes.

Figure 1 depicts the newly emerging concepts and language surrounding the realm of the microbes and human holobiont spirituality. Importantly, many different research disciplines have contributed pieces to this view of human holobiont spirituality (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The figure illustrates the various factors that have coalesced within the realm of the microbes that facilitate human holobiont spirituality, wholeness, and wellness.

The Symbiont as the Image of God

Seeing spirituality arise from the physical union of otherwise sterile humans with co-partner microbes is not a hand waving ex­ercise. It is the recognition that the creator God is much more than just sterile humans and many of God’s other creations can be found in the microbe-rich, multi-species us. Among the most comprehen­sive and persuasive tenets for a symbiotic image of God is made by Aminah Al-Attas Bradford, Ph.D. [39]. In her monumental work Symbiotic Grace: Holobiont Theology in the Age of the Microbe, Dr. Al-Attas Bradford makes a strong case for the holobiontic imago dei (image of God) where the imago dei and the microbiome are fully compatible. Several points from the monograph support this tenet:

a. Our microbes make us human inside and beyond and bring more of God’s creations from nature into our bodies.

b. Willingly accepting our microbes as part of us, rewires anthropology shedding homogeneity, division and separation and embraces a multispecies plural way of being and knowing.

c. The image of God is great and needs to be that way. As a solobiont, single-species humans do not have the capacity to reflect the greatness of God that we must do since we are created in God’s image.

We need to be multitudinous. Al-Attas Bradford [39] goes on to discuss how the human holobiont microcosm is not bounded by skin meaning there is no longer an “I” and a “Thou.” She reminds us that there is no isolated self. We are essentially a fluid microcosm of nature with microbes entering and exiting and microbial genes flowing via a river running though us [39]. The monograph consid­ers a myriad of benchmark historic theological thinking and shows how humans as a more comprehensive reflection of God’s creations across nature is consistent with much of the prior thinking. One of Al-Attas Bradford’s closing concepts is that holobiont theology has a huge silver lining: it has the capacity to “teach us to see ourselves as never just ourselves” [39]. Symbiotic grace is both a blessing and a reality in the realm of the microbes.

Other religious and scientific scholars have weighed in on the concept that the human holobiont exists because of a beneficial cre­ative design process. How did ancient archaea contribute to pres­ent day eukaryotic cells as an institutionalized energy source, mi­tochondria? At least one key merger involved ancient archaea [50]. But it is interesting that the original events may have been between two different kinds of prokaryotes. Romero, et al., [51] pointed to the Asgard superphyla of archaea as one of the prokaryote players in fusion and fission processes. Genetically robust prokaryotes ap­pear to have nudged us along a eukaryotic-symbiotic timeline.

In his book This Sacred Life [52], Norman Wirzba discusses the fact that microbes make critical metabolites needed by human holobionts and that we, as holobionts, have been provided with an ecological pharmacy because of our microbial co-partners [52]. Our inherent multi-species nature allows us to ascend to new heights of form, function, and spirituality.

In the following sections, we describe the significant danger that has existed and continues to exist today concerning authori­ty-promoted lifestyles, products, and activities that result in micro­biome degradation and mind-body-spirit weakening.

Considering Microbiome Destruction as Separation from Spirit

In Isaiah 59 verse 2 of the Bible the idea of sin is introduced suggesting that iniquities can separate us from our God by building barriers that impair communication. This raises the possibility that microbiome depletion and degradation in the human holobiont as well as that in the surrounding environment (e.g., the urban built environment) may result in not only human mental and physical disruption/illness but also a loss of communication capacity via the IOM. In the book The Human Superorganism [1], one of this present article’s authors (RRD) posed the question whether at some point, benevolent ancestral humans invited earth’s microorganisms to become squatters in the body in forming the human holobiont or whether the reverse is true: microbes “created” a most wonderful vessel for their future, the human holobiont. This theme was also introduced in a comparison of the earth-connected human super­organism vs. the transhumanistic machine [53]. From this vantage point, the greatest sin might be the separation of the human holo­biont from microbes and as an outcome, from both nature and each other. We become an island depleted both physically and in spirit when we are separated from microbes. This sheds new light on life­styles. The reality is that until recently we humans were not gener­ally aware of the importance of our microbes. The ongoing micro­biome revolution including both microbiome first medicine as well as a return to natural healing strategies has elevated awareness of the significance of the human microbiome surrounding birth and early nurturing. The admonition from Jesus Christ presented in the Gospel of Matthew to come as little children to enter the realm of heaven may give us a new perspective with regard to the critical steps of seeding and feeding the newborn’s microbiome.

