Mysterium tremens

In some cases an encounter with the divine is exposing a mysterium tremens, a tremendous mystery. It is witness of the unavailability of the divine - neither it is tool nor simply object which can be used in any way. This means the word tremendous - it is against any plannable attempt "catching the divine", so to speak.

I want to give some basic examples how that looks like.

Mystery of "as if"

There is the Benedictinian formula ora et labora, pray and work. Here is a strange experience people make. My grandfather used to say like this: pray as if there is no work, and work as if there is no prayer.

Mr Amarillo, an old friend of mine, used it in the same way when he said: fake it till you make it. He meant that from the perspective as if. Live as if you are Gods child, as if you are part of all, as if contemplation is as important as hard work.

Mystery of "trust and understanding"

Kiergegaard said a fine word: living forward needs trust, understandng comes only afterwards. Living in trust is living forward and keep going. The mystery of understanding needs patience going the whole way - finally you may understand after many struggles and deserts you have gone through.

Mystery of "blessing"

This is an experience many have. Despite not expecting, they see they are blessed: with health, power, joy. Their knees were often shaking, their hearts were pumping hard, and they finally came to certain places, and they wonder they made it. This is the wonder of divine abundance instead measure by measure people expect in a world of material, mental and spiritual capitalism.

Mystery of "straigt writing"

Kelly had a nice post on living books. This is another mystery - how life and God write the lines. Despite not expecting more than curved lines, many experience that God even in curved and broken lives can write straigt lines and does so.

Mystery of "the simple is the toughest"

Many make the experience, that after incredible effords and struggles they see how simple finally life is and it`s affairs.

Mystery of "letting go"

Same here - letting go comes under the impression what freedom is and means. It means freedom, all has a right for going own ways and coming back if wanted.

Mystery of "now"

You discover that there is no real time, only the everlasting NOW, in which all is happening which wants to happen.

Mystery of "coincidentia oppositorum"

Opposites coming together means the mystery of something strange and against any logics. The great becomes big in the small, light shines in the dark, sense emerges in the senseless, and life appears in the death. This is typical Christ style, especially in the Gospel of John. In the end all opposite is connected as one.

Mystery of "all is in place"

This is what many people discover after long trails of life jouneys - all was in place, secretly, without explanation, it simply happened without any will or work. This is called the

Mystery of "grace"...

You may look for other examples for yourself.

Have fun with a piece of Frank Zappa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPPDrXHjJx8