Why and how do you tap into the great mystery of life?
orchid at the Huntington Library
Ultimately of course it is absolutely impossible to understand and appreciate our natural universe unless you know when to stop investigating.
-Eastern Wisdom by Alan Watts
sketch at the Huntington Library
The human mind longs for answers.
It is a part of our DNA to search out the meaning of things. Science, the rigorous and methodical study of things toward their greater understanding, is a natural offshoot of being human. What scientific inquiry robs us of, however, is the state of being in the mystery.
We try so hard to fit everything into neat categories and compartments that we forget to spend time in the mystery. What if there were wisdom in not knowing, in not using the mind to define but using the entire being to experience the fullness of life?
sketch I did and left in Durango, CO for someone to find in 2011
The other day I read that each great artist is guided by a question.
The question varies for each person and an answer isn’t always sought, but what happens in process towards the question is the art.
In our culture, rational ways of being are highly valued. All major schools are based on this method of knowing, but it only goes so far. The mystery at some point cannot be accessed by the rational mind.
At this point we must turn to another faculty- one that is innate to each of us though not championed in our modern age.
walking up the stairs in Palenque, Mexico
This is known by many as the intuition and can be thought of as knowing not with our rational minds but by our heart, gut or felt sense.
As children many of us are taught to mistrust this knowing. We are taught to value that which can be studied and known rationally.
We are taught to trust the experts or voices outside of ourselves and to this end read books to gain everything there is to know about being here. This in and of itself isn’t bad, but the heavy emphasis of this cuts us off from our innate knowing, our connection to that which is beyond our rational mind.
Our hearts and guts are two undervalued neurological centers. By denying their intelligence, we are severing ties between ourselves and the intelligence of the universe. Personal experience is undeniable, and no one can explain, teach or tell us how we experience life.
It is in this unique experience on a daily basis that we can find meaning, purpose, direction, and inspiration. This knowing comes from within, but is not from us and is connected to something much greater than ourselves. It is our way to tap into the great mystery.
orchid at the Huntington Library
Yet that is one of the misunderstandings in which I believe our culture in the West is submerged. The feminine values are despised, and we find typically among men a strange kind of reluctance to be anything but an all-male man.
But there is a tremendous necessity for us to value-along side, as it were, the aggressive-masculine element symbolized by the sword-the receptive feminine Space element symbolized, perhaps, by the open flower. After all our human senses are not knives, they are not hooks; they are the soft veil of the eye, the delicate drum of the year, the soft skin of the tips of the fingers and on the body. It is through these delicate, receptive things that we receive our knowledge of the world.
- Allan Watts
photo of the author in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia
It is through these receptive senses that our intuition is able to receive information from the greater whole. It is here where we understand and appreciate the true scope and beauty of what it is to be a human. It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword, but what source guides the pen?
Is it not something greater than the pen itself, the subtle receptive forces that receive and transmit feelings and information? We trick ourselves into believing mental understanding is total knowing, but what could be more clearly known than feelings and senses?
It would be wise to leave room for, spend time in and revere the mystery and our connection to it through intuition as so many humans have done that walked the earth before us.
butterfly in North Carolina
It was well said that “the mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
All photos are mine.
very nice post , Thanks very much
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In some ways, growing up with 3 different family belief systems was a curse and in some ways a blessing. I spent most of my childhood trying to reconcile between Pagan, Native American and Christian beliefs. But it gave me a somewhat unique look at life, the universal energies that run through it, and what comes after.
I did a lot of prodding when I was younger, then gave it time to give me answers when logic couldn't supply them.
Now that I am an old crone in my own right, I just stop and listen to nature in all it's glorious parts and let them tell me what I need to know.
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So good to hear a bit about your journey. I can relate to the prodding and giving time and space for other ways of knowing to arise.
Glad to hear your time as a crone is spent in nature & listening. I keep hearing this... the value in listening and be receptive to, as you reiterate, “let them tell [you] all you need to know.”
