THE STORY OF “SEEKERS”
Sometimes you read a book, and life doesn’t change, but your understanding and perception of things you’ve heard, known, and made sense of before deepens. Especially when you have the opportunity to share your reflections with a group of fellow travelers by reading the book together, the process of deepening becomes even more enjoyable.
I must confess that what appealed to me about the suggestion to read and share the book in the company of a book club was the title of the book: ‘Seekers.’
As the famous Sufi saying goes, “Not everyone who is searching finds, but those who find are simply the ones who search.” For over a decade in my journey of life, I’ve been someone who continues to seek, believing that life is more about the process of searching than about finding. So, naturally, I was drawn to the allure of this name.
Perhaps you’ve experienced it too; as you dedicate time to personal journeys, participate in different programs, or chase after various teachings, some people around you may be saying, “What are you still searching for?” or “What is left to learn?” Explaining this love to someone who hasn’t fallen for it is challenging. Going with the flow of a comfortable life, without too much questioning, is easier. However, somewhere inside, a curiosity, or even a kind of “hunger,” calls you to inquire. In my opinion, this call and even companions on the journey are what make life more beautiful and meaningful.
In this journey that began with a book this time, Paul Dunion shares the nomadic aspects of the spiritual world, and the stops visited to find answers. Each reader can draw their own interpretations, and I’d like to share some parts that have stayed with me, along with some of my personal views.
The journey always starts with “curiosity.” To be a seeker means to hear the call for change and not remain indifferent to it. All of us have a part within us that longs for the unknown and the mysterious. Despite all our apprehension, anxiety, and even fear, when something different and previously unencountered calls us, it determines how we respond and whether we are seekers. Whether it’s traveling to a new city, trying a new job, choosing a different behavior, living in a new country, or meeting different people, every first-time experience offers us a “new world” with its own mystery.
It’s not just about trying something new; developing a different perspective is also part of it. Old judgments or rigid beliefs that we carry from the past, whether consciously or subconsciously, can lead us to anxiety and prevent us from taking action. “What can I do anyway?” versus “I already know” – the line between these two statements can dull our desire to discover something new. Yet, every new step begins with a courageous step toward the unknown, despite our past experiences and judgments.
Just as in this book journey, “travel companions” are as valuable as our own presence. Having someone who mirrors us, shares our vulnerabilities, applauds our successes, and listens to our questions without judgment makes the journey more peaceful and learning more enriching. Relationships established with trust and compassion undoubtedly encourage us to take steps and explore more.
And don’t forget to remember our connection to nature! Our body and soul know it well, but daily routines and a perpetually busy mind can make us forget that connection. Therefore, even inside those imposing corporate buildings, we have started talking more about opening a door to nature. We now know that nature’s cycles can convey many aspects of human existence in their simplest form.
Another topic we often overlook in our daily rush and dynamics is the “gaps” in life, which house a unique potential. Moments of “conscious mindfulness,” in which we pause, connect with ourselves and the world we live in, hear our own voice, define our needs, and identify opportunities, create the most precious times. With Viktor Frankl’s definition of existential psychology, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.” While our mind constantly tries to fill the gaps, and our life flows through a checklist, the effort to find “emptiness” can seem meaningless. However, that space is precisely where we hear our inner voice.
We also need to remember our imagination, the creativity, curiosity, wonder, and the power to play and be amazed that we all know existed within us in childhood. It may be time to reintroduce these aspects into our lives. Sometimes I think that all these journeys are efforts to return to our clearest, most essential selves. As in the reverse story of Benjamin Button, our quest to return to the pure state of our souls may seem never-ending throughout life.
Among all these books, readings, and theories about the understanding of meaning, there’s something important that they all show: the value of finding ourselves within the construct of the external world. As the Swiss writer and painter Hermann Hesse said, “I was an explorer, and I am still one, but I stopped questioning the stars and books; I listen to the teachings whispered by my blood.”
I hope that our journeys of seeking inspire each other, make us think, question, and sometimes even divert us from our path. May the quest and companions on the journey always remain!
‘Seekers, Finding Our Way Home’ by Paul Dunion EdD
‘Siddhartha’ by Hermann Hesse
‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’ Director: David Fincher
‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Viktor Frankl”
