"Does this actually work?" - Dealing with Skepticism as a Beginner Zevist

[Khem Nefermed]

A very common problem people that are new on the path face is skepticism about our practices. You may be a very materialistic agnostic type that has little to no confidence in the spiritual, and this might prevent you from putting in real work to see spiritual advancement for yourself. You might have a more physical meditation type and struggle with feeling the effects of meditation. Whatever the cause is, skepticism can be a real problem on the path, and I've dealt with it myself early on. I've managed to overcome it through time and practice, so I think I have some relatively useful advice to share.

There are many kinds of skepticism that arise when someone starts out on the Zevist path. You can doubt whether anything spiritual exists at all. Others accept that something might exist, but question whether they themselves are “doing it right,” or whether their efforts are even producing any real effect.

These doubts are natural, and in many ways, they are actually part of the process rather than obstacles to it.
Settling into the path might involve a lot of second guessing and skepticism, and that's good. It's a sign of a strong character that isn't prone to delusions. Doubts are a natural part of the process that must be overcome with a proactive approach and action, and not be allowed to spiral into overthinking beyond what is productive.

One big problem that over-skepticism can lead to is that it can lead to inaction due to two potential problems: thinking that you need to believe these things in order for them to work, and not understanding the long-term operations behind meditation, communication and Ritual.

On the first issue, this is a common one. A belief that someone could carry into Zevism, from various New Age "we think our own reality" nonsense, is that spiritual practice depends on belief in order to function. Belief can shape your experience of it, yes. Lack of mental blockages in terms of doubting the supernatural can indeed open you up to the subtle currents of what you are doing. But belief is not the mechanism that makes it work. Meditation, Ritual, even prayer, will still have the expected result regardless of your belief.

On the second, the effects of Zevist practices such as meditation and God Rituals are multifaceted. They act not only as short term operations, but also as long-term training processes. They are not on/off systems where perfection is required for effect. Rather, they are gradual, cumulative processes where imperfect practice will still contribute to development.

We do also come into the path with many expectations of how "magic behaves". Usually, this looks like "I do this spell, so this should happen next". Stereotypical idea of magic.
That does exist, but it is far more nuanced, and an expectation like that will leave almost anyone trying out meditations, workings or Rituals disappointed.

In a sense, a beginner can see a God Ritual as a path opener, and meditations or workings as amplifiers. Neither are binary events that either "succeed" or "fail". They are influences that shift conditions over time. A useful way to think of them early on is as a kind of alignment process.
To use a New Agey metaphor, a working can be like shifting into a different “vibration” or “dimension” where the structure of reality remains the same, but the probabilities and tendencies surrounding your goal subtly change in your favor. Perception, behavioral tendencies, opportunities and psychology are all affected by the working, to make obtaining the desired goal easier.

But, as this must be stated, they do not eliminate the need for action itself.
You still have to act, make choices, do the work, build, study, etc.. A working, Ritual or prayer for guidance from your GD can function as ways of making the actions you take more effective, more timely, or offering more opportunities. They can be thought of as shaping the “terrain” in which your actions take place, while not carrying you across it.

Through meditation, Ritual, workings, practice in general, we transform and evolve the soul, but also tap into and manipulate the currents that shape reality. In a grandiose way of putting it, we manipulate the code behind the game of reality. But while the path was made easier, the game was rigged in your favor somewhat, your player character must still take the necessary actions to win the game.

Practices, how you see them, and how they help you, evolve as you keep practicing.
Let's use another metaphor to illustrate that.

You do a God Ritual, and you enter a room, which can be seen as the God Itself, a room full of the God's blessings. You then take as much as you can carry from what is inside, and what you took acts as an unseen tool that you are able to use in achieving your goal.
As you spiritually advance and as you build up your connection and alignment with the Gods, you'll be able to see the room you enter more clearly, take more with you when leaving, and see more clearly what you took and how it helps you.

As a skeptical beginner, you might struggle to understand the spiritual processes at play in a "sensory or experiential in the moment" way, for quite some time. And yet, these practices work, so there are actionable steps you can take to improve your confidence in the path.

Identifying what exactly the meditation or Ritual you did has done in your life is easier than identifying what it has done in your soul, and I think this acts as a great first step of understanding our practices.

You should journal your life.
This will help you notice subtle changes in your psychology, how people treat you, opportunities that you come face to face with, unusual signs and similar things.
Over time, you gain a greater confidence in attributing these changes to your practice's results, and also discerning what was from a meditation/ritual you did, and what was just random.

This all, of course, comes with experience and practice. Not just practice of meditating more over time, although that is a big factor, but also practice of self reflection. Pondering your life, where it's headed, where you're at, what you need to work on, what could help it, all in a scheduled, written down and productive way.

When you do a God Ritual for example, meditate calmly after. See what the Ritual makes you think about, what things it seems to have brought to surface that were just in the background beforehand, what happened that may not have normally happened or was otherwise unlikely to happen, and so on. You will notice real, undeniable effects and changes, both over hours, and over days or weeks.

When you start a routine of regularly praying to the Gods or your GD, note down everything. Keep tabs on potential signs, write down times where you asked for guidance and happened to find the right answers a bit too fast to be usual.

Essential on this path, are Patience, and a proactive approach.

Many who are in a trap of skepticism expect answers to just come to them.
Spiritual advancement should never be seen as sitting and waiting for the bus to arrive, it should be seen as digging in the sand. You take active steps, through practice, self reflection, journaling and prayer, in order to advance in your understanding.
It should be seen as digging for truth, not waiting for truth to hit you.

Zevist practice is an art and a science, and key to succeeding are: practice, reflection, interest in the truth, patience and bravery.