Why?

Grimoire..you know, spell book. Come on guys! Geez...doesn't anyone play Dungeons and Dragons anymore? This is the second word in your grimoire. Just as powerful as No or Yes but...different. Let's take the same approach we did with No: What is Why? What does Why do? Are Why's effects worthwhile? 

First let's answer this question: Does this pertain to meditation or the LSAT?

Yes. Now shut up. 

What is Why?

Why is not a question so much as a demand. If you wanted to be an asshole, you could ask Why forever and never have an answer.

"What?" is a question. "What?" can be answered with a noun or by repeating yourself. This goes for Who, Where, When, and even How. Proper names, places, and an explanation of processes shut those questions right up. Watch me answer Who, What, When, Where, and How in a sentence:

"Every day, I hope someone screams, reaches over the coffee shop counter, and punches that hipster in his bearded throat." 

Now I'll give Why a shot:

Why?

"Because that hipster embodies all that is wrong with humanity."

Why?

"Because he just laid into a girl for wearing Nikes instead of Tom's, neverminding that his Levi's were made in China by the same children that made her shoes."

Why? 

"Because etc."

Though I could debase that beard-wearing hipster all day, what am I really doing with my time? More to the point, what is Why doing with our time? 

Why is a great tool for getting to the bottom of things ("Why do I vote for this candidate? Why did God save that little white girl but kill all those Haitians?—let that question sink in). But Why is equal parts curious and doubtful. Why, when used intentionally, can shed marvelous light on life's secrets (why does a feather fall more slowly than a stone?); when used recklessly, in times of doubt or suspicion, it can ruin you (why didn't she call me back?).

Magnifying glass, aka, Ants' Bane; Firestarter; Blind Machine. This is the weapon of choice for children 5-9. Unlike a gun (whose design is to destroy) or glue (whose design is to rebuild), Why is a truly neutral and impartial tool, like a magnifying glass: you can use it to look at stuff more closely. You can also use it to destroy cities (think ant hills, or for the prodigious trouble-maker with access to gas lines and kindling, actual cities). But using this tool to look at things that shouldn't be examined with this tool, things like the sun, will fuck you right up.

What does Why do?

In one sense, Why roots out the bullshit in your brain (false reasons, weird beliefs). In another sense, Why plants alot of bullshit in your brain (false reasons, weird beliefs). And in another sense, Why is a torture device used to piss people off. Parents of small children know this. So do many clergy, spouses, and generally anyone who has a suspicious boss or friend. 

Are Why's effects worthwhile?

What a stupid question. Who's asking these stupid questi...never mind.

It really depends on what you're using Why for. 

If you're a scientist, use Why daily.

If you're taking the LSAT, you'll find that the less you use Why, the better. The LSAT leaves very little room for curiosity, let alone suspicion. You need to trust everything the test gives you. The only time you can ask Why on the LSAT is when you can't decide between two right answers. When this happens, you should ask Why only once. 

In meditation, Why is necessary...at the beginning. At some point you have to stop asking and start trusting. We're getting into weird territory here, so I'll give you a personal example:

Recently, I've realized I'm burning my living hours doing things that aren't good for me. One of these things is that I spend my waking life in the presence of people I like to call Time Vampires. A Time Vampire, or Energy Vampire, functions in much the same way as a real (real?) vampire, except without the sexiness of biting and sucking you. A Time Vampire will take your time and the energy you spend listening, and will give nothing back except a shrug or, sometimes, a thank you.

This is where Why comes in handy:

Why am I spending my time with this non-sexy vampire? (Because I feel guilty.)

Why do I feel guilty? (Because I don't want people--including non-sexy un-people--to feel bad.)

Then the answer comes:

Maybe other people's feelings, for the most part, are out of my purview.

And that's where it should end. But because we are a nation of fretters and fixers, Why comes up again:

Why do I think that? Am I a dick?

And before I carry on any further I need to accept that, yes, I am a dick...but that's not Why I think people's feelings are out of my purview. The reason I think that is because I need to--FOR MY SURVIVAL. Time Vampires are sucking my energy and time, and my mind and body are freaking out. I'll be as dry as an English joke and as resentful as a hipster if I don't buck up and trust myself.

Like most spells, and any tool, Why has a time and a place. But sooner or later, Why needs to be put away so you can move on to accepting, trusting, and using the best spell of all...