A particularly intriguing part of Biblical history with micro­biological implications has been discussed by prominent biblical scholar Mauro Biglino. As listed in Table 1, Chapter 6, section 5 of his book “Gods of the Bible” [36], Biglino covers the anointing pro­cedures required for humans such as Enoch to come into contact with the Elohim. The procedures were quite detailed and had both bathing and scrubbing protocols plus various treatments with a list of quite specific amounts of particular herbs, chemicals, perfumes, and spices. Of note, the ancient text researcher concluded that these treatments were not ritualistic but rather were a practical antimi­crobial protocol necessary to significantly deplete the human of holobiont-associated microbes. As discussed in the next section, human microbiome depletion did not end with direct human-Elo­him interactions. Instead, it has been a major outcome of the past century of Westernized modern life (e.g., medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical innovations.)

An Attack on the Human Holobiont and Ecological Microbes is an Attack on Humanity

If microbiome wholeness is both biologically and spiritually im­portant, then it is important to consider precisely how humanity reached such a massive level of microbiome degradation. Impor­tantly, it was not through what might be termed “informed con­sent.” A lack of public microbiome education was a problem until recently, but a larger problem was the pursuit of microbiome de­stroying practices in most aspects of human life. A first red flag was presented by Dr. Martin Blaser [54] in his landmark book Missing Microbes. There, overuse of antibiotics was identified as a major issue [54]. But the reality is that the entire spectrum of institutional public health produced a primary outcome of microbial destruction [reviewed in 55]. As described by Dietert and Silbergeld [56], the fundamental problem was that safety testing as designed and reg­ulated by the government was not designed to protect the microbi­ome [56], and there are many sources of authority-approved drugs and chemicals that can damage the microbiome [57]. The trans­gression by authorities ranged from purportedly safe and effective, approved common drugs that were subsequently shown to be mi­crobial toxins (e.g., NSAIDs and proton pump inhibitors [58,59]) to the equally approved microbe killers among massively-distributed agricultural chemicals (e.g., pesticides [60]), processed food (e.g., food emulsifiers [61]), household chemicals (e.g., cleaning products and personal care products [62,63]) and infant products (bisphenol A in baby bottles and nipples [64,65]). A conclusion is that what might well be the greatest sin of erecting spiritual barriers was not a choice by humanity but rather was thrust upon an unsuspecting holobiont populace.

Conclusion

While there is much we are still learning about planet earth, it is clear that our planet is, above all, a realm of microorganisms. Microbes are the predominate planetary lifeform, and they are per­vasive among more complex organisms (e.g., holobionts). For the newborn baby, a healthier life is one filled with majority microbial co-partners forming a SOC intelligence with tangible benefits, phys­iological systems programmed for effective function, longevity, col­onization resistance that is our front line of defense, useful circadi­an clocks, and a capacity to overcome fear when needed. Ancient healing practices affect microbial populations. Sound, light, electric, and magnetic frequencies and fields affect the microbes. In reality they are our sentinels.

We are connected to earth’s microbes in other holobionts and ecosystem communities via the IOM. The information flows micro­bially though nanowires and wireless communication. It is there for the taking once we are made aware of and focus on this net­work. When the spiritual meets the biological/microbiological, “gut instincts” can be seen as part of spiritual guidance for the human holobiont. Our immersion in microbes can be seen as a form of spir­itual medicine [66].

As is shown in Table 1 and visually represented in Figure 1, the microbiome revolution has ushered in many changes in our per­spectives regarding the human body and human functional and spiritual life. Part of this shift in perspective is not only viewing microbes as technology-laden, sentient, co-partner beings but also in recognizing microbes as central to humanity’s divine connection to spirit. Theologians from many different backgrounds and faiths are now traveling the path of microbe-inclusive spirituality (Table 1). This is epitomized by the work of Dr. Amimah Al-Attas Bradford [39].

This mini-review article is intended to:

a. Facilitate a deeper appreciation of humanity and its multi-species nature and

b. Illustrate that as multi-species beings, we readily connect with spirit and grace thanks in large part to our microbes.

Author Contributions

R.R.D. performed much of the research for the table and the figure and drafted the first version of the manuscript. A portion of the spiritual-related research was contributed by J.M.D. who also edited the manuscript. Both authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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