Some adopt a rigid system that answers all possible questions and so you don’t have to think beyond its systems. The other response is much more seemingly fragile but much more expansive, because it doesn’t lay down a rigid framework. It allows you to move within the mystery of it. And that seems to be flowering right now. I think people are more and more interested in embracing that because they’ve been through everything else. It is a willingness to embrace mystery, a willingness to embrace not knowing, allowing that intuitive awareness to speak.
~ Paul John Roach
(The Translucent Revolution)
There’s more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine
~ Emily Saliers
♫ (Closer to Fine) ♫
Any knowledge that doesn’t lead to new questions quickly dies out: it fails to maintain the temperature required for sustaining life.
~ Wisława Szymborska
(Poems New & Collected)
I love the painting you selected — “sewing”
Me, too!
The eyes have it – that little girl is staring into the mystery of creativity; wondering where she will go next.
There is no end to the possibilities…
Hi Barbara,
“Any knowledge that doesn’t lead to new questions quickly dies out” how very true that is.
I love the photo very nice.
May we never run out of questions!
Well, I’m speechless. That doesn’t happen often. lol!
Brilliant pairing of words and painting. Brilliant. 🙂
Thank you so much, Robin! I hope you’ve regained your ability to speak by now! 😉
Love the painting. I think I have seen a few by this artist here, am I remembering correctly?
The more you know, the more you realize you have yet to learn. Don’t know if that is a quote from someone famous, but it is very true. One question leads to ten more.
I think this is the fifth painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau I’ve posted on this blog. Years ago I went through a Renoir phase, now it’s Bouguereau. His work fills me with joy!
Wow. I love this. I have been thinking along these lines lately so much. I have practiced Zen Buddhism, but the constancy of practice and the esoteric nature of the lessons seem like they are too rigid. I was wondering if it is my laziness or an issue I have with structure but it seems like this is right. If you can get the information and the lesson of mystery with a more practical approach…..I don’t know. But the questions are okay, and I want to know more about this Paul John Roach, is this a book? Thank you for posting this!!! Love the painting too!
Meg, the book, “The Translucent Revolution: How People Just Like You Are Waking Up & Changing the World” is by Arjuna Ardagh and I found it very helpful for my own spiritual journey away from organized religion and organized science. For the book Ardagh interviews and quotes many others who have had similar awakenings, Paul John Roach being one of them. Your questions sent me off on a little search. Apparently Roach has a blog:
http://pauljohnroach.com/blog/
I recommend “The Translucent Revolution” very highly!!!
Thank you Barbara!
You’re welcome, Meg!
Hi Barbara,
How are you doing? I truly appreciate the idea portrayed in this post. How true it is that life itself is a mystery. There are so many questions and so many of them still remain un answered. Is’nt it worth the curiosity? Thanks for putting it in a beautiful way. I love the picture. And yea, we cannot survive in a rigid system where the meaning of life is lost. The dynamism is a driving force in this world. The more you grow, the more you achieve and the more you change the world, in a better way! 🙂
With Best Regards
Sonali
Hi Sonali, how nice to hear from you again! I’m doing well, busy as a bee with so many changes happening around here… Hope all is well with you on your side of the planet! 🙂
Indeed, humans are so very curious by nature and that’s a wonderful thing because there is no end to the mystery! When Roach mentioned not laying down a framework it made me think of that expression about thinking outside the box. Or, as Emerson said, “Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning; that there is always another dawn risen on mid-noon, and under every deep a lower deep opens.”
Yes, Barbara. I am very busy too. Its been ages since I blogged last. 🙁
Thank you for sharing the good thoughts. It encourages. 🙂 “Endless”
I’ll keep checking your blog, Sonali, just in case you find a moment to post something quick! 😉
This is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately. The book looks very interesting; I may have to look into it 🙂
It is a relief to embrace and move freely within the mystery that surrounds us…
Hi Barbara,
I only recently discovered Wislawa Szymborska’s poetry. Nice to find her quoted here.
Me, too. Some of the music by a group called Closer Ocean is inspired by Wislawa Szymborska’s poetry. They have a blog: “Finding Szymborska Blog” http://www.closerocean.com/finding-szymborska-blog.html