“The great beauty of life is its mystery, the inability to know what course our life will take, and diligently work to transmute into our final form based upon a lifetime of constant discovery and enterprising effort. Accepting the unknown and unknowable eliminates regret.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls

In no small way, my life over the last few months has been a crash course in Mystery.

And mystery has a way of provoking fear in the mind of one who has grown accustom to consistency, sureness, and routine.

Each one of us are always standing at the precipice of choice. For the most part, we seem to effortlessly ignore and/or avoid the mystery before us; preferring the assurances of repetition and the false sense of security it provides. As the saying goes, “No news is good news”.

But what if that consistency vanishes?

I’ve had the good fortune to spend much of my free time in the serene setting of northern Ontario; a spot with such beauty and, if you find the right spot, seclusion to have only my own thoughts and attention as companions. And with these luxuries I’ve been able to really sit with this fear which arises when I accept the immediate reality that what my life is going to look like even a year from now, is not certain.

What I’ve discovered is that it is my resistance to the mystery which elicits fear.

So I’ve begun to consciously embrace the mystery; to accept not knowing.

What does this look like?

Well first, I’ve leaned on my faith that life is for my good. That the mystery itself, albeit beyond what I can fully comprehend, is and continues to be designed for the fruition of peace, safety, and good for all. This is a key element, I feel, to embracing the mystery.

Second, to remain conscious of both my thoughts and the experiences and events which arise in my life. The two are not exclusive to each other; they are inherently joined and co-arising.

And finally, to maintain a consistent state of gratitude. By accepting the mystery while simultaneously being grateful for whatever arises, knowing that it is for my good, transmutes the fear into excitement and joy. The need to control and know gives way to Grace.

I hope those that read this, who are also being awakened to the every present mystery of life (either by choice or by what seems to be the will of the mystery itself), find usefulness in my words and comfort in knowing that they do not face it alone.

AUM