Frequently, it is not a matter of addressing a portion of a mystery so that it becomes a problem, dilemmas or polarity. Rather it is a matter of acknowledging that a mystery is itself constituted of multiple and often nested dilemmas. The mystery might even reside in the midst of a polarity. These dilemma and polarity-filled mysteries are particularly hard to understand or address. They reside beyond rational comprehension and resolution. They must be viewed with respect and cannot be ignored (which would lead to Uncertainty). Some mysteries relate to traumatic and devastating events. These yield to what I have identified as an apprehensive perspective regarding what is Essential. Why did I get out of the World Trade Center while my desk mate perished? Why did the fire reach our home but not the one next to us? Why did my child die before me? The virus evokes many profound questions of mystery that are nested or that evoke polarities. Why was my mother forced to die alone when COVID-19 hit? Could the government have done something about this—or could I have done something? Our troubling concerns are based in a nested dilemma. Where did all of this anger in our society about the virus come from? Why was there such distrust of some people and agencies? Will this anger and distrust reappear when the next virus hits our shore? Should we impose some restrictions on the expression of this anger or confront the distrust more forcefully when future viruses invade our life? Or do we just let this anger and distrust be freely expressed in our “open” society? The mystery of reoccurring viruses is now couched in a polarity regarding societal restrictions.
Mysteries can also provide an opportunity for engaging what I have identified as aspirational Essentials. The productive processes of Polystasis enter the picture at this point. A new project has fallen into my lap. I have received a remarkable opportunity to demonstrate my competence in leading this project. I shift my baseline. I set up predictions and plans for success in operating this new project. I then act on behalf of the new baseline I have established. Another opportunity might arise that we have brought about ourselves. My partner and I have shared five wonderful years together—perhaps it is now time to have a baby. New baselines regarding child-centered accomplishments are established by the two of us and we make plans. Opportunities might also emerge in reaction to events in the immediate past. I have gained so much support during my treatment for Cancer that it is now time for me to “give back” and do volunteer work at the treatment center. I create a new baseline regarding time spent in assisting other people with cancer. I predict that there are certain ways in which I can be most helpful. I find that the baseline must be adjusted, and my predictions must shift a bit as I actually begin working with those people who are facing the often-mysterious challenges of cancer.
A mystery is inevitably viewed from many different perspectives and is often deeply rooted in a specific culture and tradition. Mysteries have no boundaries, and all aspects are interrelated. As I have noted, COVID-19 is fundamentally a mystery. We don’t know why this horrible virus has afflicted us. There is often a “Why” question to be addressed when confronting a mystery such as COVID-19. We can seek out a religious or sacred answer by asking if we, as human beings, somehow deserve to be “punished.” Is COVID an apprehensive Essential? Are the wages of sin now evident in the impact of this virus on our collective life? Is this some divine retribution for the inequities and warfare we have inflicted on our fellow human beings? From a more positive perspective, we might perceive that God is just trying to show us that life is precious. We should spend more time with our loved ones and provide our neighbors with gracious support. There is a divine presence that is guiding us through troubling times.
