DEMYSTIFYING THE MYSTICAL – The Down and Dirty Road to Higher Consciousness

As I've begun building a following for One Man's Wonder, two challenges have stood out above all the rest: deciding and articulating what it is I want to say, and finding other bloggers who might appreciate that way of looking at life and be willing to engage with me in engaging the world.

One Man's Wonder is part nature blog, part personal reflection, part spiritual journey. To be more precise, it explores the considerable common ground that exists between simple, everyday awareness and some kind of higher spiritual consciousness.

Call it what you will, this area's not defined or governed by any particular religious construct; you don't have to be a liberal arts graduate or an NPR listener to fit in; there are no slick New Age buzzwords. All you have to do is show up, pay attention and not be in a hurry to leave. Period.

     We're at the point of stepping back and
     recognizing the sad absurdity of stockpiling
     meaningless "friendships" and chasing
     quick, shallow experiences.

As for finding kindred spirits, I'm coming across surprisingly few blogs that aren't about just nature (usually just one aspect of nature) or just spirituality (most often of just one bent). And many of the latter, laced with slick New Age jargon or Zen-speak, seem pretty hard for the average person to relate to.

It puzzles me that so few people are managing to articulate this obvious nexus of the immediate with the eternal in plain, everyday language. It's not that hard.

I know I'm not the only one who senses the growing unease people are feeling with this sped-up, dumbed down, 140-character world of sound bites, texting, and virtual relationships. I think we're at the point of stepping back and recognizing the sad absurdity of stockpiling meaningless "friendships" and chasing quick, shallow experiences. We're capable of so much more.

We yearn for substance, for real-world experiences that cause us to think, to feel, to wonder. Don't you feel that longing percolating somewhere in your soul?

So what can you do about it? Slow down. Rethink your priorities. Give yourself the gift of time unencumbered by expectation. Put yourself—physically and, more importantly, mentally—in a place where, when wonder comes calling, someone's actually home to answer the door. Believe in small miracles. And remember, we often see what we expect to see.

     Sometimes the only way to attain something
     I desperately want and never seem to find is
     to stop looking for it.

Too many people seem to invest in symbols and gurus instead of in real-life experience—and few ever seem to find their bliss. What I've found is that sometimes the only way to attain something I desperately want and never seem to find is to stop looking for it. For wonders surround and fill us all the time. You don't have to hire a personal coach, consult a crystal or join a movement to find answers or inspiration. They're already in you.

Wonder...it's already in you.

This brings me back to One Man's Wonder. My wish is that these reflections, these accounts of experiences that have moved me to wonder, will help you see how natural, how down-to-earth, how utterly simple it is to enter the realm of the mystical.

I don't pretend to know anything beyond my own feelings and the belief that my presence has power. Beyond that, it's just curiosity, patience and a bit of faith. These are things no one should have to strive for, much less pay for. My hope is to be seen not as an expert on anything, but just a fellow traveler who happens to enjoy sharing his experiences, and hopes you'll find affirmation and encouragement in them.

Please let us know how it goes...