Musings on Mystery, with a Sense of Transparency

Mystery

Mystery is the power of a precious secret that does not easily reveal itself to us. It, like the mermaids, beckons us to come closer, to see what is inside us. Who are we? How were we created? What is next for us?

Mystery is the humility of seeing what we do not know, and when we are lucky, experiencing what we never thought possible. Mystery takes us into the intrigue of what is still graspable, and the infinity that remains unattainable to us. Living life aware of its mystery leads to a greater understanding of connections between worlds—inner and outer, self and other. We are a mysterious miracle, both individually and as threads woven into the tapestry of connection with our ancestors and the global community. While the mysteries of living and dying may be inconspicuous at times, they always present pathways to healing and becoming whole.

I Have Learned
... that the greatest mystery is how we are all connected. My mind causes me to feel disconnected when it is labeling and placing boundaries on my senses, destroying the mystery that transcends my mind. When my mind becomes imprisoned by the idea of separation, I lose a sense of the mystery around me. I remind myself that, because I live in a profoundly complex and mysterious universe, I must not become complacent in my not knowing. To honor the perplexities of mystery, I must remain curious and aware of how little I understand about the frontier on which we live. Mystery exists on its own terms, and will elude anything that attempts to control or confine it. When I hold onto rigid thoughts, perceptions, and conclusions, I close my heart to mystery. When this occurs, my body feels old and tired, and my mind feels uninspired and bored. The true mystery of us is played out in fluid acceptance of our complex, contradictory, and uncontainable self.

Musings on Mystery, With a Sense of Transparency
Transparency is to be visible. Like transparency, mystery reveals itself to only those who seek its company. How did the adults in your childhood speak of the mystery of existence? What did you think of mystery as a child when you gazed at the stars? How does the mystery of connection intrigue you? How flexibly can you flow with what you do not understand? How do you marvel at the mystery around you? What of your chosen practices invites greater consciousness of mystery?

Encouragement
You can experience the profoundness of mystery by stopping and sensing what you have learned from your past. Be conscious not to become complacent or believe you know more than you think you know. Ask yourself what you do know, and what you do not know. Search for your honest responses and relax into the process of this self-exploration.

My commitment to commune with the mystery of life, by myself and with others, is ...

The above is an excerpt from Welcome Home to Yourself: A therapist and photographer explore the meaning of life through individual lenses—a mother and son’s journey published in 2008 by Relationships Matter Publishing Inc. www.suzannekyra.com