In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell writes,
“It’s important to live life with the experience, and therefore the knowledge, of its mystery and of your own mystery. This gives life a new radiance, a new harmony, a new splendor.”
The unknown.
The mystery.
The ineffable.
The marvel.
The elusive.
How do we express that which is inexpressible? Is it possible we are not meant to answer this question? To answer it would fix it in time and space, limiting the enchanting to one particular time, one specific space.
Living within the mystery, surrendering to it, knowing we live in its embrace, gives us vibrance, courage, and resilience. Holding all we experience within the mystery allows for presence, a nobility in living. The joyous times and the painful times are held in that elusive space. It is the space of each breath, each inhale and exhale, the rhythm of life.
“Breathing in, I calm my body and my mind.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is the only moment.”
Thus Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us of the mystery of each moment. He makes the enigma tangible, in each breath and in each mind. He brings the marvel of living to its simplest form, one we have known since birth. And we will know until our death.
Suddenly, the mystery, and all its power, becomes manifest.