What if it’s space that makes everything possible? While it’s easy to stay focused on the things, the stuff, the objects, perhaps it is the space that allows us to perceive and interact with them.
Three cases in point...
Space Around Things
Hold your hand in front of you. Look at your hand, your fingers, the color and texture of your skin. Now shift your attention to the space around your hand. Entertain the notion that the space “holds” your hand by nuzzling right up to its edge and creating an opening which allows you to see it.
You can do the same with another object: a tree, a car, a building, a person. First focus on the object itself and then adjust your awareness to perceive the space around the object. See the space between the branches, under the chassis, over the roof, around the face.
Without the space, there is no way to interact or even see any-thing.
2. Space Between Sounds
Take 2 minutes and listen to Elliot Smith’s cover of Because (or whatever music flips your proverbial skirt). For the first minute or so, listen for the sounds. Notice the instruments or voices or whatever is making the sounds. Notice how loud they are or if they are sounding together.
Then for the second minute, listen to the silence. Listen to the space between the sounds. Notice that without the silence, we couldn’t hear the sound.
3. Space In Relationships
I met my two step kids when they were 4 and 7. About 26 minutes after meeting them, I discovered that children do not have to be your own in order to fall madly in love with them...and for them to push your buttons.
Maybe 23 minutes.
Family life is full of everything. No shock there. I quickly noticed that when I’m in conflict, I tend to push for a resolution...NOW. If the kids weren’t listening or getting my point or learning what I thought I needed to be teaching them in that moment, I kept at them until they did. Which, you might imagine being the astute reader that you are, never ever went well.
My calm, wise husband gently suggested that perhaps a better approach would be to give the situation some space. To instead make breathing room for the kids and me after a conflict and come back later for conversation and learning.
I resisted this with every fiber of my being.
But dang it if it didn’t go better every single time I was able to step away, make some space and come back.
In our culture of consumerism and productivity, we are trained to keep our focus on the things, the stuff, the goods. What if we can also see the intrinsic value of the space? Around things, between sounds, in relationships. Marvel at the margins and let yourself spend some time in the spaces inbetween.
[AND if you want to practice connecting to space with me, join me – either live or with the recordings – for Nourishing Movement November series on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 11am/Eastern on Zoom!]