From the dawn of humanity, we have gazed at the stars, pondered the rustling leaves, and felt the inexplicable thrum of life within. These experiences, etched deep within our souls, have hinted at something larger, something profound, something just beyond the grasp of our conscious minds. This “something,” often called the Divine, God, Spirit, Source, or countless other names, is fundamentally and beautifully a Great Mystery.
We, in our inherent human desire to understand and categorise, often attempt to box in the Divine, to define it with rigid doctrines, concrete images, and unwavering pronouncements. We build temples and write scriptures, seeking to capture the essence of the transcendent in human-made structures and words. And, while these endeavours can offer comfort, guidance, and a sense of community, they can also inadvertently limit the very thing they seek to illuminate. They risk reducing the boundless, ineffable Divine to something manageable, something… smaller than it truly is.
To truly engage with the Divine is to step into the realm of Mystery. It is to acknowledge the limits of our intellect and language when confronted with something that inherently surpasses them. Think of trying to describe the vastness of the ocean to someone who has only ever known a pond. Our words, our analogies, our carefully constructed theological frameworks – they are all ponds attempting to contain the ocean.
This isn’t to say that seeking understanding is futile. Quite the opposite. The journey into the Divine Mystery is a profoundly enriching one. It’s a journey fuelled by awe, wonder, and a deep humility. It acknowledges that true knowledge of the Divine isn’t about possessing answers, but rather about embracing the questions.
This Mystery isn’t a void, an absence of something. Instead, it is a pregnant fullness, brimming with potential, possibility, and an unfathomable depth. It is the fertile ground from which all creation springs, the silent symphony that underpins the universe, the unseen hand that guides the dance of existence. It is in the spaces between our words, the silences within our prayers, and the moments of pure, unadulterated presence that we may glimpse the edges of this Great Mystery.
Some might find this notion unsettling. We are often taught to seek certainty, to find definitive answers. But the Divine Mystery challenges this need for control. It invites us to let go of our preconceived notions, to shed our intellectual armour, and to open ourselves to the vast unknown. It is in this vulnerability, in this willingness to dwell in the “not-knowing,” that we can discover a deeper, more profound connection to the Divine.
Embracing the Divine as Mystery also fosters a sense of reverence and respect. When we acknowledge the inherent unknowability at the heart of existence, we naturally approach it with a gentler touch, a more open heart. We become less dogmatic, less judgemental, and more accepting of the diverse paths others take in their own explorations of the sacred. For if the Divine is truly a Great Mystery, then no single path, no single perspective, can claim to hold the complete truth.
So, instead of striving to define and confine, perhaps we can learn to lean into the Mystery. To find solace in the vastness beyond our comprehension. To allow the unknown to inspire us, to humble us, and to draw us ever closer to the heart of the Divine, which remains, in its essence, beautifully and eternally, the Great Mystery. And perhaps, in that very mystery, lies its greatest and most profound gift.
Worldwide Temple of Aurora 