Thanks for being another encouraging voice on this path. Blessings 🌿
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I would be quite curious how you see the difference between Pagan and Native American belief systems. To me, though both are very diverse in their own multi-faceted ways, both are based on nature and natural phenomena. But that is just one way (my way) of looking at them, so I would be interested in seeing other ways. If you don't mind sharing yours.
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Well, in my mind, if you want to call Paganism and Native American spirituality the same, you would have to sort of limit the hundreds of different paths around the world to just two. Pagan and Non-Pagan. Pagan is an umbrella term, just as much as Christianity is an umbrella term. There is no one definition of either.
Are Catholic and Baptist teachings the same? Both are under the umbrella term Christianity but they are EXTREMELY different.
Pagan is an umbrella term that includes Native American teachings. But does Native Americans teach about Wicca, Druidism or ...
I personally am anti-labels and anti-religion and view both as nothing more than tools used to divide and conquer the masses. They are control mechanisms used by those we have allowed to take power in our lives. The only way we can take back power is to strip off the labels and stop looking to others for answers. True answers are only found in the source. But humans have a desire (or a need) to belong to something bigger than themselves. So they grab hold of these labels and instead of being their true selves, they take on the aspects of others with that same label.
FYI, I almost did not answer your comment. Your question is one of the most asked questions by people of various religions who feel their god requires them to use any tactics necessary to "save the souls" of the people they encounter. However, my still, small voice told me it does not matter if you are yet another person determined to save my soul because it gave me an opportunity to reach others that could view this post.
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Thank you so much for replying to me! Was my way of asking really that intrusive? I guess I should work on my wording, because I really was just curious. Don't worry I'm not out to save anyone's soul, and if people try to save me I tell them I ain't got no soul to save.
I fully agree with you on labels, and that often they are used to divide and conquer. Still, there are categories, sub-categories, and sub-sub-categories, and I think we can split and lump things as we want without necessarily any agenda behind it. I mean, think about life: there are reptiles, fish, mammals, none of which are plants, but marsupials would fall into the animalia, with kangaroos and koalas etc. in that category. Or let's talk about dishes (to pick something very benign): cups and plates would generally be ceramics, pots and pans fall in the metal-ware category, and within that group you have cast-iron pans and teflon-coated pans, each having smaller and larger sub-groups for different kinds of cooking. Fortunately nobody comes along telling a sauce-pan that they should instead be a pressure-cooker!
So yeah, this is the way I see religion, where categorizing is even more interesting because there is such a huge overlap. And I agree, humans tend to want to identify with something bigger, but at the same time want to be unique and different. Hence the many branches and splinter-groups in religions. And that is precisely what I find fascinating. I would not call two of them the same, but identify the similarities and differences. A friend of mine put it quite fittingly (though some people may take offense in it) that Paganism and Christianity are bastardized versions of each other, referring to the origins of many traditions of Easter of Day of the Dead. Even Catholicism is an umbrella term, if you look at the immense difference how it is practices in various parts of the world.
So again, thank you for answering my comment. We can talk about religion without resulting to fanaticism.
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I probably should have explained I changed my mind about replying after looking at your blog. Part of it for me is I live in the Bible Belt and always have. In the suburbs, people are not as "live and let live" as in the city of Atlanta proper. It is through personal experience that I have come to mistrust some questions. I have had far to many religious people use their religion as a weapon against me.
I much prefer to accept any and everyone until they prove through their own actions they are not worthy of my acceptance.
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Ditto here! I didn't look at your blog until after our exchange of messages, seeing you live in Georgia. That explains a lot. And it's shocking to me that the stereotype has some real-life connotations! See, I've never been south of West Virginia. In the end I am happy that we got to get down to talking sensibly. I wouldn't mind reading more about your experiences with different religions ( only if you don't mind sharing, of course). If you are willing to write a post, you can count with my upvote. I'm already following you. :-)
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I do not have a lot of control over which memories come up. Part of it is protective because I am not ready to deal with some of the things done to me. Part of it also comes from the wreck that caused my physical disabilities, a brain injury and a severe case of PTSD.
