When I think about the divide between science and spirituality, I don’t see conflict—I see a yin-yang. In the same way, the black swirl of the yin carries a dot of white, and the white swirl of the yang carries a dot of black, so science and spirituality balance each other. They’re two different ways of understanding the same thing: life itself.
In my latest episode of The Tragedy Academy Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Crystal Cassidy, CEO and founder of SoulPod. This app bridges spiritual wellness with community support. Crystal’s life has been shaped by her ability to walk both sides of that yin-yang—decades of work in biotech and pharmaceuticals balanced with a deep spiritual practice in meditation, Reiki, and kundalini yoga.
It was a powerful conversation about how science and spirituality overlap and how staying grounded in both can help us unlock our true potential.
The Yin-Yang of Spirituality and Science
As Crystal and I talked, I kept returning to this idea: you can’t live fully on one side of the yin-yang. Science provides the structure—the studies, the data, the tools—while spirituality provides the intuition, the faith, and the inner work. To thrive, you need to honor both, and that means leaving space for the “dot” of the other side of your life.
Crystal brought up something that resonated deeply with me. She said she sees science and spirituality as different ways of describing the same existence. She shared how her scientific work—studying genomics and the nervous system—gave her a deep appreciation for the mystery of life. At the same time, her spiritual practices gave her the tools to explore that mystery on a personal level.
It hit me: we all have this opportunity to embrace both sides. But it takes work to stay grounded. It’s easy to lose yourself in the numbers or to drift too far into the clouds. The real magic happens when you find the balance.
SoulPod: A Bridge Between Worlds
Crystal created SoulPod for people who are seeking that balance. It’s a spiritual wellness app, but it’s more than guided meditations or daily affirmations. It’s a community-driven platform that supports people wherever they are on their spiritual journey.
Here’s what makes it stand out:
•Custom Practices: SoulPod offers personalized 30-day pathways with breathwork, mantras, and meditation designed to help you dig deep.
•Small Pods: You’re not alone on your journey. SoulPod connects you with 3–10 like-minded individuals to support each other through growth.
•Balanced Perspective: It’s not all “woo”—SoulPod integrates modern neuroscience and quantum physics into its practices, grounding the spiritual in the practical.
Crystal told me about how isolating her spiritual awakening was. That inspired her to create this space—a place where you can be curious and connected.
Staying Curious and Grounded
One of my favorite conversations was when Crystal talked about curiosity. She described it as nature’s purest intuition. When we approach life with the curiosity of a child, we strip away the noise of expectations and start to see our truths.
Curiosity keeps us grounded in that yin-yang balance. It reminds us to ask questions about what we don’t understand, whether through the lens of science or spirituality.
For me, this idea of staying curious felt like a call to action—not just for myself, but for all of us. Crystal’s work with SoulPod is about creating that space for people to explore with curiosity, connect with others, and trust their path.
The Infinite Rollercoaster of Awakening
If there’s one thing I took away from my conversation with Crystal, it’s this: awakening isn’t a destination. It’s an ongoing process, like peeling back layers of an onion—or riding a rollercoaster that never stops.
Crystal said it best: awakening is about realizing you’re on the ride. Some people around you might still be asleep to it, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to “wake up” and be done. The goal is to keep peeling back those layers, riding the ups and downs, and growing.
Pizza, Anyone? A Fresh Take on Science and Spirituality
Let me revisit the metaphor I shared during my conversation with Crystal Cassidy: spirituality is pizza. This metaphor might reshape how you view the relationship between science, spirituality, and the shared human experience.
The Pizza: The Human Experience
Think of a pizza as the totality of human experience. Its round shape represents wholeness, symbolizing our shared journey through life. The crust provides structure, holding everything together, while the toppings bring variety and flavor.
Pizza isn’t just one thing—it’s a combination of ingredients, flavors, and preparation methods. Similarly, the human experience is layered, complex, and interpreted differently by everyone.
Science: The Study of Pizza
Science is the curious chef in the kitchen. It studies the pizza, asking questions like:
•How is it made?
•What are its ingredients?
•What happens when dough rises?
•Why does heat transform raw toppings into something delicious?
Science provides the “how” and “why” of pizza. It examines the processes, the chemistry, and the structure. Science is methodical—it breaks down the pizza into measurable parts, analyzing how flour becomes crust or why cheese melts at a specific temperature.
