CURIOSITY: A Path to Personal Evolution

Franciscan priest, Father Richard Rohr, makes this statement when reflecting on St. Francis’ prayer: “Who are you, O God, and who am I?” When I first began my personal journey of evolution, Deepak Chopra prompted the same question, “Who am I?”, when going into meditation. It may seem silly to ask such a question and, for a long time, I thought it was silly. Of course I know who I am – I’m ME!

The interesting thing about curiosity is, it comes with some unique characteristics when fully embraced. By its very nature, curiosity fosters receptivity. It’s an active acknowledgment that there is something beyond our limited perspective. There’s a softening when we embrace curiosity that, without even trying, seems to circumvent the judgmental mind.

To the point Fr. Rohr is making in the quote above, we seldom start asking questions before we have reached a point in our lives when our “knowing mind” has exhausted all its resources. The point where ego-based knowing begins to be confronted with the fact that it may not know is where we begin asking questions without an agenda of proving what we think we know is correct. The questions that come from this humble seeking are, what I believe to be, the grace-filled questions that Fr. Rohr is talking about.

It’s from within this space of humble seeking that we cross the threshold from egoic knowing into a state of faith. At the deepest parts of faith there is a knowing, but it’s the knowing that knows it doesn’t know and is able to Surrender to the paradox.

Whether you have embarked on a personal journey of evolution or not, I encourage you to practice asking questions that challenge you to open to a bigger, more inclusive version of reality. While I can appreciate the reference for this post is based on Christian teachings, my hope is that you can implement the wisdom of adopting a curious mind without any expectation of what insights will arise for you. Afterall, that’s what Your Individual EvoLution Directive (YIELD) is all about – learning to trust and follow your own path. It doesn’t matter where the wisdom or inspiration comes from, if it resonates with you, you can use it without being tethered to its source.

NOTE: While Fr. Richard Rohr is a Franciscan priest, he seems to embody the spirit of a Christian Mystic. If you are interested in exploring this reSOURCE further, you can visit this website for the Center for Action and Contemplation founded by Fr. Rohr.