Illusions are cleared through confusion. It might sound contradictory, but it’s true.

If there’s illusion, there must be confusion, necessarily. When the illusion is seen through, the confusion dissipates, it becomes clear, it can no longer arise. So while the mind harbors illusions, the moments of confusion are unavoidable.

Notice also that while you are strongly in the grip of illusion, there’s no confusion in you! You are entirely and completely sure that this is just how things are, that you know what’s up. This can also be called a delusion. There’s a surety which does not allow the confusion to rise to the surface. But a master can ask you a simple question, an innocuous question - and bam, there’s confusion.

Confusion is a necessary experience on the path from illusion to clarity. It cannot be otherwise, it’s a necessity. It arises when the illusion is about to be seen through, and it can arise many times over. It marks the transformation of illusion into clarity, it’s a necessary component of it. If you experience no confusion on the spiritual path, you are stagnating, you are in the grip of delusion.

So when you find yourself confused - be confused! “I am confused” - at least that much you know. You may not know anything else, the confusion might be tremendous, it might feel like there’s nothing but confusion, that you don’t know anything at all. But at least you know that you’re confused. Don’t be alarmed by it! Allow it and see where it will take you.