The Key is Within the Impossible

My Residency of Something or Other begins...

The door to the Library of Wonders and Curiosities is always unlocked. That was done with and on purpose. The Library was created with the intention that one might find what they do not yet know they need…and the urge to discover what awaits might arrive at any time. A gentle pull of the handle, day or night, will lead you right into its winding stacks and abundant treasures.

The door to the Museum of The Mystery is often, and currently, locked. As the newly chosen Resident of Something or Other at the Museum, this has posed quite a challenge. I thought perhaps there was a secret panel I had yet to find, one that would let the door swing open and grant me access. But after poking and prodding everything that was pokable or prodable, I assure you that is not the case. So despite my eagerness to begin whatever work it is I am to do, I had no choice but to await further instruction.

The other night, as rain pelted the roof, I thought I heard a knock upon my door. I peeked out quickly, reluctant to get wet or make conversation. A glance around led me to a small note resting upon my welcome mat, with no one else in sight.

Back on the comfort of my couch, I opened the envelope and read what was inside. I share the words with you, below.

---

A museum of our nature will always live in the inexplicable unknown of it All.
We are not here to conform to the wishes and wants of anyone. Or anything. Except, perhaps, ourself.
You are now within our sphere and nothing is to be expected. Or perhaps everything is.
Make no mistake, we are excited for your presence and the adventure that will form before you. But we will always be as we are…A Museum of The Mystery. And as such there is no truer place than within our grasp.

To enter our space, two keys must be found.
One has been placed within your studio.
The other lives within the impossible.
Find them both if you dare.

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A tingle ran up my spine. A jolt of aliveness. A current of fear.
The mystery is the temple on which I rest my breath.
There is nothing.
Nowhere.
No one.
That brings me to myself like the landscape of the mystery.
In its tendrils I know, without doubt, that I am.
And still, I am afraid.
Aspects of my being wish to live within the chilling warmth of safety and control, illusions though they may be.
The thought of abandoning the known so that I may be guided by who knows what terrifies me.
And yet.

And yet, I want to.
I want to find out what lives in whatever this is that might be unfolding for me. I want to partake fully of this Residency.

It took me several breaths to gather myself and make my way to the studio.
This is where I must confess something: it is a mess.
Projects, travels, below freezing temperatures (once upon time it was a sunroom room and remains rather poorly insulated) have kept me from tidying up.
Unless a key was literally sitting on the one open space on my desk, it would not be an easy find.
I rummaged through enough clutter to realize that my first act of this Residency must be to make space for whatever mysteriousness might appear. Also, I also I have to clean up if I am to ever find the key. So my next week will be in devotion to cleaning and hopefully finding.

But that is only one key.
The other, apparently, lives in the impossible.
What you may not know about me is that I have a practice of impossibility.
Taking inspiration from the Queen of Hearts, I like to spend time in stillness dreaming beyond where I had previously let myself go. I like to imagine what might live over the threshold of where I was accustomed to stopping myself because of practicality or other such nonsense.
I can only hope this exploration will lead me to where the key might live.

In service to all that, next Saturday (2/8/2025) at 12pm Eastern I will be engaging in a 90 minute experience of brainstorming the impossible. And I am inviting you to join me.
This will be held on Zoom. There will be no talking or discussion, only some music for those who delight in such things. I will share prompts that might help to explore the impossible. You can write or think or ponder in whatever way suits you. You do not have to be on camera or engage in chat. When we are done, we will be done. That is it. That is all.
If it is in your pleasure, please join me at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86467201098
I will send out a reminder on Friday.

And so it begins.
With love and mystery~
Jo Anna