Implications

The question is: What are the mythical implications of what is happening in our society today? As this is going to be an ongoing inquiry for me, I will not try to answer the question right now, but rather begin the exploration into the images, stories, and movements of the psyche as they emerge. By approaching this question in this way, I am aware of a frustration that pervades our larger society. That frustration is in the overwhelming emphasis on "having answers." When we go onto the internet, or search through magazine articles, listen to lectures, ask teachers, or even contemplate issues for ourselves, we want there to be a definitive answer with a clear avenue of action. In the face of staggering amounts of information, along with the stunning pace of change, we each want some sense of surety and stability. If not, then we want a clear direction to go to get that confidence back! In the realm of contemplation of our issues, it occurs to me that an absolutist and declarative approach is the most readily accepted method for managing the immense unknown. If one "knows," then one can cope--regardless of the validity of that "knowing."

It occurs to me that the dramatic escalation of this kind of thinking is a symptom of something much more insidious than the changes we all see and fear--it is a symptom of a lack of imagination. Or, more accurately, the result of a poorly exercised and anemic imagination. We don't explore anymore! We don't hold the unknown as a sacred encounter with life, as an invitation to search (both inward and outward) for new and greater understanding. No, we search for discrete answers--the very lowest form of inquiry there is. After all, once there is an "answer," the questioning is over and the search is ended.

Medieval iconography did something important in the psyche--it provided an avenue for the imagination to apprehend the mystery of the divine. There were no absolutes in an iconographic representation of the Virgin Mary; rather, one contemplated the mystery of the Virgin Birth and perpetuated an ongoing relationship with the divine. There were no discrete answers!

So, in this opening up of my dialogue with what is going on around us, I am inclined to read Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Mahabharata" to find powerful enough images for the events of the day. If I ONLY watch Fox News or MSNBC, I do myself a great disservice. There is a line from William Stafford's poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other" that goes like this: "I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty to know what occurs but not recognize the fact."

So, let's see what comes out of seeking, not answers, but imaginings.