The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 1/14

Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010

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T Tr ra an ns sf fo or rm m T Th he e N Na ag gg gi in ng g D Do ou ub bt ts s T Th ha at t A Ar re e
P Pa ar rt t O Of f Y Yo ou ur r S Sp pi ir ri it tu ua al l J Jo ou ur rn ne ey y I In nt to o
A Au ut th he en nt ti ic c T Tr ru us st t: :
A A w wo or rk ks sh he ee et t a an nd d a a c co om mm me en nt ta ar ry y




by Halina Goldstein
w ww ww w. .h ha al li in na ag go ol ld d. .n ne et t

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 2/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010



The Benefit Of Doubt _______________________________________________________________ 1
Transform The Nagging Doubts That Are Part Of Your Spiritual Journey Into Authentic Trust:__ 1
A worksheet and a commentary _______________________________________________________ 1
Introduction ___________________________________________________________________________ 3
Do you doubt your present spiritual path? __________________________________________________ 4
What is your most common reaction to doubt? ______________________________________________ 5
What is all that doubt and discomfort coming from?__________________________________________ 6
What can you do about your doubts now? __________________________________________________ 7
Why are you dependent on your spiritual teaching / teacher / coach? ____________________________ 8
How can you absorb a teaching without becoming dependent or attached? _______________________ 9
Is money part of the problem? ___________________________________________________________ 10
How can you work with the financial aspect of your doubts? __________________________________ 11
How are you invested in the success of your spiritual choice?__________________________________ 12
Is your life about the journey, about the destination or both? _________________________________ 13
The video commentary _________________________________________________________________ 14
Final words and an invitation __________________________________________________________ 14




The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 3/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
Introduction

Hi -

Im Halina Goldstein.
Ive spent the last 35+ years exploring different aspects of spiritual growth, both personally and
working with clients. Along the way Ive been through countless challenges, doubts about the validity
of my spiritual journey being one of the most difficult ones. Thats very common! Almost everyone on
a spiritual path struggles with such doubts at some points of their journey. As I continue receiving
messages and questions about this particular topic, I decided to create a resource that you can use to
approach the doubt you encounter on your way.

Here as in my work generally Id like to walk to talk, in the sense that I will certainly share my insights
I believe that can be helpful too but at the end of the day my purpose it to support you in finding
your own answers. As I presently see, making your own discoveries based on your own, inner
experiences is the most fulfilling way beyond doubt.

Therefore, what you see below is a worksheet, a collection of open questions followed by a few, short
comments. I invite you to simply ponder it all, in your own way, at your own pace, and use it in
whatever way is best for you. When you feel like it, watch the video where I explain the comments in a
little bit more depth. Youll find the link to the presentation after the last question.

Enjoy -



PS: If youd like to share this worksheet, simply send your friends the link to
www.halinagoldstein.com

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 4/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
Do you doubt your present spiritual path?





Here are some of the doubts that have been expressed by other people:

! What if my enormous inner and outer investment in my present spiritual path will be
wasted?
! What if Im just fooling myself into believing that Im on my way towards a better life?
! What if the things I learn are just brainwashing and not really true?
! What if the promises given by this teaching or teacher can never be fulfilled?
! What if Im going nowhere, or maybe even towards disaster?
! How can I be sure that if I apply everything I am told it will work for me?
! How many others have actually reached enlightenment or found love, freedom, peace
and abundance?

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 5/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
What is your most common reaction to doubt?





Denial seems to be the most common reaction to spiritual doubts
! Internal denial trying to disregard the doubt, mentally and emotionally.
! External denial trying to act politically correct and/or appear more sure and convinced than
you really are, both in interaction with your spiritual leader, peers, friends and family.




The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 6/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
What is all that doubt and discomfort coming from?






! You have surrendered deeply to a teaching or a person before, you have been given promises,
you have trusted fully - and it led to disappointment, perhaps even a very painful one.
! You have trusted and been led down in other relationships involving authority figures (parents,
teachers, employees, political leaders etc.).

