Reagarding Faith......

[Sacred Fool]

I had some little experiment earlier today where I tried just feeling this notion of "all is well", in the line that you and Patrick mentioned, and it felt like something was there, something easier than actively working with the mind, which is quite exhausting at times.

AWESOME, Dude!!!  I am so very happy for you.  Keep it up.

I think it's good also if the mind is given material to accept such things, though. I'm thinking especially in instances of trauma or extreme hardship. In such instances, the mind just can't help but desperately seek explanations or a framework that gives meaning to what has happened. Without a foundation of beliefs focused on the spiritual aspect of life, the mind will find it too easy to give in to the temptation that life is cruel, and suffering plentiful and meaningless.

I think you mean that a mental approach to the concept can be a stepping stone to the actual experience, yes?  Like reading a book about Hawaii can be a warm up (so to speak) for actually going there?  Sure, but--ugh--it is so so so so easy for the mind to then think that the "book" is good enough when the mental experience is chicken feed compared to the internal experience of angelic repose.