Questioning
"Answers do not come without the Questions"
Introduction
Defining Questioning
Questioning is the act of asking for information about something that one does know well.
In this article, we will look at questioning in two parts.
Firstly, we will look at why it is important to question. And then we will explore the Suffering States of the Mind one can experience when one fears to question.
Questioning In Depth
Just because the Majority thinks that something is right, doesn't make it right.
It can be common for people to live their lives following what other people are doing, for instance, working 5 days a week, getting married, having kids, from following the latest fashion trends down to following the national diet, and so forth.
After all, if everyone else is doing the same thing, it must be right...right?
Ultimately, the experiences we go through in life will reveal to us that just because something is voted and done by the majority, it doesn't mean that it is "right."
For instance, most people drink and smoke, are these the right things to do?
Most people don't exercise and meditate, should we follow them too?
All the colleagues in the workplace work overtime without getting paid, should we do the same?
Should we not live with our parents and live outside like everyone? How about the way we talk to people? Should we be polite all the time and try not to disagree with others because that's what everyone's doing?
At the end of the day, how one wishes to live their lives is one's own choice. So, if one wishes to follow the mainstream way of living, then there's nothing inherently wrong with it.
But when we simply follow what everyone's doing, we can forget to question whether or not it is the life we want. By asking more questions, it can help one to become aware of one's deeper desires and thoughts—allowing one to discover the unique parts of one's individuality that sets one apart from everyone else.
And the more one questions about their life, the more one will discover just how different one is to everyone else. Sometimes, one can even feel out of place from such a discovery. This is completely natural because we are all born unique, each with different life journeys. And that feeling will gradually disappear the more one learns to accept themselves and others for who they are.
So, it's normal to question the way you are living your life because that will help you to discover the answers to the question:
"Who Am I?"
Discover your own Truth
Importance
Importance Of Addressing Issues To Do With Questioning
To question is about being responsible for ourselves.
When we stop questioning ourselves for our perspective on things, we can easily take the wrong paths in life by following other people's footsteps. When we veer off our true path, it will take us on an unfulfilling journey, a journey of stagnation rather than growth.
Are you following your own path or are you following others?
To know what one truly desires and what experiences one needs for the betterment of one's mind and soul will require one to develop Self-Awareness—the awareness of one's inner world—to know how one is feeling and thinking in every moment throughout the day. It is by developing this awareness one can become aware of the deeper desires that are happening inside when one is faced with the need to make choices in life.
When we lack this awareness, we can find it difficult to form opinions on the things that happen in life. Without this awareness, we can fall into the belief that "we just don't care" and give out opinions half-heartedly when in fact we are just not aware of our own feelings.
When we continuously follow others without attempting to question how we feel, we can develop a habit of such patterns and become disconnected with ourselves more and more with time.
It's only by questioning that we can become aware of what we truly desire. And in following that desire is how we can get back on the path of our own life journey, a journey towards greater happiness and fulfilment.
Are you scared to question?
Questioning is also important for Self-Knowing.
Through questioning, the Suffering States of the mind can be brought out into the light for one to study and address. One can then become aware of the Inner Resistance that is stopping one from questioning, i.e. the fears of rejection, embarrassment, failing, and so forth, helping one to become aware of the greater work that needs to be done to transform these suffering states of mind, i.e. to develop greater self-confidence, trust, belief, and so forth.
Finding and working on the suffering states of the mind will provide an even straighter path on one's journey towards greater happiness. This path can be discovered through simply following one's true desires.
Path Of Creator
Questioning In Relation To The Path Of Creator
The journey of learning to question is a journey of Self-Knowing.
It is also a journey that will help one to learn about Trust. When we trust too much in what others say, we can forget to trust ourselves too. And when we trust ourselves too much, we can forget to listen to other people's advice and expand our perspective.
So, it can be a confusing journey of learning who to trust and how much to trust on the journey of Self-Transformation.
Such confusions can arise when we only look at our journey from the level of Actions. If we learn to look at the journey from a Reaction level then the path can become clearer.
One will realize that the greater work is done in the mind, in addressing the fears of questioning others, of learning to trust others and learning to trust ourselves at the state of mind. I.e. to be more open to new ideas rather than closed. To develop the courage to question when one feels the deep desire to. To follow through with one's deeper desires when one becomes aware of them.
So, the greater work is about transforming one's fears and developing Self-Belief.
One's journey of Self-Transformation begins and progresses through developing awareness of one's inner world and carrying that awareness every moment.
Usually, the wisdom to question often only arises when one has faced countless hardships from failing to question, i.e. losing money from following other people's advice, doing something wrong from following other people's instructions, getting sick from following the wrong diet, and so forth.
Although life can be full of these negative experiences, they are spiritual in the sense that it helps one to develop the deeper desire to question about themselves and the world. If life only contained positive experiences, then one will never be nudged to question and Know themselves.
As the seed cause for all suffering states of the mind come from our Negative Beliefs, let us look at a Negative Idea to explore the ways to transform the suffering states of the mind even further.
A Possible Negative Idea
"It is not ok to doubt"
→I reject myself and others when I am/they are doubting.
→ There will be fear when I appear to doubt because it is not ok.
When the mind is attached to such a declaration, the mind will feel uneasy in doubting others.
The journey of developing Self-Acceptance is about transforming the Negative Idea from "It is not ok to doubt" -> "It is ok to doubt"
The transition towards the positive declaration begins when one realizes that it is ok to doubt.
The wisdom for transitioning is the realization that clarity can only come when one asks questions.
On the journey, one will learn much about the lessons of Love. One will realize that when Love is directed excessively outwards, one can lack the Love for oneself. In striving to love others too much, one can end up fearing hurting other people and become attached to ideas on what one should and should not do to others, i.e. being doubtful of others.
It is only when one learns to love oneself as well, that one will reach an inner balance and this will help one to transform the negative idea. See Catalyst - Direction Of Love to understand more.
With a transformed mind, one will be able to love others and oneself no matter if the wrong information is given or received. One will no longer doubt others in negativity but rather out of the desire to know more about what one does not know.
The journey is balanced through moving also towards the opposite declaration—"It is ok to not doubt".
Know and Transform The Self!
Reading articles helps with understanding, but to transform the mind, one realizes the truth from experience.
For such an enlightening journey, the Self-Transformation Course has everything you will ever need!
