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Lifes Big Questions

200 Ways to Explore Your Spiritual Life

Jonathan Robinson

Coral Gables, FL

Copyright 2001, 2022 by Jonathan Robinson.
Published by Conari Press, a division of Mango Publishing
Group, Inc.

Cover Design: Katia Mena
Layout & Design: Carmen Fortunato

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Lifes Big Questions: 200 Ways to Explore Your Spiritual Life

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2022939127
ISBN: (print) 978-1-64250-999-1, (ebook) 978-1-68481-000-0
BISAC category code PHI013000, PHILOSOPHY / Metaphysics

Printed in the United States of America

To the infinite, spiritual essence in each of us,

and to my sweetheart, Helena.

Table of Contents

by Dr. Bernie Siegel,
author of Love, Medicine & Miracles

Asking good questions is an important ingredient to new learning and greater awareness. In this book, Jonathan Robinson asks 200 questions that can truly impact your life in positive ways. As you ask big questions, your mind expands beyond the daily concerns we can all get cau ght up in.

When I was a surgeon, a woman visiting my office said something that changed my life. She said, I need to learn how to live between office visits. That got me thinking. We compartmentalize our lives in such a way that spiritual matters and the search for meaning often get pushed out by our to-do list. Even when talking to friends and family, were more likely to talk about things that depress us than topics that truly inspire us. Whats needed is a simple way to focus our minds and hearts in an uplifting direction. With the many inspiring questions and anecdotes in this book, Robinson has found a way to help us bring meaning and exploration back into our daily lives, and when we do this, we do not die when our doctors expect us to. Its what I call self-induced healing and not a spontaneous remission.

As a doctor, Ive seen that people who lacked meaning and curiosity in their lives often seemed to experience worse medical outcomes. On the other hand, people who were focused on love, exploration, and the gifts of life seemed to do much better. Why might this be the case? Well, the body responds to what the mind ingests. Our feelings create internal chemistry and make Monday the unhealthiest day of the week, with more heart attacks and illnesses. When we overly focus on whats wrong with ourselves and the world, its as if we are absorbing a toxic brew. Yet, when we explore matters of the soul and spirit, its as if we ingest higher, healthier food. The result: we fe el better.

While daily problems urge us to hurry and worry, big questions beckon us to seek a more expansive view of life. And what an amazing life and time we live in! As we travel through space at 67,000 miles an hour on this massive rock, we get to experience love, beauty, joy, discovery, loss, and so many miracles. Yet, miracles are only visible to those with eyes open to new learninglike the eyes of a child. By asking yourself, friends, and family questions from this book, Im confident your eyes will open even wider to the wonders of this life.

Preface:
The Continuing Power of Questions

Although the world has changed a lot since this book first came out, the big questions of life are still the same. We are still enriched when we explore topics related to love, spirit, and meaning. In addition, theres a lot to be learned when we ask our friends and family members questions that connect to important subjects. Unfortunately, exploring such questions can be harder than ever because we are all subject to WMDs (Widgets of Mass Distraction). We all have too much to do, and too many ways to distract ourselves from meaningful connections and conversations. Luckily, this book can help. Each of the 200 questions and numerous anecdotes are meant to make it easy to explore important subjects with friends, family, and even new co nnections.

This book came about when, in a moment of deep meditation, I heard an inner voice clearly say to me, Take notes. Well, I found a pen and paper, and out came 200 questions. Previously, I had never done what could be called channeling before, and I never had a strange voice in my head give me such a command. Fortunately, I wrote down what this strange inner voice told me to write down. However, once all the questions were written, I was unsure what to do with them. The thought occurred that it could be a book, so I wrote to the editors at Conari Press, and they quickly wrote back that they loved the idea of a book of big q uestions.

When I met with my soon to be publisher, Mary Jane Ryan, she suggested that I also include personal anecdotes that pertain to many of the books questions. I took a week or so to write a bunch of anecdotes, and the book was born. Amazingly, within a year, the book was a bestseller after Oprah devoted an entire show to itsuch is the power of asking big questions. A good question can create an instant moment of inspiration and insight. With the the 200 questions in this book, Im confident youll be able to create many moments of connection and magical ex ploration.

Since the original publication of this book, I have started a podcast in which I ask spiritual leaders many thought provoking questions. On my podcast, Awareness Explorers , Ive asked spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Byron Katie, and dozens of other teachers questions from this book. The answers Ive received from these spiritual leaders are often surprising and profound. Yet, as you ask these questions to your own friends and family, you may also be surprised at the depth and profound nature of the answers you receive. After all, everyone has wisdom wi thin them.

In my latest book, The Enlightenment Project , I discuss some of the most interesting answers Ive received from asking over 100 spiritual teachers profound questions. In the process of interviewing everyone from the late Mother Teresa to Oprah, Ive opened to new ideas about life that have been truly helpful. I hope that as you ask questions from this book to whomever inspires you, that youll also learn much practical wisdom and gain insights that impact your life.

Every now and then, I get emails from people who tell me this book somehow transformed their lives. The most common thing I read is that these questions helped create a lasting and intimate connection with a friend or family member. Indeed, when we find someone to explore lifes big questions with, it creates a deep bond. We all want more meaning in our lives, and asking yourself or your friends these questions can be a powerful way to move in the direction of greater connection, peace, and insight. It is my hope that, as you explore these questions with people you care about, your relationships will deepen and your wisdom will be enriched.