[iamthat]

This raises a good point.

What is the purpose of spiritual enquiry? Perhaps to discover the nature of Consciousness and to become a clear expression of Consciousness on the physical plane.

What stands in our way? Amongst other things, our unhealed psychological traumas. There are many examples of spiritual enquirers who become teachers without having healed their own wounds. This does not usually end well, although it provides much learning for everyone involved.

But healing our psychological traumas can be a long slow process, perhaps a lifetime's work. If we all waited to become whole and healed before engaging in spiritual enquiry we might never embark on such enquiry.

I see spiritual enquiry and self-healing as going hand-in-hand. Spiritual practices are not an escape from our issues. Spiritual practices usually involve some level of introspection, and we are forced to deal with whatever lies within.

Some Advaitists may argue that all psychological trauma is just part of the illusion and has no real existence, and therefore does not require healing. This is fine on an intellectual level, but I prefer to consider myself a practical Advaitist. If I have to function through a human form then that human form may as well be whole and healed.

There is the idea that genuine practices involve the descent of spiritual energy into the human form. The pressure of such spiritual energy pushes everything to the surface to be released. Which is one reason why the spiritual journey is so difficult. We may want to bolt to the centre of our own beings and hearts to bypass all our issues, but at some stage we have to deal with all of it.

Peace