Book of the Labyrinth: Numen

(We’re looking at excerpts from my Book of the Labyrinth, a blank book into which I have written inspirational stuff, divided into the sections of RITUAL in Lichtenbergianism: procrastination as a creative strategy.)

Listen: there’s a hell
of a good universe next door;
Let’s go.
— e.e. cummings

NUMEN

You thought this series of blog posts was all hippie-woo before? Grab hold of whatever you consider to be reality, then, because today we talk about Numen.

Numen is one of the things we seek while we’re Taking the Path (the other is Connection, coming soon to a blog post near you.) It’s a Latin word, and I can’t define it better than Wikipedia does. tl;dr: Numen is that Universal Truth that we all hope to connect to in our work. It’s not god; it’s a “nod” from “divinity.”

We pull our nets through
the life-filled water,
finding the fish
though seeking the sea.
— Lyles

For our purposes, we can lose the religious overtones and just call it The Universe. We want to connect to that eternal space in our work; we want it to belong “out there,” not just for us but for everyone, not for now but for all time.

This is true — and can be true — even if our work is never seen by another living soul. If no one ever hears/sees Seven Dreams of Falling (not least because it is unlikely I will ever finish it), I know that the music of Icarus’s yearning “I am alone” speaks from that eternal space.

May you cross the sky
united in the dark,
may you rise in lightland,
the place in which you shine.
—text from the Pyramid of Unas

Of course, what we really want is Inspiration, by which we mean just being handed our work (or at least the keys to our work) from the Universe, a free gift, no strings (or labor) attached. That’s not how Numen works, boys and girls. (I have a lovely poem on the topic that I’m not going to post because of its vulgar language; if that interests you, email me.)

Our human consciousness is a weird-ass thing, though. Nothing comes from nothing, and so if we allow our minds to connect to that Universe as we’re Taking the Path, sometimes an idea comes out of “nowhere” and lands in our laps.

Don’t examine magic.
—Inspirobot

Now, in Captivity, our yearning for that connection to the Eternal, to something larger than ourselves, is more critical than ever. We may feel that we can’t make that connection, but if we’re MAKING THE THING THAT IS NOT, we can.

Do anything, but let it produce joy.
— Zen saying

The master who teaches us is absolute light,
not this visibility.
— Rumi

We should split the sack
of this culture
and stick our heads out.
— Rumi

To get even more hippie-woo about it, you should expect Numen in your work. Even in times — time — of great stress, we can keep our antennae open for the Eternal — notime — and welcome its contributions/suggestions.

And always remember, Numen is not expecting perfection.

Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack,
a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.
— Leonard Cohen

Numen only expects us to MAKE THE THING THAT IS NOT.

Last night the moon came
dropping its clothes in the street.
I took it as a sign
to start singing,
falling up into the bowl of sky.
The bowl breaks. Everywhere
is falling everywhere.
Nothing else to do.
Here’s the new rule:
Break the wineglass,
and fall toward
the glassblower’s breath.
— Rumi

And if we can’t? Not a problem. Sit by the fire pit for a while. Take the path later. The Universe will always be there for you when you’re ready.

Unceasing, unending, unobstructed,
open, ongoing, incoming,
ever, ever, ever
— LeGuin