Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
New Visions
Do You Already Hold the Key to The Answers You Seek?

Do You Already Hold the Key to The Answers You Seek?

Last updated on: April 10, 2024 at 6:57 pm by Tom Rapsas

0 Comments

Do You Already Hold the Key to The Answers You Seek? 2024-04-10T18:57:16-06:00 Tom Rapsas

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Daryn Stumbaugh via Unsplash

This is one of the 112 stories included in my new book Wake Up Call: Daily Insights for the Spiritually Curious.

Have you ever had a tough decision to make, and you just can’t figure out what to do or where to turn? While we can tend to look outside ourselves for guidance—to friends, family members or even self-help books—0ften the answers we need are found a little closer to home.

In The Benevolent Universe, The Story of Your Unique Genius, Dana Drake puts forward a unique and powerful theory: any problems we have, any issues or big life questions we face, can all be solved by one person alone. You. In her words, “We are designed to know everything we wish to know,” including our purpose in life.

It’s Drake’s assertion that we’ve been given all the life tools we need by a Universe that “is not only kind, it is generous, forgiving and staggeringly compassionate.” Which raises several questions, including: If the Universe has given us these tools, why don’t we intuitively know about them? And why do we struggle so mightily to navigate the many choices life presents us?

The problem for many of us: we put our ego in charge.

Drake writes that one reason we may perceive the Universe as being silent is our own human ego, “the ugly, hard shell of stories and behaviors we embody to protect our culture, our ideas, our beliefs.” She goes on to identify the ego as “the false, lesser self,” one that represses our soul’s connection to the higher, universal self.

As a result, we miss out on the guidance the Universe has to offer and “our lives become exercises in wake-up calls, where environmental factors such as divorce, accidents, or bankruptcy begin the self-reflection and awakening.” But ideally, we want to be able to bypass the more troubling “wake-up calls” of life. We want to be in a place where we make smart decisions from the get-go, where our actions are aligned with our purpose in life.

**We need to function from a place of knowing before doing.**

How do we do this? By tapping into a state of consciousness that Drake refers to as “genius.” While we often use this phrase to describe brilliant minds like Einstein or Marie Curie, she believes we all have the ability to access the genius within. That’s because it’s a trait given not just to a select few, but to everyone—a gift from the Universe. In Drake’s words: “Genius is simply our purest, most genuine self, manifesting that which comes effortlessly for each of us.”

The key to accessing this inner knowledge may be getting into a “zero state.”

Drake uses the phrase “the zero state” to describe the state of mind that puts us in touch with the universal consciousness. Think of the moments in life when you’re feeling totally calm and at ease. For me, this state can be induced through physical activities like running or a morning meditation session. Drake calls it “the state of the mind-body in oneness with the Universe … where we align ourselves with the true nature of our being.” She continues:

When you achieve Zero, you will know you’re “there” and will redesign your entire existence to find more of it. This is the state in which you know your unique purpose on the earth. From Zero state, you will be guided step-by-step into an authenticity and abundance you’ve only glimpsed before.

It’s at these moments, when we immerse ourselves in “the boundless love and guidance of the Universe,” that we are best able to make difficult decisions and take a clear-eyed look at our lives. We can then determine if we’re on the right path or need to map out a detour to get back on course.

Drake believes that we all have our own unique path in life.

It is a sentiment shared by the spiritual teacher and author Caroline Myss who, in a conversation with Oprah Winfrey, once said that we all have a path—even if we are currently unaware of it. Myss suggests that we know when we are on that path because life just feels right. We know in our hearts that we’re not betraying or compromising ourselves.

Similarly, Drake writes that “the Universe is always conspiring to help us become conscious while on our path” and that “… we all have destinies. All of us. We are designed to know what we came here to do.” When we’re not on that path, we can sense that something is wrong. We might even feel ashamed of our past and present actions.

Not sure of your life path? The best way to find it may be to do nothing.

Drake advises that “doing nothing—literally and spiritually—is the highest choice when we don’t know what to do.” When we have the time (and we usually do), it’s best not to create an artificial deadline to make important decisions or attempt course corrections. We need to wait and do the right thing rather than to try and force the action. That means:

No speaking, no acting out, no eating, smoking, texting. Simply witness your stories and pain until it softens into wisdom of the mind-body. The energetic block releases, compassion awakens. Do nothing, change everything.

We must live our lives with compassion—especially toward ourselves.

No beating ourselves up for past mistakes or blaming ourselves if the answers we seek don’t come instantly. As a wise acquaintance once said, “Always give yourself the same love, compassion and acceptance that you seek from others.” In closing, Drake gives us the following reminder, one that encapsulates her philosophy:

We are designed for happiness and bliss every moment. If we are looking for others to fix us, we are disconnected from the place that knows we fix ourselves. When we are ready to seek true understanding and health and happiness, it will come.

