These days our thoughts about who we are are infiltrated by various models – models from  many disciplines; psychological, neurological, spiritual.  These models may be simplistic or complex – elegant or baroque, often valuable, frequently clarifying of certain aspects of life. Yet they are models, and the more value we place on them… the more we rely on their veracity to explain something intangible…the more we rest into the truths these models reveal, the less we find the Truth.

Don’t get me wrong. Models, like maps, have real value. Yet, like maps, they select what is to be emphasized and what is to be discarded – distorting for the purpose of usefulness the real territory!

And what is that territory? Making sense ( literally) of the complexities that we are as human beings, transcends models.  Staying with the mystery, the questions is required however we long for resolution, answers, explanations that seem “to fit”.

When we  unwittingly “pull and tug” at ourselves to fit into a model; when we discard whole parts of our understanding, we do not further our knowing, we distort it. Keeping our awareness of the model front and center allows us to take what is useful while honoring what remains outside the model as equal in value.

How then do we go about revealing to ourselves some of the answers these models seek to provide?  As Rilke said, by living with the questions…staying attuned to them.