Friday, August 10, 2018

A New Look at Exploring Mysteries - #48


The name exploring the mystery mysteriously came to me in 2012, when my web designer asked: "What name do we give this creation?"  

I grow fonder of the name every year, perhaps as I become more aware of its complexity.

As I become more comfortable with how complex life is, it is easier to accept that a mystery is more than a puzzle to be solved.  I've often had to remind myself that we are not exploring the mystery to come up with an answer.  

Mystery, the type we are exploring, describes something for which there is no human solution. The proper response to a genuine mystery is awe. In order to feel awe, we need to step back, take time, and savor. 

A dream is a mystery. Earlier this week, I tried to capture the essence of a dream. The illegible scratchings on an index card made with a pen that didn't start writing in the dark when I thought it did, led to a mystery all it's own.  Parts on the paper were almost impossible to read but here's what I deciphered:

I was backing fast down the driveway singing Dora Dora

It was an embarrassment to me as a psychotherapist to never feel competent making meaning out of dreams. This was mainly because I had a belief that I couldn't make meaning out of dreams. My frustration and eagerness to have the answer immediately often led to not even trying.

I've been missing being a therapist lately so I decided to be one for myself and stay with the dream,. To not let myself give up.   

So when I was thinking and talking outloud to myself about the backing up part of the dream, I suddenly remembered writing blog posts a few weeks ago where the focus was on paying attention to what is in back of us. So maybe I was backing up because there was something important back there! Perhaps the dream is related to the memoir I am writing about my psychoanalysis.  

The "doro doro" song may have been triggered by a note my sister recently passed on to me, a note that I wrote my mother sixty-seven years ago when she was in the hospital giving birth to this sister. Being nearly six years old at the time, I assured my mother that I was fine and reported that I was able to play "doctor doctor" on the piano.

It doesn't feel like I've solved the mystery of my dream and what it means but I have explored it. The process of exploration is satisfying when I am able to slow down, savor, examine, and explore.

Do you like thinking of the word mystery in this way or does it frustrate you? What do you wish you would slow down, savor, examine and explore more? I would love to hear your ideas. What is a mystery to you? Please email me or comment on the blog.

CLUE: If you remember a dream this week, take some time to play around with it - whether or not you believe that dreams bring us psychological knowledge. Whatever you think about dreams, I think we all might feel that the contents of a dream are mysterious.

Thank you for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall


4 comments:

  1. Sleep is becoming more of a mystery to me. I’m learning that it’s not just awake vs asleep. Lately I’ve been dreaming that I’m awake, yet the alarm sounding still startles me. When I was working I had two recurring dreams, one being trapped in a never ending hallway with many doors, and the other of walking on a Rube Goldberg device having to balance carefully. Not much mystery in either of those dreams.

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    1. Nolan - Nina was here yesterday so I am just getting back to you now. We had a great time together - she has a good perspective on life and I felt very supported by her kindness.

      I loved your idea that sleep is becoming more of a mystery. I think that is so true. I just read a novel about sleep research that I gave to Lydia when she was here that you might like. I can't remember the name of it but the author was Chloe Benjamin. It is Benjamin's first book and not as good her recent one The Immortalists which I loved. It was about 4 siblings who went to a fortune teller when very young and how the predictions given them on the exact day they would die effected/affected their lives. If you read either, please let me know what you think.

      I love hearing about your dreams. I had to ask Wendell about the Rube Goldberg device!

      Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

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  2. I love the idea of mystery as a puzzle not to be solved. Also love the response of awe. The older I get, the more I am inspired by not having answers at the ready.

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    1. Thanks Diane - I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I like your idea of being inspired by NOT having answers!

      Take care and stay in touch!

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