The spiritual quest

What is the spiritual quest? The spiritual quest is indeed an inward journey that forces us to traverse uncomfortable territory. And it forces us to bring our darkness to the light. It is a journey of self-confrontation and self-examination, and it is riddled with regret, questions, self-doubt, and confusion. When we begin an individual examination of the self, it is necessary to come to terms with our past decisions, our past mistakes, moments when we have been unable to forgive someone, and mainly, unable to forgive ourselves. We further must come to grips with opportunities we did not take simply because of fear of failure.

This exploration of the spirit-self is an arduous one. Standing alone in the mirror and addressing the self is courageous, but also gut wrenching. There are moments when our soul is filled with disappointment and sadness and of course, what-ifs. However, this is not meant to be a treatise on sadness and regret, but rather a proposition for you to have the audacity to be courageous while on your spiritual odyssey of self-examination.

During the beginning stages of our incarnation, we are taught how to think, what to believe, how to act, how to respond, etc. Our mental framework for living here on this plane is structured by the fears of many and mainly by the fears of the ones we love the most. Thus, the path we take, the decisions that we make are derived from these beliefs until we have the courage to confront ourselves. Thus, the spiritual quest begins when we have the courage to question, the courage to seek, and the courage to believe in ourselves and LOVE ourselves fearlessly.

It is usually during periods of loss and strive where we are forced to make an inward journey and examine ourselves honestly to find understanding. And upon self-reflection we must face some ugly truths about ourselves and how our identity has been constructed and how we have allowed the truths and beliefs of other to create the foundation of our very own system of thought. The inward journey begins in a frightening moment of courageous self-honesty. And in that moment, God is there. The spirit of God is not there to act as judge, jury, and executioner, but rather it is there to stand beside you to unravel the hidden truth of yourself.

The inward journey not only requires self- confrontation, but self-forgiveness. As you unburden years of regret, unforgiveness, mistakes, and disappointments, you truly unravel the marvel that is your spirit. Seeking inwardly, you will learn that you are not your body, you are not your mistakes, you are not your humiliation, and you are not your pain. Your experiences are all fodder for the fire that strengthens your spirit.

The inward journey is truly a quest of self-understanding, and again, this is uncomfortable. However, by braving our own fears and accepting our faults, we come closer to the truth of who we are and who we are not. Therefore, the spiritual quest, by seeking within, and by confronting the marauding external self, is really a quest for understanding our identity.

This is the first part of a conversation I was having with a good friend of mine and this is obviously incomplete, but it will continue throughout the upcoming months as I do a deeper dive into this question. I welcome all comments and questions!