Steemit has helped me "come out of my shell" so to speak. I have regained much of my communication abilities since coming here. It has given me the confidence to do things I never thought I would do again. But trying to force memories from my childhood to come up usually results in panic attacks. When the memories simply come up on their own, they don't have that effect.
As the memories some up on their own, I will share them. But only my brain can decide when they are ready to come up. I can't force them.
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Please don't force things, that usually doesn't result in anything good. It's nice to hear that Steemit has helped you regain your willingness to communicate. So sorry to hear that the past has caused so much physical and mental pain! I wish you strength and lasting healing, and whenever you are ready to share I'm interested to read. Thank you, @fernowl13
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The mysteries are endless. Lovely post
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❤️❤️❤️ truly! Thanks for stopping by.
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good post.
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I had many micro revelations since I had kids. They are far more intuitive than us because their senses haven't been so much conditioned and distracted and tainted as ours. So I should probably listen to them more. I sometimes have a feeling that as babies we know it all and then the world just ruins us.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post @mountainjewel.
Nothing really comes to mind other than I don't experience much "knowing". And, equally I spend so much time in my head that I don't experience much of the mystery either.
Which is actually interesting because I keep noticing, in a number of different situations, Steemit included, that I appear to be a person in "both camps".
I have been viewing that as a bad thing and that if only I could decide which side I stood on, things would be easier.
But maybe my "right"place IS in both camps. That's something to ponder . . . 😍
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your right place is wherever you feel it is.
It's funny that we Humans like to pick side and define things,although I suppose it does help sometimes. Labels can be shields to hide behind or clues and insights into deeper truths.
Knowing where i stand hasn't made my journey any easier, but letting go has helped a lot. Enjoy the pondering!
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Yes, I agree @mountainjewel. Letting go is a biggey! Adn one of the thoughts I find hard to let go of is the idea that if I had a direction, or something I was passionate about, life would be better somehow.
I'm not sure I have anyplace that I feel is right. It's more an absence of feeling slightly off. Does that make sense? And that would be when I'm deeply immersed in whatever I am doing or, most often with my family.
I was surprised to read that
since it is the story that has been running me most of my life - that that knowing is what is missing.
Have a wonder full day! 💙
Back to the pondering . . .
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I love to read your posts, you have such a beautiful way of seeing the world which really comes across in your writing, I love how you talk about our ancient wisdom that is ingrained in us. I always try to follow my instincts, to really trust my body and also my surrounding environment, so much knowledge we hold inside of us, we really need to remember the art of listening to ourselves xx
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Happy that our writings are enjoyable... We have fun putting thoughts into words and words into posts. What u says so true about learning to listen to ourselves. It's a MUST.
We both have conflicting voices inside at times, but come back to the intelligence in the body.
Happy to hear of your resonance and appreciation. Good job on the journey of self discovery, thanks for sharing
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Thank you so much for sharing your personal thoughts. I love to read all the different perspectives from others. For myself, I feel there are as many truths as there are people. Look forward to hearing more from you.
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Oh this is excellent fodder for my brain!! I have some similar thoughts ruminating about. They're more about academic v personal story and experience, especially as that relates to power and privilege, but this is an important piece.
I used to sit in a native spiritual circle, and I had a wonderful and amazing teacher who would always begin his prayers by addressing God as Great Mystery. So, obviously that was my first thought when I saw this. Of course science is wonderful and our desire to learn and explore is so powerful, but only in just being can we experience that magic. In every ceremony I've done there's a point where you have to let go of trying to fix or control and just be. Same thing with birth. There are forces far beyond what our minds can comprehend, and that truly is a good thing. I do, however, love those places where science and mystery mingle. Way out there in corners of physics.
Love this. Thanks.
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