But while science can explain how pizza exists, it doesn’t describe what it tastes like or what it means to share a slice with someone. That’s where spirituality comes in.
Spirituality and Religion: The Flavor of Experience
If science is the study of pizza, spirituality, and religion are the flavors—the toppings—that make the human experience unique and personal.
Each slice of pizza has its combination of toppings, just as each culture, religion, or spiritual practice offers its own perspective on life. Some slices are bold and spicy (pepperoni), others are rich and grounding (mushrooms), and some are surprising and divisive (pineapple—you know who you are).
But the toppings, like spirituality and religion, are deeply tied to culture, geography, and history just as toppings evolved to reflect the ingredients available in different regions, our spiritual and religious beliefs have been shaped by where we live and how we’ve grown.
For example, a pizza topped with seafood might be from a coastal region, while one covered in olives and feta reflects Mediterranean roots. Similarly, different religions and spiritual practices reflect the unique environments, challenges, and needs of the people who developed them.
No matter how different the toppings may seem, they all rest on the same round pizza of human experience.
The Oven and the Process: The How of Creation
And what about the oven, the heat, the process that turns raw dough and ingredients into something nourishing? This represents the forces of creation and transformation, the universal truths that underlie existence.
Science often steps in to explain these processes—the chemistry of heat, the molecular changes that make bread rise or cheese melt. It can measure the temperature of the oven or the time it takes for a crust to bake.
But just as the oven doesn’t define the entire taste of the pizza, science doesn’t capture the personal, emotional, and spiritual meaning we assign to life.
All Slices Point Back to the Same Origin
Here’s where it gets fascinating: just like every slice of pizza starts with the same dough, humanity shares the same origins.
We all come from the same “kitchen”—call it the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, or the cradle of civilization. The pizza of human experience started in one place, and as we spread across the world, the flavors changed.
The further we moved from the original oven, the more our toppings evolved. But they're all connected no matter how far we’ve come or how different our slices look. They all point back to the same dough, the same oven, the same universal human experience.
Science and Spirituality: Two Ways of Savoring the Pizza
Here’s the heart of the metaphor: science and spirituality aren’t at odds—they’re complementary. They’re just two different ways of understanding and experiencing pizza.
•Science says:
•“This pizza was made with flour, water, yeast, and salt.”
•“The oven was set to 450 degrees.”
•“The cheese melted because of a chemical reaction.”
•It explains how the pizza came to be.
•Spirituality says:
•“This pizza tastes like home.”
•“Sharing this slice connects me to my family and my culture.”
•“This flavor reminds me of something bigger than myself.”
•It describes what the pizza means and how it makes us feel.
Both perspectives are valid and necessary. Science provides the structure and method; spirituality adds meaning and flavor. Together, they create a fuller understanding of the pizza and life.
Why This Matters
This metaphor reminds us that, despite our differences, we all share the same pizza. We might argue over the toppings or the right way to bake it, but when you zoom out, you see that every slice comes from the same pie.
By embracing both science and spirituality, we can appreciate the structure and flavor, the how and the why, the universal and the personal. We don’t have to choose one over the other—they work together to create the rich, layered experience of being human.
The Crust:
So, whether you’re into pepperoni, mushrooms, or pineapple, remember this: it’s all pizza. Each slice points back to the same dough, oven, and shared origin that brought us here.
And then there’s the crust—that final bite. Some people savor it, appreciating the simplicity after all the toppings are gone. Others toss it aside or hand it off to their dog, like my Riley. But even if you leave it on your plate, the crust is still part of the pizza. It’s the foundation that carried the whole experience from start to finish.
The key is to enjoy every bite, stay curious about the recipe, and appreciate the flavors that make each slice unique. Because at the end of the day, whether you eat the crust or not, we’re all eating from the same pizza. 🍕
Final Thoughts
Life is ultimately about balance. Whether you lean toward science, spirituality, or something in between, the key is to stay grounded and curious.
Crystal’s app, SoulPod, is a beautiful example of what happens when we embrace both sides of the yin-yang. It’s a space for self-discovery, connection, and growth—a reminder that we don’t have to walk this path alone.
As I wrapped up this episode, I found myself asking the same question I’ll leave with you:
💬 How can you stay curious and grounded in your journey?
🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Tragedy Academy Podcast with Crystal Cassidy now: www.thetragedyacademy.com
