Hellebore #16: The Mystery Issue

The word “mystery” comes from the Greek mystērion, from myein, meaning to close one’s eyes or lips, as the initiates in their ancient rites did: an initiation implied silence and secrecy; the mysteries ought not to be spoken of, only experienced. 

The sphinx—the dangerous, unknowable creature of Greek mythology; the silent, watchful guardian of the desert—reigns supreme as a symbol of mystery and the lure of the unknown. In a present that revolves around materialism and immediacy, the sphinx’s enigmas may feel more remote than ever, but they are essential to our spiritual nourishment and our quest for re-enchantment.  

In The Mystery Issue we gaze into the eyes of the sphinx to encounter dream visions, communal celebrations, and landscapes that conceal arcane secrets. Close your eyes and join us on an initiatory journey across Britain as we examine questions about our own existence, the depths of our subconscious mind, the lure of the unknown, the transience of our civilisation, and the power of silence to unleash our inner force. Here we’ll find ruined temples, living myths, ritual performances, riddles and enigmas, Medieval mystics, a gas-lit world of secret societies and energy grids, psychedelic revivals, and sonic experiments in the City of the Dead. 

Words by Nick Freeman, Verity Holloway, Maria J Pérez Cuervo, Paul Robichaud, Andy Sharp, Katy Soar and Thomas Waters. Art by Faallaway and Sam Freeman. Edited by Maria J Pérez Cuervo.