The national-security expert Gergory Treverton has famously made a distinction between puzzles and mysteries: Puzzles result when you don't have enough information. A simple, factual answer is the key to solving a puzzle. Mysteries require judgments and the assessment of uncertainty. The implication for spiritual direction is that God is a mystery to be experienced -- not a puzzle to be solved.

For more on this, read (or listen to) Richard Rohr's recent piece on NPR, "Utterly Humbled by Mystery." Or, read Malcolm Gladwell's New Yorker article, "Open Secrets: Enron, intelligence, and the perils of too much information" (which reminded me of Treverton's distinction).

Speaking of Rohr, I recently enjoyed reading his book Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer. But, more significantly, I am interested in learning more about his work on masculine spirituality (see malespirituality.org). I am discerning whether one of his "male initiation," five-day, "rites of passage" retreats would be a transformative way of celebrating my 30th birthday -- which will be on March 10, 2008 for those keeping score at home. And, if you're wondering, it's not about getting naked and sitting around a fire while beating a drum...not that there's anything wrong with that (see Mcconaughey, Matthew).

In short (in my limited understanding of Rohr's work), we live in a patriarchy comprised of much unhealthy masculine spirituality: "The state needs conformists and unfeeling warriors to go about its business." We have also, in recent decades, benefited from women reclaiming their voices to develop an authentic feminine spirituality, grounded in the sacred feminine. What we haven't seen as much of is an authentic masculine spirituality:

"A masculine spirituality would emphasize action over theory, service to the human community over religious discussions, speaking the truth over social graces, and doing justice over looking nice. Without a complementary masculine, spirituality becomes overly feminine (which is really a false feminine!) and characterized by too much inwardness, preoccupation with relationships, a morass of unclarified feeling, and endless self-protectiveness."

Rohr also talks a lot about healing the "Father wound" -- which could be important work for me to do since my father died of esophageal cancer when I was a freshman in high school.

Also, the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction program here at San Francisco Theological Seminary is providing me with a lot of experience in developing my inner life and feelings -- what Rohr would call "feminine spirituality" (which is great!). But his work in masculine spirituality could provide an important yang to the DASD yin:

Yin is the darker element; it is passive, dark, feminine, downward-seeking, and corresponds to the night. Symbolized by water or earth.

Yang is the brighter element; it is active, light, masculine, upward-seeking and corresponds to the day. Symbolized by fire, or wind.

Yin and Yang are descriptions of complementary opposites rather than absolutes. Any Yin/Yang dichotomy can be seen as its opposite when viewed from another perspective. The categorization is seen as one of convenience. Most forces in nature can be seen as having Yin and Yang states, and the two are usually in movement rather than held in absolute stasis.