into the mystic

"[A mystic] attempts to connect with the soul of each plant, the other beings that live in this garden, the angels that hover everywhere, and the interactions of the plants with one another. A mystic contemplates the sparks of holiness that reside within every plant and insect, knowing that these sparks are raised to new levels of consciousness when the fruits or vegetables are ingested by beings with higher consciousness. In the mystic's holistic view, every garden--every aspect of creation, for that matter--is a microcosm of the Garden of Eden and a reflection of everything happening in the cosmos." from the introduction to God is a Verb, page 10

It struck me as pretty ambitious and continues to seem out of my reach. Motherhood, so far anyway, is a day after day world of pragmatics. Feedings, changings, playing, general tending and I squeeze in my own basic needs for health & sanity where I can. Contemplation isn't on the schedule these days. (& I was inconsistent with it before the baby) Connecting with the souls of every thing around me is simply beyond the days themselves.

Is there a place for mysticism in motherhood?

I don't have a sense of a mystic who is grounded in daily corporeal reality. In my mind, mystics are separate from "real life" - they are cloistered or in an altered state. Like heroes, they don't have daily ongoing committed relationships. Instead, they are in & out, off on retreat, and in service to something higher or bigger or other than regular life. More than my family of origin or my marriage, my child roots me to regular daily life. Higher, bigger, and other than... can only be part of this if they are inherently part of flesh & blood life.

What if motherhood is uniquely suited for mysticism?

That's what I'm wondering about and want to experiment with these days. I'll post my thoughts and experiences along the way. & I'm open to suggestions!

Cooper, David. God is a Verb. New York: Riverhead Books. 1997