Spiritual Growth and the Gift of Confusion

Although it is often distressing to feel confused aboutsituation?"
what next step to take on your spiritual growth path,(An example of a not-so-high-quality/problem-oriented
the mental state of confusion is actually a higher stateversion would be: "Whose fault is this and what is the
of consciousness than being certain of your beliefsbest punishment for that person?")
and spiritual principles.- Rich and juicy high quality questions almost always
Feeling confused or "lost" is actually a signal that youstart with "what" or "how" and are crafted around
are about to be given the opportunity to take a bigcreating a desired outcome, as opposed to "why"
leap forward in your spiritual growth. That is, you arequestions, that are usually focused on examining what
being given the opportunity to become even more ofwent wrong and trying to prevent it from happening
your Authentic Self, living your life On Purpose, whileagain. (This sometimes falls into the category of locking
experiencing more Joy and less struggle in your life.the barn door after the horse has been stolen, or
Confusion is a red light that is telling you to STOP!crying over spilled milk, if I may use a few well known
LOOK! and LISTEN! It is telling you that you areclichés.)
reaching a crossroad, a place where a vital decision- They are created with certainty that you will receive
will be made. The decision you make at this crossroadthe answer, usually in the most delightful, and magical
will either move you forward or set you back, or as isways.
the case with a railroad crossing where one does notNOTE: Answers come from all kinds of sources:
heed the signals, you will get run over!billboards, a song on the radio, an off-hand remark
The gift of confusion is that it creates an opening forfrom a friend, dreams, personal insight/light bulb
you to look at things in a new way. This confusion canmoments, and so on.
be a catalyst to wake up to knowing more of who5. You must have a distraction-free quiet space in your
you are at a spiritual level.life to recognize the answers when they come.
(As an aside, it is good to remember that not making aCreate quiet space by driving in silence once in a while
decision, is the same as making a decision to stay withinstead of turning on the car radio. Occasionally find a
the status quo. The problem with that tactic is if youquiet, secluded place for lunch instead of meeting
are not making a decision about what you want andfriends in the company cafeteria. Take time for a
taking action to claim it, the Universe will give yousoaking bath instead of a quick shower. You get the
leftovers . . . cold leftovers . . . ugh!)idea.
Here are 5 tips to move through confusion:If you set your intention to create quiet space to hear
1. Acknowledge that the confusion is a good thing. It isanswers, the Universe will provide you with practical
a gift that is moving you closer to being your Authenticoptions.
Self where you can experience more joy and lessThe best thing about confusion is its ability to move
struggle in your life.you forward. The danger is in getting stuck in it by not
2. Make some quiet time to contemplate and formulateseeing it for the opportunity that it is for spiritual growth.
a rich and juicy high quality question that will lead youNot opening your mind to seeing things in a new way
out of confusion and into greater understanding ofwill keep you going in circles until you get a bigger
who you are and what your purpose is. ("Why me?" iswake up call to get your attention.
not a rich and juicy question.)The bigger the wake up call, the bigger the "ouch" it
3. Carefully crafted high-quality questions producecontains. It is so much less painful to pay attention early
enormously useful high-quality answers.on!
4. Rich and juicy high quality questions contain theTake these 5 tips to heart and put them into action. I
following elements:guarantee your fog of confusion will lift and you will be
- They are focused on the solution, or desiredon your way to living your life On Purpose, with more
outcome, not the problem. For example: "What actionsJoy and less struggle.
can I take to bring peace and harmony to this