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 7/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
What can you do about your doubts now?





! Acknowledge the doubt and all the feelings that come with it. Feel what is there.
! If you feel its helpful, express the doubt in writing or in any other form that works for you.
You dont have to share it with anyone; its just a way of finding out what is there.
! Imagine the worst case scenario - your worst doubts coming true. Feel it deeply.
! Now spend some time pondering how you can and will take care of such situation.
The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 8/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
Why are you dependent on your spiritual teaching / teacher / coach?






! Feeling dependent on and attached to your spiritual teacher and teaching is hard or perhaps even
impossible to avoid. Dependency is an active and significant dynamic on the spiritual journey.
! There are very few spiritual teachers that take the time to discuss this fundamental aspect of the
teacher- student, or leader-follower, or coach-client relationship. For the student / client /
follower bringing it up can be very challenging. In other words, the dynamics are there but
youre on your own when facing them.
! Here are some of the sources of dependency
o Experiencing someone else as wiser than yourself
o Experiencing someone else as more powerful as yourself
o Experiencing someone else as holding the secret key to your happiness and freedom
The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 9/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
How can you absorb a teaching without becoming dependent or attached?





! Allow the teaching to interact with your own truth and experience, rather than just replace it.
! Truth if there is any such thing can speak and act for itself. It does not require brainwashing.
! Establish an emotional, mental and spiritual foundation of your own.
! Contemplate the key to your happiness and freedom where its always been - within you.

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 10/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
Is money part of the problem?






! Part of the doubt is often money related, including questions such as What if I have spent all
that money I invested in this teaching in vain?
! Doubt or disappointment can go along with feelings of loss or even feeling robbed.

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 11/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
How can you work with the financial aspect of your doubts?






! While you may be financially challenged, that fact is that money hardly ever stops flowing for
good. One way or another, you are able to move on financially
! You can work with the emotional pain of having lost money, or being disappointed financially
! You can work with your relationship with money as such
o Money as an expression of feelings such as love and appreciation
o Money as an abundant resource
o Money as a flexible tool/symbol money is what you make it
! When engaging on a new spiritual journey, a course, a book, a consultation, you can request
some kind of money back guarantee. Its a way of giving yourself enough time to find out if this
particular path is worth pursuing for you, if it feels right.

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 12/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
How are you invested in the success of your spiritual choice?








! When you invest in a spiritual teaching, you invest money, feelings, time, energy, sometimes
even your work, your social status, your personal relationship, and your truth.
! With such a major investment it appears critical that the investment turns to be right. Because if
it doesnt not only will you feel that you have lost all of the above, but also that you are
fundamentally wrong, a fool, not OK as such.
The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 13/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
Is your life about the journey, about the destination or both?







! Your life is a journey of exploration not a journey of right and wrong
! The journey changes, teachers change, teachings change, you change thats natural. Nothing
stays still, not even that which might be called the truth.
! There are no mistakes only changing experiences on your journey
! The journey is always leading you home

The Benefit Of Doubt by Halina Goldstein page 14/14
Copyright Halina Goldstein 2010
The video commentary

The short comments that came with the questions are explained in more depth in the 35 minutes

video presentation here

Youll need a password its the same as the one you used when you downloaded this document.

Enjoy!


Final words and an invitation

Most times, when you encounter doubts, its an opportunity to face and transform limiting patterns in
your belief system, in your relationship with your spiritual teaching, teacher and community, and last
but not least, in your relationship with yourself..

Sometimes the doubts are there because youre ready to let go of your present spiritual path. Youve
outgrown it and its time for you to change direction, to take the next major step and move on.

Whatever the case may be at any specific time, doubts are part of your spiritual journey theyre here
for your benefit. Thats really what I mean by the benefit of doubt

If youd like to work in new ways, with a supporting friend and a facilitator of your expansion rather
than a teacher, and if youd like to apply your spirituality practically, to an aspect of your personal life,
stay tuned! A conversation is beginning on the blog where you have downloaded this worksheet.
If you havent yet, join us at http://halinagoldstein.com