by Grimm

It’s probably one of the simplest questions, yet one of the hardest to answer. It is the one question feared in school which turned a simple “Yes or No question” into a dreaded multipage “Essay of Doom.”

Why does this simple three-letter word cause so many hang-ups? Probably because it forces the answerer to not only answer, but to back up their answers with why they think the way they do. It is really easy to answer a question. It is much harder to really sit down and think about the underlying reasons of why you chose to answer the question the way you did.

It is so much easier to say “I like tigers.” But it take so much more work (and thought) to figure out the reasons behind that. Usually, in this fast food, microwave, express-lane, 15-minutes-or-it’s-free world, the reason is a quick “I don’t know, I just do.” Little time is spent on the underlying reasons that motivate our decisions and actions in this Go-Go-Go world of forward thinking and progress.

It takes time for someone to understand that they might like tigers not only because they are appealing to look at, being so big, soft, and cuddly, but also for the power, grace, and strength they represent. Our minds think in symbols and shapes. We attach meaning and emotion to those symbols and shapes, from the shape of letters which make up a word, to the shape of objects and creatures. But all of this underlying subconscious meaning to why we think the way we do is pushed back into obscurity. It’s left for other people to ponder. Psychologists, psychiatrists, philosophers and others make careers of this type of thinking. Common folk can’t seem to be bothered with it.

What does this have to do with spiritual belief? Well, when that type of thinking is brought from day-to-day life into the more abstract world of metaphysical thinking and spiritual belief, the same quick answers to questions are still found without people figuring out why they believe the way they do. The methodology of that thinking becomes habitual. The answer may be fully believed in, and many other beliefs can be based off that initial belief, but it can all be based on shaky foundations because of the hollow means of arriving at that belief. Of course not everyone who has spiritual beliefs makes quick decisions. Many conclusions are reached after careful deliberation. And arguably, the first and most important question to deliberate should be “Why?” Why do you believe the way you do? What brought you to that conclusion? Where did you get the evidence that supports your belief? Why did you choose one belief over another? What about it makes more sense than the others? There are many more questions related to that root question of “Why?” And with each newly discovered answer to a question, a new series of questions probing deeper and deeper into the meaning of the first question should arise.

Many who are secure in their beliefs have answered many of these questions. Many who are not secure in their beliefs may have answered some of the branching questions, but have overlooked the foundation: the base question. Many times they have no answer for it, and so get intimidated when someone asks them about it. It would be like shaking the table upon which a house of cards is constructed.

However, there is a misconception that “Why” is a vicious three-lettered attack, when in fact it is more of a teaching tool. When asking why someone thinks the way they do, it in no way is discounting, discrediting, or mocking the person in question. It is in fact giving the person an opportunity to explain and clarify their views to not only the person asking…but to themselves too!

Going back to easy, quick spoon-fed thinking, it is easy to get to a certain point and simply stop. The stopping point can be elaborated on but usually no further exploration is pursued. Spiritual exploration is something that there is nver a stopping point, as we all learn and grow. There is always some unanswered question. In fact, there usually seems to be more unanswered questions than answered ones. And when you add a margin of error into the mix, the questions never seem to stop.

One other possibility the question of “Why” is so feared, is that it might reveal that we are incorrect in our thinking. We don’t ever like to realize that we’ve made a wrong decision. And that fact is only compounded when you take into account the importance of the subject of inner exploration and spirituality. We don’t like to know that we’ve potentially wasted our time, and have to backtrack and admit to others and ourselves that we were incorrect in our thinking. It is so much easier to feel like you’re right, than to have to go back and seriously look at where you might be wrong.

There are many benefits of doing the inner self exploration to answer the elusive question of “Why?”. When you understand the answer to why you believe the way you do, you can understand the concept from the inside out. A whole new level of understanding, and perspective on future inner exploration can be brought into view. Once you understand the underlying foundations of your belief, then any questioning becomes not an attack, but food for thought and possible lines of exploration which you may not have thought of before. Also, as you examine the bedrock on which all your other beliefs will be based, it gives you the opportunity to discard other ideas and theories which might have been lingering, but no longer are relevant. Ideas which were kept around “just in case” or as a side chance. These things can cause conflicing confusion and inner doubt, and when finally discarded, a clean slate of orderly belief is in place. Much like cleaning out an old closet full of unused junk and past trinkets no longer of importance, and organizing the remaining objects into an logical orderly fashion, a whole new outlook and self conficence in oneself can be accomplished.

In today’s society it isn’t politically correct to question anyone. It’s seen as challenging their beliefs, passing judgment on them, or trying to disprove their belief structure. Accusations of questioning a person’s beliefs, insensitiviy towards someone who may be trying to cope with their new beleifs, passing judgment on others, and attempting to “tear the person down” for their own gain, all abound. Some of those accuations may come from others in a community, and some of them may even come from the person being questioned. Many who are new to their beliefs are intimidated by the enormity of the consequences of that simple question, “Why?”. Many times they shy away from those who ask or they respond behind the shield of hostility to avoid answering the question. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the fundamental question remains unanswered.

When one takes these questions head on, they will find that they instead of trying to *fit into* a belief structure, they can explore who they are. And as along as they are truthful to themselves in answering those questions, they will find a belief which will naturally *fit them* instead of them trying to fit into something already pre-existing. Existing belief structures will not mold your belief system, if you answer the hard questions of Why, When, Where, How (etc.) early on and mold your belief system yourself.

Exploring the past and worrying about the future are pointless when you don’t understand who you are in the present.