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the inquiry

bring paper — this is a room for writing, not reading.

whose questions these are — daniel's framing

"dharma, as it is used here, means something like right relationship with life… there is no algorithm that can compute what 'right choice' is for you ahead of time… this is an ongoing and unending inquiry. if it wasn't, you would be an automata."

— daniel schmachtenberger, the dharma inquiry

🕯️ before the doors open

these questions only work if you answer them honestly — not the dinner-party answers. the true ones, including the parts you'd rather not look at. that's the price of finding what's yours to do.

🕯️values what you'd give yourself to⌄

who are you most inspired by (that you personally know, or figures from history)? what about them inspires you?
who do you respect the most? what is it about them that you respect?
what virtues would you most want to increase in yourself? why those particular virtues?
what types of behavior and people bother you the most?
which issues in the world upset you the most?
what do you see as most deeply wrong with, or "off" in, the world?
what do you find the most beauty in? what are you most moved by?
if you imagine looking back at your life from your deathbed, who would you be the most proud to have been?
what news stories about the world would you be most positively moved to see?
what would you spend your time working on if you could succeed, but no one would ever know that you did it?
what few qualities would you most want to increase in everyone if you could? what few qualities would you most want to decrease?
what would you sacrifice personal benefit for?
what is more important to you than your own life?
what is sacred to you? what does sacred mean?
what are you devoted to? what does devotion mean?
what is the basis of meaningfulness?
what are you loyal to? what does loyalty mean? what would be an adequate reason to violate loyalty?
what do you feel shame or guilt about? what do you feel remorse or regret about?
if all your personal desires were already met, what would you then desire or care about?
if you knew you were going to die next year, what would you do?

then ask "why" to your answers to each of these questions, until you come to something that feels fundamental.

🌱propensities what comes easy, what calls you⌄

considering strengths and aptitudes more than just specific skills — what am i naturally good at? what seems to come easy to me?
what types of activities do i feel replenished by?
what am i willing to do even if it taxes me?
what do i enjoy doing for its own sake, independent of producing results or getting acknowledgement?
what is my attention repeatedly called to? what can i not not pay attention to?
what am i intrinsically fascinated by? passionate about?
what would i love to study just because it's interesting?
when have i felt the most pride or satisfaction related to something i did?
when have i felt most fully alive?
what have been the greatest difficulties and pains in my life?
what are the shadows or weaknesses associated with my greatest strengths or gifts?
what are the possible gifts associated with my greatest pains, failings, or flaws?

⚡capacities who you'd be with the brakes off⌄

if my financial needs were already met for the rest of my life, what would i do?
if i had the wealth of bill gates or warren buffett, what would i do with my life and resources?
if i was going to go back to school, what would i study?
if i could download skills matrix-style, what would my top few most desired skills be?
what would i do, and how would i be different…
- if i was a lot more confident, less fearful, than i currently am?
- if i was meaningfully smarter than i currently am?
- if i had much better discipline?
- if i was better with people — more understanding, charismatic, empathetic, patient?
- if i had better emotional regulation?
- if my main character deficits were resolved?
- if i had the right team and people supporting me?
- if i had already received all the love, recognition, attention, appreciation, and validation i could ever want — and was no longer concerned with those things at all?
- if my life started over with a clean slate — no previous commitments, no baggage?
- if i knew i would live and be vital until i was 200?

then ask "why" to your answers to each of these questions, until you come to something that feels fundamental.

🧵karma the debts and gifts you carry⌄

who has helped me in my life? what blessings have i received, without which i wouldn't have much of what i am grateful for?
what obligation do i have to pay those gifts forward, and what might that entail?
who have i hurt in my life — directly or indirectly?
where did any of my success or benefit come at anyone else's expense? my family, romantic partners, friends, business partners — and not just humans, but any beings?
what amends do i need to make for those actions?
where amends cannot be made with the beings directly, how could i make those amends to life in general? what would that entail?
where has my family and lineage had gifts or greatness? how am i a part of that lineage, and how is that a part of my story?
where has my family and lineage caused suffering? how might i make amends for those harms, and how is that part of my story?
who have i loved that has died? what were the traits i loved most about them?
in what ways can i increase those traits within myself, so that they continue to live through me?

🪞patterns where the wheel is stuck⌄

what common behaviors feel like compulsion rather than dharma?
what fears and attachments keep me from fully living what i know is highest in my heart?
how do insecurity, self-doubt, and fear limit my choices?
how does ego get in the way of being the person i would respect the most?
what parts of my life would not engender the respect of those whom i respect the most?
what do i do that i wouldn't want to be fully honest about?
where is my success occurring at the expense of others?
where does my life feel imbalanced?
what do i do because i'm good at it or get rewarded for it, but about which i don't really care deeply?

⭐guidance the moments that already knew⌄

what were the most profound spiritual experiences of my life? what did i experience? what was clear in those moments?
when i was with people i loved who were dying, what was most important to me? after their death, what were my reflections about life?
what were some of the epiphanies i've had that felt most clarifying, empowering, or liberating?
what are the moments i felt most at peace? what would it be like to live from that place?
at which moments did i feel the sense of the sacred the most profoundly?
at which moments did i feel most in love?
what are the deepest and clearest knowings i have experienced?

the questions are daniel schmachtenberger's, quoted whole from the dharma inquiry — this room is independent and unaffiliated.

the deeper water

📄 the full essay daniel's framing in whole — being, doing, becoming 📜 the original version the earlier cut of the same inquiry 🎥 the inquiry, spoken daniel at the stoa — if reading isn't your door

the questions need clear eyes.
one more floor down, we sharpen them.

🔦 go deeper: sensemaking→

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