After participating as both facilitater and facilitated, many, many times, I’ve come to see that it is almost indescribable how incredibly powerful the inquiry is as a transformational tool. I am continually and increasingly amazed at the efficacy of meeting and seeing through every kind of circumstance, emotion, identification—heck, there isn’t anything that can’t be rendered transparent or unfindable. It is a way of bringing awareness itself to the task at hand, whatever that may be.

And bringing presence to bear is the key to all of it. Addiction? Neither the addict nor the one with willpower to quit can be found. Surrender to that higher power. Relationship issues? The issues themselves are unfindable, but allowing presence to meet the emotions engendered changes everything. Money as a problem? It’s not the money, nor the value of objects, people, or services at issue, but the inability, if not the impossibility, of being positional on matters of value or worth. If that sounds strange or counterintuitive, try looking for the unworthy and/or the valuable. All such distinctions disappear in the gentle light of inquiry.

After sitting with what seemed to be a very uncomfortable sensation with another facilitator recently, it was amazing to watch the mind try to add drama, story, labels, and self-importance over and over again to what was ultimately only a sensation that came and went. The surprising thing was that what showed up didn’t necessarily seem like a loving presence. It felt completely impersonal. A friend recently described the inquiry as “efficient.” That nails the way the experience unfolded. It’s like the homeostasis of the body, an incredibly efficient system. I had an image of white blood cells, hands to imaginary mouths, crying, “Oh, no!” and rushing off in a panic to the nearest point of infection. The body doesn’t work that way. Life doesn’t work that way. In this, the inquiries are effective in the same way that a completely calm nurse or EMT enters into a catastrophic situation. It’s get ‘er done, without much fanfare. That kind of equanimity is a rare kind of love.
Much Ado About Nothing ~ Shakespeare