Previous Post

April 3, 2024

How Jorge Bergoglio Met God and Became Pope

Next Post

April 18, 2024 How to Change Your Energy (And Your Life)

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"How?"

Craig

The Amazing World of Non-Speakers: Are ..."

"WoW Trey! This is a fabulous article just chock full of great insights and wisdom! ..."

I_Am_SheilaING

What a Guy Who Interviewed 500+ ..."

"I participate in a blog which reads theological works one chapter at a time before ..."

glen smith

The Amazing World of Non-Speakers: Are ..."

"this stuff has been disproven for a very long time. You can believe what you ..."

A fish with no hands

The Amazing World of Non-Speakers: Are ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 50+ Spirituality 60 Second Inspiration Activism Adversity Afterlife agape aging Aliens Angels Angels and aliens anger animism Astrology Atheists Attention Attitude Authenticity Awareness Awe Ayahuasca Balance Beginnings Being Present Belief Bhagavad Gita Bible birth of Jesus Blessings Bliss Bono Breathing Buddha Buddhism Calling cats Centered Centering Prayer Chakras Change Character Character and Aging Christ consciousness Christianity Christmas Church Civility commencement speeches commitments compassion Connecting with God Consciousness Contemplation Contemplative Prayer Contentment Conversations with God Coping Coping mechanisms Corinthians Coronavirus Covid creativity Daily practice Dalai Lama David Brooks David Frenette Death Deathbed visions Decisions determinism Discernment disconnecting Donald Shimoda Dreaming of the Dead dreams Drinking Easter Eastern religion Eckhart Tolle ego Elders Emerson Engagement Enlightenment everyday magic Evil Spirits Expectations experience Faith fate Fatima Fear Feel Finding God Fitness Fulfillment Gandhi Gary Zukav Generosity Giving Gnostic gospels Gnostics God God's will Golden Rule Good & Evil Gospel of Thomas Gospels Grace Gratitude Grief Growing Older Guardian Angels gumption Gurus Halloween Happiness health health and happiness Heaven Helping others High Strangeness Hinduism Holiday Season honesty Honor Hope Humility impostor syndrome inner music Inner Work Insights insomnia Inspiration Inspirational intuition Investing Jeff Bridges Jesus Jesus Christ John Templeton joy joy of life Justin Bieber Kaballah Kabbalah Karma Kindness koans Law of Attraction Life Life after Death Life and death Life Balance Life Hacks Life Lessons Life Path Life Philosophy Life Plan life purpose Life Rules Life Tips Life's Big Questions Lindsay Lohan Listening Living Intentionally Loneliness Love Magic Mark Twain Marriage Meaning of Life Meditation mentor Mentors Mid-Life Crisis Mindful Mindfulness Money Monks Multiverse Mysterious World mystical experience Mysticism Mystics Mythology Napoleon Hill Near Death Experience (NDE) New Thought New Year New Year's resolutions Noise Oprah out-of-body experience Parables Peace of mind philosophy Plant Intelligence Pope Francis Positive Thinking Prayer prayers for the spiritual Preachers Premonitions presence Prophecies Prophecy Prophets Psalms Purpose Purpose of Life quietude Quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Trine Reconnect Recovery reincarnation Relaxation Religion resolutions Resurrection Ritual Rituals Rules to Live By sadness Sam Harris Sandy Second Act Seeking self Self Mastery self-help self-improvement Seneca sermon sex shamans Sickness Silence Silence of God sleep small voice Smiling Social Activism solitude Soul Soul and Spirit Soul Awakening Spiritual Awakening spiritual beliefs spiritual guidance spiritual journey spiritual living spiritual path Spiritual philosophy Spiritual Practice Spirituality Spirituality and work Spooky Spirituality Stillness stoicism stoics Storytelling Stress Relief Success Suffering Suicide Surrender tao Thanks Thanksgiving the afterlife the bardo the Bible the Blues The Election the Kingdom the secret the self The Soul Thomas Keating Thomas Merton Thomas Moore Time Tony Robbins tradition UFOs Uncategorized Universe Values visualization Voice of God Wake Up Call Wake Up Call book Walls Walt Whitman Well-being Winter Blues Wisdom words to live by Work work/life balance worry Yogananda Zen

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 July 2012 April 2012 March 2012 January 2012 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 December 2009 November 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which king prayed and saw the shadow go backward as a sign from God?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Solomon Uzziah Ahab Hezekiah

Books by This Author Books by Wake Up Call

See All Titles »