April 2019 - Compassion Group Notes

Asking Questions – Spiritual Practice

 “When we become aware of a questioning within ourselves, it is a searching for something deeper and more expansive. The question is always pointing to that truth we are resisting and wanting at the same time.”

  ~Charisse Lyons

 For many of us, as children, the impulse to learn, question, find out, investigate, go after an understanding with tenacity was squelched very young with shaming and ridicule.

 And now as an adult how often has something been said in a conversation that you did not understand, and you just pretended you do understand?  How hard is it to say, “I don’t understand what you are saying, could you please clarify?” How hard is it to acknowledge, “I don’t know.” How ambivalent do you now feel about asking a question, revealing your unknowing, taking the risk in a group, or even formulating what question to ask? What ego resistance kicks in. – the little voice that says, “be careful, you are going to sound stupid. You are going to be shamed…” Your ambivalence is itself is defense. For more … Read here