Nice question. I've seen this happen to many people - including myself.

It's an interesting paradox. On the one hand, to be sincerely interested in subjects like those discussed on Inward Quest (when most of the world isn't interested) implies some level of independence in thought and attitude, yet those same people all too often do not trust themselves to have the answers.

Speaking personally, for many years I hunted for the answers out there trying every philosophy and school of thought I stumbled across. Some had value for me, most simply taught me that others knew as little as I did. :)

I think the final thing that made the difference for me was when I ran out of new things out there to try, and I noticed that I was getting the same answers from different places - it took me about 30 years of intense searching to reach that point. Then eventually I had nowhere else to look for answers but within. As strange as it sounds, I think this might be true for other people too.

I still have many questions that I am looking for answers for but at least I feel like I'm looking in the right place now :)

I remember hearing Abraham say that they love it when people who have 'incurable' diseases come to speak with them because those kinds of people will actually listen because they have nothing else left to try. And then those people will actually follow-through with the only thing that will ever work, which is taking control of their own lives through the focusing of their own thoughts.

Looking everywhere but within yourself is an interesting phenomenon and I guess my answer to your question is to agree with you that looking for answers from others will continue to happen until you have some experience of Truth yourself.

I don't really know of any way to shortcut the process. Often I think it is perhaps because this physical reality we create for ourselves is just too seductive to our senses. And we need a few crises under our belts to force us to see beyond the illusion of it, look within and then finally see clearly what has been right under our own noses all along.

We look to others for answers for a number of reasons:

1. We are looking for validation, either because we are unsure of our own opinion, or unsure of ourselves. Many people still believe that, if something is widely agreed upon, then it must be true.

2. We are looking for expertise. If you want to learn how to cook, you ask a cook. If you want to get your car fixed, you find an auto mechanic. Why reinvent the wheel? (unless you want to).

3. We wish to shorten the learning curve, so we ask someone who already has the answer.

4. We wish to shorten the time required to achieve, so we enlist the help of others.

5. Sometimes we wish to find the answers together. This is especially true of married couples. By looking for the answers together, a couple can bring themselves into alignment as a couple, and greatly accelerate the achievement of their dreams.

I love this question. When we begin to stumble on these types of questions, I believe, we begin to break free from the psychological shackles that have been attached to our consciousness to reduce all of us to "sheep".

I believe that this system of verification with others, while excellent when used in the correct situation, has become a tool of suppression.

It began with our educational system. We are all taught by the same educational system & same system of analysis or thought. While it is good for all to know mathematics, physics, chemistry, language, philosophy and so on, we were never allowed to discover inspiration from within in a wider context.

There is room for inspiration in everything we do. Not just in art, music, and other "approved" outlets of inspiration.

You can catch this yourself by applying the type of attention that you learn through meditation, to doing something that completely engages your attention (like driving). While engaged in something(not conversation) try to pay attention to what you are thinking. Then drop every thought that comes to you again and again until you get to that moment of feeling before you catch the next thought.

It is like a tension of energy that has not turned into a thought yet. If you can observe this within you without pouncing on it with your logical mind, you will find that what you refer as a thought seems to be this analysis of this energy that has some resonant harmony with your state of mind (there fore it was attracted to you like a magnet).

This energy when left "un analyzed" or not converted into a thought, it seems to have a comprehension on a feeling level. It is very similar to when you are trying to solve a problem and you are thinking in a group trying to be the first to find a solution & then suddenly a light bulb goes off within you and you declare loudly "I'VE GOT IT!”

Now this idea is not yet a thought in your mind. It is a flash of inspiration that has not yet been turned into a thought through the slow & deliberate process of logical examination of that inspiration. The moment we start to explain that "I've got it" idea we are ourselves discovering its details in the form of language & thought.

So I believe that we are actually always inspired, but have been forced through an educational system to only trust established truths & opinions. Only things that are approved by an established society or a panel of peers are allowed to filter into mainstream knowledge. Everything else we drop as irrelevant or not consistent with established or "taught" knowledge.

While this technique of control seems to be a good idea I really believe that the framework was developed more to maintain control upon the population that to protect us from the mad scientist next door. I really believe much has been hidden from us & maybe finally mankind is awakening to this manipulation of knowledge.

Only time will tell......

This reminds me of a Zen story: There was a man searching all around his house, along comes a monk and asks him, "Hey there, what seems to be the problem here?" the man says, "I can't find it, I can't find it, I can't find it!!!" The monk asked, "what are you looking for?" the man rather disturbed said, "My key, I lost my key!" The monk asked, "where did you lose it?" The man replied, "I lost it inside!" The monk said, "then why do you look outside for it?" The man replied, "because it is dark inside, the light is out here."

This is the truth it is dark inside to someone that believes the light is outside, it is scary to think, "what we will find inside", after all that is where we lock up our fears, depressions and anger deep within! Besides we may find out we have the answers and have no idea where they came from, we may find we are powerful then what?

I once read that people are afraid that they are powerful, they are afraid to find out that they know, this is because with knowledge and power comes responsibility. If they do not trust themselves to make the right choices as a common belief, (power leads to corruption) then of course they would be afraid to find that within.

Another answer is many feel unimportant and ignorant, "I can't possibly have the answers.", "me... powerful...?" ha!

This belief either in one's own unimportance and ignorance, or in fearing finding out what is within causes many to seek others to look up to. Besides it takes much less work putting someone else on a pedestal to be worshiped as great, good and right than it does to be great, good and right.

Our ego needs validation. Our other "I" does not need to prove anything. These opposing forces hopefully give us guidance to a better understanding of ourselves.