Stages of Pathfinding

(first of the four-part series)

Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pathfinding is the spiritual process of understanding our true nature. Those who find the Path are called Pathfinders. Some dictionaries define this as someone who finds a new direction, maps unmapped territories and charts an uncharted geography. True enough, for Pathfinding is not just following a certain Path. It is the discovery of one's own Path in context of discovering other Paths. It is creating another route, trekking possibilities of the journey, risking the danger of unpredictable terrains. It is always an audacious task. Pathfinding is never forced to someone. It is always an emergent realization. A mystical inspiration is behind this, a mystery that calls for adventure. Once we respond, there is no turning back. Every step of our way leads to the Path.

Our history has produced great Pathfinders. They were moved by a greater purpose. They appeared in different parts of the world hundreds of years ago. These ancient Pathfinders embarked on a journey bringing with them mind-boggling and earth-shattering questions we ourselves are afraid to ask: Who am I? What is my purpose? Where do I come from? Where am I going? In a quest of answering these, they treaded a very difficult journey. Their lives were jeopardized by a series of threats and perils. They were mocked. Some of them were tortured. Others were killed. But they stayed relentless. Today, ancient Pathfinders are now revered because of their fearlessness of finding the Path. They had left trails for the new generations of Pathfinders. Their trails have reminded us to seek our own routes, and create another trail.

Our purpose is to follow their footsteps. To create routes where no one ever dared to risk. To get past these big challenges that might otherwise defeat us. There is a promise of fulfillment. And to seek further beyond the fringes of our current existence can be a terrifying experience. It dares us, nonetheless, to leave our comfort zones. We are no more following what the ancient masters did...we are crystallizing their legacies.

Pathfinding pushes our thresholds to the brink of our limiting consciousness. An evolution of soul takes place. We are evolving in an unprecedented pace. Finding the Path paces us more to see these changes, seeking our ways to become more and more aware of the role of this process in our spiritual journey. We live the laws of the universe and become leaders of this emerging mystical paradigm.

However, the Pathfinding process, as we observe them, follows some noticeable patterns. This is in no way of categorizing, though it apparently shows ongoing processes that are not always simultaneous. Regardless of age, most of us can find ourselves in 3 different stages of Pathfinding. Some people who have lived decades are still in the early stages; while some young people are in the advance search. This doesn't mean that one is inferior or superior to the other. There can be no difference, except the degree of how a Pathfinder is aware of the process. In fact, everyone of us finds the Path but not all of us are aware that we do. In the next three articles, I will articulate each of these stages, and accompany them with questions pertinent in assessing one's journey of Pathfinding .

(to be continued)