Joseph Campbell once wrote, “Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. Follow the path that is no path, follow your bliss.” These words have always held a certain magnetism for me, and perhaps they do for you too. There’s a beckoning in them—a gentle yet profound invitation to stop striving for answers and instead learn to sit with the unknowing.
A pathless call, a whispered grace,
We yield to time, release the chase.
No answers fixed, no truth to bind,
Just space to meet the quiet mind.
In our culture, life is often treated as a problem to fix, a puzzle to complete, or a task list to conquer. Productivity, goals, efficiency—these are our modern-day mantras. And yet, in the world of meditation and mindful living, we are asked to step back from this constant need to perfect and problem-solve. Instead, we learn to simply be with what is. We allow the moment to unfold, however imperfectly, and we meet it with compassion rather than control.
In stillness lies the wiser way,
Beyond the rush of every day.
To be, not do—this sacred shift,
The now itself becomes the gift.
This is not to say productivity, goals, and efficiency are not to be desired. In fact, they are often what allow our dreams to manifest. The challenge is that our route to these outcomes can sometimes be counter-intuitive. Sometimes we accomplish more by doing less. Not always, mind you—but it’s something to be aware of. Meditation helps us recognize when our effort is in harmony with the moment and when we might need to pause. It calls us to balance, discernment, and trust.
Let goals be seeds, not anxious strain,
And trust the soft, unfolding gain.
Not every step must strive or press—
There’s wisdom too in doing less.
This shift in perspective also touches how we relate to the Divine. For some, the Divine is a mystery—a force of love or presence that can’t be fully grasped, perhaps visualized as a radiant, shapeless energy. For others, God may be a deeply personal being, intimately involved in every detail of our lives. Both views offer richness, and perhaps they are not so different. Either way, embracing mystery over certainty invites a deeper surrender.
In shape or void, in form or flame,
The Sacred wears no single name.
To meet the Source with open heart
Is where the deeper journeys start.
Living in this mystery isn’t always easy. It requires patience, vulnerability, and a tolerance for not knowing. These are muscles we build over time in meditation. And to be clear, this path isn’t for everyone. If clarity and certainty fuel your joy and keep your life moving in healthy, vibrant ways, there’s no need to change that. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
To sit with doubt and call it friend,
To let the edges not defend—
Takes courage deep and breath drawn wide,
A trust in life we hold inside.
But if you’re drawn to explore the unknown, to trust the wisdom of waiting, the practice of mindfulness offers a compass. The “pathless path” isn’t about drifting aimlessly. It’s about sensing when it’s time to act and when it’s time to pause. Planning, organizing, preparing—these are vital tools. But they become counterproductive when used to force outcomes before the timing is ripe.
The path appears when feet are still,
Not pushed by force, but shaped by will.
To wait with care, to move with grace,
This too becomes the sacred place.
This is where Campbell’s invitation to “follow your bliss” comes alive. In the language of meditation, we might say: follow the heart. Follow joy. Follow kindness. But also, stay alert. The unexamined heart can be swayed by old conditioning and misinformation. So we place guardians at the portals of our mind—discernment, reflection, and the steady light of awareness.
Let joy be compass, heart the guide,
But keep discernment at your side.
Not all that calls is true or clear—
So guard the gates of thought with care.
In the end, this mystery we live is not meant to be mastered. It’s meant to be loved. And perhaps that’s what meditation teaches us best: how to live inside the questions, how to trust the unfolding, and how to walk gently with the unknown.
We live the question, not the claim,
We light no path, yet walk the flame.
In mystery, the heart is grown,
And by its beat, the way is shown.
With warmth and presence,
Bob