Mystery

A while back, Dharmaraja asked me to define a number of terms in the context of Wicca. I have decided to finally get around to defining the first term, Mystery. I apologize for taking so long, but to be honest, it's not an easy term to define or talk about. (Unfortunately, it must be the first term address, because any discussion of the other two are going to invariably going to mention Mysteries.) Indeed, I'd say that explaining what a Mystery is -- at least to someone who has as much learning left to do as I do -- is only slightly easier than actually trying to talk about a particular Mystery in particular.

At its roots, a Mystery is a revelation, understanding, truth, or sacred experience that cannot be properly expressed in words. It is something that can only come to someone through direct, personal experience. I think that the best way I've seen the concept explained is to describe sex as a Mystery. One can talk about sex in great details. One can tell another person about their sexual exploits. We can teach young people the mechanics of sex and the process of reproduction. Churches can instruct on the moral concerns of sex. Psychologists can discuss the emotional and psychological effects that sex can have on an individual or a relationship. Sociologists can even talk about the "politics" of sex. But anyone who has ever had sex can honestly tell you that none of this really tells you much about sex itself. In the end, sex is something to be experienced. And until you have that experience, you can't really understand it. You can only "know about" it.

This is the essence of Mystery. It is that which must be experienced, and can only be talked about vaguely. And once you have experienced it, it triggers a transformative process in you. You become "marked" by that experience and it colors your outlook and your future experiences. You take from the experience and understanding and realization that changes the way you see the world and yourself. And that's something that cannot be expressed to someone who has not had the same kind of experience.

The other thing to understand about a Mystery is that it is both simple and full of complexities and subtle varieties. To understand this idea, I again turn to the analogy of sex. The act of sex itself is generally quite simple. Basically, the mechanics of sex are straightforward. However, those basic mechanics can be performed in varying ways and under varying circumstances to produce an infinitude of different experiences. Because of this, each experience is different, unique, and can cause different feelings to arise. Each individual experience with it's subtle differences then contributes to the participants' overall understanding of sex. This is the nature of Mystery. A Mystery is meant to be experienced multiple times, as each experience will be slightly different and contribute to the individual's overall understanding and perception of that Mystery.

This concept of Mystery is central to Wicca. The core of Wicca rests upon certain Mysteries, which a Witch seeks come into contact with. The rites of Wicca are designed to bring about these interraction. Given rites are meant to instill the correct state of mind necessary to experience a particular Wiccan Mystery as well as invoke that Mystery. A fine example of this can be found in another entry I wrote, in which I described baptism as a rite to bring a new Christian into contact with a Christian Mystery. You'll also note that in that entry, I also referred to the rite of baptism itself as a Mystery. That is because it is often common to refer to a rite that brings about experience of a Mystery as a Mystery. As such, the meaning of the word can become a bit confusing at times.

Now, I should point out that there are many Mysteries in this sense, and Wicca has no monopoly on Mysteries. Wicca has its Mysteries and other religions have their Mysteries too. As a fine example of this, after I wrote that entry about baptism, I found out from a good friend that the Orthodox Church actually refers to the sacraments as Mysteries. (The Catholic priest at Tessie's funeral a couple summers ago also referred to Communion as a Mystery.)

So, I know that Dharmaraja's next question would be "what are the specific Mysteries of Wicca." Unfotunately, I cannot answer that question authoritatively. (Another reason I was hesitant to write this entry.) I am not of the Wicca at this time, and as such, my knowledge on this topic is very limited. However, I will tell you my own suspicions. I believe that much light can be shed on this question by carefully considering certain bits of Wiccan lore, such as The Myth of the Goddess. Rather than giving my own thoughts beyond that, I thought it best to let those interested do some reading and come to their own conclusions. Or seek out their local Witch and find out by experiencing them. ;)