ONLINE: Wed, Sept 24 David Weimer host: "Questions and Answers"

David W. will be our host this evening.
I want to urge participants to sit and allow the questions they're really interested in to be what they focus on asking particular people--not just what pops up in the moment to ask.

Questions and Answers

“Where two or more are gathered together in my name, I am in their midst.”
Maybe receptive, open, non-judging silence works for you. I respect this method, and any other way
that individuals prefer to employ when interacting with a group. This time, however, I ask you to try
a particular way of potentially benefiting from your time spent with others who are similarly
interested, focused, and gathered.
Richard Rose used the phrase, “comparing notes.” He described the spiritual seeking group he
envisioned as a “clearing house” where ideas and information were shared openly, as opposed to
people hoarding or hiding valuable information that could benefit a seeker of wisdom or
understanding. He encountered a lot of secrecy and sophistry in his spiritual search and this
angered him. He told himself, “If I ever find something, I’m going to make it available.”
In the spirit of wanting everyone to get the most out of this meeting, I propose that we ask each
other questions. Ask any other person in this virtual gathering the most penetrating or relevant-to-
your-interests question you have. Please only ask a question that you are genuinely interested in
hearing the other person’s answer on. Please only ask someone questions whom you are genuinely
interested in hearing address your concerns.

1. The questioner’s assigned attitude: Focus on what you are genuinely interested in. This
   isn’t showing another person the error of their ways or asking leading questions. Your
   assignment is to get as much personal benefit from your interaction with someone else as
   possible. You genuinely want to know what someone thinks on your subject.
2. The answerer’s assigned attitude: consider, as much as you are capable of doing, what
   the questioner is asking. Try to understand what they’re really asking. If you need to ask for
   clarification, please do. Then give them the most honest, earnest answer you have it in you
   to give.
   “I guarantee that I have an answer to any question you may ask.”
   I said this during a session some years ago at a TAT meeting event, knowing, hoping, that people
   would likely assume I was confidently stating that I “knew it all.”
   I hoped that saying this would prompt someone to ask, “Who the hell do you think you are?” Or,
   “What number am I thinking?” It didn’t.
   Each of us is capable of trying to give our best answer to any question. I was stating that I would try
   to give my best considered response to anything anyone asked. We can all do this. We can all try.
   We don’t have to ‘know’ the answer to give our perspective. We can raise our chins and give the
   best, considered answer we have inside us, sharing our earnest viewpoint. We don’t often do that.
   We don’t often try our best. We often speak without truly considering what the others we are
   conversing with say. Of course, I’m using the royal “we.” Even though each of us is capable of trying
   to give our best considered, most honest, earnest reply to someone’s query, we don’t often do it, or

get the opportunity to try.
This meeting’s challenge to both questioners and answerers:
Try to give your best efforts toward your best version of your respective part in the Q&A equation.
Note: our best effort isn’t always on the first attempt at doing anything. Rise to the occasion! Try,
and try again.

1. If you’re asking a question, and someone answers but you don’t feel like they got to what
   you want to know, ask again. Try to help them to get to what you want to know. Help them
   help you. You will both benefit from your inquisition. Try.
2. If you’re answering a question, and you’re not sure that you got to what the questioner
   wanted, ask, “Did you want to know more?” Try (to try your best).
   Let’s go!

David is author of A Handyman's Common Sense Guide to Spiritual Seeking available in both Kindle and paperback, and can be purchased here:
Handyman's Common Sense
His spiritual seeking led him to experience what he calls completion.