“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed.” –Albert Einstein

I am a strong believer in the power of questioning things. When we ask a question, we are essentially communicating that we don’t know something, and in that admittance, we create a vast openness and allowing for ourselves to receive. To acquire new information, a new perspective, a new understanding, or most often, a new set of questions. We learn and grow and experience from that place of openness and willingness to not have all the answers. Children do this with ease. They have not yet developed the Ego that tries to pretend it knows more than it does, to protect us from being laughed at or belittled for not knowing something, or for getting it wrong. We are so often criticized for lack of knowledge about something or not getting the right answer, like somehow making mistakes is bad, instead of essential to our growth. As adults, we have learned to avoid admitting it when we don’t know, like it’s a flaw in our character. Somewhere along the line, we have lost our willingness to be an open vessel that wants to receive more knowledge, for fear of judgement. Maybe it’s because of the well known expression “knowledge is power”, and we feel by admitting that we don’t know something, we become powerless. Maybe its because knowing things has become useful in a society that feeds off of gossip and competition, and being the first to know something gives us status in a superficial culture. Maybe it’s because we have created a society that places substantial emphasis on education, certification and qualification to determine a person’s value, and not nearly enough emphasis on a deeper wisdom that lives within each of us that we access through compassion, love and intuition. Maybe, we have lost our willingness to admit not having all the answers because we are terrified of going down the rabbit hole of unanswerable questions and the incredible vastness and great mystery of the universe. Maybe we are just shit scared of realizing how little we as a collective species actually know.

The possibility of humanity knowing almost nothing about our universe might scare you, and leave you feeling paralyzed and on the brink of an existential crisis. I definitely understand that, I’ve been there, all too recently in fact. But to me not knowing is the beginning of everything. It is the empty cup waiting to be filled. It is the majesty of embracing mystery, wonderment and the absolute awe-inspiring complexity and sheer immeasurable size of our universe. Every question leads to more questions, and the discovery and journey is the purpose. When we cling to an answer, a set of rules, a dogma, a belief system, a scientific law, we cease to be open to learning and growing to the capacity we are capable of. We cling to these ideas and philosophies for comfort. We use well established beliefs in order to help us define ourselves and ultimately to belong. I get it. It’s scary to manoeuvre in a world without a code, or a guideline or set of beliefs, but I think it’s much scarier to live in a world where people have attached so deeply to one idea, that they cease to be open to any other, and will wage war with anyone who challenges their particular views. People use a belief system as their identity, instead of a source of information and a part of their knowledge and life experience. They say “I AM”, a Christian, an Athiest, a Scientist, a Metaphysicist, and in doing so, they lock in to a set of rules and maybe without realizing it, they put up a wall and close a lot of doors to more knowledge they may never get to experience because it’s in conflict with who they have decided they are. I find it very interesting and curious, living on this planet, a biological phenomenon supporting millions of species, that floats in space within an immeasurable cosmos where we have found no other intelligent lifeforms, that there are so many people who have a set of beliefs directly in conflict with others’ beliefs, yet they all claim without a shadow of a doubt that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Just let that sink in for a minute. There are those who believe that the earth is flat, despite scientists providing evidence and photographs from space that show the contrary. Doctors used to believe smoking was good for us and prescribed cigarettes to reduce stress. There are millions of people who believe the Earth was created in 6 days and Women were created from the rib of Man. There are those who believe we have souls and reincarnate into new physical bodies and those that believe that when we die, that’s the end of it all. Truly ask yourself this, with so much conflicting knowledge, living on a planet we have polluted to the point of mass extinction, where we murder each other over resources and differing beliefs, and eat food we have knowingly poisoned with chemicals, who are any of us to decide that we are right above all others, and not allow another perspective in, in order to better ourselves? Truly, we need to ponder that.

“We must be willing to sit on the edge of mystery and unlearn what has helped guide us in the past but is no longer useful.” — Robert Wicks

I am completely enamoured with science, mythology, mysticism and spirituality. I never tire of learning new things in these arenas, especially the places where we have no physical evidence or proof, and I’m forever fascinated with where these areas overlap. You name it, I’m open to it. You want to talk about energy and vibration? Artificial intelligence? Astrophysics? Religion? Aliens? Metaphysics? Philosophy? Art? Western Medicine? Light-workers? Politics? Astrology? Let’s talk. I look around myself and I see small pockets of people in peace with each other because they believe the same things, but they are in constant conflict with the other pockets who don’t share their beliefs and every pocket thinks they have the answer, so we are all trapped in our own Ego’s and as a result, at war with one another. Moving forward and evolving is next to impossible in that kind of environment. People are more interested in being the one who is right (even if they’re wrong because they don’t have all the information), than living in harmony with people and the planet. We want belonging so badly, that we hold onto agreed upon ideas in one group with white knuckles, while in actuality we are creating division and separateness between humanity. The internet is rife with condescension and righteousness. “Our world is in trouble, politically and environmentally because of them!” If only they would get on board with our beliefs. Sound about right? I’m guilty of it too, and I’m tired of that game that goes nowhere good. I’m more than ready now to do the work of bringing humanity back together by letting go of my closed-mindedness and judgement and pouring out my cup full of how smart I am, so that I might actually learn something new.

