It’s an odd question, but one well worth investigating. For many, the inspiration to explore the spiritual path can oftentimes come out of a sense of disillusionment with life or feeling that our current path is turning out to be the wrong one. Many go onto the spiritual path in the hopes of finding answers and a sense of security that does not appear to exist in their current circumstances. By embarking on the spiritual journey, there is a chance of perhaps being found “righteous” by virtue of the exploration, or at least feeling as though we are on “the right path” as opposed to being “off-the-mark” and thus a failure.
For some, this is motivated by what they fear may happen to them after death: being judged by God or having a bad Life Review by spiritual guides or the nature of the Self (and aren’t we always our own worst critics?).
For centuries, due to biblical or some other religious tradition, we have learned to look at the various roads we travel as either being “right” or “wrong” avenues in the experiences of life. In other words, you are either “saved” or “doomed” or are a “saint” or a “sinner.” Through this kind of centuries-old perception (and do I dare say “indoctrination”) we are taught to look upon our journey through a lens of black/white, right/wrong.
But isn’t the spiritual journey really about uncovering what is True?
Now, Truth – with a capital “T” – isn’t connected with the value perceptions we have created. Real “Truth” transcends such judgments; rather, it expresses what IS. Therefore, when it comes to the spiritual path, what is your motivation for the journey? Is it because you want to be “right” versus “wrong,” or to discover what is True – beyond all such value judgements and other filters?
You see, when you get down into uncovering Truth, the nature of WHAT IS, you begin to peel away various filters that get in the way. This is not to say that concepts of “right” and “wrong” are not valid, or that we shouldn’t be moral or empathetic to others. However, when we stick too tightly to a perception of always wanting to be “right,” it can lead to having a more closed mind to what TRULY IS, as certain things may become “too risky” to even observe and could potentially lead one into “temptation” or “down the wrong path.” Wanting to always be “right” can make one blind to what really IS.
Truth – in this sense – is transcendent to those kinds of value judgments.
When you begin to look for what is True – WHAT IS – you begin to see such concepts of duality disappear. Also, in being present to what IS, you also see something amazing: The unbroken oneness of Life and Being. You become aware of the ongoing workings of Life through the expression of Nature, Being, and how it is all cooperative – balancing and reacting in a kind of harmony transcendent of “right/wrong” values, but rather indicative of Universal Love that embraces all things.
Isn’t this what we are hoping to uncover and experience by taking the spiritual path?
Perhaps for some, yes. Perhaps for others, no.
What is your motivation?
For me, I’m starting to wonder if I’m on a “spiritual” path. I don’t know. I think I’m rather on a Truth-Finding Path, which happens to have spirituality included within it. For isn’t the path of uncovering one’s spirit about trying to discover what is True within one’s self – and hopefully, by extension, the rest of the universe?
I do it because I want to understand what IS … not because I want to be “right” versus being “wrong.”
How about you? Like I said at the beginning, it’s an odd question, but one well worth investigating. You might even surprise yourself with what you find!