I think the key to embracing the unknown is to ask questions about the topics that interest us and revel in the new information we aquire in order to understand them better, but not to attach and cling to an idea out of a need for comfort or security. I think the goal is to be brave enough to let go of old ideas when other information presents itself, even if it challenges the ideas we were just accepting. I think it is our willingness to surrender to the unknown and to unlearn old information as new discoveries and understandings surface. We are natural explorers, scientists and creatives from birth. Watch any child discovering their world and this becomes so abundantly clear. Ultimately, I think it is about cultivating a willingness to surrender to the magnitude of not knowing and to have the courage to stay open to receiving, learning and growing. It’s about making friends with the inevitability of change and letting go of judgement for long enough to entertain ideas and theories that at first glance appear crazy. Indeed, it has been those crazy ideas and theories that have moved humanity forward by leaps and bounds time and again. Imagine what the neighbours must have thought of the Wright Brothers while they were building and test flying their first flying machine designs which would later become the modern airplane? Imagine if they had cared too much about what the neighbours thought?

If I have a strong belief of my own, it’s that what is known about our universe is far less than what is unknown, and I want to learn as much about it as I can, so I must maintain a willingness to be wrong about things I used to think were right. We must be willing to investigate and ask “what if” about concepts that others around us will laugh at and disregard because of their limiting beliefs and pre-conceived notions. We must continually push our comfort zone and go where others are not willing to go. We have to be more devoted to learning and our own growth than to the judgements and narrow mindedness of others. I am willing to do that for the sheer joy of the possibilities and discovery of our potential, but most importantly, I’m willing to do that to play my part in helping to heal our hurting world, are you?

“Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality.” –Bruce Lee

“To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.” –Lao Tzu

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Michael Sanders

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One of our greatest scientific geniuses in history, Galileo Galilei, was an Astronomer, Physicist and Engineer. He was deemed the “father of observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of the scientific method” and even the “father of modern science.” He was also an avid Astrologer, who read the stars for people who sought his knowledge to better understand their own lives. I think it is the people who use a combination of their education, experience, intuition, emotions, and a healthy dose of curiosity and openness to possibility, who end up reaching their fullest potential in this world.

“Who would set a limit to the mind of man? Who would dare assert that we know all there is to be known?” – Galileo Galilei

I would like to introduce you to Shannon Rae, of Unwilling Mystic. Shannon is a Teacher, a Mathematician and an Astrologer, who does readings of Astrological birth charts for people, teaches workshops on the ancient science and art of Astrology, and does Astro-Dice readings at Winnipeg’s, Radiance Gifts. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Shannon by a mutual friend who had attended her workshops and I was completely captivated by her knowledge and accuracy when she read my birth chart for me. I literally lost track of all time and talked with her into the wee hours of the morning. The whole experience was profound. It was incredibly eye opening in some ways and totally affirming in others and amazingly, we barely scratched the surface. I highly recommend you take the leap and have Unwilling Mystic read your Astrological birth chart. Your eyes may be opened to things you never would have thought possible. I had no idea of the scale and complexity of Astrology and just how much information there is to dig into, if you are willing to go down the rabbit hole. Astrology is as vast and awe-inspiring as….well, the cosmos.

“For the rational among us there is not much room for the mystical. My great wish is to inspire my clients and students with the tangible experience of astrology, to illuminate the patterns of time and meaning so we can feel the connection to our universe and become aware of our dance within it.” –Unwilling Mystic

Astrology has a colourful place in pop culture but like anything condensed for mass entertainment its true value is grossly underrepresented. The study of the planetary correlations to human events and personal unfolding has been in practice for more than 5000 years and I am honoured to be able to add my interpretations to this rich history.

Each of us is born with a beautifully mathematical cosmic fingerprint. This image of the heavens at the moment of your birth is unique to you and is a map used for navigating your self-understanding and, when compared to current planetary positions, your personal evolution through time.

It’s hard not to get swept away by the magnitude of all this… but in reality a consultation is a simple conversation. Using your astrological fingerprint I will offer insights into your key characteristics, how you interact with the people around you and your aspirations for the future. My goal is to validate your intuitive understanding and help you capitalize on the energy of the moment. Ride the wave, baby! –Unwilling Mystic